There are 10 ways to get from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto by train, bus, night bus, car, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train
best- Take the train from Tōkyō Station to Kyototrain Hikari / ...
3h 35mBus
cheapest- Take the bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to Kyōto Station Karasumaguchibus
8h 23m¥3,382–12,307Night bus
- Take the nightbus from Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal to Gion Shijo Stationnightbus Sy163
9h 41m¥4,681–13,306Drive 461.9 km
- Drive from Tokyo downtown to Kyotocar 461.9 km
5h 10m¥7,922–11,443Fly Tokyo International Airport to Osaka International Airport, bus
- Fly from Tokyo International Airport (HND) to Osaka International Airport (ITM)plane HND - ITM
- Take the bus from Osaka Airport to Kyoto Station Hachijou gatebus
4h 26m¥13,958–20,573Train to Tokyo International Airport, fly to Kobe, train
- Take the train from 東十条 Higashi-Jūjō to 浜松町 Hamamatsuchōtrain
- Fly from Tokyo International Airport (HND) to Kobe (UKB)plane HND - UKB
- Take the train from Shin Kobe to Kyototrain
5h 4mTrain to Narita International Airport, fly to Osaka International Airport, bus
- Take the train from Nippori to Narita Airport Terminal 2·3train
- Fly from Narita International Airport (NRT) to Osaka International Airport (ITM)plane NRT - ITM
- Take the bus from Osaka Airport to Kyoto Station Hachijou gatebus
4h 38m¥17,538–43,362Train to Tokyo International Airport, fly to Chūbu Centrair International Airport, train
- Take the train from 東十条 Higashi-Jūjō to 浜松町 Hamamatsuchōtrain
- Fly from Tokyo International Airport (HND) to Chūbu Centrair International Airport (NGO)plane HND - NGO
- Take the train from Nagoya to Kyototrain
4h 46mTrain to Narita International Airport, fly to Chūbu Centrair International Airport, train
- Take the train from Nippori to Narita Airport Terminal 2·3train
- Fly from Narita International Airport (NRT) to Chūbu Centrair International Airport (NGO)plane NRT - NGO
- Take the train from Nagoya to Kyototrain
4h 53mTrain to Ibaraki Airport, fly to Kobe, train
- Take the train from Nippori to Takahamatrain
- Fly from Ibaraki Airport (IBR) to Kobe (UKB)plane IBR - UKB
- Take the train from Shin Kobe to Kyototrain
6h 3m
Tokyo downtown to Kyoto by foot, train, and bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto is to drive which costs ¥7500 - ¥12000 and takes 5h 10m.
The fastest way to get from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto is to fly and bus which takes 4h 26m and costs ¥14000 - ¥21000.
No, there is no direct bus from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto station. However, there are services departing from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal and arriving at Kyōto Station Karasumaguchi via . The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h 23m.
No, there is no direct train from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto. However, there are services departing from 東十条 Higashi-Jūjō and arriving at Marutamachi via Tōkyō Station and Kyoto. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 3h 35m.
The distance between Tokyo downtown and Kyoto is 492 km. The road distance is 461.9 km.
The best way to get from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto without a car is to train which takes 3h 35m and costs .
It takes approximately 3h 35m to get from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto, including transfers.
Tokyo downtown to Kyoto bus services, operated by JR Bus Kanto, depart from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal station.
Tokyo downtown to Kyoto train services, operated by JR CENTRAL (Central Japan Railway Company), depart from Tōkyō Station.
The best way to get from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto is to train which takes 3h 35m and costs . Alternatively, you can bus, which costs ¥3300 - ¥13000 and takes 8h 23m.
What companies run services between Tokyo downtown, Japan and Kyoto, Japan?
JR CENTRAL (Central Japan Railway Company) operates a train from Tōkyō Station to Kyoto every 30 minutes, and the journey takes 2h 34m. Alternatively, JR Bus Kanto operates a bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to Kyōto Station Karasumaguchi once daily. Tickets cost ¥3,200–12,000 and the journey takes 7h 8m.
- Website
- jal.com
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Osaka International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥12,000–18,000
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Osaka International Airport via Izumo
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥12,000–18,000
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Osaka International Airport via Yamagata
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥12,000–18,000
Flights from Narita International Airport to Osaka International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥15,000–34,000
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Chūbu Centrair International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥11,000–21,000
Flights from Narita International Airport to Chūbu Centrair International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥10,000–17,000
- Website
- ana.co.jp
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Osaka International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥40,000–75,000
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Kobe
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥50,000–100,000
Flights from Narita International Airport to Osaka International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥49,000–100,000
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Chūbu Centrair International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥40,000–50,000
Flights from Narita International Airport to Chūbu Centrair International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥35,000–65,000
- Website
- skymark.co.jp
Flights from Tokyo International Airport to Kobe
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥10,000–19,000
Flights from Ibaraki Airport to Kobe
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ¥14,000–41,000
- Phone
- 050-3772-3910
- Website
- JR CENTRAL
Train from Tōkyō Station to Kyoto
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Website
- JR CENTRAL
- Schedules at
- JR West Timetable & Route Finder
Train from Shin Kobe to Kyoto
- Ave. Duration
- 34 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- JR CENTRAL
- Schedules at
- JR West Timetable & Route Finder
Train from Nagoya to Kyoto
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Website
- JR CENTRAL
- Schedules at
- JR West Timetable & Route Finder
Train from Nagoya to Kyoto
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Website
- JR CENTRAL
- Schedules at
- JR West Timetable & Route Finder
Train from Shin Kobe to Kyoto
- Ave. Duration
- 34 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- JR CENTRAL
- Schedules at
- JR West Timetable & Route Finder
- Phone
- (050) 2016-1603
- Website
- JR EAST
Train from 東十条 Higashi-Jūjō to 浜松町 Hamamatsuchō
- Ave. Duration
- 29 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- ¥290–430
- Website
- JR EAST
Train from 東十条 Higashi-Jūjō to 浜松町 Hamamatsuchō
- Ave. Duration
- 29 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- ¥290–430
- Website
- JR EAST
Train from Nippori to Takahama
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 13m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- ¥1,100–1,600
- Website
- JR EAST
- Phone
- 0570-081-160
- Website
- Keisei Electric Railway
Train from Nippori to Narita Airport Terminal 2·3
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- ¥1,200–2,600
- Website
- Keisei Electric Railway
Train from Nippori to Narita Airport Terminal 2·3
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- ¥1,200–2,600
- Website
- Keisei Electric Railway
- Phone
- 0570-048905
- Website
- jrbuskanto.co.jp
Bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to Kyōto Station Karasumaguchi
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 8m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ¥3,200–12,000
- Schedules at
- time.jrbuskanto.co.jp.e.wn.hp.transer.com
- [email protected]
- Website
- Willer Express
Night bus from Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal to Gion Shijo Station
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ¥4,500–13,000
- Website
- Willer Express
- Relax (Front)
- ¥4,500–12,000
- Economy
- ¥4,600–9,500
- Komodo
- ¥7,000–13,000
- Phone
- 06-6844-1124
- Website
- hankyu-kankobus.co.jp
Bus from Osaka Airport to Kyoto Station Hachijou gate
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- ¥1,200–1,500
- Schedules at
- www-hankyu-kankobus-co-jp-e.athp.transer.com
Bus from Osaka Airport to Kyoto Station Hachijou gate
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- ¥1,200–1,500
- Schedules at
- www-hankyu-kankobus-co-jp-e.athp.transer.com
Want to know more about travelling around Japan
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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Booking & Getting There
Tokyo downtown to Kyoto bus services, operated by JR Bus Kanto, arrive at Kyōto Station Karasumaguchi.
Tokyo downtown to Kyoto train services, operated by JR CENTRAL (Central Japan Railway Company), arrive at Kyoto station.
Yes, the driving distance between Tokyo downtown to Kyoto is 462 km. It takes approximately 5h 10m to drive from Tokyo downtown to Kyoto.
There are 3787+ hotels available in Kyoto.

























