As Kyoto is a major city, there are many day and overnight buses which run between Kyoto and other locations throughout Japan, which can be a cheaper alternative than shinkansen fares.
The JR Bus Group is a major operator of the routes from the Tokyo area to Kansai. Buses operate via the Tomei Expressway (to/from Tokyo Station) or the Chuo Expressway (to/from Shinjuku Station).
Other bus companies offer trips between Tokyo and Kyoto, but it should be pointed out that seat reservations for JR Buses can be made in train stations at the same "Midori-no-Madoguchi" ticket windows used to reserve seats on trains. Moreover, the Japan Rail Pass is valid on ALL JR buses operating from the Tokyo area to Kyoto. (Note that the pass is NOT valid on buses to/from Yokohama.)
From Tokyo, buses run to and from Kyoto in approximately eight hours. Major bus locations are as follows:
Tokyo: Tokyo Station Yaesu Exit (東京駅八重洲口), with a few buses discharging at the Nihombashi Exit (東京駅日本橋口)
Shinjuku: Shinjuku Station New South Exit (新宿駅新南口)
Kyoto: At Kyoto Station, most buses stop at the Karasuma Exit (京都駅烏丸口) to the north, while others use the Hachijo Exit (京都駅八条口) to the south.
Many daytime buses that run through Kyoto, traveling to/from Osaka, stop instead at the Kyoto Fukakusa Bus Stop on the Meishin Expressway. Fujinomori Station on the Keihan Railway is a 10-minute walk from Fukakusa, while Takeda Station on the Kintetsu Railway and the Kyoto Subway is 15 minutes away; all can be used to reach the main city. A local city bus also runs to Kyoto station from the nearby Youth Science Center 1-2 times per hour.
All buses that run from Tokyo to Kyoto are double-decker buses and can be classified under the following three categories, in order of price:
Seishun (Youth) buses: While not exactly targeted at "youth", these are the budget-conscious buses on the route. Seats are narrow with four per row in a 2x2 configuration and limited recline.
Standard buses: These are the regular buses, which offer seats with increased width and footrests. They are arranged three per aisle in a 1x1x1 configuration. Blankets are provided on evening routes.
Premium buses: Recently introduced, these buses are the luxury members of the route. The seats are bigger, and the buses seat less people than the others. In addition to the extra room, there is also air filtration and a closed-circuit camera system. On the top floor, seats are arranged three per row in a 1x1x1 configuration. More expansive first floor seating (of which there is only four seats) incurs an additional surcharge... but you do get your own television. Blankets and toiletries are provided in all seats on evening routes.
The following services are available: (Current as of November, 2010)
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Kyoto
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Kyoto - updated May 2024
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Kyoto Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
