Local buses in Kyoto : Kyoto Bus

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1. Operation Area / Route / Hours

The map below is the service area operated by Kyoto Bus and others.

Kyoto Bus covers a part of Kyoto city compared with Kyoto City Bus.

Please note that…

Kyoto Bus is completely different form Kyoto City Bus.

With the color, it is easy to tell those two buses.

Kyoto Bus is brown, and Kyoto City Bus is green.

Recently Kyoto Bus has been co-operating Kyoto City Bus  No.86 , and expanding the range of flat fare sections and free passes that can be used. But, Kurama and Kifune area and Ohara area are not within flat fare zone, so One-day bus pass cannot be used. Please note, only with One-day subway & bus pass, you can go as far as Ohara area.

Where in Kyoto dose the Kyoto Bus operate specifically ?

The map below is main bus routes for visitors.

By using Kyoto Bus…

you can go to Arashiyama, Ohara (in the northeast of Kyoto), Kibune and Kurama (in the north of Kyoto).

The folowings are the main routes for visitors.

Kyoto Station,
Shijo-Kawaramachi (downtown area)
Demachiyanagi Station (Keihan Railway)
Kokusai-Kaikan Station (City Subway Karasuma line)
Ohara

Kyoto Station,
Shijo-Kawaramachi 
Arashiyama

Kokusai-Kaikan Station 
Kibune, Kurama

Kibuneguchi Station (Eizan railway)
Kifune shrine

The operating hours is depend on routes.

But mostly from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Kyoto Bus.

The number of bus services is basically every 20 – 30 minutes.

So you should check the timetable beforehand.

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2. Attractions with Kyoto Bus Routes

2-1 Main Attractions you can visit

What attractions can you visit by Kyoto Bus ?

You can go to…

Sanzenin temple , Kuramadera temple , Kifune shrine , Suzumushidera temple, Kokedera (Saihoji) temple (world heritage), Togetsukyo bridge, Tenryuji temple (world heritage)  directly.

Sanzenin Temple :
10 min walk from Ohara bus stop

 Kuramadera Temple :
to the gate of the temple, 2 min walk from Kurama Onsen bus stop

Kifune Shrine :
2 min walk from Kibune bus stop

Suzumushidere Temple :
3 min walk from Kokedera Suzumushidera bus stop

Kokedera (Saihoji) Temple :
3 min walk from Kokedera Suzumushidera bus stop

∗ To visit Kokedera temple, you need a early application (pre-entry) by sending return postcard to the temple.

Tenryuji Temple :
near Arashiyama Tenryujimae bus stop, or 10 min walk from Arashiyama bus stop

Togetsukyo Bridge :
near Arashiyama bus stop

2-2 From Kyoto Station to Attractions

How long dose it take from kyoto station to attractions by Kyoto Bus ?

It takes about…

Sanzenin Temple : at least 78 min
(bus ride 68 min, get off at Ohara bus stop, walk 10 min)

Suzumushidere Temple : at least 59 min
(bus ride 56 min, get off at Kokedera Suzumushidera bus stop, walk 3 min)

Togetsukyo Bridge at least 50 min
(bus ride 50 min, near Arashiyama bus stop)

Tenryuji Temple: at least 53 min
(bus ride 53 min, near Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae bus stop)

Kyoto City Bus No.28 also take you to the temple from the same bus stop (C6) in Kyoto Station.

Kokedera (Saihoji) Temple : at least 59 min
(bus ride 56 min, get off at Kokedera Suzumushidera bus stop, walk 3 min)

«To Kurama, Kibune from Kyoto Station»

Actually, to Kurama and Kibune, there is no direct bus service from Kyoto station.

You need firstly to take Subway Karasuma line to Kokusai-kaikan station (20 min).

Then, change to Kyoto Bus No.52 at Kokusai-kaikan-ekimae bus stop 3 for Kibune and Kurama area.

Kuramadera Temple : total at least 52 min
(bus ride 25 min, get off at Kurama-onsen bus stop, walk 2 min to the gate)

Kifune shrine : total at least 59 min
(Firstly, get off at Kibune-guchi bus stop.
Next, walk 2 min to Kibuneguchi-ekimae bus stop located near Eizan railway Kibuneguchi station.
T
hen, take Kyoto Bus No. 33, and get off at Kibune bus stop.
Total 25 min bus ride, and
2 min walk to the shrine)

«To Ohara by way of Subway Kokusai-kaikan Station»

Also you can go to Ohara area from Kokusai Kaikan station by Kyoto Bus No.19.
Bus No.19 departs from Kokusai Kaikan ekimae bus stop 4, located just in front of Kokusai Kaikan station exit No.1

The number of bus service is almost every 30 to 50 minutes.
So you should check the timetable beforehand.

Sanzenin Temple (Ohara) at least 55 min
(bus ride 20 min, get off at Ohara bus stop, walk 10 min)

Please note that…

on peak season such as cherry blossoms (from the end of March to the beginning of April) or autumun leaves (November), it takes more time to get to each attractions becouse of heavy traffic jam.

3. Fares & Passes

3-1 Fares a ride

The fare depends on areas whether your destination is within Flat Fare Zone or not.

Flat Fare Zone means that no matter where you get off,
the fare is ¥230 for an adult / ¥120 for a child (6 – 11 yares old) per ride within the zone.

Extra fare is needed if you ride beyond the zone.

The folowings are the fares for main sections (within and beyond flat fare zone).

«The sections within flat fare (¥230 / ¥120)»

Kyoto Station 
Arashiyama, Suzumushidera temple, Kokedera temple

Shijo-Kawaramachi (downtown area)
 Arashiyama, Suzumushidera temple, Kokedera temple

refer to the Flat Fare Zone map below if you necessary.

«The sections beyond flat fare»

Kyoto Station
Ohara ¥560 / ¥280

Shijo-kawaramachi
Ohara ¥530 / ¥270

Demachiyanagi Station
Ohara ¥440 / ¥220

Kokusai-kaikan Station
Ohara ¥360 / ¥180

♦ Kokusai-kaikan Station
Kibuneguchi ¥280 / ¥140

Kibuneguchi Station (Kibuneguchi-ekimae)
Kibune (Kifune shrine) ¥170 / ¥90

Kokusai-kaikan Station
Kurama-onsen (Kuramadera temple) ¥350 / ¥180

3-2 Type of Passes you can use

Any IC Cards including Kansai One Pass are accepted.

Kansai Thru Pass are available for all routes operated by Kyoto bus.

Bus One-Day Pass and Subway & Bus One-Day Pass are available only for a specific area. (Note: Unfortunately, Bus One-day Pass is discontinued at the end of September 2023!)

For Arashiyama area :
both available

For Kurama or Kibune :
both unavailable

For Ohara :
only Subway & Bus One-Day Pass available
(Bus One-Day Pass unavailable)

  (You can use Bus One-Day Pass for buses running within Flat Fare Zone.)

But JR pass cannot be used for Kyoto Bus.