Passes for Buses & Subway in Kyoto : Type, Price and Covered Area
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Note: Bus One -day Pass , unfortunately, was discontinued (stopped selling) at the end of September 2023! In case of having it already, you can use until the end of March 2024.)
Note 2: Subway & Bus Two-day Pass is no longer available.
1. Pass Type & Price
For shightseeing, mainly 1 types of day pass is available in Kyoto.
It is Subway & Bus One-Day Pass . (Bus One-Day Pass was discontinued at the end of September 2023! If you have already had it, you can use until the end of March 2024.)
Subway & Bus One-Day Pass is ¥1100 for an adult.
Official english name is Kyoto City Subway, Kyoto City Bus, Kyoto Bus, Keihan Bus & west JR Bus One-Day Pass.
This pass coveres almost all the famous spots, such as Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kinkakuji temple (golden pavilion), Ginkakuji temple (silver pavilion), Kiyomizudera temple, Gion, Nijo Castle and even Jingoji temple, Kouzanji temple in Takao area or Ohara area!
This pass is also very useful. Because if you take subway, you can go to some spots on schedule and save time even on a peak season such as spring (around the end of March to the top of April) or Autumn (November).
Subway & Bus Two-Day Pass and Bus One-Day pass are no longer available.
2. Pass Type & Cost Effectiveness
Although Bus One-Day Pass was worth using, if you ride a bus 4 times or more a day.
Subway & Bus One-Day Pass is worth, if you plan to take subway and bus 5 times or more in total.
For example, the fare will be at least about ¥1200 for “Bus ride × 3 + Subway ride × 2” or “Bus ride × 2 + Subway ride × 3” .
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3. Pass Type & Covered Area
Subway & Bus One-Day Pass covers almost all the famous spots in Kyoto such as Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kiyomizudera temple, Kinkakuji temple (golden pavilion), Ginkakuji temple (silver pavilion), Gion or Nijo castle, Takao area having Jingoji temple and Kouzanji temple, even Ohara area (north side of kyoto city) and Yamashina area (east side of Kyoto city)!
But Kurama area, in the upper north side of Kyoto city, is unavailable.
By this pass, you can ride all Kyoto City Bus and Subway.
You can also ride JR Bus line between Kyoto station and Takao area (only within flat fare zone)
In addition, most of the Kyoto Bus and Keihan Bus services are available.
For example, you can go to Ohara (in the north of Kyoto) by Kyoto Bus, or Yamashina area (in the east of Kyoto) by Keihan Bus.
The map below shows the area covered by the Subway & Bus One-day Pass.
For the reference on bus fares, the map below shows the Flat-Fare Zone, meanings “bus flat fare ¥230 per ride”. I think you can understand most famous spots are within the flat fare except for Ohara area and Yamashina area.
