Kansai One Pass in Kyoto

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1. What’s Kansai One Pass ?

Kansai One Pass is a type of IC card, ICOCA with special benefits for visitors.

Since April 2018, the sales price has been ¥3000 (including ¥500 for deposit).

This pass is NOT unlimited type. It is prepaid type and needs to recharge.

Like any other IC cards, you can ride ALL trains and buses in Kyoto.

Ofcourse, you can also use the pass in Tokyo, Nagoya or other major cities in Japan.

2. The Benefit of the Kansai One Pass in Kyoto

Showing the Kansai One Pass in Kyoto, you can receive special discount or present from some atractions or shops.

For example, discount admission fee is available at Nijo Castle, Arashiyama Monkey Park, Kyoto Tower and Gion Corner.

If you use Kansai International Airport, it is of great benefit. You can receive 5 – 20% discout at about 60 shops in the airport.

3. Where to buy Kansai One Pass

3-1 Where to buy in Kyoto

In Kyoto, you can buy Kansai One Pass at Kyoto station, Hankyu railway Kyoto-Kawaramachi or Karasuma station and Keihan railway Sanjo station, 7 places listed below.

  •  Kyoto Station
    1. Kintetsu Railway Travel Information Desk
    2. JR Central Ticket Office
    3. Kyoto City Bus & Subway Information Office  (a) ground floor   (b) basement 1 floor

  •  Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station
    4. Hankyu Tourist Information Center Kyoto Kawaramachi

     Karashuma Station
    5. Hankyu Tourist Information Center Kyoto Karasuma

  •  Sanjo station
    6. Keihan Info-station

The followings are the details.

 « At Kyoto Station » 

1. Kintetsu Travel Information Desk near the gate of Kintetsu Railway
(open 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., weekend 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) 

 2. JR Central Ticket Office near the central gate of JR local line
(kyoto tower side, open 5:30 a.m. – 11:00p.m.,
English speaking staff is available 8:00a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
)

3. Kyoto City Bus & Subway Information Office
(open 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

  • (a) ground floor : inside Bus Ticket Center,  between bus terminal and taxi stand (kyoto tower side)

(b) basement 1 floor : near subway central 1 ticket gate, in front of the subway ticket machines

 « At Hankyu Railway Stations » 

 Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station 
4. Hankyu Tourist information Center Kyoto Kawaramachi, near the central gate
(open 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

 Karasuma Station 
5. Hankyu Tourist information Center Kyoto Karasuma, near west gate
(open 8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.)

 « At Keihan Railway Sanjo Station » 

6. Keihan Info-station, between north and central ticket gate
∗this station is the same as Sanjo-Keihan station of Subway Tozai line

Please check the location map of information or ticket office that you can buy Kansai One pass in Kyoto.

3-2 Where to buy other than in Kyoto

If you land at Kansai International Airport, it is convenient to buy the pass at ticket office of JR or Nankai Railway station  in the airport.

If you arrive at Shin-Osaka station by Shinkansen, the bullet train, the ticket office of JR line or Subway Information Counter of Osaka Metro sells the pass.

Other main sales locations in Osaka are Umeda station and Namba station.

At Umeda station (close to JR Osaka station), Hankyu Tourist Information Center Osaka-Umeda sells the pass.

And at Namba station, the ticket office of Kintetsu railway, Service Center of Nankai Railway (2nd floor), Subway Information Counter of Osaka Metro (Midosuji line) sell Kansai One pass.

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4. Comparison with “Kansai Railway Pass” (formerly known as “Kansai Thru Pass”)

Kansai Railway Pass, formerly known as “Kansai Thru Pass”, is Not IC card.

This pass is the unlimited 2-day or 3-day type ticket, covers Kansai area such as Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama (includ Mt. Koya) and Otsu (Lake Biwa).

You can ride almost all trains over the Kansai area. Although former “Kansai Thru Pass” was available for buses, this new “Kansai Railway Pass” is available only for trains.
A good thing about this ticket is that you don’t need to use it on consecutive 2 or 3 days.
For example, you can use 2-day pass on Monday and on Thursday.

But, important point is that you can Not ride JR line with this pass.

If you have Kansai Railway Pass in Kyoto, you can unlimitedly ride Eizan Railway, Keifuku Railway (Randen), Keihan Railway, Hankyu Railway, Kintetsu Railway and Kyoto City Subway.

Of course, you can not ride JR line with this pass in Kyoto, either.

So, this pass is convenient if you plan to travel around Kansai area without JR railway line.

« The pass price »

2-day ticket : ¥5,600 (adult) / ¥2,800 (age 6 to 12)

3-day ticket : ¥7,000 (adult) / ¥3,500 (age 6 to 12)

« Where to buy Kansai Railway Pass in Kyoto »

1. Kansai Tourist Information Center Kyoto  (open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
    Kyoto Tower building 3rd fl. in front of kyoto station bus terminal

2. Kyoto station Bus Ticket Center (open 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.)
locatede between bus terminal and taxi stand, where also sells “Kansai One Pass”, a type of IC card, ICOCA