For JR Pass : Which is JR Local Bus in Kyoto ?

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JR Bus is formally called “West JR Bus” in Kyoto.

With JAPAN RAIL PASS, you can only ride JR local bus.

You can not ride Kyoto City Bus, Kyoto Bus or Keihan Bus.

This page informs you about the route, schedule and bus stop at Kyoto station of the JR bus, and attractions you can visit only by JR bus in Kyoto.

Contents

1. Attractions you can visit along with JR Bus Route

What attractions are accessible by JR bus ?

Actually, JR bus has only one route in Kyoto city.

The number of JR bus operated is basically every 30 minute, especially on saturday, sunday, japanese national holiday and aroud noon on weekday.

(On some weekday other than noon, may operated every 15 minute for Ryoanji temple.)

So you can not go around Kyoto for sightseeing only by JR bus.

But if you don’t mind walking from bus stop, and don’t worry about time, it is possible to visit some attractions by JR bus.

For example, you can go to Kyoto Aquarium, Ryoanji Temple (world heritage)  and Ninnaji Temple (world heritage) directly.

If you don’t mind walking from bus stop, you can visit Nijo Castle (world heritage), Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and Kinkakuji Temple (golden pavilion, world heritage).

The followings is the list & map of attractions with bus route.

• Kyoto Aquarium (near Nanajo-Omiya bus stop)
∗Note : You can also go by train (JR sagano line), get off at Umekoji-Kyotonishi station (open on Mar.16 2019)

• Ryoanji Temple (near Ryoanji-mae bus stop)

• Ninnaji Temple (near Omuro-ninnaji bus stop)

• Nijo Castle (15 min walk from Nijo station bus stop)

• Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (7 min walk from Kitano-Hakubaicho bus stop)

• Kinkakuji Temple (10 min walk from Waratenjin-mae bus stop)

2. How Long ? from Kyoto station to Attractions by JR Bus

The followings is the time it takes from Kyoto station to attractions by JR bus.

♦ Nijo Castle (at least 31 min, bus 16 min + walk 15 min)
∗If you really want to use only JR pass to visit Nijo castle, train (JR sagano line) is better than JR bus.
(7 min to Nijo station, and ¥190 for an adult)

♦ Kinkakuji, golden pavilion (at least 37 min, bus 27 min + walk 10 min)

♦ Ryoanji (bus 31 min)

♦ Ninnaji (bus 33 min)

3. Bus Stop at Kyoto Station for JR bus

You can ride JR bus at the JR 3 bus stop at Kyoto station bus terminal.

From Kyoto station to Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji, Ryoanji or Ninnaji, the normal bus fare is ¥230 for an adult (child age 6 to 11, ¥120).

But, with JR pass, you can go to all destinations for free.

Please note that, from Mar. 2o21, JR bus accepts “Bus One-day Pass” released by Kyoto City Bus, within the area between Kyoto station and Takao (Jingoji temple, Kozanji temple).

Unfortunately, this Bus One-day Pass is discontinued at the end of September 2023. (If you have already had the pass before discontinuation, you can use it until the end of March 2024.) From October 2023, only “Subway & Bus One-day Pass” is available.

Depending on your destination, this type of Subway & Bus One-day Pass may be a good deal, if you want to visit all over Kyoto city.

If you want to know more information of the JR Bus in Kyoto, please check this page, too.