Japan›From Tokyo›Kyoto
Tokyo to Kyoto by train or bus
About 510 km. The train is fastest at 2.7 h; the bus is cheapest, from ₹2,720 per person.
Kyoto to TokyoFastest
Train
Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi)
2.7 h door to door
Cheapest
Bus
Night bus (Willer / JR Bus)
from ₹2,720 per person
Best value
Train
Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi)
cheapest at mid fares among options within 1.5× the fastest time (or 1 h more on a short ride)
Every option, compared
Door-to-door times (flights include the time at the airports). Fares are typical ranges from the cheapest seat to the premium one.
| Mode | Service | Time | Fare | Runs | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi) | 2.7 h | ₹8,060–₹11,520per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
| Bus | Night bus (Willer / JR Bus) | 8.5 hovernight | ₹2,720–₹7,260per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
- Train, Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi): Up to a dozen trains an hour. Sit on the right (seat E) for Mount Fuji, about 40 minutes out of Tokyo. Suitcases over 160 cm (length + width + height) need a seat with an oversized-baggage space booked.
Booking links open the route on the country's transport booking site for trains, buses, boats and transfers, and a flight search for flights, dated about two weeks out; change the date there.
What it costs your group, one way
Fares × people; a private car is priced per car, one car per four people.
| Option | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Train · Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi) | ₹16,120–₹23,040 | ₹32,240–₹46,080 |
| Bus · Night bus (Willer / JR Bus) | ₹5,440–₹14,520 | ₹10,880–₹29,040 |
Once you’re in Kyoto
- Best time: March – May, October – November
- Typical stay: 3 days
- November: Good month: November is at the end of the recommended season (March – May, October – November). Plan around: Autumn Leaves Peak: Prices and Crowds. Autumn leaves (koyo) can fall this month.
Related
Plan Tokyo and Kyoto
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.