Kyoto is full of iconic locations like Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji Temple (the Golden Pavilion), and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. However, these popular tourist spots are actually spread out across the city, making public transportation essential to navigate between them.

Using a map app to plan the route to your destination is a must, especially when planning to get around by public transportation. When you use these apps, it might recommend a bus-only route and say it's faster than using the train.

However,these apps often don’t necessarily factor in how prone to traffic congestion Kyoto is, especially with tourist numbers increasing all the time. Traffic jams are often unpredictable, so there's a good possibility that buses will not arrive at their destination on time.

Roads aren’t the only places prone to congestion in Kyoto. Bus stops and the inside of buses are cramped, too.

Buses headed to popular tourist destinations often have long lines at bus stops. Especially at the highly trafficked Kyoto Station Bus Stop D (for Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Gion, Sanjusangendo, etc.), it's not uncommon for the bus to fill to capacity, forcing those in line to wait for the next bus to arrive.

Even if you are able to board the bus, it will be packed inside. In Kyoto, you board buses through the door in the middle but exit through the door in the front. This means that if you end up in the back of the bus, you'll have to fight through a crowd of people just to get off.

Though it may sound convenient to only take the bus and not worry about transfers, you also have to contend with traffic jams and overcrowding.

We wanted to find out just what the best ways to get around Kyoto were. Is a bus-only route really as slow as it’s made out to be? Or was a subway/train/bus-combo route actually faster and more comfortable?

Our race begins at Kyoto Station. Roman took a bus-only route, while Mihoko took a combination of the subway, trains, and buses. Both timed their journeys with a stopwatch and compared. We conducted our test multiple times on both weekends and weekdays in September and October of 2023.

Our first destination was Kiyomizu-dera Temple, one of the most popular destinations that people visit only by bus.

Roman, on the bus-only route, waited for the bus bound for Kiyomizu-dera at the Kyoto Station Bus Stop D2. But a crowd of people had been waiting in line since early that morning, and it took him about 15 minutes just to get on the bus.

Once he finally got onto the bus, he was nearly squashed by the crowd inside. It took about 20 minutes to reach Gojo-zaka, the stop closest to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and he spent the entire ride completely smooshed up against the people around him.

Meanwhile, Mihoko, who took the subway/train route, first boarded the subway on the Karasuma Line (for Takeda/Shin-Tanabe/Kintetsu-Nara) from Kyoto Station and got off at Kujo Station, only one stop away. There were very few tourists headed in this direction, so she had plenty of room inside the train.

From Exit 1 of Kujo Station, she walked up to ground level and took a city bus (route 202 or 207) from the Subway Kujo Station (Oishibashi) Bus Stop G headed for Kiyomizu-dera Temple. While the transfer took a little while, luckily this bus wasn't very crowded at all.

They arrived at their destination, Kiyomizu-dera Temple!
The results? The subway/train route was the winner, with Roman on the bus-only route taking 45 minutes while Mihoko on the subway/train route took only 39 minutes.
This time, the subway/train route arrived about 5 minutes earlier than the bus route, but during the really busy tourist seasons, when the roads and bus stops are more crowded, the time difference would probably be even bigger.

Next stop, Togetsukyo Bridge in the Arashiyama area. Which will win?

Roman, who took the bus-only route, took city bus route 28 from Kyoto Station Bus Stop C6, and got off at the Arashiyama Koen stop near the Togetsukyo Bridge.
Meanwhile, Mihoko, on the subway/train route, took the Sagano Line from JR Kyoto Station and got off at JR Saga-Arashiyama Station. It took about 11 minutes on foot from the station to reach the Togetsukyo Bridge.

It took Roman 62 minutes to reach Togetsukyo Bridge. Meanwhile, it took Mihoko only 32 minutes to reach it!
This time, the subway/train route was twice as fast as the bus-only route, making the subway/train route the obvious winner.
The bus route from Kyoto Station to Togetsukyo Bridge took longer because the bus covers a longer distance and grapples with traffic congestion. The train almost always arrives and departs on time, and if you can catch the rapid train, you can save even more time.

We asked our two investigators what they thought of the results of their tests.

Roman: “Once you're on the bus, you don't need to worry about transfers, and I enjoyed being able to see the city during the trip. But, it was frustrating how long the ride took due to traffic jams and waiting so long to get on buses. Besides, it was a huge hassle to move out of the way every time someone wanted to get off the bus. If you don't like crowded spaces, or you're travelling with children, you should avoid the buses here.”

Mihoko: “The best part about taking the train is that it's almost always on time. Also, the train cars are more spacious, and you're not squeezed in there with a bunch of other people. Depending on where you're going, I would absolutely recommend the subway or the train!”

This test was conducted multiple times on both weekends and weekdays in September and October of 2023, before the Sightseeing Limited Express Bus began operation.
The other tests results are listed below.

All in all, a combination of subways, train, and buses is a much faster way to reach popular tourist spots like Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion)or Nijo-jo Castle. Depending on your destination and the time of day, it's safe to say that combining the types of public transportation you take will give you a much more comfortable sightseeing experience in Kyoto.

Though we certainly recommend taking both subways/trains and buses in combination, we asked Mr. Ishida from the Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, which operates Kyoto's subways and city buses, about the advantages of both modes of transportation.

First, let's talk about the advantages of buses.

"The biggest advantage is that you can access many tourist attractions, shrines, and temples by bus alone. Another great plus is that you can see the historic cityscape of Kyoto from the windows of the bus while traveling."

Next, we asked about the advantages of the subway and trains.
"First of all, they are virtually always on time. When Kyoto is especially crowded, combining train with bus routes may result in a quicker arrival at your destination than taking buses alone. Second, compared to buses, trains can carry a larger number of passengers at a time. As for the subway, some sections may be crowded depending on the time of day and the train car, but in general, the ride is much more comfortable than on a bus. In addition, the train stations are numbered, so it's difficult to miss your stop. Some visitors from outside Japan may find it easier to use that system."

Subways, trains and buses all have their own advantages. In the end, all the public transportation in Kyoto is very convenient.

Your experience will vary depending on place of departure, weather, and traffic conditions, so please keep in mind that our tests are only examples.

And here's some good news for everyone who read this article to the end: Starting June 2024, the Sightseeing Limited Express Bus will begin operation on weekends and holidays. The Sightseeing Limited Express Bus skips intermediate stops and only services stops near famous tourist destinations.

This bus operates on the EX101 route, which directly connects Kyoto Station to the bus stop nearest Kiyomizu-dera Temple, as well as the EX100 route, which reaches Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Gion, Heian Jingu Shrine, Ginkaku-ji Temple faster than other buses. For example, travel time to Ginkaku-ji Temple is 20 minutes shorter than regular city buses! On weekends and holidays, the buses run frequently, every 7 or 8 minutes in the morning, making them very convenient.
For more details, please check the related articles.

So, use the subway and city buses to enjoy your time in Kyoto!