Getting to Kyoto
By plane
Kyoto does not have its own airport. The nearest international gateway is Kansai International Airport, 73 minutes away by the fastest train. Most domestic flights land at Osaka's Itami Airport, one hour away by bus.
By train
Most visitors arrive at JR Kyoto Station by Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo, 2 hours and 14 minutes away on the fastest Nozomi service. Built in 1997 in an ultra-modern style, Kyoto Station is an attraction in itself.
For travel in the Kansai region, a cheaper and nearly as fast alternative is the JR shinkaisoku rapid service, which connects to Osaka, Kobe and Himeji at the price of a local train. Slightly cheaper yet are the private Hankyu or Keihan lines to Osaka, or the Kintetsu line to Nara.
By bus
The cheapest way of traveling from Tokyo or other distant points to Kyoto is by night bus, which terminate at Kyoto station.
