Kyoto travel guide

Kyoto works well as a base, but you still have to get there and decide where to go next. The guides on this page deal with the train journeys that start or end in the city, from the arrival from Tokyo to day trips and onward legs.

If you are coming in from the capital, the Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen guide compares Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama, explains how fares vary by season and covers booking and large bags. For the short hop to Osaka, the Kyoto to Osaka train guide helps you choose between JR, Hankyu, Keihan and the Shinkansen depending on the station near you.

Longer trips have their own catches. The Hiroshima day trip guide checks an early departure and whether a regional pass beats return tickets, while the Tsuruga transfer guide explains the change on the way to Kanazawa, with tickets, luggage and late trains.