How to get from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station
JR Special Rapid, Local Train, Shinkansen or Bus/Taxi
Osaka Station to Kyoto Station: distance, time and the best ways to travel
The distance between Osaka Station and Kyoto Station is about 43 km (27 miles), and the trip is very easy by train. The best all-round option is the JR Special Rapid Service on the JR Kyoto Line: it takes around 30 minutes and costs roughly US$4–5 one-way, with frequent departures throughout the day. Slower Rapid and Local trains take about 40–45 minutes but cost the same, so most travelers just wait for the Special Rapid. You can also ride the Shinkansen from nearby Shin-Osaka to Kyoto in as little as 13–15 minutes, but this usually costs US$10–20+ and requires a short transfer from Osaka Station—great if you’re already using the bullet train, but overkill for most city-to-city trips.
Compare ways to get from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station: JR Special Rapid, Local, Shinkansen, Bus, Taxi
Compare prices to get from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station
| Operators | Price (from) | Duration | Route | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JR Special Rapid Service | US$4–5 | Approx. 30 min | Osaka Station → Kyoto Station (few stops) | Best OverallVery Frequent |
| JR Rapid / Local Trains | US$4–5 | 40–45 min | Osaka Station → Kyoto Station (more stops) | Same FareMore Seating Options |
| Shinkansen (via Shin-Osaka) | US$10–20+ | 25–35 min (incl. transfer) | Osaka Station → Shin-Osaka → Kyoto Station | Fastest RailGood with Rail Pass |
| Highway bus | US$15–20 | 60–90 min | Osaka (various stops) → Kyoto Station area | Reserved SeatTraffic Dependent |
| Taxi / Private car | US$80–120 | 50–80 min | Door-to-door Osaka → Kyoto | Door-to-DoorMost Comfortable |
Compare companies operating between Osaka Station and Kyoto Station
JR Trains (JR West)
JR Kyoto Line – Special Rapid Service
Departure: Osaka Station (JR Kyoto Line)
Arrival: Kyoto Station
Duration: About 30 min
Price: Around US$4–5 (¥560–580)
JR Kyoto Line – Rapid / Local
Departure: Osaka Station
Arrival: Kyoto Station (more intermediate stops)
Duration: 40–45 min
Price: Same as Special Rapid
Tokaido Shinkansen (via Shin-Osaka)
Departure: Shin-Osaka Station
Arrival: Kyoto Station
Duration: 13–15 min on Nozomi (plus transfer from Osaka Station)
Price: About US$10–20+ depending on seat type
Highway buses
Osaka–Kyoto highway buses
Departure: Around Osaka Station / Umeda area
Arrival: Kyoto Station / Kyoto city terminals
Duration: 60–90 min (traffic dependent)
Price: About US$15–20
Taxi & private transfer
Licensed taxis & private cars
Departure: Taxi ranks around Osaka Station / city hotels
Arrival: Kyoto Station or your hotel
Duration: 50–80 min
Price: Around US$80–120 depending on route
Car rentals in Osaka
Osaka car rentals (Trip.com partners)
Pick-up: Osaka city locations or Kansai International Airport
Drop-off: Kyoto / Kansai region or back in Osaka
Drive: 50–80 min from Osaka to Kyoto by expressway
Price: From about US$16/day for small cars
Osaka & Kyoto travel tips
Daily budget
US$140–220 per day
Best season
Spring & Autumn
Electricity
100V, Type A/B
Time zone
JST (UTC+9)
Mobile data
eSIM / Pocket Wi‑Fi
Local transport
JR, subway & buses
Recommended hotels in Kyoto
5 star
Great2427 Reviews
Kyoto Station and surrounding areas Kyoto|3.13km from city center
This is a 4-star hotel, very close to Kyoto Station, and they offer a free shuttle bus to and from the station. The shuttle picks up on the left side when you exit the *Karasuma Central Exit* (条口) of Kyoto Station. There isn't much to explore around the hotel itself, and very few restaurants. If you plan on taking the train or eating out, it's best to head to Kyoto Station. Kyoto Station is large and beautiful, a tourist attraction in itself, and even has a big Isetan department store!
The breakfast restaurant on the 14th floor is a revolving restaurant with panoramic views of Kyoto. However, the Western set breakfast is quite mediocre. The breakfast restaurant on the first floor offers both Japanese and Western options, but the value for money isn't great. In terms of transportation, besides taking the train from Kyoto Station, you can also catch a bus nearby. It's a bit far from the livelier areas of Sanjo and Shijo, making it suitable for guests who prefer a quiet stay and want to be close to Kyoto Station.From$61
Amazing583 Reviews
Kyoto Station and surrounding areas Kyoto|2.98km from city center
Located on the 2nd floor, accessible by elevator from the central square exit, this hotel is incredibly convenient. It exudes the charm of a classic, established hotel. For breakfast, there's Ogawa and Yakiniku Hiro right across the street. We also found the best value for money meal near Komero Park – picture 4 shows a meal that was only 5000+ yen! Kinkaku-ji and Kiyomizu-dera are definitely worth visiting, and the Biwako Valley ski resort was stunning. The aquarium is good too. Kyoto is a city you can easily spend 3 days exploring.From$148
Amazing1250 Reviews
Kawaramachi Kyoto|1.01km from city center
The biggest advantage of Hotel Gajoen Tokyo is definitely its location. Beyond its prime spot in the city center, there's a direct walkway from the hotel's third floor straight to Takashimaya. You can walk along the green passage into the mall, turn a corner, and be at Din Tai Fung – it's incredibly convenient. This stay, I specifically booked a corner room to experience the lounge. The room was spacious, and the bathroom had a great four-piece layout. The large windows let in plenty of light, and catching a glimpse of the beautiful Higashiyama scenery in the distance was a pleasant surprise. The lounge is also on the third floor, so after browsing Takashimaya, it was lovely to just tap my card, go in, and relax with a drink.
The breakfast selection wasn't huge, but most items were high quality. I ate there for three days and didn't get bored. The ham, salmon, and homemade yogurt sauce were all excellent, and the latte was delicious too.
Furthermore, the cleanliness of this popular hotel exceeded my expectations. Daily housekeeping was impeccable, and they didn't compromise on standards under the guise of being eco-friendly, which I really appreciated. Huge thanks to the staff.From$269
Amazing965 Reviews
Gion/Kiyomizu Temple Kyoto|1.54km from city center
Highly Recommended Stay in Kyoto
I would like to strongly recommend this hotel for anyone visiting Kyoto. The staff demonstrate exceptional professionalism and hospitality.
In particular, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Miss Yuki, who assisted us with our check-in and kindly introduced many wonderful sightseeing spots and activities in Kyoto, as well as to Miss Tsai, a ********* staff member who supported us during check-out with great warmth and care. Their thoughtful service truly reflects the welcoming spirit of Kyoto and the hotel’s commitment to excellence.
I am genuinely impressed by the quality of the team members who bring guests happiness and satisfaction through their dedication. They truly deserve recognition and applause for their outstanding service.
Our two-night stay was far too short, and we are already looking forward to returning in the near future.From$352
Amazing795 Reviews
Kyoto Station and surrounding areas Kyoto|2.87km from city center
Extremely close to Kyoto Metro Station, and also conveniently accessible via the airport express. It's super easy to get to nearby attractions, restaurants, and shopping. The facilities are clean and hygienic, and the living experience was fantastic!From$235
Family friendly
Amazing617 Reviews
Gion/Kiyomizu Temple Kyoto|1.94km from city center
Superb experience in Nohga. Everything here has been curated very carefully, you can tell the people or group behind this whole hotel concept really put in so much thought for their guests.
Absolutely loved my entire stay here. I eat breakfast at their bakery every morning. Love their customisable bagels, mortadella sandwich, salted bun and cinnamon mochi donut. Chocolate mochi donut was a little too sweet. Americano and matcha latte were great.
Thoroughly enjoyed their rooftop bar every night (opens till 12am). Awesome vibes, very romantic atmosphere. Staff are sweet, gives heat packs and blankets to keep us warm. Warm cocktails are a must during winters. You can order any random cocktails and they all taste so good.
The distance from the train station to this hotel is quite a distance but I think the overall experience you get in this hotel makes the walk a worthwhile one. Def recommending this hotel to my friends who wanna come to Kyoto.From$234
Great8695 Reviews
Kyoto Station and surrounding areas Kyoto|3.27km from city center
The hotel is really close to the train station. After exiting the station, you just take the escalator up to the second floor, walk across the massive station, then come back down to the ground level, cross one road, and you're there. The bus station is also right by Kyoto Station, so it's quite convenient for getting around. The room itself was pretty spacious; I could fully open my 26-inch suitcase without an issue. Most of the usual disposable toiletries were provided, though you had to ask the front desk daily for toothpaste, otherwise, they wouldn't replenish it. I'm not sure if we just weren't aware, but our room wasn't cleaned once during our three-night stay, though thankfully we didn't have much trash to dispose of. Overall, I was satisfied with the stay, and the self check-in via machine was super convenient.From$68
Great305 Reviews
Kawaramachi Kyoto|0.76km from city center
The location is great, right near Karasuma Station. The hotel itself is new and stylishly designed. They even have a record player in the room! For this price, it's excellent value for money. The hotel's location makes it convenient to get anywhere, and there are many charming Kyoto-style neighborhoods nearby. I especially loved the breakfast spots around there. The staff were also very enthusiastic. A really good experience overall.From$392
Amazing585 Reviews
Kyoto Station and surrounding areas Kyoto|3.34km from city center
Potel Umokoji Kyoto redefines what a hotel offers its guests. Firstly, the location is unique, an easy 5 min walk from the station ( Umokoji Kyotonishi) and 3 min train ride to the center of Kyoto. Yet this convenience is coupled with its location adjoining a large wooded park which some guest rooms overlook - a special and calm outlook right in the city centre.
Rooms are large by Japan standards and both the Japanese style rooms ( super comfy ) and more traditional Western styled rooms offer a Scandanavian/ Japanese decor style which is both modern and uncluttered.
In addition, guest services on offer include complementary DIY fresh brewed coffee and in the evenings, complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks . Can be taken either to your room with balcony overlooking parklands or in the guest book or music library, both offering a calm respite from a sometimes frenetic Kyoto CBD.
Unique, special and largely overlooked by tourist group bookings, the Potel Umokoji manages to offer the ambience and guest experiences that many mass tourism venues have lost. Try it, you won't be disappointed.From$115
Great98 Reviews
Arashiyama/Sagano/Takao Kyoto|8.63km from city center
The hotel is nested in a quiet corner, within walking distance of Sagaogurayama Tabuchiyamacho. Im however a bit disappointed with the limited facilites it offered when compared to the price we paid.
We stayed in the Tsukinone Twin Room which is on the third floor of the building. The view is pleasant. The room is of decent size. Yet there were no public onsens. We need to pay YEN5000 for 45 minutes and there are only 2 private onsens.
For more luxurious rooms with private onsen, the one I visited was on the ground level with no views as it were by the pathway to the reception , separated by wooden planks.
We paid around Yen5000 for the breakfast in the hotel, Both western and japanese breakfasts were offered. We tried both. It is of standard. The 4 different juices presented on the top of the bento box was impressive.
The vaccinity is pleasant. We could walk to the train station, the tourist rown area , the nearby parks and the world heritage sites. Nice area .From$691
Breakfast
Amazing2193 Reviews
Kyoto Station and surrounding areas Kyoto|2.56km from city center
More than 5 times to stayed in this hotel. Everything is perfect. It’s just 5-8 minutes walk from Kyoto JR station. The Onsen is perfect. You can enjoy Onsen overnight until next day morning, so if you come back late you can still enjoy the Onsen. Free ramen offered from 21:00-23:00, which is very delicious, and the hotel breakfast is Perfect too. There is Sashimi Bowl.
Room is clean as always and this time the view is very good we can see Kyoto Tower.
The staff in this hotel can speak very good English, and very nice and helpful.From$102
Great752 Reviews
Kawaramachi Kyoto|1.69km from city center
This is my third consecutive stay here, and I still think it's great! Every morning there are free pastries and tea available. Just a short walk from the hotel's back street, there are several supermarkets with a wide variety of goods. The service is self-service, making it a very economical and practical option.From$39
Great1451 Reviews
Kyoto Station and surrounding areas Kyoto|3.15km from city center
Great hotel! Literally just beside the train station and tracks. My room faces the train station and tracks. You can see the people and train up close! 😁
So convenient! Malls everywhere with tons of food to eat. Easy to reach all the major attractions. Went to uji, otsu and yamashina. Great walking experience.
Recommend to stay in this very comfortable hotel! Room for 2 person is comfy enough. Though cannot open luggages. Ha.From$75
Good44 Reviews
Arashiyama/Sagano/Takao Kyoto|8.29km from city center
I am from Yangzhou, Jiangsu. Although Yangzhou is a garden city, there are many such style escape hotels in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Hongxi Noya of Hoshino Group is definitely worth living. The overall health is very good, the facilities are well maintained and there is no musty smell. That is, all the windows can be wiped clean. This time I checked in in the evening. When I took a taxi, I saw the sunset of Lushan, which was a value-added item. The reception staff was very polite and welcoming. At night, the girl was invited to drive us to the hotel entrance. This road was too standard, almost standing on the mountain, and there was a feeling of adventure. When I checked out, I felt the ship of Hoshino. By the way, I recommend the dyeing workshop and Zhai Pavilion are diagonally opposite. If you like the scenery, it is worth seeing.SOLD OUT
Great383 Reviews
Kawaramachi Kyoto|0.21km from city center
Located near a major shopping, dining, and covered market district of Kyoto, less than a block from the subway and an underground grocery store and mall, Practically overlooking Nobunaga's Mausoleum, the hotel interior is artful decorated and the rooms are comfortable, quiet.From$45
Kyoto temple: Kiyomizu-dera
City guide
Kyoto: temples, gardens and old-town charm just a short ride from Osaka
Taking the train from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station puts you within minutes of Japan’s most famous temples, shrines and traditional streets.
From Kyoto Station you can easily reach Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera, Arashiyama and the lantern-lit alleys of Gion.
Many travelers choose to stay in Osaka for nightlife and food, then make Kyoto a series of easy day trips: the JR Special Rapid makes it feel like commuting between two neighborhoods rather than changing cities.
With frequent trains, clear English signage and IC cards accepted everywhere, combining Osaka + Kyoto in one itinerary is straightforward even for first-time visitors.
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FAQs about Osaka Station to Kyoto Station
Is there a direct train from Osaka to Kyoto?
Yes, there are multiple frequent direct train services between Osaka and Kyoto, including the JR Kyoto Line local/rapid/special rapid trains (direct from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station) and Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains (direct from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station). Services run every 5-10 minutes daily from early morning to late night, with no transfers required.How much is bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto?
As of 2026, the one-way adult fare for the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train) from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station is ¥1,440 for a non-reserved seat, and ¥2,000-¥2,500 for a reserved seat on Nozomi, Hikari, or Kodama services. The Shinkansen does not stop at Osaka Station directly; a 3-minute, ¥180 connecting local train from Osaka Station to Shin-Osaka Station is required to board the bullet train.How long is the train from Kyoto Station to Osaka station?
Journey times vary by train type: the fastest direct JR Special Rapid Service on the JR Kyoto Line takes 28 minutes non-stop between Kyoto Station and Osaka Station. Local JR Kyoto Line trains take 45-50 minutes. For the Shinkansen, the trip from Kyoto Station to Shin-Osaka Station takes 14 minutes, plus a 3-minute transfer to Osaka Station, for a total journey time of ~20 minutes.Which Shinkansen line from Osaka to Kyoto?
The only Shinkansen line operating between Osaka and Kyoto is the Tokaido Shinkansen, Japan’s iconic bullet train line. It runs between Shin-Osaka Station (Osaka’s dedicated Shinkansen hub) and Kyoto Station, with daily services on Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama trains.Which station in Osaka to go to Kyoto?
The two primary Osaka stations for travel to Kyoto are:
Osaka Station: Downtown Osaka’s main hub, with direct, frequent JR Kyoto Line trains (no transfers needed) to Kyoto Station.
Shin-Osaka Station: Osaka’s Shinkansen hub, for all bullet train services to Kyoto Station, a 3-minute, ¥180 train ride from Osaka Station.What is the most beautiful train from Osaka to Kyoto?
The most beautiful direct scenic train from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station is the Kyotrain Miyabi (京とれいん 雅洛), a luxury limited express sightseeing train operated by JR West. It features panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, traditional Japanese-inspired interiors, and curated views of the Yodo River, Osaka Plain, and Kyoto’s eastern mountain foothills along the 30-minute direct journey.Is Nozomi or Hikari faster?
For the short Shin-Osaka to Kyoto route, Nozomi and Hikari have identical journey times, both completing the non-stop trip in 14 minutes. The speed difference only applies to longer journeys: Nozomi trains make fewer stops on the full Tokyo-to-Shin-Osaka Tokaido Shinkansen line, while Hikari trains make more intermediate stops. There is no speed difference between the two for the Osaka-Kyoto leg.Where is the JR Kyoto line in Osaka Station?
The JR Kyoto Line platforms at Osaka Station are located on Platforms 8 and 9 on the station’s upper level, dedicated to northbound trains heading to Kyoto, Takatsuki, and beyond (including Special Rapid, Rapid, and Local services to Kyoto Station). Clear multilingual signage (Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean) is posted throughout the station to guide you to the platforms.Which station does Shinkansen stop in Kyoto?
All Tokaido Shinkansen services from Osaka stop exclusively at Kyoto Station, Kyoto’s main central transport hub. There are no other Shinkansen stops within Kyoto city. The Shinkansen platforms are located on the upper level of Kyoto Station, with direct access to local JR lines, subway lines, and the main station concourse.