Kyoto Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass (2026): ¥1,100, Is It Worth It?
You're spending a day hopping between Kyoto's temples by bus and subway. The Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass costs ¥1,100 and a city bus ride costs ¥230, so it pays off from the fifth ride, or sooner if you take the EX100 express.
You don't need to book it: buy it at a subway station or on the bus. We read the Kyoto City Transportation Bureau's English pages on 7 November 2026; the prices below are from them.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. The pass itself is cheapest at the station, and we say so.
Is the Kyoto bus pass worth it?
Kyoto city buses charge a flat ¥230 inside the city area. Count the rides you'll take:
Honest verdict: the saving is small. The real benefits are not counting coins and the free EX100, the fast bus from Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-dera and Ginkakuji. If you walk between nearby temples (Kiyomizu to Gion is walkable) and take four bus rides or fewer, an IC card costs less.
What does it cover?
Subway and city buses
Karasuma and Tozai subway lines, and every Kyoto City Bus route.
EX100 and EX101
The sightseeing express buses (¥500 a ride) at no extra charge. EX100 runs Kyoto Station – Gojo-zaka (Kiyomizu) – Gion – Heian Jingu – Ginkakuji.
Kyoto Bus, Keihan Bus, JR Bus
Selected routes only. Kyoto Bus seasonal routes 51, 90 and 95 are excluded, and so are Keihan's sightseeing, highway and airport buses.
JR, Keihan, Hankyu, Kintetsu, Randen
Trains other than the city subway cost extra, including through trains onto the Kintetsu and Keihan Otsu lines.
How do you use it on the bus?
- Buy it at a subway ticket machine or window. You can also buy it from the driver on city buses, but they can run out. You can buy it in advance and use it on another day.
- Board regular city buses at the rear door. On regular routes you get on at the back and pay as you get off at the front.
- First ride: insert the card. After that: show it. When you get off the first time, put the pass into the card slot by the driver. The date is printed on the back. On later rides, just show the date to the driver.A phone with data and a maps app makes it easier to find the right bus and stop.Japan eSIM on Klook ↗
- On the EX100, board at the front. The express works the other way round: front door in, rear door out, and you show the pass when you get on.
What if…?
…the bus is too full to get on?
Wait for the next bus, or take the subway part of the way (Tozai line to Higashiyama or Keage) and walk. See Kyoto buses.
…I have a Japan Rail Pass?
The JR Pass isn't accepted on Kyoto city buses. For Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama, JR lines are covered, so a JR Pass day and a bus day can be different days.
…I'm only using the subway?
The Subway 1-Day Pass is ¥800. The subway alone reaches Nijo Castle, the Imperial Palace and Higashiyama.
…I start at 9 p.m.?
It's valid until the end of that calendar day, not for 24 hours. Start it in the morning.
Will bus fares change for visitors?
Kyoto City is planning a dual price for city buses, with a higher fare for people who don't live in Kyoto. The non-resident fare, the start date and what happens to the 1-day pass have not been officially set. Nothing has changed yet; we'll update this page when the city announces it.
Where to buy it
At a subway station
Ticket machines and windows at Kyoto subway stations, ¥1,100. Also on city buses and at the City Bus & Subway Information Center in front of JR Kyoto Station's central entrance.
Klook
Klook sells a Kyoto City Subway and Bus ticket you can pay for before you fly. Check on the listing where you collect the card before you buy, and compare its price with ¥1,100 at the station.
Affiliate linkWhat we checked on 7 November 2026
The Kyoto City Transportation Bureau's English guide listed the Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass at ¥1,100 (children ¥550), valid on the day of activation and not for 24 hours, and listed where it is sold.
Its bus pages gave a ¥230 flat fare (children ¥120), EX100/EX101 at ¥500, and said the 1-day pass covers the express buses with no extra fare. Its subway page gave adult fares of ¥220 to ¥360, and the Subway 1-Day Pass page listed ¥800.
We have not bought or used the pass yet. The city has not officially set a non-resident bus fare or a start date.
A bus-pass day in Kyoto
Tea ceremony
Book a session in Kyoto. Check the language and the meeting point on the listing.
Affiliate linkStill deciding?
Five or more bus rides, or the EX100 twice plus one bus: buy the pass at the station. Fewer rides: tap an IC card. For a day out of the city, see Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari or Nara from Kyoto, and our Kyoto guide.
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