How Much Does The Bullet Train Cost From Tokyo To Kyoto?

The ancient and cultural capital of Kyoto should be high up on a must-see list of cities to visit in Japan. Even if you arrive in Tokyo, the city can be visited by one of the newest and fastest forms of transportation; the bullet train.

The Shinkansen is known to be the most convenient method of transport for getting across the island nation of Japan. For that speed and efficiency, you can expect to pay a relatively high price yet there are ways to find a cheaper deal.

If you plan on making a few excursions across Japan then finding the right travel pass or choosing the right time of year is helpful and cost-effective. In this guide, we will look at how much the bullet train costs for the journey between Tokyo and Kyoto.

We will also look at the three different bullet trains, booking in peak and off-peak seasons, reserving your seat, and the various passes you could use.

The Cost Of Taking The Bullet Train From Tokyo To Kyoto

Taking the Shinkansen is an experience worth paying for all on its own. The high-speed train itself is comfortable, convenient, and relatively easy to book. With around 31 daily departures, you can easily time your visit to Kyoto and pick your ideal travel class.

For the 475 km (295 miles) journey, you can expect to pay around 13,080 yen ($90 USD). However, different trains at different speeds can be covered by different rail passes which is good to know.

The Three Different Bullet Trains

There are three different bullet trains you can catch to go from Tokyo to Kyoto. The fastest is the Nozomi bullet train which takes only two hours and fifteen minutes and costs around 13,080 yen ($90 USD).

Next up in speed is the Hikari train which should take around two hours and forty minutes. Finally, there is the Kodama train which takes in more stops and takes around four hours for the journey.

Booking The Train In Peak Vs Off-Peak Season

You can expect to pay around a few hundred yen less for a standard one-way ticket if you travel off-peak. Those peak periods will include events like Golden Week, which includes four national holidays in late April and early May, as well as around New Year’s.

The summer holidays and spring, particularly for cherry blossom season (late March to early April), are also considered peak times.

Reserving Your Seat

You should reserve your seat on any bullet train. Even though you can expect to pay a bit more, it is expected that you reserve a seat and you will not enjoy the trip as much if you stand for the journey.

The difference is negligible in price as you can expect to pay around $5 more for a reserved seat than if you were to go for a non-reserved one.

The Passes You Could Use

The most well-known train pass you could use in Japan is the seven-day Japan Rail Pass. You can use one for the trip between Tokyo and Kyoto though it is only valid on Kodama and Hikari trains.

If you wanted to take the journey in the shortest amount of time then you would have to use the Nozomi train, which is not covered by the pass.

The seven-day Japan Rail Pass costs about 29,000 yen ($199USD) and represents great value when a return ticket for the journey costs only 1,000 yen less.

Overseas tourists (those with a foreign passport) can also look to buy the Shinkansen Round Trip Package. This allows for a single round trip taken within seven consecutive days on non-reserved seats between Tokyo to Kyoto for just 21,500 yen ($147USD).

For a single one-way trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, or going the opposite way, you could look to get a Platt Kodama ticket.

This includes transport via a reserved seat on the Kodama train for just 10,600 YEN ($73USD), though the journey will take a little longer than the two faster bullet trains.

There is another pass which is a Tokyo-Osaka Hokuriku Arch Pass that does include the journey from Tokyo to Kyoto, (though you could go to Osaka to visit Universal Studios Japan including Super Nintendo World).

It may not be the quickest journey, yet you would get to see the Hokuriku Region from the window and it costs 24,500 yen ($168USD) across seven days.

Final Thoughts

There is not much difference between booking a ticket for the bullet train between peak and off-peak seasons. Nor is there much discernible difference between booking a reserved seat and going without the reservation.

However, if you take the time to work out your travel plans then you can make a tidy saving with a rail pass.

This can include a seven-day Japan Rail Pass, a Shinkansen Round Trip Package, though there are the Platt Kodama and Tokyo-Osaka Hokuriku passes if you really want to take your time over the journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Passengers Can Be Transported On A Single Bullet Train?

One standard 16-carriage bullet train should be able to transport over 1,300 passengers. Even with so many seats, you should reserve a seat as the bullet train tends to sell out.

That may seem like a lot of passengers yet the body of a Shinkansen train carriage is wider than most high-speed trains so you can expect more legroom.

Is It Possible To Stand Up While On A Bullet Train?

While traveling on a bullet train without a seat reservation is largely frowned upon, it is possible. The ticket is a few yen cheaper and if you cannot find a non-reserved seat, you can still stand for the journey.

In fact, there are even special purpose rooms that you can book which are essentially private rooms. If all the tickets on a bullet train are sold out, certain Shinkansen going to the north do allow for standing tickets.