How to Get from Haneda Airport to Kyoto

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Helen Foster is a Sydney-based author, journalist and content creator. She has traveled to Japan six times and is planning trip seven. Her articles on Japan have appeared in publications including Reader's Digest (Asia Pacific), RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, the Japan National Tourism Organisation website and more. She is a digital publisher member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers.

Quick Summary

Here’s how the best ways to get to Kyoto from Haneda stack up…

The Easiest: Bullet Train.

The Cheapest: Flying to Itami or Highway Bus.

The Quickest: Bullet Train ( as you don’t need to check in).

For Early Flights: Bullet train or fly to Itami.

Arrivals after 7pm: Stay in Tokyo overnight and take the bullet train in the AM.

That might be all you need to know, but if you want further details on each method, keep reading.

Catching The Bullet Train

The easiest and most convenient transport option is to travel between Haneda and Kyoto by bullet train. Perfect for couples, solo travelers, and those traveling light, the journey can be as short as 2 hours and 30 minutes if you get your connections right. It costs up to ¥14,900 to do the journey this way.

If you take this trip, the vital thing to know is that the bullet train doesn’t run directly between Haneda and Kyoto. You have to go into Tokyo and catch it from a Shinkansen station—the closest one to Haneda is Shinagawa.

Shinagawa is an easy 19-minute journey from Haneda on the Keikyu Airport Line Express.

Trains leave the airport for Shinagawa approximately every 5 to 10 minutes, starting at 5:26 a.m. It costs 330 yen to get to Shinagawa by train.

Once you reach Shinagawa, change to the Nozomi Shinkansen (Bullet Train) for Kyoto. The Nozomi runs about every 10 minutes between Tokyo and Kyoto and takes just over 2 hours to reach Kyoto.

Shinkansen tickets for this route cost approximately ¥13,320 per person in an unreserved seat or ¥14,570 in a reserved one. You can buy your Shinkansen tickets at the staffed counter or ticket machine.

Do note though, the last Shinkansen to Kyoto leaves Shinagawa around 9.30pm. So if you’re coming in on a flight after about 7pm (maybe even 6.30 pm during busy season), I would suggest booking a night in a hotel near the airport or in Shinagawa (the Shinagawa Prince is a very popular hotel right opposite the station) and departing first thing the next morning rather than trying to rush to a train you might miss.

Should You Book Your Train in Advance?

While buying Shinkansen tickets in advance is possible, I probably wouldn’t suggest it for a journey straight off a plane. It adds extra stress if you’re delayed or lost and tired. The trains are frequent enough to buy tickets when you reach the station and get a seat without an issue.

The exception is if you’re traveling over New Year, Golden Week (April 29-May 6), or the Japanese holiday of Obon (in August), when you can only travel on the Nozomi with a reserved seat, and they can get booked up. Then you will want to book tickets in advance but leave plenty of time to get through the airport and to Shinagawa Station.

Fly To Osaka Itami (ITM)

Kyoto doesn’t have its own airport. You must land at one of the two Osaka airports and then travel to Kyoto. If you decide to do this, the easiest route is likely via Osaka Itami (ITM), the airport that handles domestic flights.

There are usually 15+ direct flights from Haneda Airport to Osaka Itami daily. One-way ticket prices typically start at ¥11,885, but you might find that adding an internal flight to your international ticket costs less than that – or might even be included for free. Booking on a through itinerary also gives added protection if your initial flight is delayed and you miss the connection.

Flight times vary throughout the year, but the earliest flight is around 7:30 a.m., and the latest is usually around 7:00 p.m. Flights take 1 hour and 5 minutes to reach Osaka (not including any additional time to check in, go through security, claim baggage etc.)

You can view the latest flight schedules and ticket prices on Skyscanner.

Once you’ve landed in Osaka Itami, take the Limousine Bus to Kyoto Station. This bus runs approximately every 20 minutes from 8:00 am to 9:15 pm daily. Depending on traffic, it takes approximately 50 minutes to reach Kyoto Station.

Tickets for the Limousine Bus cost ¥1,340 for adults and ¥670 for children.

Find the Itami Limousine Bus schedule here.

Fly To Kansai International Airport

You can also fly from Haneda to Kansai International Airport (KIX), another airport in Osaka. There are fewer connections though and it’s a little further away from Kyoto.

Some single flight tickets cost as little as ¥8,051, and again, you might be offered internal flights as part of your international fare for less than this.

There are 15+ direct flights daily from Haneda Airport to Osaka (KIK). The earliest available flight typically departs around 7:00 am, and the latest flight around 9:00 pm.

The average flight between the two destinations takes 1 hour and 25 minutes (again, not allowing for airport formalities). You can view flight times and purchase tickets on Skyscanner.

Once you land at KIX, take the Haruka Train to Kyoto Station or catch the Limousine Bus.

The Train from KIX

This takes about 80 minutes between the airport and Kyoto, and trains run every 30 minutes. The journey costs ¥3130 in an unreserved seat or ¥4040 in a reserved one (bonus, this train is Hello Kitty-themed). You can get a discount if you book tickets in advance.

The first train departs at 6.30 am, and the last one leaves at 10.16 pm.

The Limousine Bus from KIX

There are 32 Limousine Buses departing Terminals 1 and 2 from Osaka (KIK) to Kyoto every day, so you should be able to find a bus that fits your travel itinerary.

They start at 6:45 am, and the last leaves at 11:05 pm (find the full timetable here). It takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Kyoto Station, and tickets cost ¥2,800 for adults and ¥1,400 for children.

Tickets for the Limousine Bus can be purchased from the ticket desks at Terminals 1 and 2.

Need Extra Planning Help?

Our Japan trip planners can help. You might like our First-Timers Japan Planner, which will help you plan your trip to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka step-by-step, including tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing and dining. Or our super-duper Tokyo Disney Planner makes arranging your park trip MUCH easier. Find them in our Planners store – printable and digital versions are available.

Highway Bus

If you don’t get a free flight, the cheapest way to travel to Kyoto from Haneda is to take a highway bus. If you book seats in advance, these can cost as little as 3900 yen per person. The downside is that departures are infrequent, and it takes over eight hours to get to Kyoto.

Buses also do not leave directly from Haneda; you’ll have to head into Tokyo to catch one – and to make things a little confusing, there’s no central departure point. Different timed buses depart from different parts of Tokyo.

If you do want to use the bus, though, head to the Willer Express website, find the bus closest to the departure time you need, and see what time it leaves and where. Or, to save even more money, look at the nighttime departures, where you can sleep on the bus.

So there you have it—the four possible ways to get from Kyoto to Haneda Airport. Hopefully, that helped you find the best choice for you. If you have any further questions, please head to our Japan Facebook Group and add them there and someone will help you out.

Who Writes This Blog?

My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, Escape, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.

I’ve traveled to Japan eight times before – solo and with my partner and visited over 25 towns and cities. My last visit was November 2024 so, everything here is pretty up to date.