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If you’re flying into Narita Airport and want to go straight to Kyoto, you’ve got a bit of a journey as the two are over 500 kilometers apart. So, what’s the best way to make the trip? Here are the best ways to get from Narita to Kyoto with the least stress.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
Quick Summary
The Quickest Option: Bullet Train
The Cheapest Option: Fly to Osaka’s Itami Airport; unless you can add a flight to KIX onto your international flight.
The Easiest Option: Bullet Train
For Early Flights: Bullet Train
For Late Flights: Take the train to Tokyo, stay over, get the Bullet Train in the morning.
Find out more about each of the methods below.
Taking The Bullet Train
If you’re looking for the quickest, easiest way to get from Narita International to Kyoto Station, taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) is it – and it also starts your trip in the most Japanese way. The journey will cost a little under ¥17,000 and will take around three and a half hours, allowing for connections.
However, the bullet train doesn’t leave directly from Narita, so you need to get into Tokyo to catch it. The quickest and easiest way is to get on the Narita Express (N’EX) to Tokyo station. This will take around 56 minutes and cost ¥3070. The first Narita Express train leaves around 7.30 a.m.
From here, you can catch the Shinkansen to Kyoto Station. This part of the journey takes just over two hours and costs ¥13,320 for an unreserved seat and ¥13,970 for a reserved one.
Another important thing to note. The last bullet train to Kyoto from Tokyo leaves at 9.24 pm. So, if you are coming into Narita Airport on a flight that lands after about 6.30 pm, you might be cutting things too fine to get through the airport and onto the train in Tokyo.
In this case, I would suggest catching the Narita Express into Tokyo and booking a hotel close to Tokyo Station (the Daiwa Roynet Tokyo Kyobashi is close and usually a decent price for the area). Or, stay on the Narita Express until Shinagawa, the next bullet train stop along – the Shinagawa Prince is a very popular hotel by the station. Then start the Kyoto part of your trip the next morning to save you some stress.
The last Narita Express leaves the airport for Tokyo at 21:44 p.m. After this, you can get other transport to the city; it’s just a little slower. You’ll also need to stay around Tokyo Station.
Should You Book Your Train Tickets in Advance
I wouldn’t suggest booking your Shinkansen ticket in advance for a connection after a flight. There is too much potential for delays, and you could miss your train or at least experience some unnecessary stress trying to reach it.
The trains between Tokyo Station are very frequent, often just ten minutes apart, so you can buy a ticket for the next available departure when you arrive in Tokyo.
The only exception to this is during one of the periods when the Nozomi Shinkansen runs only on reserved seats and can get booked out. These periods are New Year, Golden Week (April 29-May 6) and Obon in August. See more about booking your seats in advance during busy periods here.
Fly To Osaka (KIX)
Kyoto doesn’t have its own airport, so if you want to fly here, you’ll need to fly to one of the two Osaka airports, and from Narita, it’s most likely to be KIX – or Kansai International Airport. This option is more affordable than flying from Narita to Osaka Itami and has more direct flights.
For example, Peach Air, one of Japan’s budget airlines, flies three times a day, while Jetstar, the biggest budget airline in Japan, has six departures between Narita and KIX.
The first flight from Narita Airport to Osaka (KIK) is around 8 a.m., and the last flight is around 9 p.m. (check current schedules for exact details). The flight duration is 1 hour 40 minutes.
Ticket prices vary, but a single ticket on Jetstar, as I check right now, costs from ¥4,800.
From Kansai International, you have two options for reaching Kyoto.
The Haruka Train
This runs from the airport to Kyoto every 30 minutes, with the first train leaving at 6:31 a.m. and the last leaving at 22:16 p.m – so watch out if you’re on a later flight.
Tickets costs from ¥3110, and the train takes 1 hour 20 minutes to reach Kyoto. You can buy tickets from the ticket machines at the Kansai Airport (Osaka KIX) station. You can also save a little bit of money booking them in advance.
The Limousine Bus
Kansai Airport Transportation Enterprise operates a Limousine Bus that runs between Kansai Airport and major cities in the Kansai area, including Kyoto.
Thirty-two buses depart Osaka (KIX) Terminals 1 and 2 every day. The first bus leaves at 6:45 am, and the last at 11:05 pm.
It takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Kyoto Station from Kansai Airport, but traffic conditions can impact journey time.
Tickets cost ¥2,800 for adults and ¥1,400 for children, and tickets can be purchased from the ticket desks at Terminals 1 and 2. Find the exact timetable here.
All in, this will take about 3 hours, plus time for check-in and other airport formalities.
Flight To Osaka Itami
Itami is normally the main domestic airport in Osaka, but most flights into it come from Haneda so, your options from Narita are a little limited. If you want to fly into Itami, though, ANA and JAL currently fly once a day, in the evening.
The first flight at the time of writing leaves at 5:35 pm, and the second departs at 6:25 pm. The flight time is 1 hour and 20 minutes, and, right now, the cheapest ticket is around ¥11,500 yen – but they can go much higher for last-minute flights. That’s pretty pricey compared to the budget airlines, but your international airline might offer a cheaper, or even free, flight to Osaka if you book on the same itinerary. Booking a through ticket also gives additional protection if your first flight is delayed.
From Osaka Itami airport, you take the Osaka Airport Limousine Bus to Kyoto Station. The last bus leaves at 9:15 pm. Find the timetable here.
Tickets cost ¥1,340 for adults and ¥670 for children. The bus takes approximately 50 minutes to reach Kyoto Station.
In total, this journey is 2 hours and 10 minutes – plus the time needed for check in and other airport formalities.
What About Flying From Haneda?
You can fly from Haneda Airport to the Osaka airports, and you’ll have more flights to choose from, but I don’t recommend doing it this way if you land in Narita unless you get a free flight as it takes ages.
You must cross Tokyo to get between the two airports, usually by bus, which will take at least an hour and 15 minutes. Add to this extra time for check-in and picking up your baggage and the extra time to get from Osaka to Kyoto, and your journey could take five to six hours.
Take the train into Tokyo and catch the bullet train, and you’ll likely be at Kyoto Station by the time your flight taxis for takeoff at Haneda. If you want to do this, check our guide to transferring between Narita and Haneda.
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
There used to be an overnight highway bus that went directly from Narita Airport to Kyoto Station, but it’s currently suspended. If you are really on a budget though, you might want to check the Nankai Express website to see if they have reinstated it by the time you read this – the journey takes about nine hours.
So, that’s our guide to getting to Kyoto straight from your flight to Narita Airport. Hopefully, it’s helped you decide how to make the journey. Now, if your next decision is where to stay in Kyoto, we can help you out there, too, with our guide to Kyoto’s best areas to stay in for first-timers.
Or, if you’ve already booked your hotel, and are now looking for some things to do, take a look at our guide to the top ten must-see Kyoto sights for those visiting for the first time.
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.
