Nijo Castle Today › Getting there
How to get to Nijo Castle from Kyoto Station
Take the subway. It's 18 minutes and ¥260 from Kyoto Station, and on a weekend morning a taxi isn't any faster.
Why it's confusing
Nijojo-mae Station (二条城前) is right at the castle gate, but it's on the Tozai Line — which doesn't stop at Kyoto Station. You need one transfer.
Routes compared
| Route | Time | Fare | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway, with one transfer | 18 min | ¥260 | 4 min |
| Subway, then walk | 19 min | ¥220 | 13 min |
| JR train, then walk | 23 min | ¥180 | 16 min |
| Taxi | 16–17 min | about ¥2,230 | none |
Subway with one transfer (easiest)
Take the Karasuma Line (烏丸線, green) north two stops to Karasuma Oike (烏丸御池). Change to the Tozai Line (東西線, red) and ride one stop to Nijojo-mae (二条城前). The East Gate is a 4-minute walk.
Nijojo-mae Station is busiest with commuters on weekdays, around 8:00–9:00 and 17:00–19:00. If you're aiming for the 8:45 opening, expect a busy station. (Google Maps popular times for Nijojo-mae Station, checked .)
Subway, then walk (no transfer)
Get off at Karasuma Oike and walk west along Oike-dori for 13 minutes. One minute slower, ¥40 cheaper, and you skip the transfer.
JR train (cheapest, and covered by the Japan Rail Pass)
Take the JR San-in Line (山陰線, also called the Sagano Line) to Nijo Station (二条駅), then walk 16 minutes east. Trains are less frequent than the subway, so check the departure board first.
Taxi
About ¥1,830 on the meter. Booking through an app adds a pickup fee and an app fee, bringing it to about ¥2,230. On the Saturday morning we checked, traffic was slow and the taxi saved almost no time.
Which should you choose?
- 1–2 people: subway.
- 3–4 people with luggage: a taxi works out to about ¥560 each, so it's reasonable.
- 5 people: a large taxi costs about ¥3,290, but the wait to be picked up was 9–12 minutes.
Route to ignore
Google Maps sometimes suggests going via Yamashina (山科) on JR and then the Tozai Line. That takes 29 minutes and costs ¥640 — eleven minutes longer and more than double the fare.
How we timed it
We checked every route from Kyoto Station on Saturday, , between 9:27 and 9:38 a.m., using Google Maps for trains and the GO taxi app for taxis. Taxi times include the wait for pickup; traffic was slow that morning. The taxi fare of about ¥2,230 is the meter fare of about ¥1,830, plus a ¥300 pickup fee and a ¥100 app fee. A large taxi for up to 5 people was about ¥3,290. We'll add weekday midday timings, including the city bus, soon.
Common questions
How do I get to Nijo Castle from Kyoto Station?
Take the subway Karasuma Line two stops to Karasuma Oike, change to the Tozai Line and ride one stop to Nijojo-mae. It took 18 minutes and cost 260 yen when we timed it on Saturday, October 3, 2026, around 9:30 a.m.
What is the nearest station to Nijo Castle?
Nijojo-mae Station on the subway Tozai Line, a 4-minute walk from the entrance gate. The Tozai Line does not stop at Kyoto Station, so from there you need one transfer at Karasuma Oike.
Is a taxi faster from Kyoto Station to Nijo Castle?
Not on the Saturday morning we checked. A taxi took 16 to 17 minutes including the wait for pickup, against 18 minutes by subway. The meter fare is about 1,830 yen, or about 2,230 yen booked through an app.
Can I use the Japan Rail Pass to get to Nijo Castle?
Yes. Take the JR San-in Line (Sagano Line) from Kyoto Station to Nijo Station, then walk about 16 minutes east to the entrance gate.
Last checked:
Timed on . Last checked: . Station names and address: Nijo-jo Castle official guide. Published by Bag2Gate.