How to travel from Kyoto to Nikko, Japan

There are several options for getting from Kyoto to Nikko by bus, car, plane and train. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around ¥10,815 ($79) and will take around 10h 45m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 3h 50m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately ¥31,215 ($230).

The distance between Kyoto and Nikko is around 603km (375 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 402km (250 miles)

It takes around 10h 45m to get from Kyoto and Nikko by bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 6h 40m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Kyoto to Nikko is to fly and then take the train which takes around 3h 50m and will set you back approx ¥31,215 ($230).

The cheapest way to travel between Kyoto and Nikko, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around ¥10,815 ($79) for a standard one-way ticket.

There is no train service that runs between Kyoto and Nikko. We recommend that you fly from Osaka Itami (ITM) to Fukushima (FKS) then take the train to Koriyama(Fukushima) then Utsunomiya and then to Nikko. instead which will take 3h 50m.

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Kyoto and Nikko. It typically takes around 10h 45m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Kyoto to Nikko. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Tokyo Station Nihonbashi Exit and Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 10h 45m.

JR Bus Kanto and Tohoku Kyuko Bus run regular bus services between Kyoto and Nikko. Buses run once daily and take around 10h 45m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Kyoto to Nikko. We recommend that you fly from Osaka Itami (ITM) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) then take the train to Tobu-Nikko. instead which will take 4h 25m.

The closest major airport to Nikko is Fukushima Airport (FKS) (FKS) which is approximately 86km (54 miles) from Nikko. Narita International Airport (NRT) (NRT) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) (HND) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Yes it is possible to drive from Kyoto and Nikko. The distance is around 603km (375 miles) by road and it will take around 6h 40m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Kyoto to Nikko is to take the bus which takes, on average, 10h 45m and will usually cost around ¥10,815 ($79).