Survival Guide - Kyoto - page 408

The B.B House Maruni ( B.B House マルニ ; 771-6644; 9am-8pm Mon-Sat) bicycle
shop is a good place to rent a bicycle to explore the Northern Higashiyama area. It's with-
in walking distance of Ginkaku-ji, but the closest bus stop is Kinrin-shako-mae. Look for
it just south of a Fresco supermarket.
Most rental outfits require you to leave ID such as a passport.
Subway
Kyoto has two efficient subway lines, which operate from 5.30am to 11.30pm. Minimum
adult fare is ¥210 (children ¥110).
The quickest way to travel between the north and south of the city is the Karasuma sub-
way line. The line has 15 stops and runs from Takeda in the far south, via Kyoto Station,
to the Kyoto International Conference Hall (Kokusaikaikan Station) in the north.
The east-west Tōzai subway line traverses Kyoto from Nijō Station in the west, meet-
ing the Karasuma subway line at Karasuma-Oike Station, and continuing east to Sanjō
Keihan, Yamashina and Rokujizō in the east and southeast.
Train
The main train station in Kyoto is Kyoto Station ( CLICK HERE ), which is actually two sta-
tions under one roof: JR Kyoto Station and Kintetsu Kyoto Station. This station is in the
south of the city, just below Shichijō-dōri. The easiest way to get downtown from this sta-
tion is to hop on the Karasuma subway line. There is a bus terminal on the north side of
the station from where you can catch buses to all parts of town; for more information,
CLICK HERE .
In addition to the private Kintetsu line that operates from Kyoto Station, there are two
other private train lines in Kyoto: the Hankyū line that operates from Downtown Kyoto
along Shijō-dōri and the Keihan line that operates from stops along the Kamo-gawa.
Buying a Ticket
All stations are equipped with automatic ticket machines, which are simple to operate.
Destinations and fares are all posted above the machines in both Japanese and English -