乗Japan Train Trips
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How to ride trains in Japan

Kansai (Kyoto, Osaka)

How to ride Randen (Keifuku Arashiyama line) in Kyoto: flat ¥250, pay as you get off

嵐電（京福電鉄 嵐山線）の乗り方

Kyoto's little tram-style line to Arashiyama costs a flat ¥250 (child ¥120) wherever you go. Board at the front or rear door without tapping, and pay as you get off — at the fare box by the driver, or at the gates at the four staffed stations. Suica, ICOCA and the other nationwide IC cards work.

  • Board at any door
  • Exit at the front
  • Pay when you get off
  • IC cards OK
  • Flat fare
↓ IN↑ OUT↓ IN↓ IN◀ Front (driver)Rear ▶
Board at any door Exit at the front

Randen is the nickname of Keifuku Electric Railroad's Arashiyama line in western Kyoto: the main line from Shijo-Omiya to Arashiyama and the Kitano line from Kitano-Hakubaicho, which meet at Katabiranotsuji.

Every ride is ¥250 for adults and ¥120 for children (6–11), however far you go — including a change between the two lines at Katabiranotsuji.

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乗り方の流れ

Step by step

  1. 01Get on at the front or rear door

    Board through the front or the rear door. You don't take a ticket, and you don't tap your IC card when you get on.

  2. 02Get off at the front

    The exit is the front door, next to the driver.

  3. 03Pay as you leave

    Pay ¥250 in cash or by tapping a nationwide IC card (Suica, ICOCA and so on). At Shijo-Omiya, Katabiranotsuji, Arashiyama and Kitano-Hakubaicho you pay at the station ticket gate; at every other stop, pay at the fare box on the driver's side.

  4. 04Changing lines at Katabiranotsuji

    Going between the Arashiyama main line and the Kitano line? Change at Katabiranotsuji without paying there — you pay once, at the station where you finally get off.

Day passes

The Randen one-day pass (¥700, child ¥350) covers both Randen lines and comes with coupons for sights along the line. It's sold at Shijo-Omiya, Katabiranotsuji, Arashiyama and Kitano-Hakubaicho stations, among others. With a ¥250 flat fare it pays off on your third ride.

The Kyoto Subway & Randen 1day Ticket (¥1,300, adult) adds every Kyoto City Subway line — the subway's Tozai line meets Randen at Uzumasa-Tenjingawa / Randen-Tenjingawa. It doesn't include the Randen pass coupons.

In autumn (sold 1 October – 6 December 2026, on the Surutto QRtto web page), the Kyoto-Arashiyama 1day Pass combines all Hankyu lines, all of Randen and Kyoto Bus in the Arashiyama–Saga area, from ¥1,400 for the Hankyu version.

Changing to JR, the subway and Hankyu

For JR: Randen Saga is near JR Saga-Arashiyama on the main line, and Satsueisho-mae is the stop for JR Uzumasa on the Kitano line. For the subway: Randen-Tenjingawa connects with Uzumasa-Tenjingawa on the Tozai line. For Hankyu: Shijo-Omiya and Sai — Randen calls its station "Sai", Hankyu calls the same-named station "Saiin", and the two platforms have been linked since March 2017.

Good to know

  • Randen's Arashiyama Station is in the middle of Arashiyama's main street — a different station from JR Saga-Arashiyama and Hankyu Arashiyama.
  • Pets in a carrier (up to 70 cm long, 100 cm in total of three sides and 30 kg) cost ¥250.
  • The JAPAN RAIL PASS doesn't cover Randen — it's a private railway.

Sources

Rules differ between railways and change from time to time — last checked 11 Nov 2026. Follow signs and staff on the day.