'Tourist Express Bus' Aims to Ease Kyoto City Bus Congestion

Jun 04, 2024 | News On Japan

KYOTO - Kyoto City, facing the issue of overcrowded city buses due to overtourism, has launched a new initiative in June. What are the goals and challenges of this new measure?

On June 1st, the 'Tourist Express Bus' began operations at Kyoto Station. Separate from the regular city buses, these buses run only on weekends and holidays, stopping only near tourist sites. The aim is to segregate 'residents' from 'tourists.'

Overtourism in Kyoto has led to severe congestion, particularly on city buses that residents use daily.

Reporter Nozomi Fujieda: 'Passengers keep boarding, but the bus is already full.'

Both residents and tourists have been troubled by the overlap of routes serving daily commutes and tourist destinations.

'I worry if I can even get on the bus. Maybe I'll walk or take a taxi.'

In response, Kyoto City has introduced the 'Tourist Express Bus,' which stops only at certain designated stops. The new schedule includes direct buses to Gojozaka near the UNESCO World Heritage site Kiyomizudera, and routes to bus stops near Ginkakuji, passing through Gojozaka and Gion.

The fare is 500 yen for adults, more than double the regular fare, but the travel time from Kyoto Station to Gojozaka is reduced to about 10 minutes, and to Ginkakuji, from 44 minutes to about 24 minutes.

A user commented, 'When I first heard it was 500 yen, I thought it was quite expensive, but it was very convenient as it arrived in no time.'

The pricing seems reasonable for tourists, but expanding the routes has introduced new challenges.

Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui: 'Both city buses and private buses face the same issue: a shortage of drivers...'

There is a shortage of both drivers and vehicles. Even on weekdays, many people were seen waiting in line for buses on the 3rd.

Another user said, 'If the Tourist Express Bus was available on weekdays, we wouldn't have to wait in line so long.' 'The express bus is not effective at all. We need more of them.'

While Kyoto City hopes to operate the Tourist Express Bus on busy weekdays, the shortage of drivers and vehicles restricts it to weekends and holidays only.

Source: YOMIURI

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