Nara Bus and Bus Passes

In Nara, there are 2 kinds of buses: city buses and sightseeing buses. By taking them, you can go to most attractions you want to visit in Nara.

Nara City Bus

Operation Hours: roughly from 5:00 to 22:00 every day
Frequency: 10 – 20minutes

City Bus in Nara

Where Can I Go by Taking Nara City Bus?

Destination	Buses
Todai-ji Temple	6/72/160/77/97/Route 2
Kasuga Taisha Shrine	6/72/77/97/Route2
Heijo Palace Site	12/14/160/161
Gango-ji Temple	6/Route 2/Route 1
Yakushi-ji Temple	72/78/98
Toshodai-ji Temple
Horyu-ji Temple	98
Kofuku-ji Temple	70/72/98/160/27/81/118/Route 2/Route 6
Nara National Museum	70/72/98/Route 2/77
Isuien Garden	27/81/118/153
Saidai-ji Temple	12/14
Hokke-ji Temple	12/13/14

How to Pay Bus Ticket

Cash, transportation cards like Suica, and Nara bus passes are all supported to take city buses in Nara.

How Much is Nara City Bus Ticket Fare?

There are two charging modes for taking different city buses in Nara. One is 250 yen per ride however long the distance is. The other is charging according to the distance you travel, which means the longer you travel, the higher the fare is. From the timetable at the bus stop, you can check the charging mode of the bus you want to take.

When and How to Pay Ticket Fare

Bus	Charging 250 Yen Per Ride	Charging by Distance
When to Pay	as long as you get on the bus	before getting off the bus
How to Pay	Cash: put cash into the coin box Transportation Card: swipe your transportation card Bus Pass: show your bus pass to bus driver	Transportation Card: swipe your transportation card when you get on and get off the bus separately Bus Pass: show your bus pass when you get on and get off the bus separately It is not suggested to pay bus fare by cash if you take this kind of bus because it is a little troublesome. You need to calculate the fare of your ride and prepare change in advance as changing is not supported on the bus.

Ticket Machines in Nara City Bus

Nara Sightseeing Bus 

In Nara, there is a sightseeing bus loop line and it stops only around Kintetsu Nara Station and Nara’s major tourist attractions. As a result, you can arrive at your destination faster than taking city buses. However, the disadvantage of the bus is that it only operates on weekends and holidays.

Operation Time: around 10:00 – 17:00
Ticket Fare: 250 yen per ride
Frequency: every 20 minutes
How and When to Pay: pay cash/ swipe transportation card/ show bus pass to driver when getting on the bus
Bus Route: Kintetsu Nara Station → *Nara Park (Bus Terminal) → Daibutsuden-mae-chushajo → *Todai-ji Temple → *Todai-ji Nigatsu-do → *Mountain Wakakusa → *Main Sanctuary of Kasuga Taisha Shrine → *Todai-ji Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) / Kasuga Taisha Shrine → *Ukimido Pavilion → *Gango-ji Temple → Honkomoricho → Kintetsu Nara Station…

* means attractions or that there are attractions around the bus stop.

Nara Bus Passes – Cost Effective for Traveling in Nara

In Nara, other than walking and cycling, bus is another most frequently transportation mode. As a result, if you plan to get around Nara by buses, buying a bus pass like below ones can help you save a lot:

1. 1-Day Pass

Price: 600 yen
Valid Period: 1 day
Accessible attractions: sites around Nara Park and those around Toshodai-ji Temple, including Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Todai-ji Temple, and Toshodai-ji Temple.

2. 1-Day Pass Wide

Price: 1,100 yen
Valid Period: 1 Day
Accessible attractions: Other than those included in 1-Day Pass, more remote places are covered including Jiko-in Temple and Horyu-ji Temple.

3. 2-Day Pass

Price: 1,650 yen
Valid Period: 2 days
Covering area: almost Nara’s all attractions accessible by bus

To buy Nara’s bus passes, you can go to JR Nara Station’s Bus Information Center on the 2nd floor or Kintetsu Nara Station’s Information Center on the 1st floor of Nara Line House.