A Foolproof Guide to the Sagano Romantic Train, Kyoto 

Changes have been made to the ticketing system as of March 2024, you no longer make reservations through the JR website and pick up the paper ticket at a JR station, instead: 【1】Reserve tickets through their new online ticketing system at: ars-saganokanko.triplabo.jp/activity/en/LINKTIVITY-YRBTL (which can still be accessed through the Sagano Romantic Train website), you will get an e-ticket with a QR code. Show your QR code at a Torokko station to gain access. 【2】Day-of tickets are sold on a first come first serve basis at Saga Torokko (starting 8:35 am), Arashiyama Torokko (starting 8:50 am) and Kameoka Torokko(starting 9:10 am). Everything else presented in the video, including seat recommendations, access route etc. is unaffected and still relevant.

This video is SO WELL DONE! Now I know exactly how to get to the station (with ticket in hand) and how to get back. (That video clip of the cat on a Roomba was hilarious.) This video was so informative and easy to follow. I tried it and got my seats too, in the Rich Car Train! Your directions were spot on and will guarantee that we make it to and from our destination. Thank you!!!!!

why is the process more complicated than applying for the military... anyway thanks for all the information i searched online for over an hour for the most optimal itinerary and your info is gold thanks so much

Oh man, just watched your Kyoto public transport video and was immediately recommended this. I'm in Kyoto this November and my main concerns were getting around, and getting on this train since tickets can't be booked very far in advance. Hoping to ride this train and then do the Hozugawa river boats on the way back if they're running again by then. Thanks for putting these together, they are SUPER helpful!

You are doing gods work with this video. Hands down most helpful video I have watched in a long time! Thank you so much for putting so much time and effort into this!

Dear Will, all I need is You and Google maps to travel the world until I drop. 🍁🌷🍁🌷 I will memorize all your transcripts to prevent Alzheimer as well. Gratitude from California 🙏

Fantastic, thanks for taking the confusion out of ordering these tickets. Can't wait to try this!

This is so helpful. Thank you for making the video!

Thank you for making this, it's an excellent resource!

Fantastic. Thank you so much for the little details in the video. This is extremely helpful for my upcoming trip. Cheers

This is really helpful and I am going to bookmark this video for our upcoming trip to Kyoto! Thank you so much!

the most helpful video im ever going to see my entire life

Wow this guide is 🔥🔥🔥!!! Thank you for the amazing details and the effort to make such an awesome video!!

thank you so much for this detailed and incredibly helpful video! You answered every single question I could possibly have and soothed any bit of anxiety I had

thank you so so so much for this video!, we're leaving for our trip next week and quickly wanted to put this into our schedule but had no idea how to, ur a life saver tysm

Great video. Will help in my planning. Your other videos too was an eye opener. Gonna get the day passes and hopefully be able to book this train ride.

Thank you for the perfect step by step details!!🙌

I love this kind of info or useful tips! Thank you 😊

Hands down the most helpful travel video I came across. You did a good job explaining everything and made my Kyoto itinerary much easier. Pls continue to help other travellers with your videos.

thank you for posting this! I am booking a trip for dec 2024 and always wanted to try the train! Your video was very helpful 😊

This is one of the most helpful videos online. I will be visiting Japan soon ^^ Thanksss

I just came across one of your videos and watched them all in succession (apart from the Lutton town one). I felt like someone LIKE ME was giving me the tips, until you self-described as anxious holidays organiser and, at that point, I just I knew I could just follow every single tip. Thanks so much man, I'm going to the Kansai area this week and will still manage to score the Kyoto day pass

this was very helpful and the memes made it even better, ty

Thank you !! This video is so helpful .

Great video! Used this for reference for a trip with my gf and I and everything went off without a hitch thanks to your advice! Thank you!

One of the best youtuber Hands down

Thank you souch for the video! Explained very well

Thank you for your excellent guidance ❤

Most helpful and practical vid🎉

Thank you for this. Am returning to Kyoto in autumn, this time boarding the romantic train. I'm starting from Saga Torokko station and return to Togetsukyo by boarding the 2 hour Hozugawa river boat.

Wow! Thanks again!

Thank you for this informative video🎉

Thanks so much for the video

First, I would like to appreciate your time and effort for making this video. I was struggling to buy tickets as all tickets had been sold out in most travel agents websites. Your video helps me a lot and finally I've bought our group tickets on this famous Sagano Train. Thanks again!

New subscriber here! Will be going to Kyoto in November (as will several other people who posted - {{waves hi}}) and your videos are perfect! Lots of detail, fun (42!) and tight (I've discovered I don't have the time or patience to watch videos that ramble on and on). Thanks!

awesome video! Thanks for your tips! i was about to buy tickets for sagano but very confuse on where and which station.. 😅much thanks to your great video. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Thanks for the information about it being closed in Feb. Disappointed it doesn't run, but at least I know now!

Thanka! Good job.

Very informative thanks

We just purchased our tickets with the help of your guide! One thing that we were unaware of is that when you purchase your tickets online, they automatically assign a seat to you. Luckily we got seat 2C and 2D, so we sit along the south side.

Thanks!

i really like your clip. i got it.

Just did this today, highly recommended! I made the mistake of going to Kameoka Station instead of Kameoka Torroko station, which made me miss a train unfortunately. Thankfully I got a standing ticket for the next train at Kameoka Torroko so it's worth pursuing a ticket at the station. Also, the views between Umahori and Kameoka is spectacular, even more so than the ride itself in my opinion.

I took the Sagano romantic train before when I was a kid.

Thanks for providing a very detailed insights of the Sagano Romantic Train. I will definitely rewatch so I can follow your route. Just wondering if this route can apply to drivers who park at a location?

Thank you for this great video! When we claim the tickets we purchased online from one of the JR-West counters, is it also possible to make seat reservations at the ticket counter?

Thank you for the great guide. I booked a ticket for my March trip and I think they changed the process. Now you book your exact seat off the website and they set up an account for you that contains your E-ticket. The ticket becomes valid only on the same day with a QR-code generated on the date. You only have to show that to the attended, nothing else. Trouble is if your net is spotty that day you're in trouble because screenshots won't be accepted.

Hi!! stumbled upon this vlog and it's super helpful, thank you!! ☺️ btw, are you allowed to pickup your online purchased ticket at the ticket counter any day prior to your scheduled trip? It doesn't have to be on the exact same day you ride the train right? Planning to claim it 2 days before our ride.

I recommend going to Kameoka by train, and coming back using the boats. (The boats are sent back to Kameoka by truck, so they're only one way.) (保津峡下り)

Hey! Really informative and useful video that helped me purchase the Sagano Romantic Train tickets, especially the even number seat choice. However, I just want to clarify something you have mentioned in the video. You have mentioned to take the JR line to Umahori station and walk to Torokko Kameoka Station. Is this solely for the purpose of the scenic views along Umahori JR station -> Torokko Kameoka JR station? Because Torokko Kameoka is accessible directly from Kyoto JR station. Thanks in advance!

Hi, thanks so much for making such a detailed video. I tried to make a reservation today, but it seems already fully booked. Any tips on when to try and book, like at what time, etc? Thanks

Thank you for this great video! Can we use directly an ICOCA card for the fare of the train in the JR San-in Line? Or, do we have to purchase a ticket at the ticket machine or ticket counter?

every time slot is booked out until from 3/29 to 4/02. probably will camp out on day-of tickets are sold.

Hi thank for ur information i enjoy ur video. If i wanna go from saga torokko station to omeoka station then better i choose sit number 1,3 or 2,4? Thank u

Very detailed thank you very much! Question: if I arrive late ( missed my train) with my pre booked online tickets can I take the next / later train?

How about doing it in reverse? Explore Arashiyama in the morning, when there are less crowds and then take the Sagano Romantic train in the afternoon?

When we hop off at arashimaya torokko, can we hop back on with the same ticket in the same direction?

Whats the best way to book when trying to get seats next to your travel buddy? Aisle + Window?

Wonderful video. I checked my days 3 weeks in advance and they are sold out online, will there be same day tickets availability?

whats the song you used for the video? its so catchy

In Kyoto Station at least, you can't buy tickets in person any more: they say the system changed recently and you can only buy online.

Should I visit during day or evening

After watching this detail video and looking at the change in system. there seems to be some tickets that are not sold online, and you have to be here. I was able to get three tickets today, but with an hour wait. again, your luck may vary on situation.

How to use the Randen Trem

thank you for such a informative video. i have a separate question, i was planning to go to kinkakuji on the same day as the sagano romantic train. do you think it'd be enough time. it seems kinkaju ji is around 1 hr away by train

Hi, ideally what time should i start the whole trip? And by the time i leave from the bridge by bus/ train, what time would it be approx? Would there be enough time to go to Kinkakuji?

Not sure if it's a mistake in the video about the seats, but isn't it better to get even numbered seats for Arashiyama - Kameoka instead? Whereas Kameoka - Arashiyama should be getting odd numbered seats for the view? Based on how i understand the train functions. But please let me know! Thank you!!

Hi! Thanks for your guide. We are 4 in the party and I didn't get seats that are together unfortunately 😢 now, why did you not get the tickets in the machine? I'm scared to receive our tickets for our november trip.

Thanks for sharing! It was so helpful. Btw, it seems like the online reservation system have been updated and now you can select your seats :) I'm considering to start the route in Arashiyama station son I can take a walk through the bamboo forest, early, before it gets too crowdy. And then take the romantic train to Kameoka . Do you recomend to take the train again to get back to Arashiyama and continue the rest of the this route or is there a better way to get back? Thank you!!

Actually u shud go the other direction cos u could take the boat ride back for a different experience, of course that is optional but that is even more optimised way to use the route

Does the 1-day bus and subway pass cover the Randen Tram? I haven't been able to find this information anywhere so far. I guess probably easiest to use ICOCA?

Hi, very great video, thanks! Is the same train also riding backwards on the same tracks? Meaning if you go from Arashiyama to Kameoka even number seats would also have a better view? Cheers!

hi, but if i follow your guide and take the first sagano romantic train at 10.30 AM.. that means once i arrived at arashiyama bamboo grove, it will already packed because the time isn't so early?

Hi, is there any mistake in the seat recommendation part? Because your example is from Kameoka to Arashiyama but the image you showed is "to Kameoka" so it's the opposite direction. If I choose the even-numbered seats, shouldn't I go from Arashiyama to Kameoka instead? Thank you

Hi, what if there's no more available seats on the website? Is there always an available ticket for standing room on the day? Thank you

so in conclusion, there is no way to select seat if we book our ticket online via the official web? so it's really based on luck of the seat arrangement and whether we are given even number?

Hi. If we are taking from Torokko Arashiyama station towards Torokko Kameoka station, is the recommended seats also the even numbered?

After seeing, I don't think I need to watch any more videos

Does the 1-day bus/metro Kyoto pass cover all these locations?

How early can you pick up your tickets or does it have to be done the same day?

I may have missed this but does the JR pass cover this train?

i booked online and it let me pick seats.... making sure I did this correctly. got confirmation email and no code to punch in the midori machine.... instructions that were emailed to me never said anything about picking up at the JR station either and in the email, it had a button to click and or scan to use ticket..... hmmmmmmm....

I tried reserving seats online but it says "the route is not selectable' :( It's probs because I'm going during peak season which is last week of November to 1st week of December

I am going crazy. Can't enter my name in English. Keep asking for Katakana letters on the JR website. What else can I do? Help pls trying to book Friday tickets

🤌🏻

You really need your passport???

I'm staying in kyoto until 29/2/2024 🥲🫠 wanting to go on this train really bad