The night the drinks ran long, the night you did not make the shinkansen. Missing the last train at Kyoto Station, the first question is how many hours until the first.
Wait for it, take a taxi, or get a room? Each costs something different in money and time. Here is the order to decide in.
Check how long until the first train
At Kyoto Station the last trains run around midnight and the first mostly from five o'clock. Just past midnight leaves you about five hours.
What you do with those five hours decides the options. An hour you can wait out anywhere; five hours calls for somewhere to sit, or a room.
- Last trains around midnight, first from five
- About five hours until the first
- Secure somewhere you can sit
Compare taxi, hotel and waiting on cost
Within the city a taxi settles it fastest. Going further out, though, the late-night surcharge brings it level with a night's accommodation.
A room is certain if one is free, but on a Friday or in the tourist season they are hard to get at the last minute. Waiting costs least, provided you have somewhere to wait.
Search late-opening venues on the closing time
Looking for somewhere open late, read the end of the opening hours rather than last orders. Written as 2am or 5am, past midnight, is the sign.
Few places in Kyoto stay open until the first train. Setting out to find one on foot means wasted journeys, so look them up and phone to check a free seat.
- See whether closing is written past midnight
- Phone to check a seat for tonight
- Don't plan on finding one on foot
Let safety into the decision too
If you feel unwell or have drunk a lot, take a room rather than forcing the wait. Never drive or cycle after drinking.
Moving alone, keep an eye on your valuables and your phone battery. With others, staying in one place together is safer.
A Gion option open until 5am
Gion Country Club is an indoor golf and bar lounge three minutes on foot from Gion-Shijo Station, open from 5pm until 5am. The hours between the last train and the first are covered.
You can spend them seated on the sofas, with simulation golf, darts and karaoke as well. Taxis towards Kyoto Station are easy to hail along Shijo-dori.
Frequently asked questions
Is there anywhere in Kyoto to wait for the first train?
Some indoor venues are open until early morning. Gion Country Club is open until 5am.
Is a taxi or a hotel cheaper after the last train?
It depends on the distance. Short trips within the city favour a taxi; further out, the surcharge brings it level with a room.
Can I come alone late at night?
We take single guests. If you feel at all unwell, please consider a room instead.
