Sagano Romantic Train

Sagano Romantic Train

Located on the outskirts of Kyoto, Arashiyama offers breathtaking natural beauty and a serene environment. Particularly, the canyon landscape along the Hozugawa River from Kameoka to Arashiyama is truly magnificent. If Arashiyama represents the natural scenery of Kyoto, then the Sagano Romantic Train is a must-do experience to fully appreciate the beauty of Arashiyama and Sagano. It’s worthy to enjoy the four season beauty in a old-fashioned train ride.

Also Know as Sagano Scenic Railway, Sagano Romantic Train is a sightseeing train line that funs along the Hozugawa River between Arashiyama and Kameoka (totally 7.3km). It takes about 25 minutes for one way and 1 hour for the round trip. The train has only 5 carriages in total and only 4 stations in the entire journey, namely Saga Station, Arashiyama Station, Hozukyo Station and Kameoka Station.

The Sagano Romantic Train has a charming retro appearance, with its red cars and open windows. The vintage locomotive adds to its nostalgic appeal. As the train traverses its route, you can witness the changing scenery according to the seasons. In spring, the mountains are adorned with cherry blossoms; in summer, lush greenery extends as far as the eye can see; in autumn, vibrant patches of red leaves create a breathtaking display; and in winter, a serene white landscape unfolds before you. Embark on this delightful train journey to immerse yourself in the picturesque views of Kyoto throughout the year.

Consisting of five cars with wooden seats, the train includes a unique feature—Car No. 5, which is an open carriage without windows, allowing for convenient photography. The platform floor is made of see-through iron sheets, providing a glimpse of the tracks underneath. It's important to note that on rainy days, passengers on Car No. 5 may get wet due to the absence of windows. The availability of tickets for this car depends on the weather conditions on the day of travel.

When boarding the train, passengers are seated according to the numbers indicated on their tickets. The direction in which you sit will determine the specific scenery you'll encounter. No matter where you sit, there is always a section with mountain view and another section with river view.

Where to buy the Sagano Romantic Train tickets and how much?

The ticket price is 800 yen per adult (440 yen per child of 6-12 years old), who can bring one child (1-6 years old) free of charge.

There are 8 round-trip trains every day. The first train departs from Saga at 9:02 and the first train departs from Kameoka at 9:30. It won’t operate in every Wednesday.

1. Book online

Tickets will be released 1 month before the day of departure and ends 30 minutes before departure. Online payment is recommended in cherry blossom period (March and April) and autumn leaves period (November). Tickets can be bought on the official website of Sagano Romantic Train and some agent sellers online for e-tickets.

If you book the tickets in the official website, you will need to pick up your tickets in a Midori-no-Kenbaiki ticket machine or a Midori-no-Madoguchi counter at a major JR West train station (the only location to get the tickets).

2. Buy on site

Tickets can be purchased at at JR West Kyoto Station, Kameoka Station, Saga Arashiyama Station, Shin-Osaka, Osaka, Nara, Kansai Airport and other stations.

The perfect route to enjoy Arashiyama:

We are going to take you off the beaten track and have a trip that will allow you to explore the entire Arashiyama area without looking back! Take a small train from Saga Station to Kamaoka Station, hike to the Hozu River, take a Hozu River boat rafting down the mountain, and then visit Arashiyama. Many people come to Arashiyama for the train, so they ignore the secret route behind the train. Different from the first two ways of sightseeing, taking the boat back to Arashiyama Station is another way to visit Arashiyama. Because the water in the Hozu River varies in depth, the entire journey is done manually, which takes almost 2 hours. The end point of the rafting is Arashiyama Station, where the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Tenryuji Temple and Togetsukyo Bridge are located.

Recommended tour packages with Sagano Romantic Train in autumn and Arashiyama in spring: