Originally Posted by
troyb
This makes me mad because I was depending on it to get to the hotel. I arrive at KIX around 7:45pm and planned on taking the train to Kyoto station then the shuttle. If I'm already going to have to take a taxi part way, might have to consider just taking it all the way.
The subway is actually a nice way to get around... the subway was about a 10-15 minute ride and about 200yards away from the hotel.
The subway is great. It runs often and usually isn't too crowded (at least from Kyoto Station to Shijo and the Westin, for us anyway). It may be a way for you to get to the Westin, Troyb, if you can handle taking your luggage up/down elevators and carting it accross a station for a transfer. It is close enough that I would have taken it instead of the taxi, had a I known. 250 Yen per adult (approx $2.50) each way from Kyoto Station to the Westin, and you have to make one transfer. It's really easy, great signage and maps all over.
The subway is actually a nice way to get around the city. We took it today to get to Nijojo castle ...
For me, Nijojo Castle was the best sight, since you actually get to take off your shoes and go into the near 400 year old palace. Amazing. So easy to get to also.
Today we bought a subway pass for ¥600 and went all over. We went back to Mushashi in Kyoto station (right accross from McDonald's on the taxi side of the station, same side the Westin shuttle bus comes to), a kaizen-sushi (rotating conveyor belt) place that has another location on Shijo street and elsewhere and is inexpensive and good quality, known by locals... and all plates are only ¥137. The kids love the "Shaka Shaka Chicken" on the McDonald's ¥100 menu - the quality is actually decent, it's not meat product but actual chicken like chicken tenders, although likely not so healthy as it is fried.