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Sagano Romantic Train: Season, Seats, Booking

The Sagano Romantic Train runs about 25 minutes through the Hozu gorge from Torokko Saga to Torokko Kameoka for 880 yen one way. Book a reserved seat online, and choose Car 5 for the open Rich car.

Scenic  Japan

The Sagano Romantic Train is a 7 km sightseeing line through the Hozu gorge, running between Torokko Saga (beside JR Saga-Arashiyama in Kyoto) and Torokko Kameoka. The ride takes about 25 minutes.[1] A one-way adult ticket costs 880 yen whichever section you ride, and a child ticket (6 to 12 years) costs 440 yen.[2]

Book a reserved seat online if you can: sales open at 0:00 Japan time one month before the travel date.[3] Same-day tickets are sold at the station counters while seats remain, except at Torokko Hozukyo.[3]

Torokko SagaTorokko Kameoka

Map: Natural Earth (public domain) · Lines drawn through the stations of each service

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Season and closing days

The train runs on a published calendar rather than every day. In October 2026, 14 and 21 October are marked as out of service and the other days as running.[4] The 2026 yearly calendar shows January and February as out of service and mentions extra trains (Sagano 81 and 82, and Sagano 91 and 92) on some days. It also says that closing days and extra trains may be added or changed.[5] Check your date on the operator's calendar before you plan a day around the ride.

Which train to take

On regular days there are eight departures in each direction. Trains from Torokko Saga leave at 02 minutes past each hour from 09:02 to 16:02, call at Torokko Arashiyama three minutes later and at Torokko Hozukyo at 13 minutes past, and reach Torokko Kameoka at 25 minutes past. Trains back leave Kameoka at 30 minutes past each hour from 09:30 to 16:30, and the last one arrives at Saga at 17:04.[4] Because the trains run roughly every hour, missing one costs you an hour.

The train has five cars. Car 5 is the Rich car, an open-air car with no window glass, so it can get wet in the rain. Umbrellas are not allowed on board, and there are no refunds, seat changes or train changes on the day if it rains.[3] To ride in Car 5, select "No. 5" in the online reservation form.[6] The other cars have Art Deco style wooden seats.[1]

Seats are four-person box seats labelled A to D, and A and D are the window seats. On trains to Kameoka the C and D seats face the direction of travel; on trains to Saga it is A and B.[3]

Classes and fares

There is one fare for every seat. If the reserved seats are sold out, a limited number of standing tickets go on sale on the day at the station counters.[3] Round-trip tickets do not exist, so you buy each direction separately.[3] A JR Pass cannot be used on this train.[3]

How to book

The official reservation site needs an account, created with an e-mail address or a social media login. Payment is by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB or Diners Club) with 3D Secure. You can buy up to eight tickets per transaction.[3] On the day you show a QR code e-ticket on a phone or tablet at the ticket gate; a printed voucher is not enough.[3]

You can cancel free of charge until 23:59 on the day before travel, and change the seat up to three times for the same train until then. The date, the train or the number of passengers cannot be changed, so cancel and book again instead.[3]

Counters sell same-day tickets from about 08:35 at Torokko Saga, 08:50 at Torokko Arashiyama and 09:10 at Torokko Kameoka. They accept cash, credit cards and IC cards such as ICOCA and Suica, but not PiTaPa.[3]

Stations

Torokko Saga is next to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station on the Sagano Line, about a 5 minute walk away.[7] From Kyoto Station, take the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama. Torokko Saga also holds the ticket office for the Hozu river boat.[7]

Torokko Arashiyama is close to the bamboo grove, about 20 minutes on foot from Torokko Saga. It has about 60 steps and no elevator. You can board there with a ticket that starts at Saga.[3]

Torokko Hozukyo is an unmanned station in the ravine and is reached by stairs and a suspension bridge. No tickets are sold there.[8]

Torokko Kameoka has elevators and paid parking nearby. The nearest JR station is Umahori, about a 10 minute walk.[9]

Coming back: train or river boat

The simplest return is the train from Kameoka with a separate one-way ticket. The alternative is the Hozugawa river boat, which runs from Kameoka down to Arashiyama, about 16 km in roughly 2 hours. An adult ticket costs 6,000 yen.[10] From 10 March to 13 December 2026 boats leave between 09:00 and 15:00, with set hourly departures on weekdays and departures when full on weekends and holidays.[11]

The boarding area is not at the station. A local bus leaves Torokko Kameoka at 35 minutes past each hour and takes about 10 minutes, for 500 yen as of March 2026. A taxi costs about 2,600 yen per car, and a horse carriage takes about 30 minutes.[12] The last boat leaves at 15:00, so the 14:02 train from Saga is the latest that connects with the hourly bus.[12]

Scenery

The operator describes cherry blossom from March to May, green forest in summer and autumn colour from September to November. In the second half of October it runs an evening illumination, the "Light Illusion Train".[13] Winter illuminations are lit at Torokko Hozukyo and other points along the line in December.[13]

Timetable

Kyoto (Arashiyama) to Kameoka

TrainDepartsArrivesDaysClass
1Sagano 109:02Torokko Saga09:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
3Sagano 310:02Torokko Saga10:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
5Sagano 511:02Torokko Saga11:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
7Sagano 712:02Torokko Saga12:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
9Sagano 913:02Torokko Saga13:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
11Sagano 1114:02Torokko Saga14:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
13Sagano 1315:02Torokko Saga15:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
15Sagano 1516:02Torokko Saga16:25 Torokko Kameokaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)

Kameoka to Kyoto (Arashiyama)

TrainDepartsArrivesDaysClass
2Sagano 209:30Torokko Kameoka09:56 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
4Sagano 410:30Torokko Kameoka10:56 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
6Sagano 611:30Torokko Kameoka11:56 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
8Sagano 812:30Torokko Kameoka12:56 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
10Sagano 1013:30Torokko Kameoka13:56 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
12Sagano 1214:30Torokko Kameoka14:56 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
14Sagano 1415:30Torokko Kameoka15:56 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)
16Sagano 1616:30Torokko Kameoka17:04 Torokko Sagaon operating days (see calendar)Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4), Rich car (Car 5, open air)

Timetable source: Sagano Romantic Train, train schedule[4]. Times change with timetable revisions. Check the operator's timetable before you travel.

Classes and fares

ClassTypeFare
Standard reserved seat (Cars 1 to 4) Four-person box seats A to D, reserved for every ticket; standing tickets on the day if sold out.Seat JPY 880[2] adult, one way, any section; child 440 yen
Rich car (Car 5, open air) Open-air car without window glass, may get wet in rain; select Car No. 5 when booking.Seat JPY 880[2] adult, one way, same fare as the standard cars; choose car 5 when booking; child 440 yen

Stations

Main stations in travel order. Distances from the first station, where the operator publishes them.

  1. Torokko Saga 0 km

    トロッコ嵯峨駅

    Next to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, about a 5 minute walk.

  2. Torokko Arashiyama

    トロッコ嵐山駅

    Near the bamboo grove; about 60 steps to the platform and no elevator.

  3. Torokko Hozukyo

    トロッコ保津峡駅

    Unmanned station in the ravine, reached by stairs and a suspension bridge; no tickets sold.

  4. Torokko Kameoka 7 km

    トロッコ亀岡駅

    Elevators and paid parking; JR Umahori Station is about a 10 minute walk.

How to book

Train, Bus, Flight and Ferry tickets

Booking and payment are handled by 12Go, not GoAsia. We may receive a commission when you book through our links.

Sources and background

Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.

  1. [1] Sagano Scenic Railway: About the Sagano Romantic Train. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  2. [2] Sagano Scenic Railway: Fare and tickets, Sagano Romantic Train. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  3. [3] Sagano Scenic Railway: FAQ, Sagano Romantic Train. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  4. [4] Sagano Scenic Railway: Train schedule, Sagano Romantic Train. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  5. [5] Sagano Scenic Railway: 2026 Sagano Romantic Train Schedule (yearly calendar, PDF). Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  6. [6] Sagano Scenic Railway: Seats, Sagano Romantic Train. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  7. [7] Sagano Scenic Railway: Torokko Saga Station. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  8. [8] Sagano Scenic Railway: Station information list, Sagano Romantic Train. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  9. [9] Sagano Scenic Railway: Torokko Kameoka Station. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  10. [10] Hozugawa Yusen (Hozugawa River Boat Ride): Reservations and fares (Hozugawa River Boat Ride). Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  11. [11] Hozugawa Yusen (Hozugawa River Boat Ride): Timetable (Hozugawa River Boat Ride). Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  12. [12] Hozugawa Yusen (Hozugawa River Boat Ride): Access from Torokko Kameoka Station to the Hozugawa River Boat Ride. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
  13. [13] Sagano Scenic Railway: How to enjoy each season, Sagano Romantic Train. Retrieved October 19, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Sagano Romantic Train run?

On a published calendar. In October 2026 it runs on all days except 14 and 21 October, and the 2026 calendar lists January and February as out of service. The first train leaves Torokko Saga at 09:02 and the last train back reaches Saga at 17:04.

How much is a Sagano Romantic Train ticket?

An adult ticket is 880 yen one way and a child ticket (6 to 12 years) is 440 yen, regardless of the section you ride. There are no round-trip tickets.

How do I book a seat in the open Rich car?

Select Car No. 5 on the official online reservation form. The car has no window glass, umbrellas are not allowed, and there are no refunds or changes on the day if it rains.

How far ahead can I buy tickets?

Online sales open at 0:00 Japan time one month before the travel date, up to eight tickets per transaction. Same-day tickets are sold at the station counters while seats remain, except at Torokko Hozukyo.

Can I come back by boat instead of by train?

Yes. The Hozugawa river boat runs from Kameoka to Arashiyama in about 2 hours for 6,000 yen per adult. A bus, taxi or horse carriage takes you from Torokko Kameoka to the boarding area, and the last boat leaves at 15:00.

How do I get to Torokko Saga from Kyoto?

Take the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama Station. Torokko Saga is about a 5 minute walk from there.