Kyoto Railway Museum

京都鉄道博物館

Kyoto Railway Museum opened on April 29, 2016, and shows 54 important trains, from steam locomotives to the Shinkansen. You can ride the SL Steam, a passenger train pulled by a real steam locomotive, and try a driving simulator based on the ones real drivers use in training. There is also a railway diorama at about 1/80 scale. From the Sky Terrace you can look out over the city of Kyoto. The old wooden Nijo Station building, a cultural property of Kyoto City, also stands at the museum.

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Visitor information

Opening hours

Open from 10:00 to 17:00. Last entry is 16:30.

Closed

Closed every Wednesday (open on national holidays and during school holidays) and at year-end/New Year (Dec 30 – Jan 1), etc.

Admission

Admission: adults (18 and older) ¥1,500, university and high school students ¥1,300, junior high and elementary school students ¥500, children 3 and older ¥200.

Getting there

About a 20-minute walk west from the Central Exit of JR Kyoto Station.

From Kyoto Station, Kyoto City Bus No. 86 takes about 10 minutes to "Umekoji Koen / Kyoto Railway Museum-mae"; the museum is right there.

About a 2-minute walk from JR Umekoji-Kyoto-Nishi Station (JR Sagano Line).

Hours and fees can change. Please check the official website before you go.

Good to know

If you need a place to pray, ask the museum staff. (The museum does not list a dedicated prayer room.)
There are nursing rooms in several places in the museum, with milk pots for baby formula and diaper-changing tables.
Multipurpose toilets are available. Wheelchairs and baby strollers can be borrowed for free at the entrance hall (limited number).
You can re-enter the museum until 16:30 by showing your ticket.

Tips for Muslim visitors

Seeing the main building and the outdoor exhibition area takes about 2 hours, depending on crowds.
You may bring your own food and eat it in the restaurant/rest area or the courtyard; eating is not allowed in the exhibition rooms.
Museums are quiet, indoor places that are good for a break, but few have a prayer room. Staff may let you use a quiet corner if you ask politely.
Photography rules change by exhibition. Check the signs before taking pictures.
Plan your visit around prayer times. Below are today's prayer times for Kyoto and the verified places to pray nearby.
Food stalls and shops near popular sights usually do not have halal certification. Check the ingredients, or choose from the verified places on this site.