Kyoto City Transportation Bureau (京都市交通局)
The Kyoto City Transportation Bureau is a local public enterprise engaged in the provision of public transportation services in Kyoto City and its vicinity. It operates subway lines (Kyoto Municipal Subways/Kyoto City Subway) and local bus routes (Kyoto City Bus). It was once the operator of the Kyoto Municipal Streetcar (京都市電) and the Kyoto City Trolleybus.
When using the KANSAI THRU PASS, "Kyoko" (京交) is printed on the card when you enter a station or get on a bus, while "KC" is printed on it when you exit a station or get off a bus.
Services
Kyoto City Subway (two lines, 31.2 km)
Kyoto City Bus
History
Refer to "Kyoto City Subway," "Kyoto City Bus," "Kyoto Municipal Street Car" and "Kyoto City Trolleybus" for a detailed history of each service.
February 1, 1895: The inauguration of Japan's first streetcar service by Kyoto Electric Railway (京都電気鉄道) between Shiokoji-Higashinotoin Kudaru (the present-day areas in front of Kyoto Station) and Shimo-aburakake-cho Fushimi was held.
June 11, 1912: The inauguration of streetcar service by Kyoto City Electric Tramway (京都市電気軌道事務所); Karasuma Line, the Senbon and Omiya Line, the Shijo Line and Marutamachi Station was held.
July 1, 1918: The Kyoto Electric Railway (京都電気鉄道) was purchased by Kyoto City.
July 7, 1920: The reorganization into the Electric Department, Kyoto City, was implemented.
April 15, 1924: The reorganization into the Electric Department, Kyoto City, was implemented.
May 10, 1928: The City Bus service started.
April 1, 1932: The trolleybus service started.
December 17, 1947: The reorganization into the Kyoto City Transportation Bureau was implemented.
October 1, 1969: The trolleybus service was abolished.
October 1, 1978: The city streetcar service was fully abolished.
May 29, 1981: The Kyoto City Subway, Karasuma Line, opened.
March 15, 1983: The Kyoto Sightseeing One Day Pass card was introduced.
July 1, 1993: The Traffic Kyoto Card prepaid card was introduced.
October 12, 1997: The Tozai Line, Kyoto City Subway Line, opened.
March 1, 2000: Participation in the KANSAI THRU PASS common prepaid card system went into effect.
Introduction of KANSAI THRU PASS Miyako Card
April 1, 2007: Marked the introduction of the IC card "PiTaPa" for the subway lines (concurrent with Kintetsu Corporation/Kintetsu Railways and Keihan Otsu Line, which share reciprocal connection services). April 1, 2007 was the introduction date of Kyoto and Osaka PiTaPa, under a credit-card affiliate program with Osaka Metro Service.
May 31, 2008: The transfer of Headquarters from Mibu, Nakagyo Ward to SANSA Ukyo, Uzumasa-tennjinngawa, Ukyo Ward, was performed.
The mascot character
Miyako-kun (subway)
Kyo-chan (City Bus)
Juju (a mascot character dedicated for use by City Bus, Kawaramachi Yoru Bus)
Reference
The private local bus operators Keihan Kyoto Kotsu (formerly Kyoto Kotsu (Kameoka Station), Kyoto Kotsu (Maizuru) and Kyoto Bus have no capital or personnel relationship with Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau.
The labor union of the Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau is Kyoto Kotsu Labor Unions (a member of the All Japan Municipal Transport Workers' Union). The labor union of Kyoto Bus Co., Ltd., is the Kyoto Bus Labor Union, and the labor union of Keihan Kyoto Kotsu is the Keihan Kyoto Bus Labor Union (both of which are members of the General Federation of Private Railway and Bus Workers' Union Japan).
The Kyoto City Transportation Bureau is the only Japanese transportation enterprise that holds the copyright to its departure melodies.
In 2007, one of its bus lines was found to be in service without an approval of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
One Kyoto City bus appeared in a local campaign film during the 2007 fiscal year, which was produced by the Japan Ad Council with a message saying, "It runs on waste tempura oil." The commercial film says that bio-diesel fuel made from waste vegetable oil is used for city buses and garbage trucks as a substitute for light oil in their activities, as a means for the prevention of global warming as advocated by the Kyoto Protocol of 1997. This commercial film, produced by the Japan Ad Council's Osaka Bureau, aired mainly on Kansai local TV (partially nationwide).