There is a ticket machine near the entrance doors of the bus. Make sure you place your IC card onto the IC card reader for about a second. The machine will make a sound to notify you when it has read your card. (It is not necessary to take a numbered ticket.)

Yes, Kyoto city buses and private bus lines fully accept all major IC cards, including Suica, Pasmo, and Icoca. To pay, you simply "tap" your card or mobile device on the reader near the driver when you exit the bus (for flat-fare zones) or both when entering and exiting (for distance-based zones). As of 2026, Kyoto is also moving toward a dual-fare system to combat overtourism; under this proposed plan, tourists may eventually be charged a higher fare (around ¥350-¥400) than local residents (¥200). To facilitate this, the city is encouraging the use of "My Number" linked IC cards for residents. For tourists, the "Welcome Suica" or "Pasmo Passport" remain the easiest ways to pay. Note that the "One-Day Bus Pass" has been largely phased out in favor of the "Subway & Bus One-Day Pass" to encourage visitors to use the underground trains and reduce surface-level traffic congestion in the historic city center.