There are various bus companies operating in Kyoto but the two main ones are Kyoto City Bus and Kyoto Bus. In general Kyoto City Bus operates within the central city area, and Kyoto Bus serves the more outlying areas. Kyoto City buses are uniformly green and easily recognized.

In Kyoto, there are two main operators that travelers often confuse: Kyoto City Bus (the green buses) and the Kyoto Bus (the maroon/white buses). Kyoto City Bus is the municipal service that covers the main tourist loop and central areas like Kinkaku-ji and Gion; it is included in most standard one-day passes. Kyoto Bus is a private company that primarily serves the outskirts, such as the northern Ohara district or Arashiyama. In 2026, a major "overtourism" policy shift is occurring: the city is introducing tiered pricing, where visitors may pay up to double the local fare (approx. ¥400) while residents pay a discounted rate. For a 2026 traveler, the peer-to-peer "pro-tip" is to use an IC card (like Suica or ICoca), which works on both bus types, but always check if your day pass covers the maroon "Kyoto Bus" lines if you're heading to the far-northern temples.