嵯峨野トロッコ列車 — Attraction in Kyoto

This train ride is the best open air train I have ever taken, with lots of spectacular views and the most enthusiastic train captain speaking into the microphone!

While on the train, we got to see an amazing river with foaming waves crashing against the smooth rocks. The train Captain is very enthusiastic and will sing us a song at the end of the train ride! However, if you would like to see the bamboo forest, you will need to alight the train at its midway point between the two stations and walk for about 4min there. It is totally worth it. The view there is amazing and it is a perfect spot to take pictures. However, there are a lot of people around and you might have an accidental photo bomber 😅. There are also food stalls along the way for you to stop and buy drinks and snacks!

The only down side of the train ride is that the train Captain keeps talking throughout the ride and not many people are listening. There are also occasional sharp squeaks and unexpected honks from the train that might startle some passengers. I will not recommend to bring young children that are less then 2 years old, as the sounds are quite loud and deafening. Bringing the elderly that are sensitive to sound is also not a good idea.

Overall, the experience is worthwhile for most of the passengers and you can even take the return trip back to the station if you like. Very exciting and there is a cool temperature drop in the tunnels as the train passes through (I went there in June during Summer and it is quite hot so the temperature drop is an unexpected bonus). It is quite an exciting adventure and I would recommend taking a trip there to enjoy the whole experience! This train ride is a must if you are planning to...

We took the train from Torokko Kameoka Station to Torokko Arashiyama for the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. We had one large sized luggage with us and tried to check the website beforehand for any information on baggage restriction, but it says nothing. After we got off at Torokko Arashiyama, we were made to pay a baggage fee of 260yen (not too big a fee, but it was a fine rather than a ticket). There is no lift to the main station from the train platform level, there is a flight of about 60 steps. If you were a wheelchair user, this would be a serious problem. After reaching the train's main station, I asked the ticket counter if I could possibly store our one piece luggage for ~1hour while we explored the Bamboo Grove, after much confusion (and even after showing proof that we indeed paid for the train tickets), they sternly rejected us unprofessionally and rudely, raising their voice and saying no repeatedly that they do not provide the service of storing luggage. Honestly this was very uncalled for seeing that we were not being unreasonable or demanding - we were simply asking. There was definitely sufficient space within the ticket office to help store our luggage for a short time. Very unpleasant and unnecessary, bordering on unacceptable for a tourist destination. Whole train ride was also mid - nice river views but that's about it. Not entirely worth the price, the hassle, the confusion about baggage, nor getting shouted at for...

The bumpiest and noisiest train ride I've ever been on! It's the best way of getting from Arashiyama to Kameoka (for the boat back!), but it's not necessarily worth doing by itself otherwise. Make sure you book a seat on the RIGHT (as you travel to Kameoka), facing the direction of travel, as this will provide the best views. The first 20% will be out the left window, but after that the right is far better!

After waiting for your train in the spacious and clearly signposted station, you'll be instructed to stand by your train carriage, and make your way to your seat. These are quite small (and very hard!) seats, so you might consider buying an extra seat for any bags / extra space. The train will likely be full (some people join at later stations), so make sure you're sitting in the correct seat.

The train conductor was having a great time, singing along to himself, providing a commentary (almost entirely in Japanese), and helping provide an upbeat atmosphere despite the cramped conditions. Everyone on the train was a tourist, and walking towards the station from Randen-Saga you'll clearly be able to see your fellow passengers!

Once you get to Kameoka you'll be funnelled out of the station, and whilst there are signposts for a train, you definitely want the free & regular bus to the boat ride area (accessed via the underpass). These are scheduled around the train rides, and have plenty...