By train
The Tokaido Shinkansen line stops at Maibara on its way from Kyoto to Nagoya. Otsu and the southern Lake Biwa area are easily accessed on local trains from Kyoto.
The Special Rapid Service æ°å¿«é Shinkaisoku trains of JR Tokaido line and Hokuriku line Its nicknames are "JR Kyoto Line" and "Biwako Line". Connects Osaka, Kyoto, Kusatsu, Maibara, Omi-Shiotsu and Tsuruga and Kosei Line Connects Osaka, Kyoto, Katata, Omi-Maiko, Omi-Shiotsu and Tsuruga is useful for travel between Osaka, Kyoto and Shiga. Special Rapid Service trains runs once every half-hour or so.In Tokaido Line and Hokuriku Line, Special Rapid Service trains stops at Kyoto, Yamashina, Otsu, Ishiyama, Minami-Kusatsu, Kusatsu, Moriyama, Yasu, Omihachiman, Notogawa, Hikone, Maibara, Sakata, Tamura, Nagahama, Torahime, Kawake, Takatsuki, Kinomoto, Yogo, Omi-Shiotsu, Shin-Hikida and Tsuruga.In Kosei Line, Special Rapid Service trains stop at Kyoto, Yamashina, Otsukyo, Hieizan-Sakamoto, Katata, Omi-Maiko, Kitakomatsu, Omi-Takashima, Adogawa, Shin-Asahi, Omi-Imazu, Omi-Nakasho, Makino, Nagahara, Omi-Shiotsu, Shin-Hikida and Tsuruga.
The Keihan Keishin Line connects Yamashina east of Kyoto and central Otsu. It joins the Kyoto subway Tozai Line beyond Yamashina.
