rly-morning Kodama trains cannot be used with this ticket.
During travel periods when the Seishun 18 Ticket is valid, you can go from Tokyo to Kyoto during the day in about 8.30 hours using all-local trains. Traveling in a group is the best way to get discounts. The usual fare is �8000 however a party of three costs �3800 per person, and a group of five traveling together drops the price down to �2300 per person.
For travel in the Kansai region, a cheaper and almost as fast alternative is the JR shinkaisoku rapid service, which connects to Osaka, Kobe and Himeji at the price of a local train. For a slightly cheaper price you can use the private Hankyu or Keihan lines to Osaka and Kobe, or the Kintetsu line to Nara. The Kansai Thru Pass includes travel on the private lines through to Kyoto, and this may prove cheaper that a JR Pass if you are staying a few days in the area.
Overnight by train
Direct overnight train service between Tokyo and Kyoto on a daily basis was abolished with the discontinuation of the Ginga express train in 2008. An alternative route via northern Japan became moot when another overnight train was removed from regular service in 2012. As a result, taking the bus is now the easiest way to travel between these two cities at night.
Overnight travel between Tokyo and Kyoto is still possible, and if you have a Japan Rail Pass and are willing to do some research, it can be inexpensive as well. The idea is to split your journey into two parts, stopping at an intermediate destination en-route in order to sleep somewhere. Your cost will only be for the hotel room, as your train fare has already been paid for on your rail pass.
This two-part method carries a couple of advantages: location and money. You will more than likely find good accomodations very close to a main train station in a smaller city, compared to a big city such as Tokyo, and it will more than likely be cheaper than hotels found in Tokyo. You
