Traveling through Japan by Train: The Shinkansen and Other Railways
- Ondrey
- Jan 7, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 2, 2023
Best way to travel through Japan without becoming overwhelmed by their massive public transportation system.
Driving in Japan can be quite complicated, and I suggest anyone who is traveling for short terms to avoid it. You will need an international driving permit to rent a vehicle and keep in mind that they drive on the left side of the road. The roads are narrow and extremely congested with no direct routes so a 20 min trip could take up to two hours in the Tokyo area.
“The JR Rail Pass is your best money saver if you plan on doing cross country traveling through Japan.”
The Bullet Train
The bullet train known as the Shinkansen in Japan is one of the world's fastest trains clocking in at 320kmh or roughly 200mph. It is operated by the JR railway companies which are split into 7 regional JR companies. Its best to purchase the JR rail pass prior to entering the country to save some money. Tickets cost $265 for a 7 day if purchased through JR online they will cost $350 if purchased at a JR station in Japan (this option is not always available so check JR's website for details). You can purchase the passes in 7 day increments up until 21 days. However, the passes will only work for set dates so you will need to know your exact traveling days as to not waste any time or money. To make the money saving clear a round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto would cost around $352 so two trips on the train and its already paid for itself. Even with a JR Rail pass you will want to stop by a JR station to reserve your day, time and seats. JR suggests stopping in 3 days in advanced especially if you're traveling in a group to ensure that you can sit together.
Passmo & Suica
If your travels are to stay in one centrally located area, then obtaining a Passmo or Suica card will be your best option. These two pay-as-you-go cards allow you to jump on any train system that is not a JR Rail as well as all major city bus lines. I kept one of both cards just in case I ran into a bus that only excepted one card. You can travel all around Tokyo with using just these two types of cards including day excursions to Kamakura, Hakone and Yokohama. These cards can be purchased at any train station at kiosks that look similar to ATM machines. The machines will walk you through how to purchase and load more money onto the card in several languages. You can also register the cards with your information so if its lost or stolen you can recover the remaining funds and transfer them onto another card.
Reading the Train Lines
Google Maps will be your best friend for travelling. Their software is always current and up to date with the train systems in Japan. The app will show you the cost of travel by train, different times of departures and color code the lines, so you know when your train hopping. Since the Japanese train system runs like a well-oiled machine, the trains are promptly on time (except when there may be an unforeseen circumstance).
There are several types of train descriptions that you will see in a station to help you determine which train to get on. Local, meaning the train will stop at every stop along the way. If you are travelling to an obscure location this might be a train you will have to get on. Also, last trains home will normally be a local train as well. Rapid Trains, meaning they have fewer stops along the way. Express or Rapid Express, skips even more stops, mainly just hits the larger cities. The last option is the limited Express (Romancer for Odakyu lines), which may only have 1 or 2 stops from beginning to end of the line. If you are deciding to do a day trip the limited express lines are what you may want to invest in to save you on travelling time. Look up the trainlines website as these trains will mostly likely require reservation and early purchase to ride.
A few extra items to be aware of on trains. It is considered impolite and rude to be talking on your phone while on a train. Having conversations with your travelling companions is acceptable. Keep in mind that many Japanese people use their train ride as an extra opportunity to get more rest. Just like eating while walking around in public is a cultural foo-paw, it applies to train rides as well. Just like the roads have rush hour traffic there are several times where the trains will also have rush
hour passengers, where the crowds will be tight standing room only. These heavy crowds that occur around 8:00am and 9:00am, 5:00pm to 7:00pm and again for the last train call normally around 11:00pm. Which means, YES the trains stop working at night. Lastly, there certain times when train cars are reserved just for women, these cars are called Hana Densha (flower train). Most will have the times of operation posted on the floor of the station where that train car will stop but if the times are not there the window is from 7:00 am to 9:30am.
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