Travel by Train is Cheap and Easy in Japan
Each month our Riding the Rails Story will cover a new country and how to get around by their rail system. We will show you your options, prices, how to buy the tickets, the best deals, how to make reservations, the differences when applicable between the various train services within the country.
This month we look at the home of the Bullet Train, Japan. A destination that is actually made easier to get around when you go by train. All of the major cities are connected by high speed “bullet” trains and even most of the midsize and many smaller towns are also connected to each other by train.
There are six main regional railway companies, known collectively as Japan Railways, plus many local railway operators. You don’t need to know Japanese to travel by train in Japan as the stations have signs and departure boards in English as well as Japanese. Japanese trains are very clean and modern, and are very punctual.
There are two classes of seating are on each train, ordinary class and 1st class which is known as the ‘green car’. The ‘green car’ is indicated by a green clover symbol next to the entrance door. Green car seating has more legroom and seats are arranged 2+2 across the coach, whereas ordinary class seats are normally arranged 2+3. For most travelers, travelling standard class is perfectly adequate.
Prices for travel by train within Japan are expensive but for overseas visitors a Japan Rail Pass will usually be the cheapest way to travel, even if you are only planning a one way trip say from Tokyo to Osaka. For example, the normal return fare from Tokyo to Kyoto is 27,000 Yen, about £180 or $285, and from Tokyo to Hiroshima 37,240 Yen, about £250 or $390. A Japan Rail Pass costs £196 or $279 for 7 days unlimited travel throughout Japan. So you can see there is significant savings in getting a Japan Rail Pass even if you only use it once!
Here are some examples of train fares and travel times, again compare these prices to that of a 7 day unlimited Japan Rail Pass for $279!
Japanese Train Time and Fares:
Everyone has heard of the Japanese “Bullet Trains”. These are known in Japan as shinkansen. The first ‘shinkansen’ started in 1964 linking Toyo, Kyoto and Osaka then a few years later expanded to include Hiroshima, Kobe and Hakata. Now there is an entire range of ‘shinkansen’ lines linking all of the important cities in Japan, including Niigata, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata and Kagoshima. These trains will offer two classes, ordinary seats (2nd class) and Green Car seats (1st class). Reservations are normally required on each train, but you can also usually find one or more ‘unreserved’ cars for last minute trips where you didn’t make reservations. These are high-speed lines, built to European and North American standard gauge (4′ 8½”).
To get between the major cities in Japan to the smaller cities and towns you travel on the narrow-gauge network of trains in Japan. This extensive network of original 3′ 6″ narrow-gauge lines remains, covering the whole of Japan and taking you to almost every city and town of any size. Nagasaki, for example, is well worth a visit but is not on the Shinkansen network. You take a Shinkansen high-speed train from Tokyo, Kyoto or Hiroshima to Hakata, then switch to a Kamome Limited Express on the regular narrow-gauge network to get to Nagasaki. These narrow gauge trains are also included in your Japan Rail Pass.
There are one or two impressive sleeping-car trains left, for example Osaka to Sapporo or back called the Twilight Express. Twilight Express is operated between Osaka and Sapporo. This is the longest service operation train in Japan. It takes more than 22 hours to reach Sapporo from Osaka. (If you take other way, it takes 22 hours 45 minutes.)
When you use a berth or a bedroom, Japan Rail Pass does not cover any accommodation These run on the original narrow-gauge lines, but they can save time compared with daytime travel, even using shinkansen and can save you the cost of a hotel room. So even though they are not covered by the Japan Rail Pass, these sleeping-car trains can be worth your while.
Most of them however cannot be booked online. The only way to reserve most of these sleeping-car trains from outside of Japan is by calling Odekake net at 078-341-7903 and you will need to make your reservation in Japanese. You then have to pick up your ticket in JR West, Shikoku or Kyushu stations. You cannot pick up it in other areas, like Tokyo. Your other options is that you will need to be the reservation window at the station in Japan. Tickets are open for sale one month prior to the departure date. That means it may be sold out when you arrive in Japan. So you need to have a plan B ready when you try to make a reservation after arrival. For more information on Sleeping-Car Trains in Japan check out http://jprail.com/trains/alternatives-of-overnight-train-cassiopeia-and-hokutosei.html
Japan Rail Pass
Your Japan Rail Pass will cover all of Japan and you can get them for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days unlimited travel on the national Japan Railways (JR) network. You can also choose from ordinary class or green car (first) class. The Japan Rail Pass allows you to use any Japan Rail train service, both high-speed Shinkansen and ordinary slower narrow-gauge trains, except for the fastest Nozomi expresses on the Tokyo-Osaka-Hakata Tokaido Shinkansen and the fastest Mizuho services on the Hakata-Kagoshima Kyushu Shinkansen. It allows unlimited travel on affiliated buses and ferries.
This is really no big deal since you can use the alternative only-slightly-slower Hikari expresses on the Tokaido Shinkansen and Sakura services on the Kyusu Shinkansen).
A green class rail pass is great if you can afford it, but standard class on Japanese trains is perfectly fine so there really is no need to pay more unless you just want to. You can also use overnight sleeping-car trains with a Japan Rail Pass, if you pay the rather large sleeper supplement, around ¥10,000 (about £77) one-way for a basic ‘B’ category bunk in addition to your pass.
Japan Rail Pass costs are as follows:
The Green Japan Rail Pass is not often used by foreign travellers but, considering the comfort it offers, the space, the hot towel (oshibori) and even free drinks you receive on some routes, it is good value for money. Buying the Green Japan Rail Pass is a good idea if you are planning on travelling during busy times (May, August and September) because, in addition to the fact that there is more space allocated to each traveller, the Green cars are generally less busy giving you more of a chance of reserving a seat.
The Japan Rail Pass does not cover lines that are run by private rail operators, only the Japan Railways (JR) Group. See www.internationalrail.com/japan/japan-rail-pass (UK residents), www.japan-rail-pass.com (US & Canadian residents), www.internationalrail.com.au or www.railplus.com.au/japan-by-rail (Australia & NZ residents) or www.japan-rail-pass.com (residents of Europe, Asia, Africa) for more information.
You will also find that there are also three regional Japan Rail Passes that cover smaller areas of Japan. If you are only planning to explore a specific area of Japan and it is covered by these regional rail passes then buy one of these instead of the nationwide Japan Rail Pass. The Japan East Pass covers Tokyo, Nagano, Niigata, Sendai, Morioka, Misawa & Akita. The Sanyo area pass covers an area including Osaka, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima & Hakata. The Kansai area rail pass covers Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara & Himeji and costs only around £15 ($23) a day, a pretty good deal. See http://www.internationalrail.com/japan (UK residents), www.japan-rail-pass.com (US & Canadian residents) or www.internationalrail.com.au (Australia, NZ, Asia residents) for more information.