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Top Tips For efficient transport in Japan

Transport tips for Japan

A big part of enjoying a trip to Japan is being able to get around effectively so here are some of our top tips for transport in Japan.  There’s a heck of a lot of information on this subject so I’m going to split this topic in two.  In this post I’m going to concentrate on:

  • the tips for saving you some cash where possible
  • how to find the best routes and the options to get where you want to go, and
  • all the general hacks and hints you’ll need to master Japan transportation, get around efficiently and see as much as possible in the time you have available.

Other articles include:  Using the Tokyo Subway, how to get from Narita Airport into Tokyo and Everything you need to know about the Japan Rail Pass

Public transport in Japan is almost always exceptionally clean and well maintained, that is the case whether it’s the latest bullet train or an old monorail from the 1970s.  It’s also very efficient, it’s exceptionally rare for a train, subway or even a bus not to run on time.  

I was somewhat surprised the first time that I heard an announcement in Kyoto station that apologised and announced the delay of my bullet train.  The announcement was for the train running three minutes behind schedule, by the time the Japanese then English announcement played the train was already on the platform, to be honest by my watch it wasn’t even late.

The thomas school bus

Hyperdia.com

You absolutely need to know about the Hyperdia website.  It covers most transport options available.  You just plug in the information on where you want to go from and to within Japan.  Then select the date and time of day, and select or deselect any options you don’t want to use. 

For example, if you are travelling with the JR Pass (which I’ll cover below) you’ll want to deselect the Nozomi Shinkansen option.  You can use this website for something as simple as finding how long a subway ride between two stops takes, check the time for the last train back to your accommodation or look at all the options for travelling from one side of the country to the other.

I use this site extensively for both pre-planning my trips and for checking options on the go when I’m in Japan.  Like most things related to transport in Japan – it’s very reliable.

 The JR Pass

The single biggest cost-saver in each of my trips to Japan has been the JR Pass, it’s meant my travel in-country has cost me half or less than it would have without the pass.  There are a few tricks with it, mainly that it’s only available to those entering Japan on a foreign passport and the 90-day visa. 

You have to buy the JR Pass at home before you travel, it can’t be purchased in Japan.    To work out if it’ll be good value for you you’ll need to have a reasonably good idea of where you are going and over what time period.  There are various versions, a 7,14 or 21-day version and a standard or green (first) class version.

The general rule is that if you are doing a return trip between Tokyo and Kyoto within a 7-day time-frame then it’s worth getting the card, this works for either the standard or green class.  You can use Hyperdia to work out the costs of your key travel requirements if you are considering a longer time-frame or want to see how much you will save. 

You can’t use the super-fast Nozomi shinkansen (bullet train) service with the JR Pass but it would only save you a couple of minutes anyway and everything else JR is covered including ferries like the one to Miyajima Island near Hiroshima.

We get so many questions on this subject that we just added a dedicated post explaining everything you need to know about the Japan Rail Pass.

Update:  Japan Rail is currently trialling a local purchase for the pass in a limited number of station offices. It is slightly more expensive to purchase the pass in Japan than in advance of your trip.

Shinkensen

PASMO, SUICA or ICOCA Card

Stored value cards for transport in Japan seem to be more about convenience than saving money but I wouldn’t be without one.  We’ve been using the same PASMO cards for years and when we first got them there was quite a decision to make on which to get based on where we were going and where they could be used. 

In 2013 that changed and these cards and a handful of smaller ones formed an alliance meaning you can now use them almost interchangeably across the country.  They can be used on trains, subway, buses and even some ferries.

I mostly use the ICOCA card as they can do a little more than the others outside these major cities.  For example they work on the buses and private train lines in Nara, Hiroshima and Mt Koya.  Your decision will more likely be based on where you fly into and where you want to start using the card. 

ICOCA is owned by JR West so is the easiest card to purchase in Osaka and Kyoto.  If you fly into Tokyo Suica is owned by JR East and Pasmo by the company that runs Tokyo Railway and the subway.  You can buy a card and top them up in increments of 1000 Yen at machines in most stations.  A few machines are in Japanese only  but almost all have an English button and are very simple to use. 

I usually use machines in the bigger stations and top it up with what I think I’m going to need so I don’t have to keep doing it.  If you end up with money still on your card when it’s time to leave Japan or you want the 500 Yen fee you paid for the card with the initial purchase refunded you can do that at machines or kiosks at larger stations that sell that card. I’ve not needed to do it but I’ve been told the easiest place for the refund is the machines at the airport.

Our personal experience is that the cards work more widely than just these major cities, for example we used our PASMOs in Sapporo with no problem on trains, subway and buses.  You can also use them on any local JR train in Japan.  As an added bonus you can also often use them on vending machines and in corner stores like 7 eleven which is handy for a quick purchase.

The notable times you can’t use these cards are for the airport limousine or highway buses, long-distance trains and the Shinkansen.  On some trains called ‘limited express’, you can pay the base fare on your card but need to buy a supplement fee ticket at the special machine.  Think of these cards as being for local, around town transport.

Taxi

I’ll cover types of transport further in my next post but just a quick word on Taxi in relation to your budget.  Taxi’s in Japan are very expensive even for a relatively short distance, think twice before you take a taxi from the airport to your city accommodation, it’s normally a very long and exceptionally expensive trip.  We have used taxi’s occasionally in Japan for short distances such as a central train station to our accommodation with luggage but rarely use them other than that.

Japanese taxi drivers are very honest, they don’t expect (or accept) tips but they also most often don’t speak English.  This is further complicated by the Japanese system of addresses.  If you think you might want to get a taxi back to the hotel later pick up the business card with Japanese directions from the front desk and keep it in your wallet.  A hotel concierge will always be willing to write out another address in Japanese if you need it to give to a driver.

Another tip with taxi’s in Japan is that they are small cars, two large suitcases will be beyond the capacity of some although we’ve always managed when we need to.

Taxi

Airport to Accommodation options

The two most practical options for getting to and from the airport in Japan are the train or the airport limousine bus service.  The train is generally faster but you’ll need to get from the central station to your hotel either by walking, taxi or joining a subway or local train which aren’t designed for luggage.  The airport limousine bus can be an easy option if your hotel is one of the stops on its circuit, especially if it’s your first trip to Japan it can just make your arrival a little more straight-forward.

We’ve used both options and flown in and out of Osaka, Tokyo (Narita and Haneda) and Sapporo airports with no real problems.  My preference is the train from Osaka and Sapporo, bus from Haneda and either from Narita.

You’ll find full details of all the options on getting from Narita Airpot to Tokyo city in this article.

Free or City Passes

These type of passes are designed for local and foreign tourists visiting certain areas.  They often provide significantly discounted transport options and a range of included activities which depending on your interests and time available can be excellent value.

Normally I’m not a fan of anything quite so structured but we’ve tried a couple when they worked for us including the Osaka Amazing Pass, Hakone Free Pass and the Tobu Nikko Pass.  Each represented really good value for us and we thoroughly enjoyed each day.

osaka river cruise

The language barrier

I’m assuming that because you’re reading my English language blog that you speak and read English, I’m not assuming that everyone does.  I wish I spoke more than a few words of Japanese, travelling anywhere is enhanced by the ability to communicate and engage with the locals and in Japan that will be limited if you only speak English but you can get around and have a fantastic time, we have done it a number of times now and plan to go again soon.

With transport, you’ll find it’s easy to get around within, and to and from the main centres and more popular tourist areas.  The train and subway signs, for instance, are usually also shown in both Japanese and English, there are also English subway maps as well as free walking maps widely available.

Do you have any top tips for transport in Japan to share?  Please leave any tips and experiences in the comments below and feel free to ask any questions.

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Nicole

Monday 20th of March 2023

Hi Toni, Thanks for your great tips! We're travelling 22nd of April - 6th of May to Japan and will stay 5 nights in Tokyo, then 4 nights in Kyoto, then travelling via Nara to 3 nights Osaka (incl. day trip to Himeji), and then back for 2 nights Tokyo. I calculated that the JR pass is not cost efficient, so expect to buy a Suica card and individual tickets for the long trips. As we'll be there during Golden Week, we best buy these individual tickets upfront so we can reserve seats. Is there an option to buy these already whilst still in Australia?

Also, Klook offers options for Kansai wide passes for 3 to 5 days (e.g. Kansai Wide Excursion Pass for 3 days, and JR Kansai wide area pass for 5 days). It's confusing if these are better value than e.g. using the Suica card. Do you have any experience with these?

Thanks! Nicole

Nicole

Sunday 26th of March 2023

@Toni Broome, Thanks for confirming this! How can we best pre-book the Shinkansen tickets for the Tokyo - Kansai return (as we want to book reserved seats)? Is that possible whilst still in Australia?

Regards, Nicole

Toni Broome

Tuesday 21st of March 2023

Within Kansai the only part I might do by shinkansen would be the Himeji day trip (around Y8040). Kyoto to Nara and on to Osaka is around (Y1530) so in total, probably less than the cost of the Kansai passes. I would choose Shinkansen tickets for the Tokyo - Kansai return sections and a Suica card for the rest. Himeji takes about the same time by special rapid from Osaka station, still a comfortable trip and the cost is less than half)

John

Wednesday 1st of March 2023

Hi,

What is the best website to by the JR rail pass

John

Thursday 2nd of March 2023

@Toni Broome,

Hi Toni, thank you for that, could you also advise if the bus fare from Nagano to Hakuba is included as part of the JRrail pass, or do I need to purchase bus tickets separately.

John

Toni Broome

Thursday 2nd of March 2023

Hi John. We have purchased most recently here through JR Pass, they are a dedicated distributor, the price was competitive and delivery with FEDex was an additional cost for Australia but fast and reliable. For our trip this year, I will probably order through Klook, I have booked various tickets and tours through them in the past and it has all gone smoothly including one weather-related cancellation. They have recently started fulfilling JR Pass orders from here in Australia. Their price is slightly lower than some others on our comparison and they don’t charge an additional delivery fee. They deliver through Australia Post with a tracking number.

You won't find big price differences through reputable sites but there is some advantage to shopping around. As it is a significant purchase our most important consideration is always a company we know and trust, we want to be sure our vouchers turn up and there are no nasty surprises so I don't use a wide range of suppliers myself.

Jodie Millikan

Thursday 12th of September 2019

Hi Toni Your post on Japanese transport has been helpful and I think I'm on the right track but just hoping you could add any advice. Here is our itinerary and I'm thinking that it would be better to use the ICOCA card and just buy individual tickets for our Osaka/Kyoto/Tokyo leg instead of buying a JR card. Is that correct? 2 adults and 1 child

Toyko - 3 nights (we are planning on just travelling around the city, so could use ICOCA) We head up to Sapporo after that which all transport has been taken care of and then we fly from there down to Osaka. Osaka - we wanted to do a day trip to Kyoto (return) and then will take a one way train from Osaka to Tokyo. The other days we will be around Osaka city.

Hopefully I'm on the right track and it's more cost effective not having a JR pass as I assume we can purchase the Kyoto day trip on the Special Rapid Train once we get there. And just organise our individual tickets from Osaka to Tokyo before we leave home.

Cheryl

Tuesday 7th of January 2020

Hi Jodi We are travelling to Japan for the first time in May this year. We will initially be spending 7 nights in Tokyo and will be using the transport system to get around Tokyo. We will then be travelling to Kyoto for 7 nights and will be travelling around Kyoto to see the sights. We will then be flying out of Osaka to return home. Can you suggest the best transport pass for us?

Thanks, Cheryl

Toni Broome

Thursday 12th of September 2019

Hi Jodie. You are definitely on the right track, with your Hokkaido travel booked the remainder doesn't justify the cost of the JR Pass so individual tickets for the shinkansen and an IC card for the rest makes sense. As you are flying into Tokyo you will be best with the SUICA available from JR Tokyo stations or the PASMO cards which you can pick up in the subway offices. You can use any of the 3 cards all around the country but the ICOCA is issued by JR West so the pickup point (and if you wanted to return for a refund) would be somewhere like Osaka or Kyoto. With Suica you can do that in Tokyo which might work better with your plans.

For getting from Osaka to Kyoto return it will depend a bit on where in Kyoto you are headed and where you are staying in Osaka. JR trains go into Kyoto station but with Hankyu or Keihan railways you can go directly into Gion so it will often work out faster and cheaper, we use those options quite often if we don't have a JR pass active.

Clare

Wednesday 4th of September 2019

Hi Toni, Great blog! Just wondering how long it takes for Klook to send a JR pass to Sydney?

Toni Broome

Wednesday 4th of September 2019

It's within 7 business days to Australia but I prefer to give myself a little more time if I have it.

Kerry Toner

Sunday 14th of April 2019

hello just found your blog on transport in Japan. We are going to Osaka Kyoto Tokyo what travel pass do you think we would need.thankyou

Toni Broome

Monday 15th of April 2019

Hi Kerry, in deciding your best options there are a few things that will be considered. How long you are there for? Are you doing a return trip between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka or one way only? Are you planning any day trips out of the cities?

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