Tips on how to Navigate Japan’s Railway System: Varieties, Tickets & Ideas

Japan’s railway system, frequently hailed as the perfect on the earth, connects the nation’s main cities, islands, landmarks, cities, and villages, and is undoubtedly essentially the most handy and inexpensive solution to discover this unimaginable place.

Understanding the way to navigate Japan’s railways is, subsequently, completely important to profiting from your time on this particular nation and having the easiest journey expertise. If you wish to see as a lot of Japan as you possibly can and make each second depend, then we will let you know how with our professional ideas for navigating the nation’s quick, environment friendly, and clear railway system.

We’ll clarify all the pieces you could know, from prepare sorts, seat lessons, and shopping for tickets, to why a Japan Rail Cross is such a sensible funding, in our complete prepare journey information.

Right here’s an summary:

Japan’s Railway System: An Overview

Quick, secure, environment friendly, and clear, Japan’s trains are all the pieces you’ve heard and extra.

In addition they join all the nation, from the northernmost island to the southernmost, enabling vacationers to achieve in all places they may wish to go to in Japan. After all, a prepare system this huge and sophisticated can appear somewhat daunting for first-time guests and that’s the place we are available in.

Let’s begin by providing you with a fast overview of the rail system and some key information

• Japan’s Railways are operated by the JR (Japan Railways) Group. The JR Group consists of six unbiased prepare operators (JR Hokkaido, JR Central, JR East, JR West, JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu). Collectively, these regional rail corporations join Japan’s six important islands. There are additionally smaller non-public corporations who run extra providers.
• Wish to see a map of the entire JR community? We’ve put collectively an interactive map of the community’s 4,800 prepare stations and 23,000 km of rail strains, which presents a superb useful resource for anybody planning to discover Japan by prepare.

Practice Varieties

There are a selection of various prepare sorts in Japan, from the well-known and futuristic Shinkansen bullet trains to quaint native providers.

• Shinkansen
  The well-known ‘bullet trains’ (the nickname comes from the bullet-shaped nostril of their authentic design) join Japan’s important islands, from the town of Sapporo within the north to Kagoshima within the south. In between these two stops, these unimaginable high-speed trains go to nearly all of Japan’s main cities – Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and lots of extra. The Shinkansen are solely operated by the JR Group and have separate ticket gates and platforms. Touring on a bullet prepare is an attraction in itself for a lot of guests to Japan. Try: The Full Information to Experiencing the Shinkansen Excessive-Pace Trains in Japan
• Restricted Categorical
  The quickest non-Shinkansen trains in Japan. Restricted Categorical trains are nonetheless very quick and solely cease at main stations. There are greater than 100 differing types.
• Categorical
  One other quick service. Categorical trains cease at fewer stations than Fast or Native trains to achieve important locations sooner.
• Fast
  Primarily a sooner model of the native trains beneath. These trains skip some minor stations to attain a sooner service. No seat reservations are wanted on fast trains.
• Native
  Common trains that cease at each station. Native trains value the identical as fast trains above. These trains additionally don’t have seat reservations.
• Particular trains
  These are generally called ‘joyful’ trains in Japan and are particular trains and providers typically based mostly round characters, particular occasions, or themes, from Mickey Mouse to restaurant trains and resort excursions. These typically include large view home windows, particular consolation seats, drinks and meals, and may contain actions akin to a cellular artwork gallery, native dancing, and even sake tasting.

Seat Lessons

Whereas touring on Japan’s trains, there are usually two important forms of seat lessons, though a 3rd, gran class, is out there on some Shinkansen trains.

• Unusual
  These are normal seats. Japan’s peculiar seats are comfy, spacious, and clear.
• Inexperienced Automotive / Inexperienced Class
  The equal of first-class with extra luxurious seating and further house. Inexperienced automobiles could be recognized with a four-leaf inexperienced clover image on the carriage. Extras embrace drinks, oshibori, hand towels and sweet.
• Gran Class
  Enterprise-class model luxurious seating with perks like eye masks, sake, sashimi, blankets and therapeutic massage seats. Gran class is just obtainable on sure Shinkansen trains.

Introducing: The Japan Rail Cross

The Japan Rail Cross gives limitless journey on all the nationwide JR community, together with the high-speed bullet prepare strains and transport to and from the nation’s airports.

Whether or not you’re planning to discover the entire nation or simply journey from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka and again once more (for instance), a JR Cross can supply a lot better worth than buying particular person tickets – and it’s solely obtainable for worldwide guests.

Passes are legitimate for 7, 14, or 21 days as soon as activated and provide you with entry to all Japan Railways Group (JR) trains, buses, and ferry providers throughout Japan. This consists of the well-known Shinkansen bullet trains. One of many many advantages of the JR Cross – alongside limitless journey on JR trains and the Shinkansen – is free reservations and seat choice. Having a move means you’ll additionally be capable of hop on and off trains as wanted with out having to purchase a ticket, which provides you an enormous quantity of additional flexibility as a traveler. You possibly can even improve your JR Cross to a Inexperienced Class JR Cross for limitless first-class journey. 

Japan Rail Passes could be purchased as much as three months prematurely and have to be activated in your arrival in Japan. Regional JR passes are additionally obtainable in case you’re positively solely visiting one space of Japan. Lastly, you may also buy particular person tickets for single and return journeys from self-service ticket machines or ticket counters at stations, though it’s value noting even in case you’re solely planning on utilizing the prepare a couple of times throughout your keep, it would nonetheless be higher worth to make use of a JR Cross. 

Associated learn: Touring by Rail in Japan with JR Cross

Prime Ten Journey Ideas for Japan’s Railways

Alongside the detailed data we’ve already supplied, we’ve additionally put collectively a listing of professional ideas for Japan’s railways that will help you have the very best journey expertise.

1. Planning makes excellent

The extra time you spend planning your prepare journeys earlier than you arrive in Japan, the much less time you’ll waste on the bottom. When you do your analysis prematurely to work out the perfect and most effective prepare journeys to achieve the locations most vital to you then you definitely’ll spend extra time having fun with the vacation spot and fewer time travelling. 

2. Arrive early, by no means late

Japan’s trains are extremely punctual and nearly at all times depart on time so it’s so much higher to be early than late. Arrive on the station in loads of time and also you’ll be tremendous. Actually, you’ll be amazed at how well timed Japan’s trains are in comparison with the remainder of the world!

3. Trendy know-how is your pal

The likes of Google Maps, Navitime, and Jorudan, could be extraordinarily helpful for dwell updates whenever you’re out and about. Be sure you put money into a PocketWifi machine earlier than you journey nevertheless to remain related to the web whenever you want it. PocketWifi leases supply limitless Wifi from any location, and on as much as 5 units, permitting you to navigate and verify dwell timetable updates on the go. Learn extra about traditional apps in our information to Hyperdia options. 

4. Discover the correct departure platform 

One fast tip that may be a lifesaver when in a rush is studying to search out the correct departure platform. There could be a whole lot of data on each your ticket and the departure screens, like prepare title, stops, sort of service and way more. A quick solution to discover the correct platform is to have a look at the departure occasions first, then take a look at all the pieces else. Another is to ask what platform your prepare will depart from when reserving the tickets and ask the workers to put in writing this in your ticket.

5. Concentrate on Japanese prepare etiquette

Japan is thought for valuing good manners and its etiquette guidelines positively prolong to coach journeys. Maintain your cellphone on silent, attempt to keep away from taking calls if attainable, hearken to music by headphones solely, maintain your voice down whereas speaking, eliminate your litter, and retailer your baggage accurately, are all good primary ideas if you wish to keep within the good graces of Japanese commuters.

Associated learn: Japanese Etiquette: Tips on how to Act Like You’re Japanese

6. Test your baggage allowance

Baggage rules on most of Japan’s trains are pretty relaxed. Usually, chances are you’ll carry any measurement or variety of baggage inside motive, so long as it doesn’t inconvenience different passengers. The one exception is the Shinkansen bullet trains, which do have extra formal baggage rules.

When boarding the Shinkansen, the next rules apply: You could carry as much as two items of bags on board freed from cost. For every bag the full of the size, width and peak should not exceed 250 centimetres, the size should not exceed two metres and the burden should be not more than 30 kilograms.

• Baggage items lower than 160 cm (sum of peak x size x width) could be introduced aboard with out prior reservation.
• For baggage items between 160 cm – 250 centimeters, a previous reservation is required, which could be made without cost. In case no reservation is made, then a 1,000 yen tremendous will likely be charged, and your baggage could also be moved by the prepare conductor.
• Baggage over 250 centimeters is probably not introduced on the prepare and can want different transportation. Reservations could be made without cost by the Eki-Internet App, at a ticket machine or in individual at a ticket window.
• Utilizing the JR Cross, we advise making your seat reservations and baggage reservations on the similar time. JR Cross holders who improve to Inexperienced Class get an additional baggage allowance of two suitcases per individual.
• Lastly, when you’ve got particularly massive baggage, chances are you’ll wish to contemplate using the lockers at stations or baggage forwarding providers. 

7. Reserved vs non-reserved

Relying on the kind of prepare you’re touring on, you’ll come throughout providers with reserved and non-reserved carriages.

The latter merely means you possibly can sit wherever inside these carriages when you’ve got a non-reserved ticket. In reserved carriages, you have to to pre-book your seat reservation prematurely. Reservations are free for JR Cross holders and could be made at ticket workplaces. We’ve got extra detailed data on reserving seats additional beneath, so maintain studying.

It’s a good suggestion to order a seat in case you can. Seat reservations with no rail move can value wherever between 200 and 1,000 yen every, however they’re free with the JR Cross, which is one other good motive to contemplate shopping for one to your journey.

Making a reservation not solely saves cash, it additionally saves time, as there’s no must queue for a seat on the station platform. Additionally, you will have the reassurance you could sit collectively together with your fellow vacationers. All reserved seats are assured.

8. E book forward (or keep away from touring) throughout busy durations

Each day, chances are you’ll wish to keep away from commuter rush-hour durations, that are much like these in different international locations (8 am-9 am and 5 pm-7 pm). In any other case, you’ll additionally need to pay attention to vacation durations when trains could be absolutely booked. These embrace New Yr, Obon, and Golden Week, that are standard holidays in Japan. The well-known Cherry Blossom season is one other busy time of yr in Japan for vacationers.

Key dates to be careful for are 28 December to six January (New Yr), 27 April to six Might (Golden Week), and 11-20 August (Obon season). The identical goes for festivals, just like the Gion Matsuri in July, the Takayama Pageant from April 14-15 and Tokushima Pageant August 12-15.

Usually talking, reserving forward and making seat reservations is an efficient means to make sure you have a seat no matter time of yr it’s. 

9. You’ll want a pay as you go journey card for Japan’s subways

Alongside a JR Cross for countrywide journey, a pay as you go journey card for inner-city journeys is a should! These IC playing cards – much like London’s Oyster card system – are the best solution to get round Japanese cities utilizing wonderful public transportation.

As such, you’ll positively wish to put money into a pay as you go journey card akin to an ICOCA, PASMO or Suica card. IC playing cards like these could be topped up and refunded as wanted they usually work by tapping or waving them over the cardboard reader as you move by the ticket gates.

As a bonus tip (and never only for prepare journey), be sure you carry money the place you possibly can in Japan as bodily money continues to be used so much throughout the nation.

10. Take a second to take pleasure in Japan’s trains and prepare stations

Each Japan’s trains and stations are distinctive, state-of-the-art, and filled with issues to see and do. They aren’t simply transport hubs or technique of transport to get from A to B, they’re an expertise in themselves.

Ensure you take a while to cease, go searching, and revel in each the stations and trains themselves as a part of your journey. Some stations are main complexes filled with outlets, eating places, and services, for instance, whereas others are picturesque, quaint, and nostalgic.

You’ll additionally discover the world’s finest prepare meals at stations – Ekiben. Pronounced ‘air key ben’, the Japanese phrase ‘Ekiben’ is a portmanteau of the kanji symbols for ‘prepare station’ and ‘boxed meal’ i.e. ‘station-bento’. Its title completely describes what it’s – a lunch field bought at prepare stations for consuming throughout your rail journey. Learn our Information to Ekiben for extra.

Equally, Japanese trains, significantly the Shinkansen, include options akin to onboard drinks and snacks providers, energy shops for cellphone charging and laptop computer use, seats that may rotate 180 levels, and extra.

Navigating Japan’s Railway System

On the subject of getting round Japan’s prepare stations, shopping for tickets, and boarding trains, chances are you’ll be pleasantly stunned to find it’s a lot simpler and fewer daunting than chances are you’ll assume. You could be stunned to know that Japanese prepare stations have indicators and departure boards in English in addition to Japanese. You might also see indicators in Chinese language and Korean, reflecting the nation’s standing as a world journey vacation spot. 

Tips on how to Reserve Seats & Board the Practice

Japan’s trains have each non-reserved and reserved seats in separate automobiles. Sure providers are absolutely reserved, and others could also be switched to completely reserved throughout nationwide holidays just like the New Yr, Obon, or Golden Week, so be sure you verify earlier than you journey.

If you’re touring with a Japan Rail Cross then one of many many benefits of that is you could make advance seat reservations without cost. Seats could be reserved freed from cost at Midori no Mado Guchi ticket workplaces, recognizable by their inexperienced signal, or at Journey Service Centres and JR-associated Journey Businesses.

For a number of years, JR East trains have been the one service that has provided an internet English language reservation system, which might be used to make bookings from exterior of Japan, with all different strains requiring in-person reservations as soon as in Japan. To order a seat, merely take your JR Cross to the Midori no Mado Guchi, specify which prepare you want to reserve a seat on, stating smoking or non-smoking. You’ll then obtain your reserved seat ticket and easily want to indicate your JR Cross on the ticket gate and go to your platform.

Be sure you maintain maintain of your ticket as you might have to current each your JR Cross and seat reservation to the ticket inspector. 

So far as boarding a prepare goes, it’s comparatively easy – after arriving on the station, you have to to undergo the common ticket gates into the paid fare zone and head to the platform. Please word in case you’re touring on a Shinkansen prepare there will likely be a second set of ticket gates. Shinkansen additionally has its personal devoted platforms.

You’ll discover your carriage quantity in your ticket. Carriage numbers will also be discovered printed on the bottom and hanging from indicators (non-reserved carriages are often numbered 1-5). Line up behind the white line and wait to your prepare. As soon as the prepare arrives, enter your carriage and discover your seat (seat numbers are indicated above the window). In any other case, you possibly can sit in any seat if it’s an unreserved carriage.

After that, merely sit again and chill out!