How to Navigate Japan’s Railway System: Types, Tickets & Tips

Japan’s railway system, usually hailed as one of the best on the earth, connects the nation’s main cities, islands, landmarks, cities, and villages, and is undoubtedly probably the most handy and reasonably priced strategy to discover this unbelievable place.

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

We’ll clarify every part it is advisable know, from practice sorts, seat lessons, and shopping for tickets, to why a Japan Rail Pass is such a sensible funding, in our complete practice journey information.

Right here’s an outline:

Japan’s Railway System: An Overview

Quick, secure, environment friendly, and clear, Japan’s trains are every part you’ve heard and extra.

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

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 impartial practice 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 personal corporations who run further companies.
• Wish to see a map of the entire JR community? We’ve put collectively an interactive map of the community’s 4,800 practice stations and 23,000 km of rail traces, which provides an excellent useful resource for anybody planning to discover Japan by practice.

Prepare Sorts

There are a variety of various practice sorts in Japan, from the well-known and futuristic Shinkansen bullet trains to quaint native companies.

• Shinkansen
  The well-known ‘bullet trains’ (the nickname comes from the bullet-shaped nostril of their authentic design) join Japan’s important islands, from town of Sapporo within the north to Kagoshima within the south. In between these two stops, these unbelievable high-speed trains go to virtually all of Japan’s main cities – Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and plenty of extra. The Shinkansen are solely operated by the JR Group and have separate ticket gates and platforms. Touring on a bullet practice is an attraction in itself for a lot of guests to Japan. Take a look at: The Complete Guide to Experiencing the Shinkansen High-Speed Trains in Japan
• Restricted Specific
  The quickest non-Shinkansen trains in Japan. Restricted Specific trains are nonetheless very quick and solely cease at main stations. There are greater than 100 differing kinds.
• Specific
  One other quick service. Specific trains cease at fewer stations than Speedy or Native trains to succeed in important locations quicker.
• Speedy
  Basically a quicker model of the native trains under. These trains skip some minor stations to attain a quicker 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 commonly known as ‘joyful’ trains in Japan and are particular trains and companies typically based mostly round characters, particular occasions, or themes, from Mickey Mouse to restaurant trains and resort excursions. These typically include broad view home windows, particular consolation seats, drinks and meals, and may contain actions resembling a cellular artwork gallery, native dancing, and even sake tasting.

Seat Courses

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

• Strange
  These are normal seats. Japan’s abnormal seats are snug, spacious, and clear.
• Inexperienced Automotive / Inexperienced Class
  The equal of firstclass with extra luxurious seating and further area. Inexperienced vehicles might be recognized with a four-leaf inexperienced clover image on the carriage. Extras embody drinks, oshibori, hand towels and sweet.
• Gran Class
  Enterprise-class fashion luxurious seating with perks like eye masks, sake, sashimi, blankets and therapeutic massage seats. Gran class is simply accessible on sure Shinkansen trains.

Introducing: The Japan Rail Go

The Japan Rail Pass supplies limitless journey on your entire nationwide JR community, together with the high-speed bullet practice traces 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 Go can supply a lot better worth than buying particular person tickets – and it’s solely accessible 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 companies throughout Japan. This contains the well-known Shinkansen bullet trains. One of many many advantages of the JR Go – alongside limitless journey on JR trains and the Shinkansen – is free reservations and seat choice. Having a go means you’ll additionally have the ability to 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 Go to a Green Class JR Pass for limitless first-class journey. 

Japan Rail Passes might be purchased as much as three months upfront and have to be activated in your arrival in Japan. Regional JR passes are additionally accessible should you’re undoubtedly solely visiting one space of Japan. Lastly, you can too buy particular person tickets for single and return journeys from self-service ticket machines or ticket counters at stations, though it’s price noting even should you’re solely planning on utilizing the practice a few times throughout your keep, it would nonetheless be higher worth to make use of a JR Go. 

Associated learn: Traveling by Rail in Japan with JR Pass

Prime Ten Journey Ideas for Japan’s Railways

Alongside the detailed info we’ve already supplied, we’ve additionally put collectively an inventory of professional suggestions for Japan’s railways that can assist you have the absolute best journey expertise.

1. Planning makes excellent

The extra time you spend planning your practice journeys earlier than you arrive in Japan, the much less time you’ll waste on the bottom. In the event you do your analysis upfront to work out one of the best and most effective practice journeys to succeed in the locations most necessary 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 virtually at all times go away 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 positive. In truth, you’ll be amazed at how well timed Japan’s trains are in comparison with the remainder of the world!

3. Trendy expertise is your buddy

The likes of Google Maps, Navitime, and Jorudan, might be extraordinarily helpful for stay updates if you’re out and about. Remember to put money into a PocketWifi gadget earlier than you journey nonetheless to remain linked to the web if you want it. PocketWifi leases supply limitless Wifi from any location, and on as much as 5 units, permitting you to navigate and examine stay timetable updates on the go. Learn extra about traditional apps in our information to Hyperdia alternatives. 

4. Discover the proper departure platform 

One fast tip that may be a lifesaver when in a rush is studying to seek out the proper departure platform. There might be a number of info on each your ticket and the departure screens, like practice title, stops, sort of service and far more. A quick strategy to discover the proper platform is to take a look at the departure instances first, then have a look at every part else. Another is to ask what platform your practice will depart from when reserving the tickets and ask the employees to put in writing this in your ticket.

5. Concentrate on Japanese practice etiquette

Japan is thought for valuing good manners and its etiquette guidelines undoubtedly lengthen to coach journeys. Preserve your telephone on silent, attempt to keep away from taking calls if doable, hearken to music via headphones solely, hold your voice down whereas speaking, eliminate your litter, and retailer your baggage appropriately, are all good fundamental suggestions if you wish to keep within the good graces of Japanese commuters.

Associated learn: Japanese Etiquette: How to Act Like You’re Japanese

6. Examine your baggage allowance

Baggage laws on most of Japan’s trains are pretty relaxed. Typically, chances are you’ll carry any dimension or variety of luggage 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 laws.

When boarding the Shinkansen, the next laws apply: Chances are you’ll carry as much as two items of luggage on board freed from cost. For every bag the full of the size, width and top should not exceed 250 centimetres, the size should not exceed two metres and the load have to be not more than 30 kilograms.

• Baggage items lower than 160 cm (sum of top x size x width) might be introduced aboard with out prior reservation.
• For baggage items between 160 cm – 250 centimeters, a previous reservation is required, which might be made without cost. In case no reservation is made, then a 1,000 yen positive shall be charged, and your baggage could also be moved by the practice conductor.
• Baggage over 250 centimeters will not be introduced on the practice and can want various transportation. Reservations might be made without cost via the Eki-Web App, at a ticket machine or in individual at a ticket window.
• Utilizing the JR Go, we propose making your seat reservations and baggage reservations on the identical time. JR Go holders who improve to Inexperienced Class get an additional baggage allowance of two suitcases per individual.
• Lastly, in case you have particularly massive baggage, chances are you’ll need to think about using the lockers at stations or baggage forwarding companies. 

7. Reserved vs non-reserved

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

The latter merely means you may sit wherever inside these carriages in case you have a non-reserved ticket. In reserved carriages, you’ll need to pre-book your seat reservation upfront. Reservations are free for JR Go holders and might be made at ticket places of work. We have now extra detailed info on reserving seats additional under, so hold studying.

It’s a good suggestion to order a seat should you can. Seat reservations and not using a rail go can value wherever between 200 and 1,000 yen every, however they’re free with the JR Go, which is one other good motive to contemplate shopping for one on 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 peace of mind you can sit collectively together with your fellow vacationers. All reserved seats are assured.

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

Every day, chances are you’ll need 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 is likely to be totally booked. These embody New Yr, Obon, and Golden Week, that are fashionable 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 Could (Golden Week), and 11-20 August (Obon season). The identical goes for festivals, just like the Gion Matsuri in July, the Takayama Competition from April 14-15 and Tokushima Competition August 12-15.

Typically talking, reserving forward and making seat reservations is an effective manner 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 Go 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 simplest strategy to get round Japanese cities utilizing glorious public transportation.

As such, you’ll undoubtedly need to put money into a pay as you go journey card resembling an ICOCA, PASMO or Suica card. IC playing cards like these might be topped up and refunded as wanted and so they work by tapping or waving them over the cardboard reader as you go via the ticket gates.

As a bonus tip (and never only for practice journey), you’ll want to carry money the place you may in Japan as bodily money remains to be used so much throughout the nation.

10. Take a second to get pleasure from Japan’s trains and practice stations

Each Japan’s trains and stations are distinctive, state-of-the-art, and stuffed 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.

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

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

Equally, Japanese trains, significantly the Shinkansen, include options resembling onboard drinks and snacks companies, energy retailers for telephone charging and laptop computer use, seats that may rotate 180 levels, and extra.

Navigating Japan’s Railway System

With regards to getting round Japan’s practice stations, shopping for tickets, and boarding trains, chances are you’ll be pleasantly shocked to find it’s a lot simpler and fewer daunting than chances are you’ll assume. You is likely to be shocked to know that Japanese practice stations have indicators and departure boards in English in addition to Japanese. You may additionally see indicators in Chinese language and Korean, reflecting the nation’s standing as a worldwide journey vacation spot. 

How you can Reserve Seats & Board the Prepare

Japan’s trains have each non-reserved and reserved seats in separate vehicles. Sure companies are totally reserved, and others could also be switched to totally reserved throughout nationwide holidays just like the New Yr, Obon, or Golden Week, so you’ll want to examine earlier than you journey.

In case you are touring with a Japan Rail Pass then one of many many benefits of that is you can make advance seat reservations without cost. Seats might be reserved freed from cost at Midori no Mado Guchi ticket places of work, recognizable by their inexperienced signal, or at Journey Service Centres and JR-associated Journey Companies.

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

Remember to hold maintain of your ticket as you’ll have to current each your JR Go and seat reservation to the ticket inspector. 

So far as boarding a practice goes, it’s comparatively easy – after arriving on the station, you’ll need to undergo the common ticket gates into the paid fare zone and head to the platform. Please notice should you’re touring on a Shinkansen practice there shall 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 on your practice. As soon as the practice arrives, enter your carriage and discover your seat (seat numbers are indicated above the window). In any other case, you may sit in any seat if it’s an unreserved carriage.

After that, merely sit again and chill out!