Japan Transportation Guide

Japan boasts an extensive and efficient transportation network, known for its punctual trains and expansive subway systems. However, the system is so vast it can be a bit overwhelming at first and I felt a bit stressed when planning my trip. There were so many trains, different passes, and why am I getting a different website for each ticket I’m trying to book? In this blog post I’ll share different modes of transportation in Japan, how to book tickets, and ways to save money.

TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION IN JAPAN

Rail
Japan has several types of trains. Japan railways are owned by multiple companies. 6 independent companies make up the JR (Japan Railways) Group, and there are smaller privately owned companies that operate some of the railways.

• Shinkansen – known as bullet trains, these are fastest and most expensive. They cover major cities so that you can explore all parts of Japan.
• Limited express – also serves major cities and they have fewer stops in between than regular trains.
• Express trains – there aren’t many of these left. These include specific airport transfers.
• Rapid trains – skips a few stops compared to local trains.
• Local trains – slowest, good for local travel and not long distances.
• Other – character trains, scenic routes.

Subway
Most major cities have their own extensive subway systems. The subway helps you move within a city, giving you access to tourist attractions and residential/business districts.

Bus
Highway buses transport you between cities, and can be the more affordable alternative to the shinkansen although it does take longer.
City buses operate within cities to take you to areas harder to reach by train or subway.

Taxis
Japanese taxis are widely available in cities and are convenient. They are very expensive however. We were used to taxi prices in Korea which is very affordable, but the few instances we had to take the cab in Japan we were really surprised by the fares. With the abundance of other transportation options, I would avoid taxis if possible.

HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Before diving into options of purchasing tickets, you should understand what IC Cards are.

IC CARDS

IC cards are rechargeable cards for paying transportation fares. They can also be used at many vending machines, shops and restaurants. To use, simply touch the card on a reader.

There are 3 major IC cards: Suica, Pasmo, Icoca – They are named by region issued in, but have the same function. There was a chip shortage so suica and pasmo card sales were discontinued, but they are available now at some stations or airports.

Tip: If you have an iPhone, you can get an IC card on your phone and use digitally. Go to your Wallet app – Add to Wallet – Transit Card – scroll down to Japan where you can add any one of the 3 cards. You can tap your phone to use and reload the balance right on your phone.

JR PASS

The JR Pass (7, 14, 21 day options) gives you unlimited rides on JR Group trains, buses, ferry services in Japan. However due to a recent massive price increase, it almost is never worth it. This is a good tool to use: https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/ You can enter your travel details on this site and it will give you a price comparison of JR Pass vs purchasing individual tickets, or purchasing regional passes. For this to be the most accurate, you want to have your ENTIRE trip itinerary and enter all the trains you plan on taking.

As mentioned above, there are regional passes that can save you money, or city passes for transportation. For example, the Kansai Area Pass available in 1-4 day passes, gives you unlimited use of local JR trains in the Kansai region including Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Kansai Airport and Himeji.

For all other rides (not using a regional/local pass), scan your IC card to pay the fare or buy a ticket at the station each time (trust me, you’ll want to use an IC card for convenience).

HOW TO FIGURE OUT TRANSPORTATION METHODS

Google Maps works very well in Japan, and will be your best tool to navigate the country. It will show you which train/subway/bus to take, and the walking routes as well. It is color coded according to each city’s subway or bus system, and as long as you follow directions on Google Maps you should have no problem getting to your destination.

HOW TO BOOK TRAINS & LONG DISTANCE BUSES

There’s no need to pre-book Japan’s local trains, subway, buses or taxi. But you should consider pre-purchasing shinkansen or long-distance buses or trains.

Japan railways are owned by JR (Japan Railways) Group, which is made up of 6 independent companies. That being said, each company (JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku, JR Kyushu, JR Hokkaido) has its own booking system and this can be very confusing. I tried booking my tickets through some of their websites, and it was not the easiest task due to the language barrier, and the inconvenience of having to pick up physical tickets on designated dates prior to the trip for some companies.

The easiest way to book your train tickets will be through Klook, an online platform that allows travelers to book a wide range of activities, services, and experiences in destinations around the world. Benefits of booking on Klook is that it is all in English as well as other non-Japanese languages, and it is easy to use. You simply enter your starting point and destination, and your date. Once you make your purchase, you can board trains using a QR code rather than having to pick up physical tickets (some stations still may require this). Klook does add a small fee to book on their website, but I still found it easier to use and worth paying the fee than to navigate the JR websites. To make this even better, you can use code MINYWANDER for 10% off your booking (3% if you are an existing Klook user).

I hope this was helpful in understanding the Japanese transportation system a bit better. I’ll add separate transportation guides on Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto to help you navigate within those cities effectively.

Have a wonderful time in Japan, and check out some of my reels on Instagram for more guides on Japan!

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my business so I can create content like this for you!