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

Japan’s railway system, repeatedly 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 technique to discover this unbelievable place.

Understanding easy methods to navigate Japan’s railways is, due to this fact, completely important to benefiting 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 possibly can and make each second depend, then we will inform you how with our professional ideas for navigating the nation’s quick, environment friendly, and clear railway system.

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

Right here’s an summary:

Japan’s Railway System: An Overview

Quick, protected, environment friendly, and clear, Japan’s trains are every little thing you’ve heard and extra.

In addition they join all the nation, from the northernmost island to the southernmost, enabling vacationers to succeed in in all places they may need to go to in Japan. In fact, a practice system this massive and complicated can appear a bit daunting for first-time guests and that’s the place we are available.

Let’s begin by supplying 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 practice operators (JR Hokkaido, JR Central, JR East, JR West, JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu). Collectively, these regional rail firms join Japan’s six principal islands. There are additionally smaller personal firms who run extra companies.
• Need 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 strains, which provides an excellent useful resource for anybody planning to discover Japan by practice.

Prepare Varieties

There are a selection 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 unique design) join Japan’s principal 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 lots 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. Try: The Full Information to Experiencing the Shinkansen Excessive-Pace 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 Fast or Native trains to succeed in principal locations sooner.
• Fast
  Basically a sooner model of the native trains under. 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 price 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 companies usually based mostly round characters, particular occasions, or themes, from Mickey Mouse to restaurant trains and resort excursions. These usually include vast 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 typically two principal sorts of seat lessons, though a 3rd, gran class, is offered on some Shinkansen trains.

• Peculiar
  These are customary seats. Japan’s extraordinary seats are comfy, spacious, and clear.
• Inexperienced Automobile / Inexperienced Class
  The equal of top notch with extra luxurious seating and additional house. Inexperienced automobiles may be recognized with a four-leaf inexperienced clover image on the carriage. Extras embody drinks, oshibori, hand towels and sweet.
• Gran Class
  Enterprise-class type luxurious seating with perks like eye masks, sake, sashimi, blankets and therapeutic massage seats. Gran class is simply out there on sure Shinkansen trains.

Introducing: The Japan Rail Cross

The Japan Rail Cross offers limitless journey on all the nationwide JR community, together with the high-speed bullet practice 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 out there 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 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 cross means you’ll additionally be capable 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 may even improve your JR Cross to a Inexperienced Class JR Cross for limitless first-class journey. 

Japan Rail Passes may be purchased as much as three months prematurely and must be activated in your arrival in Japan. Regional JR passes are additionally out there if you happen to’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 if you happen to’re solely planning on utilizing the practice a couple of times throughout your keep, it’d 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 info we’ve already offered, we’ve additionally put collectively a listing of professional ideas for Japan’s railways that will help you have the absolute best journey expertise.

1. Planning makes good

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. When you do your analysis prematurely to work out one of the best and best practice journeys to succeed in the locations most vital to you you then’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 all the time go away on time so it’s quite a bit higher to be early than late. Arrive on the station in loads of time and also you’ll be fantastic. In reality, 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 pal

The likes of Google Maps, Navitime, and Jorudan, may be extraordinarily helpful for reside updates whenever you’re out and about. You should definitely put money into a PocketWifi system earlier than you journey nonetheless to remain linked 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 reside timetable updates on the go. Learn extra about typical apps in our information to Hyperdia alternate options. 

4. Discover the fitting departure platform 

One fast tip that may be a lifesaver when in a rush is studying to search out the fitting departure platform. There may be a variety of info on each your ticket and the departure screens, like practice title, stops, kind of service and far more. A quick technique to discover the fitting platform is to have a look at the departure instances first, then take a look at every little thing else. Another is to ask what platform your practice will depart from when reserving the tickets and ask the workers to jot down this in your ticket.

5. Pay attention to Japanese practice etiquette

Japan is understood for valuing good manners and its etiquette guidelines positively prolong to coach journeys. Hold your telephone on silent, attempt to keep away from taking calls if doable, take heed to music by headphones solely, maintain your voice down whereas speaking, get rid of 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. On the whole, you might deliver any dimension 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: Chances are you’ll deliver as much as two items of bags 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 should be not more than 30 kilograms.

• Baggage items lower than 160 cm (sum of top x size x width) may be introduced aboard with out prior reservation.
• For baggage items between 160 cm – 250 centimeters, a previous reservation is required, which may be made without spending a dime. In case no reservation is made, then a 1,000 yen fantastic shall be charged, and your baggage could also be moved by the practice conductor.
• Baggage over 250 centimeters is probably not introduced on the practice and can want various transportation. Reservations may be made without spending a dime by the Eki-Web App, at a ticket machine or in particular person at a ticket window.
• Utilizing the JR Cross, we advise making your seat reservations and baggage reservations on the identical time. JR Cross holders who improve to Inexperienced Class get an additional baggage allowance of two suitcases per particular person.
• Lastly, if in case you have particularly massive baggage, you might 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 possibly can sit wherever inside these carriages if in case you have a non-reserved ticket. In reserved carriages, you will want to pre-book your seat reservation prematurely. Reservations are free for JR Cross holders and may be made at ticket workplaces. We’ve extra detailed info on reserving seats additional under, so maintain studying.

It’s a good suggestion to order a seat if you happen to can. Seat reservations with no rail cross can price wherever between 200 and 1,000 yen every, however they’re free with the JR Cross, which is one other good motive to think about 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 peace of mind which 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, you might 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 concentrate on vacation durations when trains is likely to be absolutely booked. These embody New 12 months, Obon, and Golden Week, that are in style holidays in Japan. The well-known Cherry Blossom season is one other busy time of 12 months in Japan for vacationers.

Key dates to be careful for are 28 December to six January (New 12 months), 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 Pageant from April 14-15 and Tokushima Pageant August 12-15.

Usually talking, reserving forward and making seat reservations is an efficient manner to make sure you have a seat no matter time of 12 months 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 technique to get round Japanese cities utilizing glorious public transportation.

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

As a bonus tip (and never only for practice journey), you should definitely carry money the place you possibly can in Japan as bodily money continues to be used quite a bit 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 outlets, eating places, and amenities, for instance, whereas others are picturesque, quaint, and nostalgic.

You’ll additionally discover the world’s greatest 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 bought at practice stations for consuming throughout your rail journey. Learn our Information to Ekiben for extra.

Equally, Japanese trains, notably the Shinkansen, include options akin to 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, you might be pleasantly shocked to find it’s a lot simpler and fewer daunting than you might 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. 

Tips on how to Reserve Seats & Board the Prepare

Japan’s trains have each non-reserved and reserved seats in separate automobiles. Sure companies are absolutely reserved, and others could also be switched to totally reserved throughout nationwide holidays just like the New 12 months, Obon, or Golden Week, so you should definitely verify earlier than you journey.

If you’re touring with a Japan Rail Cross then one of many many benefits of that is which you could make advance seat reservations without spending a dime. Seats may 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 supplied a web-based English language reservation system, which might be used to make bookings from outdoors 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 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 Cross on the ticket gate and go to your platform.

You should definitely maintain maintain of your ticket as you’ll have to current each your JR Cross and seat reservation to the ticket inspector. 

So far as boarding a practice goes, it’s comparatively easy – after arriving on the station, you will want to undergo the common ticket gates into the paid fare zone and head to the platform. Please observe if you happen to’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 may 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 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 possibly can sit in any seat if it’s an unreserved carriage.

After that, merely sit again and calm down!