Easy methods to Navigate Japan’s Railway System: Sorts, Tickets & Suggestions

Japan’s railway system, repeatedly hailed as the most effective on this planet, connects the nation’s main cities, islands, landmarks, cities, and villages, and is undoubtedly essentially the most handy and inexpensive method 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 easiest journey expertise. If you wish to see as a lot of Japan as you may and make each second rely, 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 all the pieces it’s essential know, from prepare varieties, seat lessons, and shopping for tickets, to why a Japan Rail Cross is such a wise funding, in our complete prepare journey information.

Right here’s an outline:

Japan’s Railway System: An Overview

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

Additionally they join your entire nation, from the northernmost island to the southernmost, enabling vacationers to succeed in in every single place they may wish to go to in Japan. After all, a prepare system this large and sophisticated can appear slightly daunting for first-time guests and that’s the place we are available in.

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

• 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 firms join Japan’s six fundamental islands. There are additionally smaller personal firms who run further 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 gives an excellent useful resource for anybody planning to discover Japan by prepare.

Prepare Sorts

There are a selection of various prepare varieties 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 fundamental islands, from the 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 prepare is an attraction in itself for a lot of guests to Japan. Take a look at: The Full Information to Experiencing the Shinkansen Excessive-Velocity 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 Speedy or Native trains to succeed in fundamental locations quicker.
• Speedy
  Basically a quicker model of the native trains beneath. These trains skip some minor stations to realize 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 generally called ‘joyful’ trains in Japan and are particular trains and providers typically primarily based 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 similar to a cellular artwork gallery, native dancing, and even sake tasting.

Seat Courses

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

• Bizarre
  These are customary seats. Japan’s atypical seats are snug, spacious, and clear.
• Inexperienced Automobile / Inexperienced Class
  The equal of top notch with extra luxurious seating and additional 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 out there on sure Shinkansen trains.

Introducing: The Japan Rail Cross

The Japan Rail Cross offers limitless journey on your entire 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 out there for worldwide guests.

Passes are legitimate for 7, 14, or 21 days as soon as activated and offer you 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 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’ll be able to even improve your JR Cross to a Inexperienced Class JR Cross for limitless first-class journey. 

Japan Rail Passes might be purchased as much as three months upfront and must be activated in your arrival in Japan. Regional JR passes are additionally out there in the event you’re positively solely visiting one space of Japan. Lastly, you can even 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 the event you’re solely planning on utilizing the prepare a few 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 Suggestions for Japan’s Railways

Alongside the detailed info we’ve already supplied, we’ve additionally put collectively a listing of professional suggestions for Japan’s railways that can assist 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. In the event you do your analysis upfront to work out the most effective and most effective prepare journeys to succeed in the locations most essential 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 quite a bit higher to be early than late. Arrive on the station in loads of time and also you’ll be effective. Actually, you’ll be amazed at how well timed Japan’s trains are in comparison with the remainder of the world!

3. Fashionable know-how is your good friend

The likes of Google Maps, Navitime, and Jorudan, might be extraordinarily helpful for dwell updates if you’re out and about. Remember to put money into a PocketWifi gadget earlier than you journey nonetheless to remain related 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 dwell timetable updates on the go. Learn extra about typical apps in our information to Hyperdia options. 

4. Discover the proper departure platform 

One fast tip that may be a lifesaver when in a rush is studying to search out the proper departure platform. There might be a number of info on each your ticket and the departure screens, like prepare title, stops, kind of service and rather more. A quick method to discover the proper platform is to take a look at the departure instances first, then have 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 write down this in your ticket.

5. Pay attention to Japanese prepare etiquette

Japan is thought for valuing good manners and its etiquette guidelines positively prolong to coach journeys. Preserve your telephone on silent, attempt to keep away from taking calls if attainable, 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: Easy methods to Act Like You’re Japanese

6. Examine your baggage allowance

Baggage laws on most of Japan’s trains are pretty relaxed. Normally, it’s possible you’ll carry any measurement or variety of luggage inside purpose, 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 bags on board freed from cost. For every bag the overall of the size, width and peak 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 peak 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 spending a dime. In case no reservation is made, then a 1,000 yen effective will probably 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 various transportation. Reservations might be made without spending a dime via the Eki-Internet 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, you probably have particularly giant baggage, it’s possible you’ll wish to take into account 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 may sit wherever inside these carriages you probably have a non-reserved ticket. In reserved carriages, you will have to pre-book your seat reservation upfront. Reservations are free for JR Cross holders and might be made at ticket workplaces. Now we have extra detailed info on reserving seats additional beneath, so hold studying.

It’s a good suggestion to order a seat in the event 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 purpose to think about shopping for one in your journey.

Making a reservation not solely saves cash, it additionally saves time, as there’s no have to queue for a seat on the station platform. Additionally, you will have the peace of mind which 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 intervals

Each day, it’s possible you’ll wish to keep away from commuter rush-hour intervals, that are just like these in different nations (8 am-9 am and 5 pm-7 pm). In any other case, you’ll additionally need to pay attention to vacation intervals when trains is perhaps absolutely booked. These embody New Yr, Obon, and Golden Week, that are common 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 Competition from April 14-15 and Tokushima Competition August 12-15.

Typically talking, reserving forward and making seat reservations is an effective approach 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 – just like London’s Oyster card system – are the best method to get round Japanese cities utilizing glorious public transportation.

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

As a bonus tip (and never only for prepare journey), be sure you carry money the place you may 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 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.

Be sure 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 full of outlets, eating places, and amenities, for instance, whereas others are picturesque, quaint, and nostalgic.

You’ll additionally discover the world’s greatest 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 similar to onboard drinks and snacks providers, energy shops for telephone charging and laptop computer use, seats that may rotate 180 levels, and extra.

Navigating Japan’s Railway System

In terms of getting round Japan’s prepare stations, shopping for tickets, and boarding trains, it’s possible you’ll be pleasantly shocked to find it’s a lot simpler and fewer daunting than it’s possible you’ll suppose. You is perhaps shocked to know that Japanese prepare 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. 

Easy methods to Reserve Seats & Board the Prepare

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

In case you are touring with a Japan Rail Cross then one of many many benefits of that is which you can make advance seat reservations without spending a dime. Seats might 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 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 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.

Remember to hold 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 prepare goes, it’s comparatively easy – after arriving on the station, you will have to undergo the common ticket gates into the paid fare zone and head to the platform. Please word in the event you’re touring on a Shinkansen prepare there will probably 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 normally numbered 1-5). Line up behind the white line and wait in 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 may sit in any seat if it’s an unreserved carriage.

After that, merely sit again and loosen up!