How one can 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 probably the most handy and inexpensive option to discover this unbelievable place.

Understanding methods to navigate Japan’s railways is, subsequently, 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 possibly can 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 every thing it is advisable know, from practice sorts, seat lessons, and shopping for tickets, to why a Japan Rail Go is such a wise 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 thing you’ve heard and extra.

In addition they join the whole nation, from the northernmost island to the southernmost, enabling vacationers to succeed in in all places they could wish to go to in Japan. In fact, a practice system this huge and complicated can appear just a little 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 practice operators (JR Hokkaido, JR Central, JR East, JR West, JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu). Collectively, these regional rail firms join Japan’s six predominant islands. There are additionally smaller non-public firms who run extra 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 Varieties

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 unique design) join Japan’s predominant 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. Try: The Full Information to Experiencing the Shinkansen Excessive-Velocity 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 types.
• Specific
  One other quick service. Specific trains cease at fewer stations than Speedy or Native trains to succeed in predominant locations sooner.
• Speedy
  Basically 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 speedy trains.
• Native
  Common trains that cease at each station. Native trains price the identical as speedy 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 typically based mostly round characters, particular occasions, or themes, from Mickey Mouse to restaurant trains and resort excursions. These typically include huge view home windows, particular consolation seats, drinks and meals, and may additionally 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 predominant kinds of seat lessons, though a 3rd, gran class, is on the market on some Shinkansen trains.

• Peculiar
  These are normal seats. Japan’s abnormal seats are snug, spacious, and clear.
• Inexperienced Automobile / Inexperienced Class
  The equal of top notch with extra luxurious seating and further area. Inexperienced automobiles 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 Go gives limitless journey on the whole 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 offer you 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 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 may even improve your JR Go to a Inexperienced Class JR Go 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 if you happen to’re positively solely visiting one space of Japan. Lastly, it’s also possible to 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 Go. 

Associated learn: Touring by Rail in Japan with JR Go

Prime Ten Journey Ideas for Japan’s Railways

Alongside the detailed data we’ve already offered, we’ve additionally put collectively an inventory 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 practice journeys earlier than you arrive in Japan, the much less time you’ll waste on the bottom. For those who do your analysis upfront to work out the perfect and most effective practice journeys to succeed in the locations most vital to you then you definately’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 depart on time so it’s lots higher to be early than late. Arrive on the station in loads of time and also you’ll be high-quality. The truth is, you’ll be amazed at how well timed Japan’s trains are in comparison with the remainder of the world!

3. Fashionable expertise is your buddy

The likes of Google Maps, Navitime, and Jorudan, might be extraordinarily helpful for dwell updates whenever you’re out and about. Be sure you spend money on a PocketWifi gadget 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 gadgets, permitting you to navigate and examine dwell timetable updates on the go. Learn extra about common 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 might be a number of data on each your ticket and the departure screens, like practice title, stops, sort of service and way more. A quick option to discover the correct platform is to take a look at the departure instances first, then have a look at every thing else. An alternate 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. Pay attention to Japanese practice etiquette

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

Associated learn: Japanese Etiquette: How one can Act Like You’re Japanese

6. Verify your baggage allowance

Baggage laws on most of Japan’s trains are pretty relaxed. Generally, chances are you’ll deliver 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 laws.

When boarding the Shinkansen, the next laws apply: Chances are you’ll deliver as much as two items of luggage on board freed from cost. For every bag the entire of the size, width and top should not exceed 250 centimetres, the size should not exceed two metres and the burden 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 spending a dime. In case no reservation is made, then a 1,000 yen high-quality 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 different transportation. Reservations might be made without spending a dime by means of the Eki-Web App, at a ticket machine or in individual at a ticket window.
• Utilizing the JR Go, we advise making your seat reservations and baggage reservations on the similar time. JR Go holders who improve to Inexperienced Class get an additional baggage allowance of two suitcases per individual.
• Lastly, if in case you have particularly massive baggage, chances are you’ll wish 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 have to pre-book your seat reservation upfront. Reservations are free for JR Go holders and might be made at ticket places of work. Now we have extra detailed data on reserving seats additional beneath, so hold studying.

It’s a good suggestion to order a seat if you happen to can. Seat reservations with out a rail move can price wherever between 200 and 1,000 yen every, however they’re free with the JR Go, which is one other good motive to think about shopping for one in 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 that 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 just 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 totally booked. These embody New 12 months, Obon, and Golden Week, that are widespread 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 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 12 months 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 – just like London’s Oyster card system – are the simplest option to get round Japanese cities utilizing wonderful public transportation.

As such, you’ll positively wish to spend money on a pay as you go journey card akin 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 by means of the ticket gates.

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

10. Take a second to take pleasure in 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.

Ensure you take some time 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 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 offered at practice 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 companies, 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 practice 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 suppose. You is likely to be stunned 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 one can Reserve Seats & Board the Prepare

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

If you’re touring with a Japan Rail Go then one of many many benefits of that is that you could make advance seat reservations without spending a dime. 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 Businesses.

For a number of years, JR East trains have been the one service that has provided 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 indicate your JR Go on the ticket gate and go to your platform.

Be sure you 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 will have 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 can 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 in 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 chill out!