Trains in Japan
Japan Railways (JR)
Japan is home to one of the safest and most efficient rail networks in
the world. Trains are clean, comfortable and reliable, and with signs
and announcements provided in English on many services, rail travel is
one of the most convenient ways to explore the ever-changing scenery of
Japan.
The majority of Japan’s vast rail network is operated by Japan Railways
(JR) with as many as 26,000 JR trains running daily on a nation-wide system.
Services range from the Shinkansen Super Express or ‘Bullet Train’,
which connects popular destinations throughout Japan, to local rail systems
for travel in and around major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, including
convenient rail transfers to Narita Airport (Tokyo) and Kansai International
Airport (Osaka).
JR also runs one of Japan’s many long distance bus services, which
offer a comfortable and efficient alternative to rail travel for visitors
on a budget.
JR Rail Services
JR Rail Services
Japan Railways (JR) operates several different kinds of passenger trains.
These are listed below, beginning with the fastest.
Shinkansen
(Super Express)
There are several types of Shinkansen or ‘Bullet Train’. The
fastest is the ‘Nozomi’, which travels at speeds of up to 270
km (168 miles) per hour.
There are five Shinkansen lines in Japan. These are as follows: The Tokkaido-Sanyo
Line - connects Tokyo with Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima before terminating
at Fukuoka (northern Kyushu). The Tohoku-Akita Line - connects Tokyo with
Sendai, Morioka and Akita (northern Honshu). The Tohoku-Yamagata Line
- connects Tokyo with Yonezawa and Yamagata. The Joetsu Line - connects
Tokyo with the ski resort area of Echigo Yuzawa before terminating at
Niigata on the Japan Sea coast. The Hokuriku Line - connects Tokyo with
the highland resort area of Karuizawa before terminating at Nagano in
the Japan Alps region.
Tokkyu
(Limited Express)
Branching off the main Shinkansen network, Limited Express trains make
a small number of stops at major stations.
Kyuko
(Express)
Express Trains stop at larger stations. Stops are more frequent than on
Limited Express trains.
Kaisoku
(Rapid Train)
Rapid trains make frequent stops at smaller stations.
Futsu
(Local Train)
Local trains stop at all stations on routes that are generally limited
to distances of 100km or less.
In addition to the Japan Railways network, there are a number of smaller
private railway lines, which can usually be found in major cities and
their surrounds. These regional railway systems generally cover shorter
distances and include local commuter services and connections from cities
to nearby resort areas.
Fares
Basic Fares
A basic fare must be paid for travel on all JR Trains. This fare is determined
by how far and on which lines you are travelling and covers all costs
associated with travel on JR Rapid and Local Trains. With a basic fare
ticket your journey can be broken an unlimited number of times during
the validity period of the ticket except:
Where the distance covered by your ticket is less than 100 km (62 miles).
Within the designated city and surrounding zones of Tokyo, Osaka or Fukuoka
when your ticket both starts and finishes within such zones.
Within the designated city zones of Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Yokohama,
Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, Kita-kyushu or Fukuoka if your
tickets starts or finishes within any one of these designated zones.
Surcharges
Travel on Super Express (Shinkansen), Limited Express and Express trains,
requires payment of a basic fare plus a surcharge, the cost of which varies
according to which service you are using and the season of travel. An
additional surcharge also applies to travel on the ‘Nozomi’
Bullet Train, on overnight sleeper trains, and in Green (1st) Class carriages.
Unlike basic fare tickets, surcharge tickets can only be used for a single
continuous journey. If you break your journey you will need to pay a separate
surcharge for each additional Super Express Limited Express or Express
train you take.
The table below is a guide to how much you can expect to pay for high-speed
rail travel in Japan. Prices are for a single journey in Ordinary Class
(with reserved seating) on the Shinkansen (excluding the ‘Nozomi’)
and include estimated surcharges. The Japan Rail Pass covers the basic
fare and surcharge for travel on all JR Trains except for the ‘Nozomi’
Bullet Train and overnight sleeper trains.
Reservations
Reservations are not required on most JR trains. On Super Express (Bullet
Train), Limited Express and Express services you can choose between travel
in Ordinary Class or Green (1st class) Class. Reservations are required
for travel in Green Class. Both reserved and unreserved seating is available
in Ordinary Class. Reservations are not required on JR Rapid or Local
trains.
The fee for reserved seating is ¥510. There is no charge for reservations
made by holders of the Japan Rail Pass.
Although the JR network offers a very frequent service on major routes*,
it is a good idea to make advance reservations, particularly during peak
holiday periods when transportation is always heavily booked. Outside
Japan, reservations can be made up to one month in advance on the World
Eki Net website for travel on the JR Narita Express (connecting Narita
Airport with central Tokyo) and Shinkansen (Bullet Train) services across
the country. Tickets for reservations made in this way can be collected
on arrival in Japan at a number of larger stations within the JR East
service area. Visit the World Eki Net website for further details.
Reserved seating can also be arranged at green ticket windows in JR stations
or at leading travel agents within Japan.
For shorter trips on local trains, tickets can be purchased from automatic
vending machines in JR stations. Tickets for longer journeys can be purchased
from green ticket windows in JR stations.
* Example: Shinkansen services between Tokyo and Osaka depart approximately
once every 15 minutes.
Rail Passes
There are a variety of discounts available for travel on the Japan Railways
network. The Japan Rail Pass offers foreign visitors to Japan unlimited
travel for a period of 7, 14 or 21 days on nearly all JR services, including
the Shinkansen or 'bullet train' (except for the 'Nozomi' bullet train).
A number of other rail passes, also offer significant savings on the cost
of rail travel in Japan.
|
Powered by Kittiwake