www.seat61.com/Japan.htm#Train%20times
Country information Train operator in Japan: There are six main regional railway companies, known collectively as Japan Railways, plus many local railway operators.
Recommended guidebooks Page last updated: 15 August 2010 Travelling by train in Japan... Series 700 high-speed train, as used from Tokyo to Kyoto, OPsaka, Hiroshima & Hakata.
Ferry links from Japan to China, Korea & Russia Everyone has heard of the 'bullet train' lines, known in Japan as 'shinkansen'. These are high-speed lines, built to standard gauge (4' 8"). The first shinkansen opened in 1964, and there are now a whole range of 'shinkansen' lines linking all the most important cities in Japan, including Niigata, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Hakata. Train travel in Japan: Comfortable 'green car' seats on a Series 300 Shinkansen train An extensive network of original 3' 6" narrow-gauge lines remains, covering the whole of Japan and taking you to almost every city and town of any size. There are some impressive sleeping-car trains, too, for example Tokyo-Sapporo. These run on the original narrow-gauge lines, but they can save time compared with daytime travel, even using shinkansen. Travelling by train in Japan is easy, as the stations have signs and departure boards in English as well as Japanese. Japanese trains are very clean and modern, and are amazingly punctual. Two classes of seating are provided, ordinary class and 'green car' (1st class). Green cars are indicated by a green 'clover' symbol next to the entrance door. Top right: A series 700 train, now used on most Hikari & Nozomi services on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima & Hakata. Above left: Green car seating on a 'Series 300' train also used on Hikari services on the Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka - Hiroshima - Hakata Shinkansen. As you'd expect, green car seating has more legroom and seats are arranged 2+2 across the coach, standard class seats are normally arranged 2+3. However, travelling standard class is perfectly adequate.
Japanese train times & fares Journey: Distance Time by Nozomi * Time by Hikari * One-way fare: Train frequency: Tokyo - Kyoto 513km, 320 miles 2 hours 18 min 2 hours 49 mins 13,720 (101, $161) Every 5-10 minutes, direct. Tokyo - Shin-Osaka 552km, 345 miles 2 hours 18 min 2 hours 33 mins 14,250 (105, $168) Every 5-10 minutes, direct. Tokyo - Hiroshima 894km, 559 miles 4 hours 8 min 5 hours 2 mins 18,620 (137, $220) Every 10-20 minutes, direct. Tokyo - Nagasaki 1,328km, 830 miles 7 hours 14 min 8 hours 21 mins 24,980 (183, $294) Every hour or better, change at Hakata. Kyoto - Hiroshima 380km, 237 miles 1 hour 36 min 1 hour 59 mins 11,290 (83, $133) Every 10-20 minutes, direct.. Hiroshima - Nagasaki 434km, 271 miles 3 hours 10 min 3 hours 25 mins 12,090 (89, $142) Every hour or better, change at Hakata.
Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable - click to buy * Nozomi = fastest Shinkansen train type, Japan Rail Passes not valid. Hikari = next fastest Shinkansen train type, Japan Rail Passes valid.
Rail fares in Japan are expensive, and if you are an overseas visitor a Japan Rail Pass can be the cheapest way to travel even if you are only planning one return trip from (say) Tokyo to Hiroshima. Japan Rail Pass Touring with a Japan Rail Pass: On the platform at Tokyo Central A Japan Rail Pass will probably save you money... Train fares in Japan are expensive even by UK standards, and even if you are only planning a couple of inter-city journeys, a Japan Rail Pass can save you money over normal tickets. For example, the normal return fare from Tokyo to Kyoto is 27,440 Yen, about 211, and from Tokyo to Hiroshima 37,240 Yen, about 286. A Japan Rail Pass costs 284 for 7 days unlimited travel throughout Japan. You can see that a rail pass can save money even if you're making just one return journey from Tokyo to Hiroshima.
Japan Rail Passes covering the whole of Japan are available for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days unlimited travel on the national Japan Railways (JR) network, in a choice of ordinary class or 'green' (first) class. You can use any JR train service, both high-speed Shinkansen and ordinary slower narrow-gauge trains, except for the very fastest 'Nozomi' expresses on the Tokyo-Osaka-Hakata Shinkansen (this is not a problem, as you can use the 'Hikari' expresses on this route which are only slightly slower). A green class rail pass is great if you can afford it, but standard class on Japanese trains is perfectly adequate, there's no real need to pay more. You can also use overnight sleeping-car trains with a Japan Rail Pass, if you pay the rather large sleeper supplement, around 10,000 (about 77) one-way for a basic 'B' category bunk in addition to your pass. The Japan Rail Pass does not cover lines that are run by private rail operators, only the Japan Railways (JR) Group. Japan East Rail Pass, Japan West (Sanyo) Rail Pass, Japan West (Kansai) RailPass: There are also three other Japan Rail Passes covering smaller areas. The Japan East Pass covers Tokyo, Nagano, Niigata, Sendai, Morioka, Misawa & Akita. The Sanyo area pass covers an area including Osaka, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima & Hakata. The Kansai area rail pass covers Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara & Himeji and costs only around 15 ($23) a day, a pretty good deal.
You need to buy your Japan Rail Pass before you leave your home country as you can't buy a pass once you're in Japan. You can buy your Japan Rail Pass from a UK, US or Australian agency, depending on where you live: Buy a Japan Rail Pass in the UK Passes can be sent to any address worldwide, including the UK, Ireland, USA & Canada.
Prices in AUD$, passes sent out from International Rail in Australia. The 'Red Express' from Hakata to Nagasaki How does a Japan Rail Pass work? When you buy a Japan rail pass in the UK, you will be given a voucher which needs to be exchanged for the railpass itself in Japan any time within the following three months. Vouchers can be exchanged at all the most important Japan Railways stations, including Tokyo and its international airports, but unfortunately not including Sakaiminato if you arrive by ferry from Vladivostok. Train reservations can be made in Japan at any ticket office once you have your The 'Spacia' limited express from Tokyo to Nikko rail pass, but they cannot be made from outside Japan before you get there. However, except at the busiest peak times you are unlikely to have any problem getting reservations on the trains you want.
Left picture: The high-speed 'Shinkansen' will get you from Tokyo and Kyoto to Hakata, where it ends. To reach Nagasaki, you'll need to change onto the 'Kamome' ('Red Express'). On of the original 'Red Expresses' is seen here at Hakata. You can get there in less than 2 hours on the Tobu Railway's 'Spacia Express' from Tokyo Asakusa station. A room in a traditional Japanese 'Ryokan' There are two unique types of overnight accommodation which you should try in Japan. The rooms don't have beds, but are covered with 'tatami' matting on which you place a bedroll. You will probably be offered a hot cup of green Japanese tea when you first arrive. Another Japanese experience, which (purely incidentally) is an ultra-cheap option for staying a night in the heart of Tokyo or other big cities, is a night in a capsule hotel. The hotel reception looks like any other hotel reception - just remember to take your shoes off before you walk in, and place them in one of the lockers in the lobby. Upstairs, there will probably be several floors of fibreglass sleeping capsules, each floor with its own locker room and shared showers. You change in the locker room and put your clothes and bags into your locker. Your capsule has radio, alarm clock and TV, and a screen or curtain pulls over the capsule entrance for privacy. Unfortunately, the main clientele for these hotels is Japanese businessmen who have missed their last train home, so they don't tend to cater well for women or couples. A Series 300 shinkansen train crosses a Tokyo street It's impossible to mention every sight or attraction Japan has to offer, but here are some highlights of a visit to Japan that might give you some ideas. visit the site of the ...
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