Trains

Japan

Trains in Japan

Japan is one of the most railway criss-crossed nations in the world. Most of its major attractions are close to a railway station. The Japan Railway (JR) Group lines and the many private lines operate frequently and are punctual, safe, clean, speedy, and economical. Long-distance trains provide convenient access to all parts of Japan. To book tickets for long-distance trains, follow either one of two different procedures. (1)If you did not validate your Japan Rail Pass at the airport, or did not make seat reservations at the airport JR Travel Service Center, you can go to the JR Travel Center downtown. The one in Tokyo is located at the Yaesu north-exist concourse of Tokyo Station, and is open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. If you have already validated your pass and need only to make seat reservations, go to any "Green Window" or Midori-no-madoguchi counter at major JR stations.


'The Japan Rail Pass' provides virtually unlimited travel on the national network of JR railways, including the Shinkansen 'bullet train' (with the sole exception of the new 'Nozomi' Super Express). An ordinary 7-day pass costs 28,300 yen or 4,020 yen less than the round-trip fare to Kyoto from Narita Airport via Tokyo. If you concentrate your traveling on eastern Japan from Tokyo or on western Japan from Osaka, regional JR Passes are helpful. JR-East Pass covers northeastern Japan except Hokkaido, including Akita, Nagano and Aomori. JR-West Pass is convenient to those who travel to western Japan including Kansai area or Okayama, Hiroshima and Hakata. JR-Kyushu Pass covers Kyushu area and covers Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Miyazaki. For detailed information and other privileges, call JR East infoline (Tel. 03-3423-0111), or contact your nearest TiS office. Long Distance Buses
JR operates long-distance buses between Tokyo and other major cities. Though travel takes longer, sometimes due to heavy traffic, fares are cheaper than Shinkansen train fares. Other bus companies provide bus travel between major cities. Benefits of Night Buses include money saving on a night's accommodation, good riding comfort and economical travel even in daytime on routes good for sightseeing. Local Trains and Subways
To use intra-city surface railway and subway lines, first purchase a ticket at a vending machine or ticket window. Your ticket is punched by hand at the wicket or inserted in a punching machine. Please keep the ticket, since it must be returned at your destination. If there is no fare chart in English, buy the cheapest ticket indicated on the vending machine and pay the difference due at the fare adjustment office at your destination station before you go through the exit wicket. All JR train and subway lines display station names in both Japanese and alphabet lettering on platform signboards. The name of the station is in large letters in the center of the sign; names of adjacent stations appear below or to either side. Most other rail lines are convenient only for commuters, but may offer speedier, more economical and more convenient routes than JR from nearby urban centers to popular spots such as Nikko, Hakone, Nara, Toba, and so forth. Please note, however, that the JR Pass is not honored on these lines. JR operates long-distance lines as well as trunk lines to major suburban centers. Private railway lines ordinarily extend less than 100km, connecting cities with suburbs and popular resort areas. In Tokyo and Osaka, the combinations of trains and subways can take you virtually anywhere you want to go. However, try to avoid riding on subways and commuter trains during the morning (7:30-9:30 a.m.) and evening (5:00-6:00 p.m.) rush hours. All mass-transit system stops operating around midnight. Taxis may then be difficult to flag down, and the charge after 11:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. is 30 percent higher. One-day open tickets can be purchased for unlimited railway and subway travel in some cities. City Buses All major cities have extensive intra-city bus routes. Bus stops, however, have no signs in English. And the routes are sometimes too complicated even for city residents to understand. Kyoto is a welcome exception; buses are convenient, easy to use, and have English announcements. Your bus ticket is numbered to indicate the fare zone where you boarded. An illustrated sign at the front of the bus shows a changing fare schedule. If your ticket shows the number 3, for example, the fare you pay is indicated under column 3 on the sign. Put the fare in the cash box beside the driver's seat when leaving the bus. In a few instances, a flat fare is charged. The name of the final destination of each bus is written in Japanese above the windshield, but also often includes a route number. Have a hotel clerk write down your destination in Japanese so that bus drivers or other people waiting for buses can direct you to the right bus. Taxis Taxis can be very convenient for intra-city transportation. To flag down a taxi, look for a red light in the lower right corner of the windshield as you face it. Any other color means the taxi is reserved or occupied. Passengers enter the back door on the left side, which the driver opens and closes automatically. If you are visiting someone's home or company, be sure to have a map, as an address is not enough, given the complicated street layouts in the big cities. Tipping is not practiced. Pay only the metered fare.