Navigating Transport in Japan!

By Alex Sulda

When you live in a country like Japan with 123 million people, and a city like Tokyo with 14

million people, you need to have an efficient way of getting around, that doesn’t rely on

everyone having a car. If you want to travel like a local, here are a few tips that might make your Public Transport travel experience easier and enjoyable.

I have recently returned from my fourth trip to Japan, and Public Transport in Japan is truly amazing. It is convenient, comfortable, and surprisingly easy to navigate once you understand the way it works. As they are moving massive volumes of people around every day, the most important thing you can rely on is that everything is always on time.

In our recent trip to ski in Hakuba and Nozawa Onsen, followed by a bit of touring in Kanazawa, Takayama and Tokyo, we only used a taxi twice. This was to get to and from our ryokan that was about 2km from the train station. For the rest, we used trains (Shinkansens-Bullet Trains, Limited Express Trains, and local trains) and the underground Metro in Tokyo, as well as a few buses. On previous trips around the South-West the trains and Metros of Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima all operate the same way.

Tip 1. Plan your accommodation in Tokyo and the larger cities around the major Rail or

Metro Stations. If you can walk to and from the station to any accommodation it reduces time, stress, and the need for taxis. The major stations like Tokyo, Ueno and Shinjuku are four and five levels, including train companies like JR East, a Metro line or two, sometimes a local train line, and a Shinkansen line. You can eat and shop in the stations, and JR usually have a Hotel or two located in the stations and nearby.

Tip 2. Do your research in advance. As the stations can often cover 3 or 4 city blocks, they

have a large number of Exits. Coming out of the station using the correct exit will save you time and frustration. Each station will have a map of the Exits, and most hotels nearby will have directions that include the nearest Exit. In the largest stations there are a few named Gates, (e.g. The East Gate or the New Central Gate etc.) which then lead to specific Exits. It is worth knowing the basic outline of the station and where the Escalators and Elevators are if you are carrying a lot of baggage.

Tip 3. Try to avoid the peak hours for travelling. Stations like Shinjuku and Tokyo are moving

more than 2.5 million passengers per day, so navigating at peak times with luggage is a lot

easier at 8:00am on a Sunday morning than at 8:00am on a Monday morning.

Tip 4. First find the English button on the ticket machines. Buying tickets is usually pain free

at ticket machines. Keep cash in your pocket for buying Metro tickets as a lot of machines are cash only. For simple end to end trips the Ticket Machines are ideal.

Tip 5. For complex trips use the staff at the Ticket Information Counters at the main

stations. The staff are always friendly, have some English capability, and know the best way to get from one place to the next. Sometimes a direct highway bus can be a simple and cost

effective alternative. Where possible book the buses in advance to be sure not to miss out.

Tip 6. Reserving Seats is usually optional, but recommended for longer trips or travelling

at peak times. All of the Shinkansen and Limited Express Trains allow seat reservations. For

day tripping, there are usually plenty of available seats in the Non-Reserved carriages of the

trains. Just arrive 10 minutes early, find out where the Non-reserved carriages are, and get in

the queue. For longer multi-station or transfer journeys, reserving seats is inexpensive and

reduces the potential drama of sitting in someone’s reserved seat. Check your ticket for the

Platform and Car number, and line up on the platform. The trains always stop at exactly the right spot. If you have lots of luggage, get in early to use the luggage space at the back of the carriage.

Tip 7. Limited Express trains need an additional Limited Express Ticket. These are

purchased at the same time as the train ticket from the ticket machines. If you get on the train without one, you can buy one either during the journey from the conductor, or at the Fare Adjustment gate just before you exit.

Tip 8. Do your research and purchase a Japan Rail Pass or 3-day Metro Pass. For

overseas travellers you can purchase Rail Passes (order online before leaving) for JR trains,

and the regional JR subsidiaries, like JR-East, JR-West etc. We used a 4-day JR-SouthWest

Pass that was great value for exploring Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Himeji. The full Japan

Rail Pass is now quite expensive, so a more limited pass may work out more effective. For the

Metro Pass, find a Metro Information Desk and you just need your Passport with your entry visa and you can buy a cheap 3 day Metro ticket.

Tip 9. The ticket entry and exit gates are incredibly smart, trust them. The Ticket gates

open when you put in the tickets into the slot with the flashing light. They allow you to pass into the train platforms, or exit out of the train station. If the machine swallows your ticket, then your ticket has expired or it’s usefulness is finished. If they are multi-day or multi-leg trips, they will pop up at the other end of the gate for you to collect and reuse.

Tip 10. If you order tickets online, you need to collect them at a nominated JR Station.

When you have ordered tickets or passes online, be aware that JR stations don't operate 24 x 7. I would avoid trying to pick up tickets from the Airport stations, the queues are horrendous. Better to stay overnight in Tokyo, or Osaka and arrange for the tickets to be collected at a Station in the city the next day. This is especially important if you want to reserve seats for trains the next day. If you miss your scheduled pick-up, the tickets and passes can be voided.

The Final Tip. Don’t stress, the Japanese are very considerate to Western travelers. If you

make a mess of things, there will always be a friendly person ready to help you figure out what you need to do. Be patient, remember English is their second language, and talking loudly or angrily doesn't make you easier to understand.

Planning your own trip? Speak to one of our Travel Experts who have travelled to Japan!

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