Trains & Transportation

This section of our blog is dedicated to the public transportation in Japan, available for free to all Japan Rail Pass holders.

If you want to learn more about how to locate and take your trains from Tokyo or Kyoto stations; how to arrive in central Tokyo from Narita Airport, by taking the Narita Express (N’EX); how to ride the JR buses in the major cities or take the Miyajima ferry from Hiroshima, this section is for you.

You will also enjoy a number of comprehensive routes on how to arrive from one city to another; where to look for accurate online timetables; where and how to transfer between stations and more.

The 10 best steam trains in Japan

The haunting whistle of a vintage train is so ingrained upon our collective consciousness that even the youngest of children often recognize the sound. Before the advent of the bullet train and the modern railway system, the steam locomotive, or SL train, was the fastest way to get around.

Japan has preserved many of these trains, some dating back to the nineteenth century. You, too, can experience the nostalgic thrill of the steam locomotive. Grab your Japan Rail Pass, and have fun exploring the following SL trains.

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The Sanyo Shinkansen with the JR Pass

If you’re exploring western Japan, chances are you’ll find yourself on the Sanyo Shinkansen. This is the fastest and most convenient way to travel between major cities like Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka.

Opened in 1975 as the country’s second bullet train line and an extension of the Tokaido Shinkansen, it revolutionized long-distance travel with speeds of up to 300 km/h (185 mph).

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Best Day Trips from Osaka by train

Osaka might not exude beauty the way Kyoto might, but the city definitely has charm, color, and great food. Set in the Kansai region, Japan’s third largest city is extremely well connected and has plenty of surprises in store.

If you’re a foodie, Osaka is the place to be. Its unofficial slogan is kruidaore which means ‘eat until you drop’.  A highly photogenic spot in the city is Dōtombori, here you will find several pedestrian streets and numerous illuminated billboards. One of the most famous signs is the Glico Running Man.

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Alfa-X Shinkansen: The 400 km/h Bullet Train

The next generation of Shinkansen bullet trains has already begun testing. The state-of-the-art ‘Alfa-X’ travels up to 400 km/h (almost 250 mph!) and has a range of groundbreaking features.

Journalists were first treated to a trial run of the experimental craft on 27th October 2020, between Sandai and Morioka stations on the JR East Tohoku Shinkansen line, which links Tokyo with Aomori Prefecture in the north of Honshu, Japan’s largest island.

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