The Ultimate Japan Train Guide (get around with confidence)

If you’re going to Japan, you’ll be using the trains — like, a lot. But the railway systems in Japan are second to none, so prepare to get spoiled! The transportation convenience is probably one of my favorite parts about exploring this amazing country.

To take full advantage though, it helps to know a few things before you arrive. So this is my ultimate Japan train guide.

I first moved to Japan in 2017 as an English teacher. Nowadays, I take multi-month trips there as a digital nomad. So I’ve gotten to know the train lines and etiquette pretty well.

This is everything you need to know — now let’s do this!

Table of Contents Show

Japan Train 101

Japan is known for its trains. And everything you’ve heard about them is true!

They’re super clean, quiet, safe and rarely late. Plus, they’re affordable, well connected and you can find stations everywhere.

So no need to worry about hailing a cab or getting stranded while exploring one of the biggest cities in the world. Let’s look at the main railways you’ll be using.

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The Main Train Lines in Japan

“Major cities like Tokyo have an impressive network of railway systems, which can look daunting if you see the map. But trust me, they super user-friendly and easy to navigate (with the exception of a few busy spots — I’m looking at you, Shinjuku station!)”

To better understand this network, it’s helpful to first learn about the main train lines you’ll see in Japan.

JR (Japan Railways)

JR is by far the most popular railway. Most trains in Japan are operated by them — around 70% to be specific! So if you’re coming to Japan, you’ll be riding a lot of JR trains, which include major lines like:

• Yamanote Line

• Chūō-Sōbu Line

• Keihin-Tohoku Line

• Saikyo Line

Private railway companies

Whether you’re traveling in Tokyo or exploring Hokkaido, you’ll find JR lines everywhere in Japan. But there are also a number of private train lines and subways you’ll likely ride too.

Tokyo private train lines:

• Tobu

• Odakyu

• Tokyu

• Keisei

• Seibu

• Keikyu

• Keio

Osaka private train lines:

• Kintetsu

• Nankai

• Hankyu

• Keihan

• Hanshin

Often, you’ll need to transfer between private lines and JR trains. But your ticket or IC card will work just the same, so you don’t need to worry about buying any extra train fare. I talk more about train cards and tickets below — so keep reading!

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How to Buy Single Train Tickets at the Machine

To ride the trains in Japan, you need to pay the train fare (obviously). But getting a train ticket in Japan is simple and convenient.

You can purchase a one-way ticket at any ticketing machine. These are found next to the ticket gates at any train station. There will be a map above the ticket machines showing you the prices depending on which station you’re traveling too. Here’s how to buy a one-way train ticket at a machine in Japan:

1. Find your destination on the map

2. See the amount that’s showing

3. Purchase that ticket price at the machine

4. Insert ticket into gate and grab it at the other end

When buying train tickets (or charging your card), it’s best to always bring cash with you since many machines still don’t take credit (especially at older stations).

So, is there a better way to pay for trains? Totally. Train cards are more convenient than single tickets.

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How to Get a Japan Train Pass (2 options)

If buying a single ticket every time you ride the train doesn’t behoove you, you’ll want to snag a train card. If you’re a resident (or moving to Japan), you can get an IC card such as the Suica card (for Kanto area) or the Icoca card (for Kansai area).

But unfortunately, tourists can no longer purchase these regular IC cards. Instead, you have two main options for train passes while in Japan:

• Welcome Suica

• JR Pass

Welcome Suica

For local trains and convenient payments

“The Welcome Suica is a 28-day temporary IC card available to short-term visitors in Japan. There’s no deposit required and it’s built for short-term travelers.”

The Welcome Suica is perfect if you’re mostly staying in one place and just using local transportation.

But you can do a whole lot more than just take the train with this card.

The Welcome Suica card (like all IC cards) works like a debit card in that you can use it to pay for things at shops, restaurants and convenience stores throughout Japan. They’re super useful and I definitely recommend getting one for this convenience (plus, it’s just a nice souvenir).

You can get a Welcome Suica card at Haneda and Narita airport or at major train stations like Tokyo station, Shinjuku station and Shibuya station (learn more here).

How to Use a Welcome Suica Card

To use the trains with your Welcome Suica, simply tap the scanner at the gates when entering and exiting the station (or when making transfers).

To pay for stuff, just look for the green Suica logo outside of stores or at the payment counter. Then say “Suica de” at the register to let the clerk know you’ll be using your IC card to pay (unless it’s a machine, like at 711, then just hit the IC card button).

To add money to your Welcome Suica, you can use any train station ticket machine. Just push the button for English (or press the チャージ button, which means “charge”), select the amount of money you want to add to your card and insert your cash. You’ll need to first insert your card or place it over a scanner to add money to it.

JR Pass

For longer trips around Japan

“The JR Pass is for nationwide, long-distance travel in Japan. It’s valid on all JR lines, local JR buses and the Tokyo Monorail from Haneda airport.”

If you’ll be using the Shinkansen or taking longer trips throughout Japan, you’ll want to pick up a JR Pass.

It’s open to visitors on a tourist visa, and you have three pass options to choose from:

• 7-day pass (¥70,000)

• 14-day pass (¥110,000)

• 21-day pass (¥140,000)

The most important thing to note is that you need to buy your JR Pass online BEFORE you leave for Japan. You can purchase your tickets using the Japan Rail Pass website here.

After you reserve your ticket online, you can pick it up at Haneda or Narita airport or at a major JR station. Just show your reservation voucher and passport to get your JR Pass upon arrival. You can learn more about the JR Pass in this guide here.

How to Use the JR Pass

Using your JR Pass is super easy. You can just use it at the automatic ticket gates (just like any other ticket or pass).

But if you want to get a free seat reservation (one of the perks that come with the JR Pass), you’ll have to get a separate ticket in addition to your JR Pass. You can get your seat reservations using a ticket machine or at a JR ticket counter if you prefer speaking with a real human.

How to Take the Trains + Get Around Japan

You’ll learn how to navigate the trains in Japan pretty quickly. They’re intuitive and Japan is pretty English-friendly too (especially in major cities or touristy areas). Still, here’s everything you need to know to ride the trains in Japan like a pro.

How to Ride Japan’s Local Trains

If you’re spending time in the city, you’ll be using the trains a lot. They’re super convenient and literally everywhere.

So here’s how to ride the local trains in Japan:

• Load up your train card. Charging stations are outside all ticket gates, but they’re also inside the gates too in case you don’t have enough to cover the fare.

• Use the automatic ticket gates. Simply scan your ticket or run it through the ticket mouth to enter and exit.

• Check your last train time. Always check the time for your last train. In Tokyo, this is usually around midnight on the weekends.

• Use Google Maps. Google Maps gives you accurate directions, train times and other info — it’s all I use to navigate around Tokyo.

• Double check you have the right train. Match the platform number and train departure time to your directions and pay close attention to local vs. rapid vs express lines.

• Follow train etiquette. Just be polite and use common sense, but I cover more specific etiquette tips in the last section below.

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How to Ride the Shinkansen for Longer Trips

The Shinkansen is the high-speed bullet train. This is where you’ll use your JR Pass to visit different cities across Japan.

The bullet train doesn’t stop at every station though, so you’ll depart and arrive at the major ones before making any local transfers to get to your final destination. But I love riding the Shinkansen. It’s super smooth, convenient and easy to use.

Here’s an example of how to take the bullet train from Shin Yokohama station to Osaka:

1. Enter the Shinkansen train gates. Follow the signs for Shinkansen to enter or take the transfer gate from JR Lines.

2. Purchase your ticket. Buy or pick up your bullet train ticket(s) at the ticket counters. Or use the ticket machines, which have lines for cash or credit.

3. Ask for help. If you have issues, there is an attendant at the machines. When I was there, some ticket machines had a phone and video monitor that connected you with an English-speaking agent who walked me through the whole process.

4. Buy the right ticket. If you have oversized luggage/bigger bags, you can choose a seat towards the back for oversized luggage or extra storage. Also buy a ticket with a departure time that gives you plenty of time. I’d rather wait with some vending machine BOSS coffee than have to rush or miss my train altogether — slow travel for the win!

5. Find your platform and train car. After choosing a time and seat (if you’re getting a reserved seat), go to the Shin Osaka tracks (obviously).

6. Go to the right train car number. Look at your ticket for your train car number (next to your seat number). Find the train gate number that matches and wait there. If you didn’t get a reserved ticket, you’ll use cars 1-3.

7. Double check. I always like to double check I’m at the right spot. So I make sure the signs reading the train destination and departure time match my ticket.

Look Like a Local (key tips for riding trains in Japan)

Taking trains in Japan (like a local) really comes down to just doing what everyone else is doing. So in this rare instance, follow the crowd and don’t forge your own path!

But here are the main Japan train etiquette tips to know:

• Line up to the left and the right to get on the train

• Wait for passengers to get off before getting on

• Watch for women-only cars (they’re usually pink)

• Avoid talking on the phone

• Avoid eating food

• Always check the time for your last train

• Just don’t be loud or obnoxious

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Later ✌️

Learning how to get around Japan is pretty simple. And train travel is the most convenient way to explore the country and its cities. Luckily, it’s not too hard!

If you’ll be spending most of your time in the city (like Tokyo), I recommend getting a Welcome Suica IC card. This makes paying for train fare much easier, and you can also use it like a debit card at restaurants, shops and convenient stores.

But if you plan on doing long-distance travel, you may also want to get a JR Pass. This will give you unlimited use of JR trains and Shinkansen rides.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, you can expect to ride the trains a lot. Luckily, there are plenty of English signs (in central areas) and your Google Maps app will show you where you need to go.

Just remember, Japanese people are also super warm and welcoming. So you can often find someone to help you out — just don’t mumble or use a bunch slang and enunciate clearly.

FAQs

• How Many Train Stations are There in Japan?

  There are over 8,500 train stations in Japan, with Shinjuku ranking as the busiest station in the world. So if you’re staying in a central place like Tokyo, you’ll rarely be more than a 10-minute walk to any station, which can then get you to wherever you want to go.

• Do I need a different train pass to transfer trains?

  Nope! For example, if you’re using a Welcome Suica, it will work on all train lines and in all cities with smart transit scanning systems. If you’re using the JR Pass, this will only work for JR trains and a few other options. text goes here

• Ah! What if I miss my train stop?

  No stress, we’ve all been there! Missing your stop on a local train is no big deal – albeit just slightly inconvenient. You can simply get off at the next station, hop over to the opposite platform and take the train back. Just be sure to get on the right train line. There are local, express and rapid express lines, which all stop at different stations.

  If you miss your Shinkansen stop, I’d recommend speaking with the staff. But unless you fall asleep, these stops are harder to miss since there are lots of English announcements.

• Which app is best for navigating trains in Japan?

  I use Google 100% of the time. There are other apps locals use (like NAVITIME), but I’ve never had issues with Google. The Google Maps app (or just searching on Google) give me times, train lines and directions perfectly.

• How do I get a Welcome Suica card?

  You can buy a Welcome Suica card at either Haneda or Narita airport and also at major train stations like Tokyo or Shinjuku station.

• Should I get the Welcome Suica or the JR Pass?

  You may want both. But if you only plan on staying in one place (for example, just exploring Tokyo or Osaka), you don't need the JR Pass. The JR Pass is for long-distance travel and taking the Shinkansen. The Welcome Suica works for local trains, subways and buses.

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