How to reserve a seat of japan railway trains at the station. Tickets can be purchased one month in advance at 10am from jr midorinomadoguchi ticket counters. Trains have private compartments and nobi nobi berths partitioned personsized patches of carpet. Everything your child ever wondered about trains is in the glossy pages of this wonderful book. Do i need to buy any train or bus tickets in advance to reserve seats, or can i buy when i arrive in japan. You can travel to kyoto from tokyo in about 2,5 hrs. Arriving in japan for the first time means a lot of culture shock, a scramble to get your wifi sorted and quick trip to the airport 711 for the first of many onigiri. Travelling by japans shinkansen, or bullet trains, is a mustdo for visitors to japan. If you wish to reserve a seat, you need to provide the following additional information. Everything you need to know about taking a bullet train.
Discount ticket shops can be found around major railway stations in large cities. As for convenience, very easy to book your tickets when you arrive either at the jr ticket centre at nrt or kix. You may find that having a specific seat is more comfortable than looking for empty seats on the unreserved cars, especially if you are traveling with your family and would like to sit together. The first thing you need to do is trying to book a seat right after you arrive in japan. Train travel is, in japan, particularly easy and fluid but it does not happen by accident. Just show your japan rail pass and passport and ask for a reservation in the class you want on the train you want. Riding the train in japan eriks guide to japan book 1.
A comprehensive travel guide to bring you up to speed on japanese etiquette, language, food, hotels, and more. Comfortable the train is very quiet and comfortable, so you can relax while you take in the beautiful surroundings. If you are in a large party and want to sit together, i recommend reserving seats for your journeys at the beginning of your stay. While its easy to buy tickets at train stations in japan, you might want to buy. Using the price in jpy makes it easy to compare it to the individual. Our page about regular train tickets provides an introduction to the various fares and fees, such as the base fare and. Is there no way to book direct from the train company. Japan is a cashbased society and many places that you might expect to take credit card normallylike mcdonaldsdo not.
Do i need to book bullet train ticket in advance or can buy it at the station before departure i am arriving to beijing central station on the 23rd of may at 11. I chose to divide japans public transportation system into three categories. My 8 year old struggles with selfhealing this one, but loves turning through the pages or being read to from this book. Japanese train drivers must point at all important signs and warnings. Here now with plans to book trains as i go and it hasnt worked well for me. In order to do this, you need to go to a jr office in the jr stations. A super express fee is required when boarding any of the bullet trains, in addition to the regular base fee. Compare and book your flight online in order to get our best deal. Is there a train from narita airport down to osaka or do we need to travel from the airport west to tokyo to grab the train to osaka.
Japan rail pass holders are entitled to book a seat on all japan railways trains free of charge. No need to book seats in advance, just choose a train, wave your pass and hop on. The main prepaid cards used around japan are the pasmo and suicathere are other local cards too. Attempting to book a few days or even a week or more in advance i find 1st and 2nd classes unavailable. Using the price in jpy makes it easy to compare it to the individual ticket prices and decide whether you want to buy one.
W hen you think of transportation in japan, obviously the japan rail pass comes to mind. Oct 08, 2017 the future of train travel has already arrived in japan. The book also contains links to various websites, which are easily reached on my kindle fire. Everything you need to know about the japan rail pass. The first thing you need to know is the price of the japan rail pass. The luxury of shinkansen bullet train hopping is exhilarating. This way they show that they have noticed it and are aware of it. Do i need to book bullet train ticket in advance or can. Plan which trains using hyperdia and take the print out to the ticket office, making it easier for the staff to book them for you.
Japan has 23,670 kilometers of rail track across the country, making it easy to travel throughout the country. In general you cant easily prebook these from outside of japan. How to take your bicycle on trains, buses, and more in japan tour japan like royalty on luxury. Japans public transportation system can be a little overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, its actually incredibly convenient and easy to use. You foreign visitors can only book the seats of the trains run by the jr east online from exactly 10am one month before, but you cannot book the seats of the trains run y the other 5 jr companies including jr tokai jr central in english which run the tokaido shinkansen between tokyo and kyoto shinosaka. In japan, there are several types of special cars and priority seating. I would like to travel to shanghai on the bullet ride as i am flying from pudong airport to new zealand 24th of may at 14. The pass can save you a lot of money, but you have to order it before you set off for japan. They can be charged over and over allowing for smooth travel on trains, buses and some boats. The train moves like a bullet hence the nickname, so fast. The following is a guide on how to use trains and subways in japan.
However, some trains have only reserved seats, which require prior reservation. Buy the japan rail pass at the best price on japan follow us on. How to reserve a seat of japan railway trains at the station and online. Certain trains require reservations these restrictions are indicated on the overhead platform boards and youll need to visit the ticket office at the station to get on them. Must do in shinkansen bullet train japan wonder travel. How to book train tickets in advance before traveling to japan. The jr group does not allow to change to a reserved seat once you have boarded the train. One thing you need to know is that not all trains can be booked online as rail companies have different reservation policies. All types of japanese trains, from local to shinkansen, are typically classified into the following categories. Remember that if you hold a first class japan rail pass, you always need to reserve your seat before riding a bullet train. Even if youre not traveling on a reservationonly train, you can still reserve and guarantee.
While its easy to buy tickets at train stations in japan, you might want to buy tickets in advance. The japan rail pass may lead to a reduction but it depends on the route you will travel, in fact, the japan rail pass is a package you only pay once for unlimited use of the train that allows you to take all trains owned by japan railway company unlimited for 7, 14 or 21 days. The future of train travel has already arrived in japan. Here are nine tips to make your journey even easier. The shinkansen is unlikely to be sold out so you should have no issues booking it when you land at narita, and even if it is sold out you can always buy a nonreserved ticket and try and grab a seat in the nonreserved carriages. It is used relatively little for freight transport, accounting for just 0. In this beginners guide to using japans rail system well cover how to buy correct train tickets, finding your platform, riding the train, proper train etiquette, and much more.
These japan travel tips will help you make the most of your stay in this crazy and wonderful country. All seats should be booked before boarding the train. The bullet train, or shinkansen, is a type of passenger train which operates on japans highspeed railway network. You can use the suica card in kyoto, although you wont be able to get a refund on it when you leave. When you pick up your tickets in japan, you will need three things. Sep 09, 2016 these are all the questions you must be asking yourself before buying a japan rail pass and here are the answers. Japan rail pass holders do not need to pay a seat reservation fee. You can simply buy shinkansen tickets and railway tickets in person at any rail station in japan, either. The reserve seat on most trains can be reserved at midori no madoguchi only. Experiencing the worldfamous bullet trains is one of the most popular items on bucket lists for firsttimers and trust me, they are just as wonderful and efficient as their reputation suggests. Jan, 2016 w hen you think of transportation in japan, obviously the japan rail pass comes to mind. Similar to the eurail pass, the jr rail pass gives you close to unlimited travel for a set period on japans jr trains. For many people traveling to japan, booking train tickets is a major problem. The price is usually between 800 and 8,000 yen, depending on your final destination.
Your japan rail pass entitles you to free seat reservations on all trains that are valid with your rail pass. Few things are certain in travel, even in a country where things are as cutanddry as they tend to be in japan, but make no mistake. Below is a list of the various railway tickets available in japan. Often, trains have some wagons dedicated to reserved seats shiteiseki, whilst others are dedicated to unreserved seats jiyuseki. As to why well partly because i want to travel on specific trains, and to be sure that i can, and partly for convenience id prefer not to have to worry about booking the tickets when i get to tokyo. Our page about regular train tickets provides an introduction to the various fares and fees, such as the base fare and limited express fee, and the rules for using tickets. Japan railways west jr west has a new rail ticket service where you can book. Because trains are so reliable, you do not want to be late or you will definitely be left behind. And rightly so as someone who has made a lot of shinkansen journeys over the years, the experience never gets old. How to buy japan rail tickets and shinkansen tickets online. And of course, you dont have to buy tickets in advance.
Our page about regular train tickets provides an introduction to the various fares and fees, such as the base fare and limited express fee, and the. I didnt need to decide in advance exactly what days i would use it, as long as i exchanged the. What are the most prominent ones, and how to find out whether a given train has nonreserved. But if you book a seat on overnight booking, please check the departure date at the original departure station. Though some limited express trains have some nonreserved cars, you should book a reserved.
The vast majority of japanese trains have socalled nonreserved or unreserved seats, literally free seats, which do not allow reservation and are available on a firstcome, firstserved basis. I have traveled to japan twice and used various trains there. How to buy shinkansen tickets, book a seat or consult japanese train schedules. Heres what you need to know before you invest in a jr rail pass. Please take your japan rail pass to any jr ticket office midorinomadoguchi. These chargeable cards require a refundable deposit of 500 yen when you purchase one. Thanks but these just seem to be travel agents or similar.
Shinkansen bullet trains are included in the japan rail pass, which means that jr holders will not have to make any extra payments when. To be honest, unless you are going at a peak japanese holiday period you can just walk up to the station and buy a ticket minutes before departure. If youre traveling using a japan rail pass, heres some travel advice for you to decide if you should make a reservation or not. However, most local trains dont have reserved seats, whereas other trains like the narita express only have reserved seats. Be warned, though, decide now whether to get one or not. Trains in japan are almost always on time, minute to minute. How to reserve a seat of japan railway trains at the. On this page youll find an introduction to train travel in japan, with advice on times, routes, tickets and passes.
This book, combined with helpful rail staff and passengers, made train travel a pleasurable adventure for us. Japan travel centre offers a huge selection of cheap flights to japan. The japan rail pass is resereved for travellers, on a touristic stay in japan, who wish to use the train to travel around the country. So it is best that you find the designated train to your destination in advance, then you should know. Tips to book your seat in even during the busy period. How to reserve a seat of japan railway trains at the station and. Missing the last train its easy to assume that tokyo is a 24 hour city but its not. The jr pass is for tourists, it is only available to nonjapanese people staying in japan for a short time for tourism purposes. X the jr pass is not valid on any highway buses, which are an affordable alternative to trains for regional travel in japan. How to book train tickets japan message board tripadvisor.
Dec 07, 2018 10 things you need to know before you go to japan. Do i need to book bullet train ticket in advance or can buy. Riding the train in japan erik s guide to japan book 1. Capable of reaching a maximum speed of 320kms per hour, the bullet train offers riders an exceptionally unique and efficient travel experience. You can always head to a japan rail jr counter once you arrive or seek help from an agent and pay some extra bucks, however, did you know that you can also book in advance online. You need a japan rail pass, even if you think you dont, and heres why.
The trains are a great way to travel and with a rail pass you. Its a service provided in japan so the base price is always in japanese yen jpy and the price is fixed, you wont see it go on sale. X for jr pass holders who wish to book an overnight train or a seat in the special compartment of the shinkansen, an additional supplement fee is required. With the many different types of trains in japan, tickets and reservations and whether you need them or not can get a little confusing. How to buy shinkansen bullet train tickets inside kyoto. Do i need to prebook any train tickets before arriving. We have direct contracts with many major airlines such as klm royal dutch airline, air france, ana, japan airlines, alitalia, emirates and many more. You may want to do this in tokyo and then get an icoca in kyoto as far as trains are concerned, with two young children i would do seat reservations just to make sure you get seats together. Elsewhere on the site are more specific pages on shinkansen bullet trains, train tickets, and train timetables, luggage and night trains. Rail transport in japan is a major means of passenger transport, especially for mass and highspeed travel between major cities and for commuter transport in urban areas.
In general you cant easily pre book these from outside of japan. Under the age of 6, you do not need to purchase a childs ticket if they sit on. Whilst planning your trip, you will need to know how to reserve a seat, check train schedules and more, which is why japan experience offers a practical guide on japan by train. It does cover shinkansen tickets that originate in west japan and end elsewhere like. You do not need to make reservations for express trains, although you may find that these are very crowded during peak rush hours. As to why well partly because i want to travel on specific trains, and to be sure that i can, and partly for convenience i d prefer not to have to worry about booking the tickets when i get to tokyo.