Japan Getting Around

Getting Around

Rail is probably the most convenient way to travel, although there are inter-city buses. Since the railway stations are usually conveniently located within the centre of town, it is preferable to take a train, than to even fly. That said, a trip from Tokyo to Hakata takes a good part of a day, even on the Nozomi. A little more detailed information can be found here.

Before traveling to Japan be sure to purchase a Japan Rail Pass. This isn't found in every city so be sure to look up where you can purchase it near you. You can buy these for a week or two weeks or upto a month. You will get a voucher which you will have to later redeem when you arrive in Japan. Once you recieve the pass, you can travel freely on any Japan Rail trains. This does include the bullet train, shinkansen, except for the Nozomi line. This will allow you to travel to any city in Japan. This pass can also be used on any of the JR run local trains, but not on private lines or subways such as the Tokyo Metro or Nagoya's Meitetsu line.

Be sure to ask where you need to redeem your pass, as it is kind of hard to get around in Japan if you aren't in a big city. If you choose not to purchase this pass, the local train system is very easy to get around on. When you are the station use one of the kiosks to purchase a ticket. These machines have english instructions on how to purchase a ticket. If it is a big station, there is usually a both where you can purchase packages that might include bus tickets as well but the buses are not as reliable as the trains.

These booths also have plenty of maps of the city and tourist spots. There is usually a tourist booth in the train station. Most of the workers there do speak some English so it isn't hard as long as you find the tourist booth to get information.