Japan's transport system is one of the most efficient in the world: punctual to the second, clean, signposted in English and covered across almost its entire network by Google Maps. The first few days it can feel overwhelming, but with three clear concepts — the IC card, the Shinkansen and when to use the JR Pass — you will move around the whole country without trouble.
Means of transport: general comparison
| Mode | Speed | Cost | Coverage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shinkansen | 250–320 km/h | High (~80 € one way Tokyo–Osaka) | Major cities | Travel between cities |
| Metro (Tokyo/Osaka) | 30–60 km/h | Low (1–2.5 €/trip) | Within the city | Getting around Tokyo/Osaka |
| JR Local/Rapid | 50–120 km/h | Low-medium | Nationwide | Short connections and airports |
| Night bus | 80–100 km/h | Very low (16–33 €) | Major cities | Travelling overnight to save |
| Domestic flight | Plane | Variable (from ~30–60 € low cost) | Islands and long distances | Hokkaido, Okinawa, far Kyushu |
| Taxi | Variable (traffic) | Very high (~0.7–1 €/km + flag fall) | Universal | Last resort or groups with luggage |
| Bicycle | 15–25 km/h | Very low (rental 5–10 €/day) | Local | Exploring neighbourhoods and small towns |
The IC card: Suica, Pasmo and ICOCA
The IC card (Suica, Pasmo or ICOCA) is a rechargeable prepaid card that works on the metro, buses and local trains of the main cities, and also for paying at konbini and vending machines. The three are interchangeable, are sold at station machines and can be carried on your phone. How they work, what they cost and which suits you, in the Suica and Pasmo guide.
The Shinkansen: high-speed trains
The Shinkansen (literally "new main line") is Japan's high-speed rail network, with speeds of up to 320 km/h. It is the standard way to travel between cities. The main routes are:
| Route | Time (Nozomi) | Ticket (reserved) | Train type | JR Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo → Kyoto | 2h 15 min | ~14,170 ¥ (~77 €) | Nozomi/Hikari | Hikari included; Nozomi with supplement |
| Tokyo → Osaka | 2h 30 min | ~14,720 ¥ (~80 €) | Nozomi/Hikari | Hikari included; Nozomi with supplement |
| Kyoto → Osaka | 15 min | ~570 ¥ (~3 €) | Hikari/Sakura | Included |
| Osaka → Hiroshima | 1h 20 min | ~10,640 ¥ (~58 €) | Sakura/Nozomi | Sakura included; Nozomi with supplement |
| Tokyo → Kanazawa | 2h 30 min | ~14,580 ¥ (~79 €) | Kagayaki/Hakutaka | Included |
| Osaka → Fukuoka | 1h 15 min | ~10,580 ¥ (~58 €) | Sakura/Nozomi | Sakura included; Nozomi with supplement |
The difference between train types matters above all with the JR Pass: the Nozomi is the fastest and most frequent, but with the basic pass you must pay a supplement to use it (for example, about 4,960 ¥ between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka). The Hikari takes just 15–25 minutes longer, is included at no extra cost and is perfectly sufficient for most tourist routes. The Kodama stops at every station and is the slowest. Prices are approximate and may rise 200–400 ¥ in high season (New Year, Golden Week, Obon).
Seat reservations
Almost all Shinkansen have reserved-seat cars and non-reserved cars (no reservation, first come first served). With a JR Pass you can make free seat reservations at JR ticket offices, at the machines or on the official website. In high season (sakura, Golden Week, Obon, November) always reserve, because the non-reserved cars fill up. Note that on some lines, such as the Nozomi and the Mizuho, all seats are reserved for much of the year.
When is the JR Pass worth it?
The JR Pass is an unlimited train pass for foreign tourists, for 7, 14 or 21 days, that covers almost all JR trains, Shinkansen included (the Nozomi and Mizuho with a supplement). Since the price rises of October 2023 and October 2026 it no longer pays off on as many itineraries as before. Compare your route with the JR Pass calculator; you have all the details in the JR Pass guide.
Regional passes: the alternative to the nationwide JR Pass
If your trip is concentrated in one region, combining single tickets with a regional JR pass is usually better value than the nationwide JR Pass. There are passes for Kansai, Kansai-Hiroshima, the east (JR East), Kyushu and Hokkaido, and in Hakone there is the Hakone Free Pass. Which to choose and what they cost, in the regional JR passes guide.
The Tokyo metro: how it works
The Tokyo metro has 13 lines run by two companies (Tokyo Metro and Toei), and JR's Yamanote line loops around the main districts. The IC card works on all of them and Google Maps tells you the line and platform. How to use it step by step and which metro pass pays off, in the guide to getting around Tokyo.
Night buses: the cheap option between cities
For travellers on a tight budget, night buses between cities are the alternative to the Shinkansen. The Tokyo–Osaka night bus costs between 3,000 and 6,000 ¥ (16–33 €), compared with the ~14,000 ¥ of the Shinkansen. The downside is time: the bus takes about 8–9 hours and the quality of sleep varies by operator and seat type.
The main operators are Willer Express and JR Bus. The buses with 3 or 4 seat rows and wide dividers ("relax seat" or "premium") justify the extra cost. Book online before the trip — it is cheaper and the seats fill up.
This option is especially useful for Tokyo–Osaka, Tokyo–Kyoto, Osaka–Fukuoka or Tokyo–Hiroshima trips if you have time and want to save on accommodation and transport at once.
Domestic flights, ferries and taxis
Domestic flights
For very long distances or to reach the islands, the plane beats the train. The flag carriers are ANA and JAL, alongside the low-cost airlines Peach, Jetstar Japan and ZIPAIR. A Tokyo–Sapporo (Hokkaido) or Tokyo–Okinawa is much faster by plane than by train, and booking weeks ahead the low-cost airlines offer fares that can drop below 30–60 € per leg. Both ANA and JAL have domestic flight passes for foreign tourists (ANA Experience Japan Fare, JAL Explorer Pass) with very competitive flat fares on long routes. For Hokkaido, Okinawa or southern Kyushu, always compare flying versus the Shinkansen.
Ferries
Japan is an archipelago, so ferries cover routes the train cannot reach: between islands of the Seto Inland Sea, towards Hokkaido, the Okinawa islands or small destinations. Most tourists only use short, very specific ferries, such as the JR ferry to Miyajima (included in the JR Pass) off Hiroshima, or the boats of the Hakone loop on Lake Ashi. For long crossings between islands there are overnight ferries with cabins, a cheap but slow alternative.
Taxis
Taxis in Japan are safe, clean and honest (they do not inflate the price), but expensive for continuous use. The flag fall is around 500–700 ¥ and each kilometre adds about 100–150 ¥, so a 10 km urban trip can easily cost 30–40 €. They make sense for heavy luggage, destinations with no metro at night, or when there are four of you and the fare is split. The GO app lets you order a taxi in almost the whole country with an English interface and card payment.