What's the difference? Trains in Japan

What's the difference?

Trains in Japan

When you think about Japan, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Okay, anime, but what else? For a lot of people, the answer is TRAINS! Japan is home to a virtually endless network of both public and private rail lines that are (almost) never late! So it’s hard not to be in awe of the sheer scale (and punctuality) of one of the world’s most ubiquitous public transportation systems.

However, all trains in Japan are not created equal. Today I want to give a practical guide to those who may be unfamiliar with the Japanese train system and are looking to plan a trip to Japan in the near future and might be feeling a bit overwhelmed. I won’t cover all of the minute details of every train line all over the country, but rather, I want to give a short summary of the different kinds of rail lines, and how to take the train like a native as soon as you land at the airport!

The largest and most wide reaching network of trains is owned and operated by the Japanese government, and goes by the name “Japan Rail” or otherwise known as “JR.” When you think about trains in Japan, you perhaps conjure up images of Bullet Trains (known as Shinkansen) or a simple commuter train with hand straps hanging from above. The trains you are imagining are likely owned and operated by JR! It’s easy to know when you will be taking a JR line train, because there will be clear labeling on and around any JR station, and “JR” is often found in the name of most JR stations. Because of the sheer scale and reach of JR trains, you will likely be riding them for most of your trip. This considered, stick around until the end of the article and I'll share with you how to ride for cheap!

Although JR is the largest network of train stations and train lines in the country, Japan is not without a wide variety of privately owned rail companies that reach further into the nooks and crannies of the country. Each region of Japan is host to a variety of these lines.

In Kanto

• Tobu Line

• Odakyu Line

• Tokyu Line

• Keisei Line

• Seibu Line

• Keikyu Line

• Keio Line

In Nagoya

• Meitetsu Line

In the Osaka/Kyoto area

• Kintetsu Line

• Nankai Line

• Hankyu Line

• Keihan Line

• Hanshin Line

In Fukuoka

• Nishitetsu Line

How to take the train like a local.

So you’ve gotten off the plane and you’re finally in Japan! Now, how do you get around? Regardless of if you’re taking a JR train or a private rail line, you’ll need to know about the 4 most common types of trains you’ll encounter during your travels around the country.

Local Trains

Rapid Trains

Special Rapid Trains

Additional Fair Limited Express Trains

Bullet Train (Shinkansen)

JR Local Train bound for Komatsu

Local Trains: otherwise known as 普通電車(futsu densha) are trains that will stop at every station from their departure point to their terminal. Different train lines may call their local trains by a slightly different name (for example…..) but they will always have the characters 普通(futsu) which in this situation means "local."

JR Rapid Train

Rapid Trains: otherwise known as 快速電車(kaisoku densha) are trains that will stop at stations located in areas with a lot of foot traffic. These trains will not stop at every station so be careful before you board a train with the characters 快速(kaisoku) which means "rapid."

JR Special Rapid Train Bound for Himeji

Special Rapid Trains: otherwise known as 新快速電車(shin-kaisoku densha). These are the fastest trains you can take without boarding a special fare train or the Bullet Train. They will only stop in major cities, or at major transportation junctions. If you're traveling a long distance, sometimes it can be a good idea to take one of these trains close to your destination and then transfer to a Local Train if the Special Rapid Train doesn't stop at your destination.

Super Hakuto Train Thunder-bird Train

Additional Fare Limited Express Trains: These are a special type of train that run on the same tracks as JR and other private railways, however, they require an additional fare ticket to ride (except in the case of a JR Rail Pass: see below). Depending on the train line, and area of Japan you are traveling in, the names of these special trains will change. However some examples include the "Super Hakuto" or "Thunder-bird." These trains are called "limited express" because the number of stations that they stop at is even fewer than the Special Rapid Trains. Make sure you check carefully before boarding one of these trains.

Nozomi Shinkansen

Bullet Trains (Shinkansen): the 新幹線(shinkansen) is the fastest train that you can take in Japan! This train makes long distance travel all over the county not only fast, but enjoyable as well! There are four different types of Shinkansen, the “Kodama,” “Sakura,” “Hikari,” and “Nozomi” that you can take to travel the length of Honshu (the main and largest island of Japan) and most of Kyushu (the southernmost island of Japan, okinawa excluded). The differences between these Shinkansen lies in the number of stops that particular train will take. The “Kodama” Shinkansen being the bullet train equivalent to a “local train,” and “Nozomi” the “special rapid.” However, in addition to being incredibly fast, the Shinkansen is also incredibly expensive (except in the case of the JR Rail Pass: see below). So think and budget carefully if you plan on taking the Shinkansen more than once during your trip.

Based on where you’re going and how quickly you want to get there, you’ll need to know if the train you’re about to get on stops at, or near your destination. The easier and quickest way to do this is to check google maps, or any other GPS application. However if you’re in a pickle, or don’t have an electronic device, every station will have a train map, and time table, which will tell you which kinds of trains stop at which stations, and what time each kind of train stops at the station you’re at. The only exception to this rule is for Limited Express trains, for which you'll either need to know the departure schedule in advance, or check using Google maps.

Train time table with stop information below

Finally, how will you pay for all of this travel? Every train you ride in Japan has a cost, but there are ways to get around the country for less, especially if you plan on taking the Shinkansen! Japan Rail offers its own “Rail Pass” which can be purchased online, before your trip, or at any major JR station (including the airport) once you’ve arrived in Japan. This pass will allow you to ride any JR train (including the Shinkansen***) simply by showing your pass! How amazing is that? Aside from the JR Rail Pass, there are a wide variety of other discount area tickets and day passes available, however the purchasing websites and procedures are more often than not written entirely in Japanese; and if you wish to purchase one of these tickets in person at the station, it's likely that the local station workers will only speak Japanese. So, for those who want full English support and security, the JR Rail Pass is the way to go!

***JR Rail Pass holders are able to ride the Kodama, Sakura, and Hikari Shinkansen without any additional charge, however, JR Rail Pass holders need to purchase an additional fair ticket if they wish to ride the Nozomi Shinkansen.

JR Rail Pass booklet

But what do you do if you need to take a private rail? Or even the bus? Unfortunately, showing your JR Rail Pass at the gate here won't do you any good. But fear not, dear traveler! For the low cost of ¥500 (about $4USD) you can purchase a rechargeable IC card at almost ANY train station (private or JR). The names, colors, and (very cute) character depictions on these IC cards change depending on the region of Japan in which you purchase it. In the past, travelers and Japanese alike would have needed to purchase the correct regional IC card depending on whether they were traveling in Kanto, Kansai, Hokkaido, etc. However, that is no longer the case! Any IC card purchased anywhere, in any region of Japan can be used at all IC terminals all over the country! Unfortunately there is no discount for using an IC card, but the convenience of not needing to purchase an exact fare ticket each time you want to ride the train is far and away worth it.

Regional IC cards from around Japan

So there you have it! Taking the train for the first time in Japan can be both an exciting, and daunting experience! But armed with this knowledge, even those who have never ridden a train before should be able navigate with confidence! Good luck out there! いってらっしゃい！

JR Rail Pass Website