Japan's iconic bullet train lives up to its reputation. Fast, clean and always on time, the bullet train (Shinkansen) travels up and down Japan's main rail network, transporting you from hub cities like Tokyo and Kyoto in a matter of hours. Trains travel at speeds up to 300 kph and are a great travel experience. The city to city centre network means that they can be time saving as well, much quicker than travelling via Japan's notoriously remote airports.
The downside is that train travel can be very expensive, particularly at today's exchange rates. A single ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto starts from GBP100! However, there is a solution... if you are a visitor to Japan then before you travel you should get yourself a Japan Rail Pass. Available in 7, 14 and 21 day flavours, you can save a huge amount of money if you plan to travel more than a couple of times on Japan's rail network. A 7 day Japan Rail Pass costs around GBP235 at current exchange rates - just slightly more than the price of a return journey.
More details can be found at www.japanrail.com/JR_shinkansen.html
Your local travel agent or www.japantravel.co.uk can sell you a Japan Rail Pass
Remember, you have to get a Japan Rail Pass before you leave for Japan and it must be validated once you arrive in Japan. My recommendation is that get yourself a reserved ticket whenever you travel, as services can get quite busy at times. You can get reservations just 30 mins prior to travel. When you get to the Shinkansen station, go to the ticket office and ask for a reserved seat or go to the English speaking Tourist Information centre in the main stations for further help.
One additional tip, if travelling with a group of friends, also note that the seats also spin around so that you can sit face to face. Just place your foot on the lever under the seat and spin (thanks to a local passenger for showing my friends and I this!)
Great post. I recommend getting the rail pass even for one week trip. If you plan to go to Kyoto, Hiroshima and come back to Tokyo then it's a no brainer. Before I found this article I was reading this one www.japan-i.jp/traffic/railway/d8jk7l000000ukef.html It's quite helpful as well but in any case you have to buy it before you arrive to Japan. One of the things that people don't often realise is that you can also get discounts at all JR hotel's with the JR Pass (they are in every city), and you can also travel on the Hiroshima - Matsuyama Ferry. It's also worth shopping around for your jrpass. In the end I bought my Japan Rail Pass online at www.jrpass.com - they don't charge a credit card fee like the rest of them. I agree the rail pass is a good deal and a great way to travel, however, there are cheaper options that can be just as good.The Japan Bus Pass by Willer Express is possibly the cheapest but best way to get around most destinations in Japan. You can get a three or five day (non-consecutive day) pass for 10,000 or 14,000 yen (£77 to £100.) This is much cheaper compared to a seven day (consecutive) Japan Rail Pass which costs £250. Along with overnight buses saving money on accommodation the Japan Bus Pass is very good value and makes a huge saving compared to buying a Japan Rail Pass.
To buy tickets go to willerexpress.com/x/bus/dynamic/3/en/html/pc/buspass/course.php?aid=184
The company also run normal single ticket services for good value, especially if you book ahead. The service is to the normal Japanese standard, clean, efficient, and highly organised.
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