Japan - The Basics: Transportation

Good news everyone, most transportation in Japan has lots of printed English! That's great because transportation in a large city is confusing enough even when you can understand the language perfectly. I shiver just thinking back to the Great Atlanta Bus Confrontation of 2008. By the end of the trip to Japan we had perfected the art of: trains, subways, buses, taxis, street cars, ferries, and ferris wheel. I'd say the ferris wheel was least effective.

So let's break it down...bear with me, I know this is long but it's information I would have wanted to know...

Taxis are expensive in Japan. Avoid them. There's really no need to use them. Of the two times we did once was because we had very, very little time to get somewhere and once was because we were exhausted, dragging luggage, and just flat couldn't figure out how to get to the train station (brain exhaustion too).

Just as an aside - brain exhaustion looks like this: You're standing there, one arm limp at your side, the other arm dragged down past your knee with the weight of your luggage. You're probably in the way and don't even realize it. You're looking around, or at least vaguely left to right but not actually seeing anything. You might even spin around in a slow circle once or twice. And in your mind you're thinking several things "I can't do this anymore...If I just sit down in the middle of the sidewalk someone will stop to help me...I'll pay a taxi everything in my wallet to just take me...and hmmm I haven't had any lettuce in awhile."

Back to taxis. A five-ten minute ride in Nagasaki cost us about 1,100 Yen. Which is just over 11 dollars and average for a cab ride in any other city. I really don't think that's typical. The meter starts out at over 500 Yen (about $5) as soon as you get in the cab. So maybe other cities are ok for cabs, but I've been told multiple times NOT to take a taxi in Tokyo.

Outside the train station in Nagasaki, by the taxi queue was a board that showed popular, nearby attractions, the time needed to get there by taxi, and the approximate cost. That was handy. I assume they can be found at other taxi stands as well. Since we were going to popular destinations the drivers knew what we were saying in English. But I wouldn't say they were fluent. And low and behold...they use GPS. Smart, right?

Here's a great way to check taxi fares between destinations prior to your trip - http://www.taxifarefinder.com

Buses are something I actively try to avoid, but in Kyoto it was the most logical way to get around. There were plenty of bus stops along main roads, and they went to or close to all the major temples. The furthest we had to walk after getting off a bus to get to a temple was maybe ten minutes.

The bus routes are fairly easy to follow. Most stops have a map for reference. Each route is its own color and number, and the numbers are displayed prominently on the front of each bus. Each bus stop also has a board that lists the numbers of the buses that are going to stop there, and which major stops they're going to. That's where you'll need the map. It may list three major stops, and your destination may be in between two of those. But you need to know what your destination falls between, so you can make sure the bus that you get onto is going in the direction you need.

So yes, the easiest way to foul up is getting on a bus going the wrong way. Not a huge deal. You just need to cross the street and catch the bus on the other side. Once you're on a bus a tv screen displays the next stop, a list of the next five or six stops, and other useful things in English. Announcements of stops are also in English.

In Kyoto (this all may change slightly city to city) there's a flat fare no matter how far you're going (around 200 yen, I can't remember exactly - also applies in Tokyo), you pay when you get off the bus, and you  must pay in exact change. If you don't have it, prior to your stop you need to go to the front of the bus and use the bill changer. Don't wait until your stop to do this, do it before! You also generally enter through the back door and exit through the front. Just follow someone's lead.

Streetcars are good for a few heart attacks while touring the city. The Japanese drive on the left side of the road, so several times as the streetcar turned I thought we were going to plow headfirst into oncoming traffic. We only used and saw streetcars in Hiroshima, but they were great.

A flat fare of around 160 Yen gets you most anywhere on the streetcar line  (list of exceptions http://bit.ly/1mRxc94). You will need a streetcar map. You can get it at information in the Hiroshima train station, or find maps at the stops. Better yet, screenshot one before you go. Trains are designated by number and color, with each number running a slightly different route. Stops are then designated by letter and number.

So you see the No. 5 Green line leaves Hiroshima station goes to stop M3, and then turns. The stops then are designated by the letter H because the final stop on that route is Hiroshima Port. The M stops are because the last stop is Miyajima, and so on.

The big purple spots are stops where you can transfer to a different car.So if you need to go to Hakushima (top left) you'd get off at Hatchobori (left purple dot) and change to the No. 9 Brown car. When you transfer tell the ticket man that you are transferring. You will pay and he will give you a transfer card, which you turn in instead of payment when you get off the second streetcar. You have 30 minutes from time of issue to use the transfer card.

You pay when you get off the car, in a little box by the door. If you need change see the man who is sticking his head out the window at stops and looks to be wearing a black purse. Make sure you get on these going the right way too. Signs will tell you what stop the train is going to next, so look at your map and see if it's in the direction you need.

Trains, Subways and the JR Railpass are definitely the most common form of travel. If you are going to be in Japan for 7 days or more, and/or if you are planning on using the Shinkansen (bullet train) to travel to other cities you should invest in a JR Railpass. This pass allows unlimited access to the JR Railway Line, which covered nearly everywhere we went.

The Pass has to be purchased and delivered to an address outside Japan. Once there you can't buy one. You will receive an Exchange Order in the mail. Take that to the airport where you arrive and find the JR office to redeem the Exchange Order for your actual ticket. Yes, that's the only way to obtain a pass.

It was fantastic for inner-city travel in Tokyo. There are far fewer JR Lines than regular metro or subway lines, which makes it far easier to understand. Each line is colored and named and the easiest thing to do is find a good map, like this one, find your start and end point, and trace the colored lines until you find a line that goes between the two - you may have to switch lines to get where you want.

Go ahead and open that map above. The little white dots on the lines are stations, with the names written beside it. You can switch from one Line to another when two Lines are parallel to each other, both with a white dot. For example, on the bottom left, the blue Chuo Line - if you get on at Nirasaki and are going to Shinjuku there in the middle of the map...you get on the Chuo Line to the Otsuki Station (the first white dot on the orange line running parallel to the blue Chuo Line. Get off the train there, find the track for the Chuo Line (Rapid Service) and get on that. You can see that line runs right to Shinjuku.

the station you are in is in the middle, the next station in either direction listed to the side

The JR Pass is easy to use. Instead of going through the ticket wicket just find the little office to the side of the wickets with the glass window and show them the back page of your pass. Do this when entering the platforms and exiting. The pass is also good for some buses and the Ferry in Hiroshima that goes to Miyajima.

If you need to take a train that's not part of the JR system, you just need to buy a ticket. There are automated machines, which have buttons for English. You have to pay an upfront price, so once you've found English find the 'search by station' button. Then follow directions to purchase a ticket. Once you've put the ticket in the ticket wicket to get onto the platform, make sure you get it back out of the machine, and don't lose it! You'll need that ticket to get out of the train station too.

If you end up going further than you bought the ticket for, don't worry. When you try to exit through the ticket wicket you'll see someone behind a glass window to the side of the gates (same place you show your JR Pass). You'll just need to pay them the additional fare.

Make sure you get on the trains going the right way! Stations are insanely clean and well stocked with food/drink options and shopping. Getting on and off trains is pretty organized. Lines form to either side of the doors for people to get on, after letting people off through the center of the door. Trains get extremely crowded, there are many times you will have to stand. And you'll be getting to know your neighbors.

The Shinkansen is a must if you're visiting more than one city. It's covered by the JR Pass except for the Nozomi Line and the Mizuho Line. The map on this page best shows the Shinkansen Lines and what stations they visit. Click on each Line to see the specific stops that train makes.

Shinkansen trains are divided into reserved (or green cars) and non-reserved. Reserved tickets and passes cost more, but you'll be sure to have a seat. The first three or five cars (depending on the Line) are non-reserved. They're cheaper, but seats fill up quickly and you could end up standing.

At a train's last stop before heading back the way it came you'll see a cleaning crew waiting to board the train. They take about five minutes to very efficiently clean and turn the seats around so they're facing the right direction. Lines will form at the boarding doors, so fall in. Luggage can be stored in overhead bins, large luggage can be stored in the empty area at the back of each car. There are bathrooms and snack/drink service on these Lines.

You may have to change Shinkansen Lines to get where you're going as well. An information counter in the station will be very helpful. Tell them your destination and they'll write you out an itinerary, complete with departure times, Line names, and platform numbers. And those trains pull out on the dot, so don't lolly gag.



Phew - I know that was a lot, but sometimes transportation once on vacation can be the biggest headache. Hopefully this will save you some time and some guessing!