Getting Around in Japan - Trains, Stations, and the Subway

Tokyo Station

Join the crowd!

The three busiest train stations in the world are located in Tokyo: Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro. The top ten busiest stations in the world are all in Japan. Shinjuku Station in Tokyo sees 3.6+ million people pass through every day. Stations are clean, safe, and are destinations for shopping and restaurants as well as for local and long-distance travel. 

Finding Your Way

It’s important to know which side of the station you should enter in order to avoid confusion. Check out the maps online so you enter at the right place to find your train, or you could be in for a long walk. There are multiple privately-owned rail companies in Japan, serving different destinations. Gates for these lines and the Shinkansen (bullet trains) are at separate locations within the large stations. 

Planning Your Route

JR (Japan Rail) offices at all the major stations are good places to find English-speaking staff ready to help you book tickets and seat reservations as well as plan routes. Rail lines are starting to phase in the ability to make reservations online, but that is still not available for the majority of trips. You can plan your schedule online. I used the website Hyperdia, which has multiple transport options (ferry, bus) as well as train schedules, all in English. 

Japanese trains are justly celebrated for being on time to the second. One recent story that made commuters in the USA envious told of an apology issued by a conductor and train line. The cause? The train had left the station 25 seconds early. This is inexcusable in Japan because connections and schedules are precise. Incoming passengers hoping to hop on that departing train may have missed it, and could be late for work. When this happens, the train company/conductor will provide a certificate to any worker affected by the delay to excuse their tardiness to the boss. 

Consider a Japan Rail Pass

If you are planning to travel outside of Tokyo, a rail pass is the more economical way to travel. You can now purchase the pass at Tokyo’s airports and at Tokyo Station. This is a trial run. The usual method is to buy the pass online or through your tour operator before getting to Japan. You will receive an Exchange Order, which you present at a JR office in Japan to receive your actual rail pass. Be sure to  have your passport with you in order to redeem the exchange order. 

Pasmo and Suica Cards

Buy tickets for the subway or trains using machines at all stations, or purchase a re-loadable Pasmo or Suica card. These cards can be used for subway, train, and bus fares, at vending machines, convenience stores, and some shops. Cards usually require a deposit, but there are new, short-term cards specifically for visitors that don’t require any deposit. You can top off the amounts on either of these cards by using the machines at the stations.

Enjoy the Ride

Shinkansen (bullet train)

No trip to Japan is complete without a trip on a bullet train. If you have a rail pass, you can reserve seats for no additional fee. Each train has reserved coaches and non-reserved seats. During busy times, the non-reserved coaches fill up fast, and often have people standing in the aisles. Luckily, the ride is smooth and quick. Bullet trains often have 15 cars. Platform signs indicate which cars have non-reserved seating. 

My bento seafood lunch

Top-quality food halls inside the stations provide bento box meal options, plus many other types of cuisine. Eating a meal on board the shinkansen is perfectly acceptable, but you won’t see people eating or drinking on the subway or local trains. You also won’t find trash or loud music or chatter. In fact, you will see that there aren’t many trash receptacles anywhere in the big cities. People are expected to bring their trash home or to the office to be disposed of. Shinkansen trains and platforms are an exception, and often have trash and recycling receptacles.

On the Platform

Train boarding etiquette is clear and patient queuing is expected. Painted lines on the floors show where the train doors will open so people line up at the right spot. Notice the different colors for each queue. Trains arrive one after another, and the doors for each train line up at a certain point. 

This is a platform for a local train in Tokyo, with single-file spaced queues. 

Check the monitor above the platform to see which queue you should be in. Signs also scroll to English translations. Color-coded notices correspond to the colors on the platform. For example, JA denotes the Saikyo Line, and JS the Shonan-Shinjuku Line.                                                                 

 

Train and subway stations in the major cities will have signs in English, and announcements on board are also made in English. You may also notice the sign indicating free wireless in the station, just below the word Kyoto on the signpost. 

 

In the train station 

There is usually a restaurant floor with any number of excellent places to choose from. Top-rated hotels often are attached to stations, and you can find multi-level shopping malls in all the major stations. Shinjuku Station has at least 8 separate department stores plus a shopping mall. Some stations have movie theaters, art installations, or impressive architecture.

 

 

You’ll probably notice all the wrapped gift box packages in the station shops. It is a custom to bring a gift to co-workers whenever returning from a trip (omiyage) or arriving for a visit with friends or family.