You’re waiting for a train…

Jarques

On my recent trip to Japan, I had the pleasure of experiencing the Japanese railway system. Before we left the US, we purchased the JR Pass. A pass specifically created for visitors to Japan. The two weeks cost about $350 per person and included unlimited rides on any of the JR lines. This includes the Shinkansen (though, you are limited to the slower bullet trains), which spans from Hachinohe (八戸市) in the north, all the way to Kagoshima (鹿児島市) in the south.

During our stay we visited Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe and Tokyo. And in all places we used the railway system to get around. For some trains you can book yourself a seat. This includes the Shinkansen (新幹線) and the NEX (Narita Expess) and requires very little effort and planning. The JR in both Osaka and Tokyo had a big loop around the city. This allowed the holder of a JR pass access to almost anywhere. In Tokyo, major stops were on this loop. Including Shinjuku, Akihabara and Shibuya. So as a tourist, you can get by with just the JR pass.

For the adventurous type, you can opt in to get a Suica card. It’s a card you fill up with money and can use it for subways within the Tokyo region. But it can also be used at some vending machines and restaurants.

Although some of the bigger train stations could be daunting, such as Kyoto or Tokyo Station. If you know your destination and direction, it’s fairly simple to get around. Many lines have a local and rapid train. As the names suggest, one is faster than the other because it makes fewer stops. So make sure to jump on the correct one.

Throughout our travels around Japan, not once did we look at any train schedules. Most trains, at least in the busier regions, run very frequently. So at most it’ll be a 10 to 15 minute wait. And trains are on time. If you see a sign for your train and it reads 18:10. That means the train will be there at 18:09 and leave at 18:10. Trains are incredibly punctual, and they will profusely apologize if there are any delays.

Living in San Francisco, you start to get used to the fact that your MUNI bus or BART train won’t be exactly on time. It’ll either get backed up and arrive late, or leave before its designated time. If it ever had one. You start adding unknown this to your daily commute. The accuracy of their predictions gave us the peace of mind that we will get to our destinations within good time.

Even with such an amazing and complex railway system, there are a few downsides. As mentioned above, some stations can be confusing. Luckily for the traveler, most popular stations will have their signs in English too.

The other downside and I’m sure you’ve seen videos, and that’s rush hour. My wife and I were fortunate to not get the worst of it, but our friends didn’t get so lucky. With Tokyo rush hour, you will cram into trains like sardines and get very comfortable with fellow commuters.


You’re waiting for a train, a train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you don’t know for sure. But it doesn’t matter.



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