By Train in Tokyo

By Train

The Shinkansen (bullet train), one of the fastest trains in the world, connects major cities north and south of Tokyo. It's only slightly less expensive than flying but is in many ways more convenient because train stations are more centrally located than airports (and, if you have a Japan Rail Pass, it's extremely affordable). On the main line that runs west from Tokyo, there are three types of Shinkansen. The Nozomi makes the fewest stops, which can cut as much as an hour from long, cross-country trips; it's the only Shinkansen on which you cannot use a JR Pass. The Hikari makes just a few more stops than the Nozomi. The Kodama is the equivalent of a Shinkansen local, making all stops along the Shinkansen lines. The same principle of faster and slower Shinkansen also applies on the line that runs north from Tokyo to Morioka, in the Tokyo region.

Other trains, though not as fast as the Shinkansen, are just as convenient and substantially cheaper. There are three types of train services: futsu (local service), tokkyu (limited express service), and kyuko (express service). Both the tokkyu and the kyuko offer a first-class compartment known as the Green Car. Smoking is allowed only in designated carriages on long-distance and Shinkansen trains. Local and commuter trains are entirely non-smoking and it is enforced.

Because there are no porters or carts at train stations, and the flights of stairs connecting train platforms can turn even the lightest bag into a heavy burden, it's a good idea to travel light when getting around by train. Savvy travelers often have their main luggage sent ahead to a hotel that they plan to reach later in their wanderings. It's also good to know that every train station, however small, has luggage lockers, which cost about ¥300 for 24 hours.

Most clerks at train stations know a few basic words of English and can read Roman script. Moreover, they are invariably helpful in plotting your route. The complete railway timetable is a mammoth book written only in Japanese; however, you can get an English-language train schedule from the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO); that covers the Shinkansen and a few of the major JR Limited Express trains. JNTO's booklet The Tourist's Handbook provides helpful information about purchasing tickets in Japan.

Train Tickets

If you plan to travel by rail, get a Japan Rail Pass, which offers unlimited travel on Japan Railways (JR) trains and on buses operated by Japan Rail. They aren't valid on the overnight trains or the bullet trains. You can purchase one-, two-, or three-week passes. A one-week pass is less expensive than a regular round-trip ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen.

You must obtain a rail pass voucher prior to departure for Japan (you cannot buy them in Japan), and the pass must be used within three months of purchase. The pass is available only to people with tourist visas, as opposed to business, student, and diplomatic visas.

Japan Rail Passes are available in coach class and first class (Green Car), and as the difference in price between the two is relatively small, it's worth the splurge for first class, for real luxury, especially on the Shinkansen. A one-week pass costs ¥28,300 coach class, ¥37,800 first class; a two-week pass costs ¥45,100 coach class, ¥61,200 first class; and a three-week pass costs ¥57,700 coach class, ¥79,600 first class. Travelers under 18 pay lower rates. The pass pays for itself after one Tokyo-Kyoto round-trip Shinkansen ride. Contact a travel agent or the Japan Railways Group to purchase the pass.

About the Pass

Japan Railways Group (New York. 212/332-8686. www.japanrailpass.net).

Buying a Pass

Japan Airlines (JAL, 655 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10022, USA. 212/838-4400). Japan Travel Bureau (JTB, 810 7th Ave., 34th fl., New York, NY, 10019. 212/698-4900 or 800/223-6104). Nippon Travel Agency (NTA, 111 Pavonia Ave., Suite 317, Jersey City, NJ, 07310. 201/420-6000 or 800/682-7872).