Transport & Getting Around
Japan Transport Guides
JR Pass, IC cards, Shinkansen routes, airport trains, and everything you need to get around Japan — prepared before you arrive.
Japanese transport splits into two layers that barely overlap. Long-distance travel between cities runs mostly on JR, where the question is always the same: individual tickets or a pass. Inside a city it is subways, private railways and buses, where a tappable IC card handles almost everything and day passes only pay off on heavy days.
Nothing in the first layer covers the second — the JR Pass will not open a Tokyo Metro gate — so most trips need a decision in each. These guides are grouped that way.
Read this first
JR Pass Guide 2026: Prices, Is It Worth It and How to Buy
Intercity rail is the biggest line in most Japan transport budgets, and the JR Pass is the one purchase you have to make before you fly. The calculator in this guide settles it for your route in about a minute.
Read guide →Rail passes & intercity travel
The JR Pass, the Shinkansen, and how to get between cities for the least money.
JR Pass Guide 2026: Prices, Is It Worth It and How to Buy
All pass types and prices, a break-even calculator for your own route, and how to buy and redeem the pass — plus the itineraries where individual tickets cost less.
Shinkansen Guide 2026: Tickets, Passes & Tips for First-Timers
Japan's bullet train is fast, punctual, and easy to use — once you know how. We cover ticket types, prices, JR Pass tips, and how to book before you board.
Tokyo to Kyoto (2026): Cheapest & Fastest Ways to Get There
The Shinkansen is fast but not always the cheapest. We compare the bullet train, highway bus, local trains, and rental car on price, speed, and comfort — with 2026 fares.
Airport transfers
Getting from Narita, Haneda, Kansai or Itami into the city you actually booked.
Tokyo Airport Transfer Guide (2026): Narita & Haneda to the City
N'EX, Skyliner, limousine bus, or taxi? We compare every way to get from Narita or Haneda airport to central Tokyo — with a Skyliner vs N'EX head-to-head and when the bus wins.
Tokyo Airport Limousine Bus (2026): Narita & Haneda Fares, Times and Stops
A fare per route, not per airport: ¥3,600 Narita to Shinjuku, ¥2,900 to the Disney resort, ¥1,400 from Haneda. With the two-bag hold rule, which routes need a reserved seat, and the ¥2,800 late-night bus.
Osaka Airport Transfer Guide (2026): KIX & ITM to the City
Osaka has two airports — Kansai International and Itami. We compare every way to get into the city from each, with a Haruka vs Nankai Rapi:t head-to-head.
Haruka vs Nankai Rapi:t (2026): Best Train from Kansai Airport?
One runs to Namba, the other to Tennoji, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto — so your hotel decides this, not the fare. A head-to-head on time, price, and JR Pass coverage.
Getting around each city
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka: which lines matter and how to read the network.
Getting Around Tokyo (2026): Trains, Subway & IC Cards Explained
Tokyo has the world's most complex train network — but once you know the basics, it's easy. We cover the Yamanote Line, Tokyo Metro, IC cards, the Tokyo Subway Ticket, and key routes for every tourist destination.
Getting Around Kyoto (2026): Buses, Trains & Taxis Explained
Kyoto's city bus and subway cover nearly every major sight. We explain how each option works, which IC card to use, when the Subway & Bus day pass pays off, and how to arrive from Tokyo or Kansai Airport.
Getting Around Osaka (2026): Subway, Trains & IC Cards Explained
Osaka's subway system is one of the easiest in Japan to navigate. We cover the Midosuji Line, the Enjoy Eco Card vs Osaka Metro Pass, IC cards, and key routes to top attractions.
Fares, IC cards & day passes
How you pay once you're there — Suica and Pasmo, and when a day pass beats pay-as-you-go.
IC Cards in Japan 2026: Suica, Pasmo & How to Use Them
An IC card is the single most useful thing you can have in Japan. Here's everything you need to know about Suica, Pasmo, where to get them, and where they work.
Osaka Metro Pass 2026: Price, 1-Day vs 2-Day & Enjoy Eco Card Compared
The 1-day Osaka Metro Pass is ¥820, or ¥620 at weekends and ¥310 for children. The two-day option is now a ¥1,200 30-hour pass. With pick-up points and the buses it skips.
Is the Kyoto Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass Worth It? (2026)
Great value on a temple-hopping day, a waste on a quiet one. We show where the break-even falls — and why the old ¥700 bus pass you may have read about no longer exists.