Shinkansen Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Japan's Superfast Bullet Trains

Wondering whether the Shinkansen (that’s the bullet train) might be the best way to get from one part of Japan to another? This is a comprehensive guide to taking some of the fastest trains in the world, from speeds to seat reservations, luggage and the Japan rail passes.

Useful links mentioned in this article
★ Where to buy your Japan Rail Pass:

0:00 Shinkansen guide
0:34 Why take the shinkansen?
1:06 Japan Rail Pass
2:31 Japan Regional Rail Passes
3:08 Buying shinkansen tickets
4:35 Shinkansen luggage rules
6:16 How to take the shinkansen

★★★ TokyoCheapo ★★★

★★★ Credits ★★★
Intro sequence by the most talented Peter Laugesen

Creative commons images used in the intro:

[benrainbird]

So glad to see Tokyo Cheapo back. It made such a difference to our first trip in 2018 and our 2nd trip in 2019. I look forward to seeing more content so we can plan trip number 3.

[alanbassig]

Whoa after 2 long years. Welcome back!

Your channel really helped me and my family to go around Japan a few years back, and by not spending too much. Expecting some new stuff 👍🏻👍🏻

[teradaloo]

Cheapo's back! Love this channel. It was my main guide for my 2018 Japan trip and all their recs were on point

[AmbientWalking]

Yes! Another amazing and beautiful trip! Love this a lot. Please make more!

[skm]

This video will be very useful for the first time visitors. We have recently been to Japan. I wish we could have seen it before. Arigato

[SyaoranLiClow]

This last trip, from October 22th to November 19th, I took more than 20 Shinkansen. Some long trips and some short ones. Like going from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka, or going from Shin-Yokohama to Shigagawa. Banzai Japan Rail Pass

[shaunpierce]

Perfect timing. Today I booked flights to Tokyo (arriving at the end of April 2023) and was wondering how to go about using the Shinkansen. It's too early for me to devise an itinerary yet but I'd like to visit Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. I will be there for 3 weeks, just wondering if maybe I might try to do too much too quickly and not enjoy it as much. But I'm so damn excited to finally be visiting Japan, I've just started to learn a little of the language.

[rons]

Nice and easy to follow video.
I'm not much for train travel, but the Shinkansen rides I've taken have been awesome.

[paulccrimmins]

Aloha 🤙from Honolulu! Wow! It's been awhile since you've posted a video. Welcome back!

[catalinacurio]

Thank you so much! I’m visiting Japan unexpectedly in August. If I was travelling alone I’d just chill and travel around but there’s my niece and nephew so I need to consider everything carefully. 😊

[mrmarzo]

Personally, the JR Pass is very useful within Tokyo because there’s several JR stations. However, people will indeed have a harder time once they go to small towns outside some of the major cities.

[klaudiusz]

Your videos are really so helpful! Right now I'm booking a two week trip to Osaka and Tokyo in March, and I am totally soaking up all your vids!

[Kapurikon_No_Shura]

Thank you so much for this video. I will go to Japan in two weeks and will come to Osaka first before going to other cities (Kyoto, Nara, Tashirojima, Tokyo and then retake the plane in Osaka) and your videos are very clear and helping a lots, I am so grateful for all of those useful information provided ❤

[solrun]

I wish you would talk about the different types of shinkansen, would be interesting to hear+ you can’t use the nozomi and mizuho shinkansen with jr pass.

otherwise thanks for the video :)

[H.pylori]

Short and to the point. Great information. I see from the comments that your channel has just returned. Thanks for the help.

[keegancrow]

God this is so helpful I’m hoping from Tokyo to Ube then to Kochi. I’m currently researching everything right now

[HarleyPanda]

If your suitcase is 160cm exactly, would you need to make a reservation for this or not? And are you allowed to bring two suitcases? I will be bringing 1 big one and 1 much smaller one which I use as carry on for my flight. I didn't realise they had new rules so glad I watched this video! My partner and me will be travelling to Japan beginning of May (after Golden Week), spending 1 week in Tokyo and then travelling down to Osaka to travel around there and other cities for 1 week and a half before going back up to Tokyo to fly back. I'm unsure if we should book our train tickets online somehow first or book them on the day at the station.

[morgangraham]

Thank you for your Video! I was stressing about getting my Snowboard bag to Hakuba 😅

[ak]

This would have been so helpful to see before my trip to Japan! I found working out the CBA of the JR pass confusing. Great video!

[ChrisKayeHavingFun]

A very useful video - thank you. I have a question. If we are in Osaka for 5 days and want to travel via Shinkansen on the 6th day when should we buy the tickets? Can we get them on the day or should we buy in advance? Thank you.