#trains

Every guide tagged trains, for a trip to Japan.

A shinkansen bullet train waiting at a platform in a Japanese station

Getting around & the shinkansen Updated 18 August 2026

Regional Rail Passes: When the National One Is the Wrong Buy

The national pass is the famous one and it is frequently the wrong purchase. The regional passes are cheaper, narrower and better matched to how most people actually travel.

A shinkansen bullet train at a platform in Japan

Getting around & the shinkansen Updated 29 July 2026

Is the Japan Rail Pass Still Worth It?

The pass got much more expensive and for many itineraries it no longer pays: how to do the arithmetic in ten minutes, which trips still justify it, and what to buy instead.

A sleek shinkansen bullet train speeding past with Mount Fuji in the background in Japan

Getting around & the shinkansen Updated 16 April 2026

Getting Around Japan: JR Pass, Shinkansen and IC Cards

How Japan travel actually works: the shinkansen bullet trains, IC cards like Suica and Pasmo, the metro, and the honest math on whether the JR Pass is worth it for your trip.