Japan travel guides
Getting around
Rail passes, IC cards, the shinkansen and getting from the airport.
Getting around
4 guides
How to ride the shinkansen: tickets, seats and big luggage
The shinkansen is the fastest and calmest way to cross Japan: Tokyo to Osaka in under two and a half hours, from city centre to city centre. It is also very easy once you know how it works. This guide explains the train types, how to buy a ticket online or at a machine, reserved and non-reserved cars, the rules for big suitcases that catch many visitors out, what to eat on board, and which seat gives you the view of Mount Fuji.23 Oct 2026
Arrival day in Japan: immigration, then airport to city
The first two hours in Japan set the tone for the trip. This guide walks you through landing, immigration and customs, what to sort out before you leave the airport (yen, data, an IC card, your rail pass), and the best way into the city from Narita, Haneda and Kansai Airport, with times from the official airport guides. It also covers sending your suitcase ahead and what to do if you land late at night.23 Oct 2026
IC cards in Japan: Suica, PASMO and ICOCA for visitors
An IC card is the easiest way to ride trains and buses in Japan: tap in, tap out, and the fare comes off your balance. If you use an Oyster card or tap a contactless bank card in London, or OMNY in New York, you already know the idea. This guide explains which card to get, what the visitor-only Welcome Suica can and cannot do, where your card works and where it does not, and how to top up without fuss.23 Oct 2026Japan Rail Pass: prices, rules and when it pays off
The Japan Rail Pass gives you unlimited JR trains, including most shinkansen, for 7, 14 or 21 days. It is great value for a big loop around Japan and poor value for a city break. Here are the 2026 prices, exactly what the pass covers, the rules that catch people out, and a simple way to decide whether it is worth it for your route.23 Oct 2026
