The Japan Rail Pass covers JR local buses. You will see the JR logo on the bus and bus stops. Sadly JR highway buses can no longer be used with the Japan Rail Pass.
Enter the bus through the back door. When entering, pick up a ticket from a small machine next to the door. A number is printed on the ticket, which you will later use to determine your fare. If you use an IC card to pay the fare, touch your card against the card reader.
Three-day Unlimited Rides at 10,000 yen
"Japan Bus Pass" is introduced by "WILLER EXPRESS", the company that operates high-way buses including night-bus. The pass allows you unlimited rides on high-way buses within a certain period (ticket prices at 10,000 or 15,000 yen) and hence very convenient.Plus, its the bus is not the most sanitary place to enjoy a meal. Japanese people generally don't eat in public (exceptions: festivals and takoyaki) unlke other Asians.
The buses in Tokyo's 23 districts have a pay first policy where you pay the bus fare when entering from the front door of the bus. Within Tokyo's 23 wards the bus fare is 210 yen (IC card 206 yen) for adults and 110 yen (IC card 103 yen) for children.
You just tap your Oyster on the yellow card reader by the driver (or on the nearest one if a bendy bus) on entry. You do not tap out. On Oyster each bus fare is £1.30, or included if you have a travelcard. There is a £4 daily cap if you only travel by bus.
Tokyo Bus Fares
The basic bus fare on Tokyo's buses is presently - if paying with cash - 210 yen for a single journey, 110 yen for a child at elementary school and free for an infant under 1.No, our drivers should be able to provide change however, they might have to offer a voucher if they don't have enough change when you get on. For ease, for both customers and drivers, we ask for the correct fare to be given when possible. You can now pay contactless on most Stagecoach buses.
It is considerably cheaper to fly in and out of Tokyo than to include one leg of the trip going through either Osaka airport (flying from US). If its not a big deal to travel back to Tokyo from Kyoto/Osaka area maybe we should do that.
Osaka: cheaper, dirtier and a whole lot friendlier than Tokyo. A vibey city of 2.7 million, it's bigger than neighboring Kyoto and also more down to earth.
The fastest way to get to Osaka City from Tokyo is via the Hikari Shinkansen (bullet train). It's also the easiest and most convenient option because there's no train transfer involved. The cheapest way to get to Osaka City from Tokyo is by overnight Kosoku Bus. Price starts as cheap as 2,400 one-way.
a seven day jr rail pass would be worth it if you have an out of town trip. an example would be, tokyo-osaka-tokyo via shinkansen. but if you plan to visit tokyo and it's environs, might not be worth it. consider at least one long distance travel and back to make jr pass worthwhile.
The best way to travel between Tokyo and Osaka is the shinkansen (bullet train). The fastest type of shinkansen, which is called the Nozomi, takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes and costs Y13,620 for a one-way trip in an unreserved seat.
Yes, Osaka is absolutely worth a visit. I definitely agree with Sammy about the Namba/Dotonbori area. It's an interesting and kind of unique place. You probably don't see that kind of settings in a city outside Japan.
The Takeaway
- Subways and trains are the best way to get around Osaka.
- A prepaid Icoca card is the BEST way to pay for transport (but a Suica or Pasmo card from Tokyo will also work just fine).
- Taxis are excellent but expensive.
- Buses aren't recommended for short-term visitors.
- See below for full details.
Generally speaking, two weeks is usually the recommended days that foreigners usually spend in Japan if their only goal is just for sightseeing and traveling purposes. From that two weeks, visitors usually spend around 3 to 5 days in Tokyo and spend the rest in other destinations.
The high speed shinkansen service (also called the bullet train) will get you from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station in 15 minutes for 1,420 yen. This is the fastest and most comfortable route from Osaka to Kyoto, and might be worthwhile if you have a Japan Rail Pass to cover the cost.
Depending on the region of Japan, it costs between 130 and 200 yen, which is basically the price of the cheapest train ticket available.
1. The Japan Rail Pass covers all JR Group limited express trains, express trains, rapid and local ones. Shinkansen bullet trains are also covered, except of NOZOMI and MIZUHO.
Time. The ride from Tokyo to Osaka is a reasonable 2.5-3 hours, with no transfers required. The speediest bullet train, the Nozomi, will get you from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station in just 2 hours 30 minutes. Taking the Hikari will add an extra 30 minutes or so to your travel time.
The Hikari Shinkansen is the second fastest bullet trian, taking about 3 hours from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. Hikari Shinkansen run about every 30 minutes (please check timetables for details). It stops at all the major cities (Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka), and it makes just a few extra stops along the way.
How much does a Japan Rail Pass Cost?
| Type: | Green | Ordinary |
|---|
| Duration | Adult | Adult |
| 7-day | 39,600 YEN | 29,650 YEN |
| 14-day | 64,120 YEN | 47,250 YEN |
| 21-day | 83,390 YEN | 60,450 YEN |
With your Japan Rail Pass
The Hikari and Kodama trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen lines are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, and they can take you from Tokyo to Osaka in about 3 to 4 hours. In Tokyo, you can catch the Shinkansen either at Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station, and then arrive to Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka.Where to Stay in Osaka Summary
- The best places to stay in Osaka are Namba and Umeda.
- Other good places to stay in Osaka are hotels near the Midosuji subway line, Osaka Castle or Universal Studios.
- Namba and Umeda are major transport hubs with lots of shops and restaurants.
- Stay in Namba if you love food and nightlife.
