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Anecdote: I was just in Japan and w/ a train-loving buddy, and he found the fastest in the country for us to take a ride (The Hayabusa line between Tokyo <-> S
by nlh 8y ago
Anecdote: I was just in Japan and w/ a train-loving buddy, and he found the fastest in the country for us to take a ride (The Hayabusa line between Tokyo <-> Sendai).
Super fun! It tops out just over 200mph for a few stretches (obligatory screen cap from whatever GPS speedometer app I happened to download at the moment)[1]
We rode coach up to Sendai and First Class on the way back after a long day of wandering around. 1000% worth the experience if anyone is considering the adventure as part of a Japan trip.
[1] https://m.imgur.com/a/WBtSgJ6 https://m.imgur.com/a/WBtSgJ6
- kurthr 8y agoIf you know you're traveling to Japan and want to ride the Shinkansen, then definitely get a JR rail pass. They are good for a week (upto 3) of travel, but can pay for themselves in 1 or 2 rides. They're even good for travel within Tokyo on Yamanote and Chuo lines (and if your flight arrives in time for you to validate for the Narita Express or Haneda Monorail). There are lots of places on-line to purchase, but the ticket must be delivered/picked-up outside of Japan and you must have a foreign passport/residence. Also, the pass is only valid on the Kodama/Hikari (echo/light) trains, but not Nozomi (hope) which have fewer stops. The real advantage of Green/1st class is that you can more easily book last munite at busy times without fear of the train being full.
- kaybe 8y agoActually, they have a trial right now where you can buy the JR passes inside Japan. The cost is a little higher compared to buying abroad. The foreign passport and short-term visa requirements still remain.
- SmellyGeekBoy 8y agoI actually framed my JR Pass when I got home.