No, the trains are faster and more comfortable. Driving Tokyo-Osaka is probably 6 hours, while the train is less than 3. saving 3 hours each way on a trip is

No, the trains are faster and more comfortable. Driving Tokyo-Osaka is probably 6 hours, while the train is less than 3. saving 3 hours each way on a trip is worth a lot of money to a lot of people. Imagine you work in Osaka and have a meeting in Tokyo. If you're driving you'd have to leave a day early, and spend a night in a hotel, leave as soon as possible after the meeting and probably wouldn't be home before midnight. With the train you hop on the train in the morning, work all the way to Tokyo, attend the meeting, grab the first train back and finish up any work you had on your way home.