JR train timetables guide. How to find the timetable of the train in Japan.

Timetable and reservation

You have to see the timetable to build your trip plan. In this post, I will show you the resources of the timetable of the train in Japan.

JPRail.com PDF timetable

I will tell you about the timetable by the major train companies later. However those are not enough. And some train companies offers only the search engine. You may want to see the hardcopy of the timetable.

I picked up the major trains, such as the limited express Wide View Hida, the limited express Thunderbird, most of the limited express trains in Hokkaido. And I made the timetable in PDF format. You can find it in the link below:

Due to COVID-19, it may be operated on a schedule different from the normal timetable. Check the train schedule on Hyperdia.
Hyperdia perfect guide, train timetable and route search engine

JR Group’s website

JR used to be Japan’s National Railway but it was privatized a long time ago. And technically there are five different companies, JR Hokkaido (Hokkaido area), JR East (Tohoku, Kanto, Tokyo and surrounding area, Nagano), JR Central (Shinkansen Tokyo-Osaka, Nagoya and surrounding area, Chubu region), JR West (Kansai and Chugoku regions), JR Shikoku (Shikoku area) and JR Kyushu (Kyushu area). Some of these JR companies offers timetable and fare search in each websites.

JR East timetable

This website shows you the timetables of most of limited express trains, Shinkansen and popular seasonal trains in JR East areas. It also shows you the timetable of JR Hokkaido trains.

JR East official site – the timetable

JR Central timetable

This website shows the timetable of the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Sanyo Shinkansen. This Shinkansen line runs between Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima and Hakata.

JR Central official site – The Tokaido and the Sanyo Shinkansen timetable

JR Kyushu timetable

You can find the updated PDF format timetable of most of express trains in Kyushu.

JR Kyushu official site – The route map and the timetable of JR Kyushu trains

Hyperdia

hyperdia1

If you cannot find the timetable in the links above, please use Hyperdia to find it. Hyperdia covers all train’s schedules, most of domestic flights schedules, airport shuttle bus schedules and fare tables. This is the best website for a traveler who takes a train, and helps you to build your itinerary. It is simple but a bit tricky to use. Please refer the guide of Hyperdia in the link below:

Comments

  1. Winnie says:

    Dear Takeshi,

    I am planning to travel to Hakodate from Lake Toya. Appreciate if you could advise the type of train to take to Hakodate. And if possible the timetable link too.

    Thanks in advance.

  2. Gary says:

    Greetings Takeshi:

    The information you provide is so excellent!

    We are interested in scenic rail trips. It seems that one of them is around the mountainous Kii Peninsula. We would like to leave Shin-Osaka on April 16 on board the Kuroshio1 arriving at Kii-Katsuura at about 11:31. Then we would want to take the Wide View Nanki 6 from there departing at about 12:23 to Nagoya. The WVN6 is shown in the 2012 JR English timetable and also comes up in the Jourdan.co.jp website timetable. But no WVN6 in Hyperdia. Has this train been dropped? Also, I have a question about fares but I will ask it in the ‘Fares’ section. THANKS GARY

  3. Teri says:

    Hi ,

    My friend and I will be landing in Hansai, Osaka Airport then to Osaka hotel, we are planning to visit Kyoto, maybe Kobe and Nara (staying 4 nights in Osaka), then head to Hakone for 2 nights, and go to Tokyo for 4 nights. This is our first time to Japan.

    Should we purchase the JR passes? We might take a tour for one day to Kyoto.
    How do we get from Osaka to Hakone Machi? I know that we need to purhase Hakone Rail pass.

    Please give us best interinary to travel and a reasonable price way to get where we need to go.

    Thank you for your attention.

  4. Julia says:

    Dear Takeshi,
    my Parents will come to Japan in March. They arrive at Osaka international Airport from where we go to Kyoto (5nights). Sightseeing-Plan: The city of Kyoto

    After that we go to Hiroshima (we planned to use Shinkansen here). In Hiroshima we will stay for 2 Nights. Sightseeing-Plan: Hiroshima and Miyajima

    Then we go to Matsue/Shimane and stay there for 7 nights. Sightseeing-Plan: isn’t that finsihed yet, but I think we will go to Izumo, Yasugi and maybe 1 or 2 more places around Matsue. Of course we use the city-bus often I think.

    Is it profitable to buy a RailwayPass for this travel-plan?

  5. william says:

    is the 1 or 2 day osaka unlimited pass can be use on the rapid train from kansai to namba (nankai railway limited express?
    thanks

  6. william says:

    hi,

    plan to visit visit japan, arriving at kansai osaka then stay 4 night at osaka, then will go to hakone (by hikari)for 1 nite, then continue to tokyo for another 7 nights.

    what is you suggestion to save cost on the transportation during my trip?

    thanks

  7. Leigh says:

    Hello!

    I’m in Kikuchi-shi, Kumamoto-ken. I want to go to Harmonyland in Hijimachi, Hayami-gun, Oita-ken. Which train and route should I take? How much is the ticket?

    Thank you very much!

  8. Michelle says:

    I will be in tokyo for 6 nights before hopefully catching the overnight train up to sapporo for 6 nights ( skiining at Niseko for 5 ), i would like to know what is the best pass to get and and if you can pree book the train in advance?

    • JPRail says:

      Hi Michelle,

      Use Japan Rail Pass 7 days for the trip to Sapporo from Tokyo and return. This is the cheapest way to get there.
      When you stay in Tokyo, you may purchase subway pass. But it depends on your plan. Single ticket may be fine. If you arrive at Narita or Haneda, you can use Suica and N’ex or Suica and Monotail.
      http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/index.html

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  9. joyce says:

    Hi, I have plan to visit tokyo for 8N/7D days in Mid Nov as following itinerary:-
    Arrival :Haneda at 11pm
    Depart : Haneda at 11.55pm

    Day 1-Overnight at hotel in haneda airport (Due to late arrival)
    (Do you have any budget hotel recommended around the area?)
    Day 2- To exchange the 7D JR pass at the haneda airport (to utilize for the Monorial to Hamama) & check in hotel near Ueno area.Plan to visit those attraction which can be access by JR Yamanote line for the day.
    Day 3 & 4 – Bound fr Shinjuku to Hakone via Hokone 2 days pass & 1 night stay at ryokan.
    Day 4 -Plan to visit kyoto by day trip via JR pass (Hikari Shinkansen)
    Day 5 -Plan to Nikko by day trip via JR pass
    Day 6 & 7 -Explore tokyo attraction via 2 days subway pass (for those not excess by JR line)
    (Base on my plan above, I need to buy 7 days JR pass, 2 days Hokone pass & 2 days subway pass)
    I would like to seek your value advice which is the most workable & cost saving pass & itinerary that more suitable for my above plan? Tq

  10. Colin Cooksey says:

    My wife and friends will be going from Okayama to Yasugi to visit Adachi Gardens. I would like to go along that train line but get off and visit some branch lines into the mountains. Can you suggest some interesting side trips. I have previously traveled the San-in line down through Hagi. Colin

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