Hyperdia perfect guide, train timetable and route search engine

If you want to plan your itinerary by yourself, Hyperdia will be a very useful tool.
This site is a comprehensive transportation search engine where you can look up timetables and routes for trains, flights, and airport shuttle buses.
I think it is the most convenient site available for travelers.
However, because it has so many functions and options, you may feel a bit overwhelmed when using it for the first time.

In this post, I will walk you through all the main features of Hyperdia and explain how to use them step-by-step.
By the end, I hope you will feel comfortable using the site and be able to plan your trips smoothly.

How to Use Hyperdia (Video Guide)

If you prefer to learn visually, you can watch the tutorial video below to understand how to use Hyperdia step-by-step.

Basic search

First, go to the Hyperdia.

On the top page, you will see several search fields.
If you just want to look up a simple timetable or route, for example, Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, simply type the station names in the “From” and “To” fields.
Then select your travel date and time.

At the last dropdown menu, you can choose from Departure, Arrival, or Average:

• Departure – Search based on your departure time (most commonly used).
• Arrival – Search based on the time you want to arrive at your destination.
• Average – Shows a range of options between departure and arrival, but this is rarely used.

Example:
If you are flying out of Narita Airport Terminal 2 on December 15 and want to arrive by 15:00, type “Tokyo” in the From field and “Narita Airport Terminal 2” in the To field.
Then select December 15, 15:00, and choose Arrival.

Search with Conditions

When using a JR Pass, you cannot take Nozomi trains on the Tokaido or Sanyo Shinkansen.
Also, most passes issued by the JR Group do not cover private railway lines or subways.
On the other hand, some regional passes for private railways, such as the Kansai Thru Pass, do not cover JR trains.

Hyperdia allows you to filter routes based on these conditions.

Scroll to the bottom of the search fields and click “Search Details.”
Here, you will see many options to customize your search.

Via 1, Via 2, and Via 3

Sometimes multiple routes are available between two cities.
If you want to force your route to go through a specific station, enter the station name in the Via 1 field.

Example:
If you want to travel from Tokyo to Takayama via Nagoya, input:

• From: Tokyo
• To: Takayama
• Via 1: Nagoya

You can enter up to three intermediate stations using Via 1, Via 2, and Via 3.

Sorting Results

You can choose how the search results are sorted:

• Best Departure Time – Default setting.
• Transfer – Prioritizes routes with the fewest transfers.
• Money – Prioritizes routes with the lowest total cost.

Check Boxes

There are check boxes to include or exclude certain transportation types.

Example:
If you are using a JR Pass to travel from Shin-Osaka to Hakata,
uncheck “NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN)” because Nozomi and Mizuho trains are not covered by the JR Pass.

However, note that Hayabusa is categorized in the same group, but it is covered by the JR Pass.
If you are traveling north to places like Shin-Aomori or Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, you should keep this option checked.

Private railways are also not covered by the JR Pass, so you may want to uncheck “Private Railway” as well.
Similarly, uncheck “Airplane” and “Airport Shuttle Bus” unless you want flight results included.

Advanced Features

When you get search results, you can access more detailed information by clicking the links provided.

Train Timetable

Shows the departure and arrival times for every station along the train’s route.
This is useful if you are meeting friends along the way and need to know when they can board.

Interval Timetable

This feature shows all trains running on the same segment, allowing you to compare earlier or later trains easily.

Station Timetable

Displays all train departure times for a specific station.
You can click on individual trains for detailed information.

When You Cannot Find a Station Name

Sometimes, Hyperdia may not recognize the station name you enter.
Here are some common reasons and solutions.

Hyphen in Station Names

Some stations require a hyphen (-) in their names.

Stations Starting with “Shin”

For stations beginning with “Shin” (meaning “New”), you often need to include a hyphen.

• Correct: Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Shin-Yokohama
• Incorrect: Shinosaka, Shinkobe

However, some names do not use a hyphen:

• Shinsapporo (New Sapporo)
• Shinimamiya (New Imamiya)
• Shinsaibashi (no hyphen used)

Stations Starting with Cardinal Directions

Stations that start with Higashi (East), Nishi (West), Minami (South), or Kita (North) often require a hyphen:

• Minami-Chitose (South Chitose)
• Nishi-Akashi (West Akashi)

But sometimes, there is no hyphen:

• Nishiumeda (West Umeda)

Stations with Historical Domain Names

Some stations include historical domain names from the Edo period:

• Aizu-Wakamatsu
• Omi-Maiko

If you cannot find a station, try adding or removing a hyphen.

Anyhow when you cannot find the name, try to put a hyphen.

Same Location, Different Station Names

In large cities like Tokyo or Osaka, multiple stations in the same area may have different names depending on the railway company.

Example: Osaka/Umeda area

• Osaka (JR)
• Kitashinchi (JR Tozai Line)
• Umeda (Hanshin Railway)
• Umeda (Hankyu Railway)
• Umeda (Osaka Metro Midosuji Line)
• Higashi-Umeda (Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line)
• Nishi-Umeda (Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line)

These stations are within walking distance, even though they have different names.

Other examples:

• Hamamatsucho (JR and Tokyo Monorail) / Daimon (Tokyo Subway)
• Namba (Nankai and Subway) / JR-Namba (JR) / Osaka-Namba (Kintetsu & Hanshin)

Station Names Containing the Company Name

When there are multiple stations in the same area, some companies include their company name in the station name:

• Kintetsu-Nara
• Kintetsu-Nagoya
• Seibu-Shinjuku
• JR-Namba

If you cannot find a station by location alone, use Google Maps to check the exact name.

I hope this guide helps you understand how to use Hyperdia to plan your train journeys in Japan.
With a little practice, you’ll be able to search routes quickly and confidently!