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

Timetable and reservation
2010.08.24

You need to check the train timetable to plan your trip.
In this post, I will introduce several resources where you can find train timetables in Japan.

I will cover the timetables provided by the major train companies later.
However, those alone are not always enough. Some train companies only offer a search engine, so you may prefer to see a hard copy of the timetable.

JR Group’s website

JR used to be Japan’s national railway, but it was privatized many years ago.
Today, there are six separate companies:

  • JR Hokkaido (Hokkaido area)
  • JR East (Tohoku, Kanto, Tokyo and surrounding areas, Nagano)
  • JR Central (Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka, Nagoya and surrounding areas, Chubu region)
  • JR West (Kansai and Chugoku regions)
  • JR Shikoku (Shikoku area)
  • JR Kyushu (Kyushu area)

Some of these JR companies provide timetable and fare search functions on their official websites.

JR East timetable

This website provides timetables for most limited express trains, Shinkansen services, and popular seasonal trains in the JR East area.
It also includes timetables for JR Hokkaido trains.

JR East official site– the timetable

JR Central timetable

This website offers the timetable for the Tokaido Shinkansen and Sanyo Shinkansen.
These Shinkansen lines connect Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Hakata.

JR Central official site – Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen timetables

JR Kyushu timetable

This website provides timetables for most limited express trains, Shinkansen services, and popular seasonal trains in the JR Kyushu area.

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:

Hyperdia perfect guide, train timetable and route search engine
If you want to build your itinerary by yourself, Hyperdia will help you a lot. This site is transportation search engine. You can search the timetables and routes of all trains, flights and airport shuttle bus. But this site is a bit tricky and too many functions and options to you. This guide will help you to find the way to use this site.
jprail.com
2013.11.26

Comments

  1. Winnie says:
    March 3, 2013 at 3:15 am

    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:
    February 28, 2013 at 7:35 pm

    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:
    February 26, 2013 at 9:40 pm

    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:
    January 14, 2013 at 11:07 pm

    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:
    October 9, 2012 at 9:02 pm

    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:
    October 8, 2012 at 10:59 pm

    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:
    October 8, 2012 at 8:11 am

    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:
    September 26, 2012 at 5:16 pm

    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:
      September 26, 2012 at 10:15 pm

      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:
    August 27, 2012 at 9:58 am

    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:
    July 25, 2012 at 12:06 am

    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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