Highway Buses Japan

when you think of Japan, and in particular of traveling around Japan, your thoughts
might drift to the super efficient and reliant railways, the crushed yet speedy Tokyo
Metro and of course the elder statesman of them all, the sleek,
futuristic Shinkansen or bullet trains.
But increasing numbers of travelers to Japan are willing to trade off some of the
advantages of the bullet train for a little extra money to put towards other aspects of a
trip, like food, cultural experiences and souvenirs. This is where highway buses come
in.
On a highway to cost
saving
All across Japan there is a vast network of buses ferrying passengers between
destinations. Highway buses offer a cheaper alternative to trains or flights for medium
and long-distance travel around the country. The price varies between bus companies
and routes but you’re almost always guaranteed to save money compared with other
modes of transport.
The catch? Going by road does mean that your journey will take longer. However,
many of these buses also travel overnight, allowing passengers to sleep on the way
there and the way back, thereby maximizing the use of travel hours.
A JR Bus at Nagoya terminal. Nagoya is a major
transport hub for routes to Kansai.
Routes maneuver
There is also the additional benefit that comes from the wider network of routes that
these buses cover but which the faster trains do not. Bus lines crisscross the entire
country, with all 47 prefectures accessible by one or more highway bus companies.
Want to get down to Kansai? Hop on an overnight bus to Kyoto Station. Traveling to
the tip of Tohoku? There’s a bus for
that. Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku can all be explored with JR regional
bus companies, as well as private railway affiliates like Keio Group, plus discount
operators such as Willer Express.
Show me the money

As an example, let’s look at my recent trip from Osaka to Nagano and back again.
Getting to Nagano by train required first getting to Shin Osaka Station, then a
Shinkansen ride up to Nagoya and finally a three-hour slog through the mountains on
the Shinano Limited Express Train. The whole journey took a little under five hours.
The total cost: around 12,000 yen. So, we’re looking at a 24,000 yen round trip.
Going the same route by highway bus would take about seven hours, longer on the
night bus. However, there isn’t the inconvenience of having to change trains twice or
wait in Nagoya for 45 minutes. Also, if you can afford to give up those extra two
hours each way, then the savings are significant too.
Depending on the day and time of travel the cost of the bus from Umeda, central
Osaka, up to JR Nagano Station can be as low as 3,500 yen or as high as 8,500 yen.
The most common standard fare is 7,000 yen or thereabouts. You’re then looking at a
round trip of 14,000 yen. A saving of more than 40%. Not only this, but the timing of
the buses actually allows you to extend your trip for longer. If you take the overnight
bus on Friday at 9 p.m. from Osaka, even allowing for the longer travel time of the
night bus, you will still arrive in Nagano well before 6 a.m. Saturday morning. If you
took the first train on Saturday morning, getting up at 5 a.m. to do so, the earliest you
could arrive in Nagano would be 10.30 a.m..
Based in Tokyo, Willer Express is one of the most
popular highway bus operators.
The way back from Nagano to Osaka is the same too. If we go with the train route,
then the last train back leaves at 6.10 p.m.. However, taking the overnight bus allows
you to stay on for that final dinner until 9 p.m., with you arriving back in Osaka the
following morning feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
It’s a similar story for travel between Osaka and Tokyo.
Again the cost of the bus varies slightly depending on the date and time of travel. It
can be as low as 7400 yen or as high as 8,500. If the median figure is 8,000 yen, we’re
looking at a round trip of 16,000 yen approximately. Currently, the cost of the
Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo is 27,000 yen for the round trip. So again, savings
are in the range of 40%. In this instance though there is a much greater difference in
travel time. The bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo takes around three hours, whereas
the bus journey takes eight.
On the bus
So how about the conditions on the buses themselves?
There are several different bus companies, all with varying degrees of comfort and
value for money. A number of the buses now have in-seat mains power connectors,
meaning that if you can’t sleep you can keep playing that phone game or watching
those Netflix shows all the way to your destination.
You’ll also want to pay particular attention to the size, width and recline capacity of
the seats too. Most bus companies offer different types of seats, from your standard
upright to a plush cocoon seat complete with a space-age hood. Understandably, the
more luxurious the more expensive but even at the top range, you’re still paying less
money than you would for a Shinkansen ticket.
Willer Express is on top of its game with these seat
choices,
One of the fun parts of traveling by bus is taking a break at the amazing rest stops that
line Japan’s highways. What you’d expect to be depressing service areas selling
dodgy fast-food sourced from the boot of a car actually turns out to be a spectacular
plaza, with gourmet food halls and souvenir shops chock-full of regional delights.
Known as Michi-no-eki in Japanese, there are even themed rest stops based on films
or anime, or inspired by famous international travel destinations.
Booking the bus

Willer Express is one of the most well-known bus operators for foreign travelers as
their website has an easy online reservation page in English. Other operators are
following suit; sites like VIP Liner, Highway Bus and Japan Bus Lines now also
provide multi-lingual navigation. Alternatively you can head to the bus terminal, a
travel agent like JTB or certain stations. I wouldn’t recommend calling the bus
company unless you can speak very good Japanese.
Various types of tickets are available. Unsurprisingly, you’ll almost always save
money by buying a round-trip ticket. Discounted multiple tickets are a good option if
you’re traveling around the country. There are also bus passes like the Tohoku
Highway Bus Ticket for discounted travel on many of the lines in the region, or the
Willer Express Japan Bus Pass (only available to overseas residents).
With new routes and further innovations in comfort and convenience being added
every year, it seems that even as a new Maglev line between Tokyo and Osaka begins
construction, the highway buses are here to stay.

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when you think of Japan, and in particular of traveling around Japan, your thoughts

Show me the money

It’s a similar story for travel between Osaka and Tokyo.

Booking the bus

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