Is It Cheaper to Fly or Take the Train in Japan

As each of plane and several types of trains has its own advantages, which is the best to fly or take the train in Japan? With no doubt, air travel is the fastest mode of transportation, while Shinkansen, the high-speed train, is also welcomed.

Terminal 1 of Kansai Airport, Osaka

Major Differences between Flights & Shinkansen

Take the route between Tokyo and Osaka for example:

	Plane	Shinkansen
Speed / Duration	1 – 1.5 hours	About 2.5 hours
Punctuality	Occasional delays	Punctual
Convenience	airports far away from the downtown	accessible stations in the downtown
Density of Runs	Over 30 flights every day	2 or 3 trains per hour
Fare	JPY 8,200-32,600 for economy class	JPY 13,870 for non-reserved seat; JPY 14,200-14,520 for a reserved seat in ordinary car

As you can see, a plane is absolutely faster than the Shinkansen bullet train. A flight might be delayed for the local severe weather, such as typhoon and sandstorm; but the bullet train usually runs on time. The airport, in the outskirts, is somewhat far to reach, while the railway stations are located within touch as in the downtown. To travel between Tokyo and Osaka, the plane and Shinkansen are similar in the density of runs.

Details in the Ticket Fare: Cheap Budget Flights & Affordable Shinkansen

For the ticket fare, it takes JPY 32,600 or so at most for economy class if flying from Tokyo to Osaka. Such a price is expensive than the Shinkansen bullet train, but it’s for the higher-grade airlines. It’s expensive than the ticket fare for Green Car (the first-class car) on a Shinkansen train between the two cities, which is JPY 19,070-19,390. Japan Air Lines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) are giants as well as the best airlines in Japan, and the fare of flights operated by these two companies is a little higher than those of other airlines.

Plane in Tokyo Haneda Airport

Shinkansen Train into the Station

The budget flights are so many to catch one, at a fare of JPY 8,200 and even more lower to travel between Tokyo and Osaka. For the budget flights, mostly run by low-cost carriers like Peach Aviation and Skymark Airlines, are usually cheap, even much cheaper than Shinkansen.

Shinkansen fare is fluctuating depending on seasons, with a range within JPY 200-400. The ticket becomes somewhat higher in peak seasons (New Year, Golden Week from late April to early May, and Obon Festival in mid-August), and lower in off season. Even so, the fluctuation is negligible when compared with air travel.

Go ahead to take a plane if Shinkansen train time is over 4 hours?

It is said that flying is more cost-effective when the duration of Shinkansen train is more than 4 hours to cover the distance off the record. The trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima takes actually 4 hours or so by Shinkansen train, at a fare of JPY 18,380 for an unreserved seat and JPY 18,710-19,240 for a reserved seat in the ordinary car.

Comparatively, the air travel between Tokyo and Hiroshima spends 1h 20-55min and around JPY 20,000-22,000 for economy class averagely; the budget airlines would be greatly cheaper. Although Tokyo-Hiroshima high-end flights cost double as much as the Green Car of Shinkansen sometimes, it is still rational to take a plane rather than Shinkansen train for a long journey going out of Honshu.