My favourite thing in the world is riding the shinkansen, I have even come to be able to mimic the voice of the recorded Japanese announcer, I am that big a fan ‘kyou mo shinkansen wo goryou kudasaimashite, arigatou gozaimasu’ in a hypnotically rhythmic voice. Zooming through an alien landscape of mountains, rice paddies and temples; chewing on chocolate covered almonds. BUT, those priveleged days are all but a hazy memory from a time when I was 4′7″ and my parents were handing over the cash.

The best way to explore Japan by shinkansen is to buy a rail pass from outside of Japan, prove that you have the right to live somewhere other than Japan (i.e. for most people, that you are not Japanese), you come to Japan on a tourist visa, and then exchange your voucher when you get here. If you do not comply with all four of these conditions, you may not get a rail pass, pass go or collect £200. I remember showing my passport to officers on some occasions (not all, but some) so even if you are here on another visa and have got your mum to sneak in a pass, there is a risk of being caught out by the ticket collector. If you satisfy the first 2 conditions, my unconditional advice is to get this pass. If you are moving around in Japan, this is the only way to go. Step up, pay the fee and spare a thought for the rest of us who pay the same price of your 7 day pass just for a return ticket to Osaka.

So, what if you are here for the longer term? Especially if you are on a tight budget, the shinkansen becomes just another legend about Japan you read about in your guide book whilst packing your things for this foreign land. Through the strange workings of this world, I can go from Moscow to Vladivostok for $318 (less still in hard class) but return ticket from Tokyo to Osaka is like $280 – that’s 5000 miles compared with about 580 miles! Ok… so the Russian train is much slower I hear you cry… what about Beijing to Shanghai – 1792 miles total, 11.5 hours each way, the newest train you’ve ever ridden – $160, Ok… standard of living = lower train fares? Even with the expensive train system in the UK, if you book a couple of months in advance, Brighton to Edinburgh, return ticket, 748 miles total, 6.5 hours each way, $140!!!!! I could go on – Amtrak: New York to Chicago, a horrific 20hrs each way without a bed, 1428 miles total, $160; Paris to Berlin, TGV train, 1200 miles total, 8 hours each way, starting from $55! What on earth is going on? Today is the 44th birthday of the shinkansen and its high time this train service made itself affordable to people on regular to low incomes. This investigation is to be continued…..

Trackback URI | Comments RSS