I wrote a post here on how I find driving in Japan.
But I am getting more and more questions from families who are considering road tripping between Osaka and Tokyo in an attempt to avoid shinkansen ( bullet train) costs.
My thoughts
Even though I thoroughly enjoy driving in Japan I would always take the bullet train.
The highways between the two cities don’t provide for very much of a scenic route so I would rather take in the view from a train window while sleeping or eating and drinking.
I would also prefer to rent a car for road trips for either end of the journey instead. (In case you are interested, my favourite Tokyo road trips are here.)
I can understand why many people are quite shocked at the cost of bullet train tickets ( you can use the site Jorudan here to calculate your own journey costs. I also often find google maps to be equally as helpful. )
But I also don’t think many people understand how far away Osaka is from Tokyo. It takes one hour in a plane to travel between the cities. They are more than 500 kilometres apart.
The trains are fast. Safe. Reliable. Clean.
This is the reason that the majority of local people in Japan use a bullet train to travel between the cities – over all other options.
An adult bullet train ticket between the two cities is approximately 15,000 yen. The trip takes approximately 150 minutes.
Is driving possible?
Absolutely.
The roads are in great condition, the service areas (SA as they are called in Japan) are clean and are often like mini-department stores with decent food and clean restrooms.
The traffic can be terrible so your trip may take longer than expected – especially at the beginning or end of national holidays and weekends.
Road tolls between Osaka and Tokyo will cost approximately 15,000 yen, one way. Petrol/gas and rental car fees are not included, of course.
Here is a site you can use to calculate tolls (it is a bit confusing though.)
So what other options are available
Overnight buses
There are a few overnight sleeper buses that cost between 3000 -15,000 yen per person ( the cheaper options are less comfortable and don’t have toilets on board – but they do stop frequently for bathroom breaks.) I rarely meet anyone who doesn’t regret taking a bus overnight but it is an option often used by backpackers and young travellers.
Planes
The flight time takes approximately one hour but you will need to factor in transportation to and from the airport. Flight prices are generally either side of 10,000 yen per person.
Regular (non-bullet) trains
The trip can take as long as 9 hours but it is possible. You will have to change trains a few times. It will cost around 13,000 yen per adult. For cheaper options during the university options – you can also google the “Seishun 18” pass.
