Forget Shinkansen, Take Highway Buses

When travelling in Japan, many visitors appreciate the speed and convenience of the Japanese bullet trains and include them into their travel plans, while also clenching their fists as they pay for each one-way ride that might be more expensive than the hotel cost for the night. If you have shared the same thought, then I would like to recommend you an alternative that is the Highway Buses!


There are many good reasons why you might want to consider this option more often than you have had, as the benefits can outweigh Shinkansens from several perspectives. Let’s compare and take a look at why highway buses are awesome!


1. Cost

You can save a TON of money by going with highway buses. Shinkansen tickets often cost above 10,000 yen per 1 way trip, even if you choose the non-reserved seats to save you several hundred yens. Highway buses, on the other hand, can be as cheap as 4,000 yen for the same distance if you travel during the day time. If you want a more spacious environment by taking a 3 row seat (more on that later) and if you prefer to travel at night, it would still cost you around 7,000 yen-ish, saving you extra cash for your traveling budget to discover Japan! With such a clear advantage, highway buses win right out of the gate!


Winner: Highway buses

2. Time

Shinkansen is famous for its speed, taking you from Tokyo to Osaka in 2.5 hours. That speed is unbeatable, but where highway buses can win is its night-time rides. Many cross-prefectural night buses leave the station from after 10, and in some cases, after midnight! This means you have a LOT more time to spend and enjoy the nightlife of the city before you are off the travel. Feel free to get a couple of drinks on before you get onto the bus for some good night sleep. And the best part? You are going to arrive between 6-8am in the morning, fresh and ready to start your next adventure in the new city, giving you extra hours before the first Shinkansen even arrives! Personally, I definitely took full advantage of that when I travelled from Nagoya to Tokyo Disney Resort and had a full day of fun!


Winner: Highway buses

3. Comfort




The latest Shinkansen model heading up to Nagano is awesome. Every seat has a usb plug, the middle seat is extra wide, and the toilets even have washlets! However, that is not the standard, and the older trains running now can be lacking, to be honest. Only the window seat can charge electronics, and the seats can’t recline far even for a quick nap. Highway buses, on the other, can make up for all those things. I highly recommend paying the extra little money for the 3-seats-row buses. Each seat has a plug, you can recline far back for a good night sleep, blankets and slippers are provided for you feel warm and comfortable, and some buses even have curtains and pull-down headpieces for even more privacy. If you ever see me on one, I’d for sure be in my PJs and holding my Doraemon pillow as I drift into my dreams.


Winner: Highway buses


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The winner is, of course,…. subjective. The main point is that there are so many advantages to riding highway buses over Shinkansen that this option definitely should be in your considerations as you plan your Japanese travels from now on! Hope this article has been inspiring!