Intercity Travel · Japan

Japan Intercity Travel Guide

Compare the shinkansen, limited express trains, flights, highway buses, overnight buses and ferries on the routes travelers use most, such as Tokyo to Kyoto or Hakata to Nagasaki. Travel times, fares, boarding points and JR Pass coverage are listed only when confirmed by the operators’ official information.

All Routes

All routes

All routes	Fastest
Tokyo → Kyoto	Approx. 2 hr 15 min
Tokyo → Osaka	Approx. 2 hr 30 min (shortest 2 hr 21 min)
Tokyo → Nagoya	Approx. 1 hr 40 min
Tokyo → Sendai	Approx. 1 hr 30 min (example timetable: Hayabusa 5)
Tokyo → Kanazawa	Approx. 2 hr 27 min (example timetable: Kagayaki 501)
Tokyo → Nagano	Approx. 1 hr 20 min (example timetable: Kagayaki 501)
Tokyo → Hakodate	Approx. 1 hr 20 min–1 hr 25 min (ANA timetable)
Tokyo → Sapporo	Approx. 1 hr 30 min–1 hr 45 min (ANA timetable)
Tokyo → Hiroshima	Approx. 4 hr (example: Nozomi 89, dep. Tokyo 20:00 → arr. Hiroshima 23:54)
Tokyo → Fukuoka (Hakata)	Approx. 1 hr 45 min–2 hr
Tokyo → Naha	Approx. 2 hr 35 min–2 hr 45 min (ANA timetable)
Nagoya → Kyoto	About 33 min
Nagoya → Osaka	About 50 min
Osaka → Kyoto	About 28 min (timetable example)
Osaka → Hiroshima	About 1 hr 25 min (e.g. Nozomi No. 89 departs Shin-Osaka 22:29 → arrives Hiroshima 23:54)
Osaka → Okayama	About 45 min (e.g. Nozomi No. 89 departs Shin-Osaka 22:29 → arrives Okayama 23:13)
Osaka → Kanazawa	Fastest 2 hr 9 min (change at Tsuruga)
Osaka → Fukuoka (Hakata)	About 2 hr 30 min (e.g. Mizuho No. 601 departs Shin-Osaka 6:00 → arrives Hakata 8:28)
Osaka → Beppu	About 11 hr 50 min
Kyoto → Kanazawa	Thunderbird Kyoto–Tsuruga about 55 min + Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsurugi Tsuruga–Kanazawa about 57 min (timetable example) + transfer
Kyoto → Nara	About 35 min (fastest 33 min)
Fukuoka (Hakata) → Nagasaki	Fastest about 1 hr 20 min (including transfer time at Takeo-Onsen Station)
Fukuoka (Hakata) → Kumamoto	Fastest 32 min (about 40 min on the Sakura)
Fukuoka (Hakata) → Kagoshima (Kagoshima-Chuo)	About 1 hr 20–35 min (e.g. Mizuho No. 601 departs Hakata 8:30 → arrives 9:53; Sakura No. 741 departs 9:06 → arrives 10:39)
Sapporo → Hakodate	Approx. 3 hr 30 min–4 hr (timetable revised March 2026)
Sapporo → Asahikawa	Approx. 1 hr 25 min (example: Kamui 9)

Tokyo

Routes from Tokyo

Tokyo → Kyoto

Fastest: Approx. 2 hr 15 min

🚄 Shinkansen🌙 Overnight bus

Tokyo → Osaka

Fastest: Approx. 2 hr 30 min (shortest 2 hr 21 min)

🚄 Shinkansen✈ Flight🌙 Overnight bus

Tokyo → Nagoya

Fastest: Approx. 1 hr 40 min

🚄 Shinkansen

Tokyo → Sendai

Fastest: Approx. 1 hr 30 min (example timetable: Hayabusa 5)

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus🌙 Overnight bus

Tokyo → Kanazawa

Fastest: Approx. 2 hr 27 min (example timetable: Kagayaki 501)

🚄 Shinkansen✈ Flight

Tokyo → Nagano

Fastest: Approx. 1 hr 20 min (example timetable: Kagayaki 501)

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus

Tokyo → Hakodate

Fastest: Approx. 1 hr 20 min–1 hr 25 min (ANA timetable)

✈ Flight🚄 Shinkansen

Tokyo → Sapporo

Fastest: Approx. 1 hr 30 min–1 hr 45 min (ANA timetable)

✈ Flight🚄 Shinkansen

Tokyo → Hiroshima

Fastest: Approx. 4 hr (example: Nozomi 89, dep. Tokyo 20:00 → arr. Hiroshima 23:54)

🚄 Shinkansen✈ Flight🌙 Overnight bus

Tokyo → Fukuoka (Hakata)

Fastest: Approx. 1 hr 45 min–2 hr

✈ Flight🚄 Shinkansen🌙 Overnight bus

Tokyo → Naha

Fastest: Approx. 2 hr 35 min–2 hr 45 min (ANA timetable)

✈ Flight

Nagoya

Routes from Nagoya

Nagoya → Kyoto

Fastest: About 33 min

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus

Nagoya → Osaka

Fastest: About 50 min

🚄 Shinkansen🚆 Limited express🚌 Highway bus

Osaka

Routes from Osaka

Osaka → Kyoto

Fastest: About 28 min (timetable example)

🚆 Limited express🚄 Shinkansen

Osaka → Hiroshima

Fastest: About 1 hr 25 min (e.g. Nozomi No. 89 departs Shin-Osaka 22:29 → arrives Hiroshima 23:54)

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus🌙 Overnight bus

Osaka → Okayama

Fastest: About 45 min (e.g. Nozomi No. 89 departs Shin-Osaka 22:29 → arrives Okayama 23:13)

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus

Osaka → Kanazawa

Fastest: Fastest 2 hr 9 min (change at Tsuruga)

🚆 Limited express🚌 Highway bus🌙 Overnight bus

Osaka → Fukuoka (Hakata)

Fastest: About 2 hr 30 min (e.g. Mizuho No. 601 departs Shin-Osaka 6:00 → arrives Hakata 8:28)

🚄 Shinkansen

Osaka → Beppu

Fastest: About 11 hr 50 min

🚄 Shinkansen⛴ Ferry

Kyoto

Routes from Kyoto

Kyoto → Kanazawa

Fastest: Thunderbird Kyoto–Tsuruga about 55 min + Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsurugi Tsuruga–Kanazawa about 57 min (timetable example) + transfer

🚆 Limited express🚌 Highway bus🌙 Overnight bus

Kyoto → Nara

Fastest: About 35 min (fastest 33 min)

🚆 Limited express

Fukuoka (Hakata)

Routes from Fukuoka (Hakata)

Fukuoka (Hakata) → Nagasaki

Fastest: Fastest about 1 hr 20 min (including transfer time at Takeo-Onsen Station)

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus

Fukuoka (Hakata) → Kumamoto

Fastest: Fastest 32 min (about 40 min on the Sakura)

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus

Fukuoka (Hakata) → Kagoshima (Kagoshima-Chuo)

Fastest: About 1 hr 20–35 min (e.g. Mizuho No. 601 departs Hakata 8:30 → arrives 9:53; Sakura No. 741 departs 9:06 → arrives 10:39)

🚄 Shinkansen🚌 Highway bus

Sapporo

Routes from Sapporo

Sapporo → Hakodate

Fastest: Approx. 3 hr 30 min–4 hr (timetable revised March 2026)

🚆 Limited express✈ Flight🚌 Highway bus

Sapporo → Asahikawa

Fastest: Approx. 1 hr 25 min (example: Kamui 9)

🚆 Limited express🚌 Highway bus

Travel times, fares and boarding points are based on official information from rail, airline, bus and ferry operators. Fares and timetables can change, so check the official websites before you go.

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