Japan Rail Can Save Time, Money For Travelers

<H1> Japan Rail Can Save Time, Money For Travelers</H1>By Robert Selwitz

<I>Tokyo </I>- While air is the preferred travel medium for U.S. business travelers in most parts of the world, high-speed rail might be the best bet in Japan if business takes travelers to more than one destination here.

For the most popular and heavily traveled routes, Japan Rail is the clear winner in terms of convenience, comfort and cost-both in time and cash.

For example, there are as many as seven shinkansen, or "bullet trains," per hour between downtown Tokyo and Osaka. Because trips take either 2 1/2 or three hours, door-to-door rail and air time are usually equivalent, with rail sometimes faster. In fact, cab rides between downtown Tokyo and Narita Airport can take up to two hours and cost up to $200. And, unlike air travel, Japan rail is almost always on time.

Shinkansen trains are not only quick, but clean and comfortable. Whether travelers choose "ordinary" or "green" cars (first class), the contoured seats allow for relaxation, sightseeing or work.

In fact, the prime difference between the services is size of seats, amount of leg room and the fact that standing room is not sold in green cars. This can be important during rush hour or holiday periods, when ordinary cars can get jammed with standees.

Some green-car trains have enclosed compartments that include a desk and radio intercom to the cafeteria. A call will bring a choice of sandwiches, beers and wine. The same food is offered via compact food wagons that ply the aisles of all cars.

A one-way ordinary Tokyo-Osaka ticket is about $125 for a three-hour trip. The hourly super express, which shaves off another half hour, costs an additional $8.80, and green-car service costs roughly $20 more. By comparison, a one-way, hour-long ANA flight between the two cities is available for $135.

For travelers making more than just a Tokyo-Osaka round trip, serious cost savings are available via the seven, 14- or 21-day Japan Rail Pass.

The pass, which can be bought only outside Japan, allows for unlimited riding throughout the Japan Railway system within a consecutive time frame. In ordinary class, the seven-day pass costs $260, the 14-day is $413 and the 21-day is $529. Green car rates are $346 for seven days, $561 for 14 days, and $729 for 21-days.

Japan Air Lines passengers can buy vouchers when purchasing their international flight tickets, and then exchange them for passes at Tokyo's Narita Airport, Osaka's Kansai Airport or at dozens of Japan Rail stations. For passengers on other carriers, vouchers are available at U.S. and Canadian offices of Japan Travel Bureau International, Kintetsu International Express, Nippon Travel Agency and Tokyu Tourist Corporation.

Many travelers prefer rail over air for the Tokyo-Osaka run, said John Tedford, travel information manager for Japan Railways Group. "Cars are not a serious option for most westerners," he said.

Rentals here are much more expensive than in the United States; Japan drives on the lefthand side of the road; signs are only in Japanese; and traffic can be fearsome, particularly in cities.

Tedford said that air generally gains an advantage for trips that would take more than five hours by train. For example, "most people traveling to Sapporo fly from Tokyo rather than take the train for more than eleven hours. However, there are comfortable sleeping compartments on 16-hour overnight sleepers on this and other long-haul routes. Many sightseers-even some businesspeople who have a bit of extra time-fly one way and return by rail," he said.

David Evans, vice president and general sales manager of Westin Hotels & Resorts, also praises Japan's railroads. Evans, who uses JR trains to check activities at Westin's Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto properties, said the trains "leave precisely on time, are relaxing and extremely efficient. It lets me avoid flying on a 747 commuter plane packed with 450 of my closest friends between Tokyo and Osaka. I'm 6 feet 2 inches and weigh 225 pounds, and I don't comfortably fit into an economy ANA seat. And economy is all there are on the Tokyo-Osaka route."

Instead, Evans opts for green-car rail service. "I can work or relax in a large and comfortable seat with sufficient leg room," he said. "I really can't save any point-to-point travel time by flying, so traveling by rail makes all kinds of sense."

Evans does offer one caveat: "Be ready to move when the train pulls into your station. If the schedule calls for a two-minute stop, than that's what it will be. Leisurely exits are not built into the system."

He also advised that in major train stations, the rail lines are at the top and the subways at the bottom. "If you're connecting from a train to a subway, you're OK when arriving. But using a subway to reach the train means climbing up. You can be in for serious work if you're moving heavy luggage from the metro to your train," he said.

Tedford said that reservations, which only can be made within Japan, are a good idea, particularly at rush hours or during holiday periods; they are mandatory for green-car seating. However, there usually are plenty of unreserved ordinary car seats available. And, he said, "with Tokyo-Osaka trains leaving every 10 minutes, you can be assured that your trip will happen on schedule, even if you miss your scheduled departure."

Luggage cannot be checked on JR trains, and storage racks are small.

For information on rail schedules and tickets, call the JR office in New York at 212-332-8686.