JR East Rail Pass

JR East Rail Pass’s route map features the following stations:

• Haneda Airport
• Kumagaya
• Nagaoka
• Utsunomiya
• Honjo Waseda
• Joetsumyoko
• Niigata
• Narita Airport Terminal 1
• Nasushiobara
• Nagano
• Echigo Yuzawa
• Nagano station
• Tsubamesanjo
• Iiyama
• Ueno
• Tokyo
• Takasaki
• Oyama Tochigi
• Urasa
• Omiya
• Karuizawa
• Sakudaira
• Ueda Nagano
• Jomokogen

Here is the list of routes covered by JR East Rail Pass which are always in high demand with the travellers:

• Tokyo - Karuizawa
• Karuizawa - Tokyo
• Tokyo - Nagano
• Nagano - Narita Airport
• Tokyo - Utsunomiya
• Yuzawa Niigata - Tokyo
• Gunma - Yuzawa Niigata
• Saitama - Tokyo
• Tokyo - Gunma
• Nagano - Tokyo
• Takasaki - Joetsu
• Nagaoka - Saitama
• Nagano - Gunma
• Niigata - Takasaki
• Gunma - Nagano
• Saitama - Gunma
• Takasaki - Niigata
• Saitama - Utsunomiya
• Karuizawa - Saitama
• Yuzawa Niigata - Gunma
• Niigata - Nagaoka
• Nagano - Karuizawa
• Nagaoka - Niigata
• Saitama - Nagano
• Joetsu - Saitama
• Tochigi - Saitama
• Takasaki - Saitama
• Tokyo - Yuzawa Niigata
• Tsubame - Tokyo
• Saitama - Yuzawa Niigata
• Niigata - Saitama
• Utsunomiya - Saitama
• Gunma - Tokyo
• Saitama - Tochigi
• Takasaki - Nagano
• Yuzawa Niigata - Saitama
• Narita Airport - Nagano
• Nagano - Saitama
• Joetsu - Nagano
• Niigata - Yuzawa Niigata
• Gunma - Niigata
• Tokyo - Tsubame
• Tokyo - Saitama
• Haneda Airport - Nagano
• Nagano - Haneda Airport
• Takasaki - Yuzawa Niigata
• Nagaoka - Tokyo
• Tokyo - Tochigi
• Tokyo - Niigata
• Joetsu - Tokyo
• Yuzawa Niigata - Takasaki
• Saitama - Nagaoka
• Nagano - Takasaki
• Saitama - Joetsu
• Tochigi - Tokyo
• Saitama - Takasaki
• Takasaki - Tokyo
• Nagano - Joetsu
• Niigata - Gunma
• Niigata - Tokyo
• Tokyo - Takasaki
• Karuizawa - Nagano
• Tokyo - Joetsu
• Yuzawa Niigata - Niigata
• Utsunomiya - Tokyo
• Gunma - Saitama
• Tokyo - Nagaoka
• Takasaki - Karuizawa
• Saitama - Niigata

To get most of your train ride to choose the class of your ticket wisely. Consider the length of your trip, the time of the day, and your own preferences. For longer travels by night, first or second-class tickets in a sleeper coach might be the best solution. Both options allow you to sleep your night away as comfortably as it gets on a train and save the precious daytime of your vacation. Note that sometimes first-class tickets cannot be booked for short couple-of-hours trips on a longer itinerary. They are often reserved for travellers who cover the whole route from departure to the terminal station. Yet second-class sleepers of sometimes soft seats are a decent alternative if 4-5 hours bring you to your point B. Check what is included in the price. Linen and towels may or may not be provided for overnight trips as water, snacks, or toiletries. It is always a good idea to bring some layers on board as air-conditioning or heating may fail to meet your standards.

Pros of Train Travel

• Railway travel is an ideal solution to beat traffic. While delays are sometimes possible for various reasons, in general, neither rush-hour, long weekends nor high season fever will ruin your timing with railways.
• Online booking of railway tickets saves you a lot of time. For many destinations, tickets can be booked as long as 90 days before your travel date which brings planning to a new level. Yet last-minute deals are often available, too. There is no need to go to the train station to book either – do it wherever you want.
• In many cases, train tickets are much more affordable than air tickets. On certain routes, the length of travel by high-speed trains equals or even beats air travel if you consider the time you spend in the airport for check-in and going through security and/or customs formalities.
• Very often, railway stations are located in the center of the city. It saves you a lot of time to reach your accommodation. Older railway stations often have the added bonus of being super atmospheric occupying historical buildings. Travelling to/from such stations can be considered a worthy point of your whole travel plan.
• Besides saving you daytime for other more enjoyable things, a night on a train is a good way to cut your hotel expenses. If it is a sleeper you opt for, you may expect to sleep quite well, too. Well, better than on a sleeper bus for sure!
• There are luxury trains serving some routes, and it is definitely an experience to try at least once in your life.

Cons of Train Travel

• The longer the distance – the longer the train ride, and if you have to cover a considerable mileage, it will be very time-consuming. So sometimes air travel is a better alternative even if costlier.
• Connections with your onward transport should be planned with extra care. Though the timetables are normally set, delays and cancellations are always possible due to a variety of reasons. Another thing to consider is the location of the station where your train arrives or departs from. There is more than one train station in certain cities and locations, which sometimes causes confusion.
• One of the most common complaints about trains on certain routes is cleanliness. It mostly concerns the cheapest class coaches and toilets.
• Stops are not always clearly announced or marked during some train trips. Electronic screens do solve this issue easily but are not present everywhere. So ensure you track your stop with GPS or just ask a conductor if any.