How Long Would It Take To Travel The Tokaido From Tokyo To Osaka

[Jcarlton]

I was having a Discussion with a friend who's planning a trip to Japan and he was comparing the Tokaido  Shinkansen to the local train from Brewster NY to GCT.  I pointed out that this was absurd and linked to a Shinkansen video. But then I started thinking. I was thinking about how long it would take to run the Tokaido using only LTD express, rapid and local trains rather than the Shinkansen.  I know it takes at least three train changes and about five or six hours but I was thinking that it might be fun to try someday.

This Rocket News 24 post was more or less the inspiration. 

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2017/03/28/how-to-travel-from-one-end-of-japan-to-the-other-by-train-for-less-than-25-bucks/

Edited April 22, 2017 by Jcarlton

[Densha]

This is not ridiculous at all. As a poor university student I did exactly the same thing last September, with the exception of the Hikone - Osaka section.

 

In general Tokyo - Osaka should take about 8-9 hours or so by local or rapid train, which is the cheapest you will get. This means getting from Tokyo to Atami by JR East rapid and from Atami to Hamamatsu/Toyohashi by (several) JR Central local trains. From Hamamatsu/Toyohashi there are JR Central rapids to Ogaki that sometimes do and sometimes do not continue as local train to Maibara. If they do not, change to another train to Maibara. At last, at Maibara you change to the JR West rapid for Himeji (or beyond) that will take you to several destinations in the Keihanshin area, including Osaka. This is just a general outline though; I suggest figuring out the quickest route from the timetable.

 

As a separate ticket this trip will cost you 8,750 yen, against 14,000 yen by Shinkansen. Although, I suggest using a Seishun 18 Kippu as these cost about 13,000 yen and give you four more days to spend on riding trains.

 

For me the only reason I took this route were the costs though. It's definitely exhausting sitting in suburban trains with longitude seats with a bad view for that long, although some Ueno-Tokyo Line rapids appeared to have some better seats at the end of the consist, as do all carriages of JR Central and JR West rapids.

 

An alternative to this route is Tokyo - Shiojiri - Osaka. Although the travel time is about 12 hours, the route length is about the same at about 550 kilometers and thus only slightly more expensive at 9,200 yen, or obviously the same with a Seishun 18 Kippu. Then again, I did several crazy 18 hour rides with the Seishun 18 Kippu, so don't mind me...

[railsquid]

10-ish hours more likely. I vaguely remember timetabling this once, there's not actually much in the way of Limited Express trains which will bring you any great distance along the Tokaido Main Line.

Edited April 22, 2017 by railsquid

[railsquid]

This is not ridiculous at all. As a poor university student I did exactly the same thing last September, with the exception of the Hikone - Osaka section.

 

eek, almost exactly 20 years since I did the same....

Edited April 22, 2017 by railsquid

[JR 500系]

Then there is also the bus option ~~  :P

 

https://willerexpress.com/dy/3/bus/pc/binList/?sdt=20170424&skb=05&ro=2301001&sk=13&tk=27&kkf=1&lang=en

 

Fastest seems to be 5400yen for day bus depart Osaki at 0720 arriving Osaka WBT Umeda at 15:30, or cheaper option departing Shinjuku at 0830 and arriving Osaka WBT Umeda 1905 costing only 4400 yen ~~

[Sacto1985]

A YouTube user actually did a recent zenmen tenbou video of the entire Tokaidō Main Line from Tokyo Station all the way to Kobe Station (though the video actually starts a Ueno Station and goes to Tokyo Station via recently-opened Ueno-Tokyo Line):

 

 

The spliced-together video was likely filmed over several days, though.

[westfalen]

Easily worked out by using Hyperdia and unchecking the Shinkansen boxes, I do it all the time when I want an interesting trip rather than a fast one.

 

Asking for Tokyo to Osaka after 6 am gives as the 5th option a 9 hour six minute trip with train changes at Atami, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Ogaki and Maibara departing Tokyo at 0607 and arriving Osaka at 1513. The first three options which are up to 48 minutes faster send you via the Chuo Line to Nagoya (which does have Ltd Exp trains) then Kintetsu to Tsuruhashi on the Osaka Loop Line.

[railsquid]

Technically if you want do to the entire Tokaido Main Line you'd need to continue to Kobe ;)

[houari]

I've tried this several times with seishun 18 kippu, it was actually fun but quite tiresome. Last year I tried from Matsuyama to Tokyo, with one night stop over in Kyoto (recharge with lots of kaarage..).

 

I may suggest if your friend starts from Tokyo early in the morning to Atami/Numatsu, try to sit at the front facing seat for a nice breakfast and rest for the whole travel :)

[katoftw]

I'm pretty sure kvp or someone else asked the same question last year.  General consensus was "if" you were gonna stop every 90-180 mins along the route and sightsee and overnight at each location to make the a viable option.  Otherwise it is a complete waste of 7-8 hours.

[Sacto1985]

Speaking of which, back before the Shinkansen, the old Kodama train that ran on the Tokaidō Main Line from Tokyo to Osaka Station took 6 hours 50 minutes for a one way trip with the 151 Series EMU trainset. That was probably the fastest service on that line between 1957 and 1964. Does anyone know what stations along the way this train stopped at?

[bikkuri bahn]

In 1958, the stops between Tokyo and Osaka for the AM service (Kodama #1) were Yokohama, Nagoya, and Kyoto. And related to the discussion of local trains on this route, there was a 6:05 departure from Tokyo that arrived at Osaka 19:30, I assume this was loco-hauled, as this was still the age when long-distance local trains were common.

[Sacto1985]

In 1958, the stops between Tokyo and Osaka for the AM service (Kodama #1) were Yokohama, Nagoya, and Kyoto. 

 

Wow--that is awfully few stops for the original Kodama train. The fact it bypassed everything between Yokohama and Nagoya on the Tokaidō Main Line speaks of the extreme priority of this train. Small wonder why the 151 Series EMU had very modern interiors for Japanese passenger rail cars of its day--luxurious seating with mobile telephone service and a full diner was part of the 151 trainset.