Continuing your trip

Hakone, Japan

The Shinkansen is the backbone of Japan travel. For most visitors a Suica IC card plus individual Shinkansen tickets beats the JR Pass unless you are doing 4+ long-distance legs.

  • •Suica / Pasmo IC card: Stored-value cards for trains, subways, buses and even vending machines. Now available as digital cards on iPhone.
  • •JR Pass: Nationwide rail pass for long-distance Shinkansen travel. Calculate whether it pays off for your route — since the 2023 price rise it only suits fast, multi-city itineraries.
  • •Navitime / Google Maps: Japan-specific transit routing — both apps handle train timetables and platform numbers flawlessly.
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Private airport transfer pickup in arrivals

Travel Services · Transfers & Transport

Transfers & Transport

Airport transfers, buses, trains, ferries and car hire — arranged before you arrive, wherever you're going. Skip the taxi touts with a fixed-price private pickup.

Can I book it?

Book transport

1212GoSE Asia
SearadarFerries
KiwitaxiPrivate
RentalCarsSelf-drive

Why should I book here?

Built on how you actually travel

Fixed-price airport pickups

Pre-book a private transfer and skip the touts and first-hour haggling.

Buses, trains & ferries in one place

12Go compares ground and sea routes across a region.

Island & coastal routes

Searadar covers ferries and speedboats on popular island hops.

Self-drive when it suits

Compare car hire worldwide for road trips and rural areas.

What could this journey become?

Where it could take you

Private airport transfer pickup
Skip the touts
Road journey
Intercity travel
City arrival
City arrivals

How it works

Transfers & Transport in Japan

The Shinkansen is the backbone of Japan travel. For most visitors a Suica IC card plus individual Shinkansen tickets beats the JR Pass unless you are doing 4+ long-distance legs.

Makutet recommends

For most visitors to Japan, we recommend pre-booking an airport transfer if arriving late at night, and using the local ride-hailing app for daily journeys.

Quick facts

  • Currency:JPY (Japanese yen)
  • Visa:Most Western visitors get 90 days visa-free.
  • Best local option:Suica / Pasmo IC card

Things to avoid

  • Unmetered taxisInsist on the meter or use a ride-hailing app — unmetered taxis are the most common tourist scam, especially at airports.
  • Scooter without insuranceScooter accidents are the leading travel insurance claim in SE Asia. Confirm your policy covers scooter riding with a valid licence.

Local tips

  • Carry cash — many small restaurants, shrine offices and rural stays are cash-only.
  • No tipping — it can be considered rude. Good service is included.
  • Stand on the left on escalators in Tokyo, on the right in Osaka.
  • Withdraw yen at 7-Eleven ATMs — they accept the widest range of foreign cards and are open 24/7.

Helpful Information

Read before you book

How to Choose Your Transport

Match the transport to the journey

For airport arrivals — pre-book a private transfer (Kiwitaxi) so you skip the taxi touts and avoid the first-hour haggling.
For intercity travel in Asia — 12Go is the easiest way to compare buses, trains and ferries on the same route.
For islands and coastal routes — Searadar covers ferries and speedboats across the popular island routes.
For road trips and rural areas — RentalCars (via QEEQ) gives the best like-for-like price comparison.
For long-distance rail in Europe and North America — book on the national rail app ahead for the cheapest fares.

Destination Considerations

Southeast Asia

12Go dominates here — buses, trains and ferries all in one place. Grab and Bolt cover city rides.

Europe

Trainline for UK & cross-border rail; Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Trenitalia for national rail. Uber and Bolt in most cities.

USA & Canada

A car is essential outside the Northeast Corridor. Uber and Lyft cover the cities. Amtrak for scenic rail.

Japan

Suica IC card for metro & regional trains. JR Pass only pays off for 4+ long-distance Shinkansen legs.

Middle East

Careem is the regional ride-hailing app. Taxis are metered and affordable.

Booking Tips

Pre-book airport transfers — a fixed-price private pickup avoids taxi touts and first-hour haggling after a long flight.
Compare rail ahead — European and Japanese trains get expensive on the day — book 6–12 weeks ahead.
Check ferry schedules — island ferries are weather-dependent — book flexible tickets in storm seasons.
Insurance for scooters — ensure your travel insurance covers scooter riding — many policies exclude it.

Related

Car Hire
Self-drive vs airport transfer
Flights
Find the right route first
Travel Toolkit
All services in one place

What should I know?

Good to know

Yes — a fixed-price private pickup avoids taxi touts and first-hour haggling after a long flight.

Related

Continue planning your trip

Other decisions to make before you travel — pulled from the same intelligence behind this page.

Flights in Japan

Flights in Japan

The cheapest fares almost always appear 6–8 weeks ahead.

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Accommodation in Japan

Accommodation in Japan

Hotel, hostel, apartment and guesthouse prices vary by date — 3+ weeks lead time gives the widest inventory.

Explore
Travel Connectivity in Japan

Travel Connectivity in Japan

Japan has excellent 4G/5G coverage.

Explore
Tours & Experiences in Japan

Tours & Experiences in Japan

Klook offers discounted theme-park tickets, studio tours and rail pass add-ons.

Explore

Continue planning your Hakone trip

Next recommended step: Flights in Japan — or jump straight back to your full itinerary on Mantra.

Return to Mantra Try Flights in Japan

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