Binh

Hello Binh,

Making comparison between airline travel and Shinkansen travel is not as straight forward. Ticket prices for airlines change all the time but there are also many unexpected wait times, like going to the airport, waiting there, collecting luggage and so on. While with the bullet train, you get on the train and you get off in the middle of Tokyo. The route Osaka - Tokyo takes around 160 minutes one way. Pricing for the Shinkansen is also always the same, either a normal fare or you use the Japan Rail Pass. Total travel time will also depend on where your accommodation is located.

I do think the JR Pass would be the more flexible option, as you can take the train anytime anywhere without having to think about cost. If you really want to get the best our of your JR Pass, I would suggest adding a day trip either from Tokyo to places like Kamakura, Nikko or Yokohama or to Kobe, Himeji or Hiroshima from Osaka,

We provide lower prices for both WiFi and the JR Pass compared to purchase directly in Japan.

Hope this helps,
Daniel

thank you daniel san

looking forward to seeing your beautiful country and people....when i purchase the 7 day jr pass voucher should i wait until the day i will go to osaka to activate it or should i activate it immediately upon arrival to japan ..... i will be in japan for 2 weeks. i will stay in tokyo for about 5 days then go to osaka for about 7 and return to tokyo for the remainder of the trip.
also can i activate the jr voucher at any station or only at the airport??? i will be flying in and out of narita

thanks again for your help binh

Hi binh,

Travel to Osaka and back to Tokyo will cost the most, be sure to use the JR Pass for this route. You can exchange the voucher at most major stations, a full list is here:
https://www.jrpass.com/blogs/where-to-exchange-the-japan-rail-pass

Have a great trip!
Daniel