All Nippon Airways (ANA) (www.ana.co.jp/eng) and Japan Airlines (JAL) (www.jal.co.jp/en) maintain an extensive network covering Japan proper and its islands. There a few budget airlines too such as Skymark (www.skymark.co.jp) and Air Do (www.airdo21.com). Tokyo's domestic airport is Haneda (HND) (www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp/en/), its international airport is Narita (NRT) (www.narita-airport.jp/en).

A monorail service runs from Hamamatsu-cho to Haneda while both JR and Keisei trains connect Narita with Tokyo (fastest train: one hour). Other major airports with international connections include Kansai International Airport (www.kansai-airport.or.jp) near Osaka, Fukuoka (www.fuk-ab.co.jp), Centrair (www.centrair.jp/en/index.html) near Nagoya, and New Chitose Airport (www.new-chitose-airport.jp) near Sapporo.

There are ferry connections between Tokyo, Kochi and Tokushima on Shikou, and Tomakomai on Hokkaido (www.tptc.or.jp). Major sea routes include Himeji-Fukuda, Okayama-Tonosho and Takamatsu-Tonosho; Shiraishijima and Manabejima Islands: Kasaoka-Shiraishijima-Manabejima; and Ikuchijima and Omishama Islands: Mihara-Setoda. Bullet train services travel frequently to ports. Ferry companies include Shin Nihonkai Ferry (www.snf.jp) and Ocean Tokyu Ferry (www.otf.jp).

The Japan Railways Group (JR) (www.japanrail.com) runs one of the best rail networks in the world. Kyuko (Express) and Tokkyu (the faster Limited Express) trains are best for intercity travel. Very frequent services run on the main routes. Shinkansen, the ‘bullet trains', are the fastest, with compartments for wheelchair passengers, and buffet facilities.

Supplements are payable on the three classes of express train and in ‘Green' (first-class) cars of principal trains, for which reservations must be made. Other types of train include Kaisoku (Rapid Train) and Futsu (Local Train). For short-distance trains, tickets can be bought at vending machines outside train stations.

Japan Rail Pass: an economical pass for foreign tourists that must be purchased before arrival in Japan (www.japanrailpass.net). Valid for seven, 14 or 21 days. Contact the tourist board for details of local vendors. It can be used on all JR trains (except the super express Nozomi services on the Shinkansen lines), and also on JR buses and JR ferries. A Japan Rail Pass brochure is available from the Japan National Tourist Organization (see Contact Addresses). For travellers with a JR Pass, there are various other discounts in operation including a 10% discount at any JR Group Hotel.

Other JR rail passes include the JR East Pass (www.jreast.co.jp/e/eastpass/index.html), JR Kyushu Rail Pass (www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/kyushu_railpass.html), the Kansai Area Pass and the San'yo Area Pass from JR West (www.westjr.co.jp/english/travel/jrp/index.html), and the Hokkaido Rail Pass (www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/railpass/rail.html), which is more localised and therefore slightly cheaper than the JR Pass. 

For details of other discount fares, contact the Japan Railways Group (www.japanrail.com).

Traffic drives on the left. Many international car hire firms are present.
Understanding the road signs can be a problem as not all are translated into English. Traffic in cities is often congested. The Keiyo Highway, Meishin Expressway, Tohoku Expressway and the Tomei Expressway link Japan's major Pacific coastal cities, but there are high tolls for using them. Buses and coaches connect most major cities, run by big companies such as JR Bus Kanto (www.jrbuskanto.co.jp/bus_route_e/).

Regulations: Seat belts are compulsory and speed limits on highways is 80kmp (50mph) although many drivers exceed this. In cities the speed limit is 40kph (25mph).

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required. Minimum driving age is 18.

Public transport is well developed, efficient and crowded during rush hours. The underground systems and suburban rail services, which serve all the main cities, are very convenient. Tokyo also has one working tram - the Toden-Arakawa line running 12km (7.5 miles) from Waseda via Ikebukuro to Minowa-bashi in northeast Tokyo.

Bus: Because of a general lack of English signs, these can be confusing and are best used with someone who knows the system. Otherwise visitors should get exact details of their destination from the hotel. Fares systems are highly automated, and passes are usually available. In Tokyo (www.tokyobus.or.jp) you'll pay a flat fare of ¥200 on entering a bus, but elsewhere - especially if you're travelling over a distance in the countryside and suburbs, you'll pay on exiting the bus, depending on the distance you have travelled.

Metro: All of Japan's largest cities have subway systems. Tokyo has two underground systems: the nine line Tokyo Metro system (www.tokyometro.jp/global/en/index.html), and the four line Toei (ww.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/english/index.html). Tickets for Toei lines are not valid for the Tokyo Metro and vice versa, so a transfer ticket must be bought. A variety of tickets can be bought including a monthly open pass, one-day open ticket, 14 tickets for the price of 10 and a Tokyo Combination ticket. The most convenient pass though is PASMO (www.pasmo.co.jp), a stored value card that can be used on all subway lines as well as JR and private railway lines and buses in the Tokyo area. 

Kyoto also has its own subway system with two major lines: the Karasuma and Tozai lines (www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/subway.html) as do Osaka (www.kotsu.city.osaka.jp/foreign/english/index.html) and Sapporo.

Taxi: These can be expensive, particularly in rush hour (0730-0930 and 1700-1800) when traffic can be very slow. There is a minimum charge of ¥660 for the first 2km (1.2 miles) followed by ¥80 per 274m thereafter, plus a time charge when the taxi is moving at less than 10kph. It is advisable for visitors to have prepared in advance the name and address of their destination in Japanese writing, together with the name of some nearby landmark; a map may also help, as Japanese streets can be complicated and some taxi drivers will get confused. Hotels can provide this service.

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Tokyo to other major cities/towns in Japan.

	Air	Road	Rail	Sea
Nagoya	-	4.00	2.00	-
Nagasaki	1.40	18.00	9.00	-
Osaka	1.00	6.00	3.15	-
Sapporo	1.25	-	14.00	-