Night Bus

Taking a night bus is a cheap alternative if you want to travel across Japan. The night bus usually runs during night, so as a bonus you don't have to spend a day traveling and you can arrive to your destination in the morning. That is of course that you don't mind spending a night in sometimes very narrow seat in shaking bus..

The rates of Night Bus vary according to season and other conditions. I was able to travel to Nara from Tokyo by paying only less than 10 000 yen (return ticket).

Taking shinkansen I would have had to pay more than 20 000 yen. It is possible to buy tickets to highway buses from JR's green ticket shops by the stations "midori no madoguchi" or dedicated ticket shops, or internet. Also Keio and Odakyu companies provide highway bus lines.

It is possible to travel to other islands by highway bus, for example Shikoku (by crossing the huge bridge) or Kyushu. In Tokyo area the buses leave from Tokyo Station and sometimes stop in Shinjuku.

The buses usually don't have toilet, but the bus will stop at least two times during the trip, in the highway stops. It is important to catch the bus in time, because they might not wait for you if you stay out too long.

Some of the buses are new generation and have good airconditioning and larger seats. Older types have violent movement and you literally are glued to the next passenger.. Depending on you luck, your experience may vary.

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