All Options
Shinkansen Nozomi (Fastest)
2h30min, ¥15,040. Direct Shin-Osaka → Tokyo Station. NOT JR Pass covered. Most comfortable option.
Shinkansen Hikari (JR Pass)
2h45min–3h, ¥14,720. JR Pass covered ✓. 15–30 min slower than Nozomi but same price.
Highway Bus (Budget)
8–9 hours daytime or overnight. ¥3,000–6,000. Overnight buses are excellent value — depart late evening from Osaka, arrive Tokyo early morning. Save on both transport and accommodation.
Budget Airlines
1h15min flight + 2h airport time = 3.5h+ total. ¥5,000–12,000 with Peach, Jetstar, or ANA/JAL budget fares. Sometimes cheaper than shinkansen on sale but factor in airport travel time. — book a Kiwi.com in advance for the best price.
Recommendations
Speed first: Nozomi shinkansen
JR Pass holder: Hikari shinkansen
Budget: Overnight highway bus
Plan Your Trip
- 🎫 Tours & activities — Klook
- 🏨 Hotels — EconomyBookings
- 🚕 Airport transfer — Welcome Pickups
- 📱 eSIM & SIM card — Airalo
- 🚗 Car & scooter rental — Localrent