Planning a trip from Tokyo to Shizuoka, Japan, and need to know how to travel between the cities by public transportation? We’re here to provide our experience.
Shizuoka, located in Shizuoka Prefecture, is a gorgeous place to visit in Japan. From the majestic Mount Fuji and peaceful Sugura Bay to the historical castles and shrines dedicated to the shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, there are many things to do in the city and surrounding areas.
Justin and I love how convenient it was to travel to Shizuoka from Tokyo, especially by bus, train, or Shinkansen (high speed bullet trains). We tried to take the bus, but our ride was canceled due to the snowy weather. So, it took us over 3 hours to get from Tokyo’s Shizuoka to Shimizu Station (2 train stops away from Shizuoka Station) by local trains.
Since it can be confusing on how to navigate the different transportation options, we’re here to share the best ways to get from Tokyo to Shizuoka by public transportation (trains, Shinkansen, or bus). We’ll share tips, time requirements, costs, and our experience for the various options.
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Tips for Taking the Train from Tokyo to Shizuoka
- Shizuoka Station 静岡駅 is the main train station in Shizuoka Prefecture. It’s operated by Japan Railways (JR). There are local trains and Shinkansen (high speed railway) lines at this station.
- You can stop at other JR stations in Shizuoka City, such as Shimizu 清水駅and Higashi Shizuoka 東静岡駅.
- We recommend using a JR pass if you plan to take the JR lines to travel around Shizuoka. You can save money and do not need to worry about buying tickets. You can use either the All Japan JR Pass to cover Shizuoka and the entire country or the regional Mount Fuji Shizuoka Area Mini Pass for 3 days.
These are the JR Mt Fuji Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass Mini train passes that Justin and I used to travel around Fuji and Shizuoka
- If you prefer to use an IC Transportation card instead of a JR pass, you may use Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA, etc.
Life Of Doing Tip: You can combine both IC card and JR Pass for your trip. We used our ICOCA IC card to take the local trains from Tokyo’s Shinjuku to Shizuoka’s Shimizu Station. Then we used our Mount Fuji Shizuoka Area Mini Pass for the next 3 days. After the pass ended, we returned to using an IC card.
- When you arrive at Shizuoka Station (or any station in Shizuoka Prefecture) and are using the local train lines, you will most likely not be able to exit the turnstile with your IC card. Don’t worry! You’ll need to see the ticket agent. Due to entering a new prefecture and a different group managing the JR line, the ticket agent needs to verify your starting station and manually debit the train cost from the IC card.
- If taking the Shinkansen, please buy a Shinkansen ticket for your ride. Or, if you have the All Japan JR Pass, the Shinkansen rides with reserved or non-reserved seats are included in the pass.
- Use the JR West Timetable and Route Finder to calculate the cost between the starting and ending stations and see the train schedules, including local and Shinkansen trains. This website is what we used to share the cost listed below. Google Maps is another fantastic resource to use to plan your train schedule.
From Tokyo to Shizuoka by Local Train
Taking the local train from Tokyo to Shizuoka is a fantastic option if you prefer slow travel and a cheaper transportation option.
Depending on your starting location, it will take 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes to arrive from Tokyo to Shizuoka by train. Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct train, so you will need to transfer at 1 or 2 stations.
Seats are first come, first served. Please be aware of your surroundings and the crowds, especially if you have large luggage.
Tokyo Station has bus, train, and Shinkansen departures to go to Shizuoka Station
Here are some of the overall arrival times and transfer options from various Tokyo stations:
- Tokyo Station to Shizuoka Station: 3 hours to 3 hours 20 minutes with 1 transfer (at Atami Station)
- Shinjuku Station to Shizuoka Station: 3 hours 22 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes with 2 transfers (At Yokohama or Shinagawa and Atami Station)
- Ikebukuro Station to Shizuoka Station: 3 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes with 2 transfers (At Yokohama and Atami Station)
- Ueno Station to Shizuoka Station: 3 hours 21 minutes to 3 hours 27 minutes with 1 transfer (at Atami Station)
Cost: Based on the JR West Timetable Website, the cost for any of the routes above is 3,410 yen for adults and 1,700 yen for children.
Our Train Experience
We took the train from Shinjuku Station to Shimizu Station and utilized the JR trains. We used Google Maps to verify our transfer stops, so our travel time was over 3 hours with 2 transfers.
We traveled from Shinjuku to Totsuka Station in 38 minutes. Then we went from Totsuka to Atami Station in 1 hour 13 minutes. Lastly, we went from Atami to Shimizu Station in 1 hour 2 minutes. Luckily, we didn’t need to wait too long to transfer between stations.
The local trains didn’t have free WiFi on board. So, we ended up taking naps between rides to catch up on sleep and rest. I ran Tokyo Marathon two days before our Shizuoka trip, so I was very tired!
From Tokyo to Shizuoka by Shinkansen
There are high speed bullet trains (Shinkansens) on the Tokaido Shinkansen line that you can take between cities in Tokyo to Shizuoka Station. So, you’ll arrive at Shizuoka faster than taking the local train.
Seats are more comfortable than on the local train as they’re plush and cushioned.
Due to the faster speed, the cost of the Shinkansen tickets will be higher than taking the local train. Expect to pay almost double the cost of the local train.
In each car, there is an area to place smaller luggage. But if you have a very large luggage (160 and 250 cm), you will need to purchase the oversized luggage with a reserved seat.
Mount Fuji is lovely to see anywhere in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Here are the approximate times and costs of the Shinkansen trains from several cities in Tokyo:
Tokyo Station to Shizuoka Station
- 59 minutes on the direct Shinkansen Hidari train (for Okayama)
- 1 hour 20 minutes on the direct Shinkansen Kodama train (for Nagoya)
Shinjuku Station to Shizuoka Station
- 1 hour 26 minutes on Local Line & Shinkansen – Take local train from Shinjuku to Osaki, transfer from Osaki to Shinagawa on Yamanote Line, and then take Shinkansen Hikari (for Okayama) from Shinagawa to Shizuoka.
- 1 hour 47 minutes on Local Train & Shinkansen – Take local Yamanote Line from Shinjuku to Shinagawa, and then take Shinkansen Kodama from Shinagawa to Shizuoka Station.
Ikebukuro Station to Shizuoka Station
- 1 hour 37 minutes on Local Train & Shinkansen – Take local Yamanote Line from Ikebukuro to Shinagawa, and then take Shinkansen Hikari from Shinagawa to Shizuoka Station.
- 1 hour 56 minutes on Local Train & Shinkansen – Take local Yamanote Line from Ikebukuro to Shinagawa, and then take Shinkansen Kodama from Shinagawa to Shizuoka Station.
Ueno Station to Shizuoka Station
- 1 hour 23 minutes on Local Train & Shinkansen – Take local Ueno-Tokyo line (for Shinagawa) from Ueno to Tokyo, and then take Shinkansen Hikari from Tokyo to Shizuoka Station.
- 1 hour 38 minutes on Local Train & Shinkansen – Take local Ueno-Tokyo line/Tokaido Line (for Atami) from Ueno to Shinagawa, and then take Shinkansen Kodama from Shinagawa to Shizuoka Station.
Cost: Based on the JR West Timetable Website, the cost is the same for all the routes above.
Cost for non-reserved seating: 5,940 yen Adults; 2,960 yen Children
Cost for reserved seating: 6,470 yen Adults; 3,230 yen Children
From Tokyo to Shizuoka by Bus
Taking the bus is another option to consider. The buses run often and include late evening rides.
It’s easy and convenient since the route is direct. No need to transfer. Plus, you can store your luggage in the bottom carriage of the bus until you reach your final destination.
The cost of the bus is reasonable and similar to taking the local train.
Tokyo Station to Shizuoka Station
Expect to take 3 hours one-way by bus.
Head to Tokyo Station Yaesu Bus Terminal (South Gate). The bus terminal connects with the JR Tokyo Station. You can buy bus tickets on the day of or reserve them for a future date. You can also reserve tickets online if you know the schedule ahead of time.
We recommend using the Willer-Travel Website. The website is available in English, and you can view the bus schedules from Tokyo Station (and the surrounding Tokyo areas such as Ikebukuro) to Shizuoka Station.
For example, the JR Tokai Bus departs Tokyo Station at 6:20am and arrives at Shizuoka Station at 9:29am. So it’s a 3 hour ride.
Note: The Tokyo Station Yaseu Bus Terminal website has a daily schedule posted, but it’s not as user-friendly compared to Willer-Travel website.
Cost: 3,300 yen per person
Shinjuku to Shizuoka Station
Expect to take 3.5 hours one-way by bus.
Head to Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to take the bus directly to Shizuoka area. The Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal is connected to JR Shinjuku Station.
You can go directly to the ticket counter to buy tickets or reserve them for a future date. You can also buy them ahead of time online.
We found the Highway Bus Website to be the most user-friendly for foreigners since it’s an English site, and you can see the bus schedule from Shinjuku to Shizuoka ahead of time.
The bus from Shinjuku to Shizuoka Station has different operating companies – Keio Bus, JR Tokai Bus, JR Bus Kanto, and Shizutetsu Justline.
Here is a screenshot of the departure times and operating times. The screenshot doesn’t list all the times as the list is too long, so you’ll need to view the website for the complete list.
A part of the bus schedule on Highway Bus website that departs from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to Shizuoka Station. Photo credit: Highway Bus Website
The first departure is at 9:25am operated by Keio Bus (KO) with arrival at 1:02pm. The other operating companies acronyms are JR Tokai Bus (JT), JR Bus Kanto (JR), and Shizutetsu Justline (STJ).
Cost: 3,300 yen for one person
Our Bus Experience
We originally reserved tickets for the next day from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal ticket office. The route was from Shinjuku to Shimizu Station. We wanted the first departure from Shinjuku at 9:25am.
On the day of the trip, we arrived at the bus terminal and found out that the bus had been canceled. The highway was closed due to snowy weather.
We received a full refund for our bus ticket. We originally paid for the tickets with a credit card. The ticket agent asked us to read and agree to a card stating that we would receive cash for the refund and not dispute the credit card charge. So, we used the cash to pay for the local trains from Shinjuku to Shimizu Station.
On our return trip to Shizuoka, we’ll try taking the bus. I assume the bus experience will be similar to what we took from Matsumoto (Nagoya) to Shinjuku (Tokyo).
Final Thoughts
Which of these transportation options would you consider taking? We hope you feel more comfortable with choosing either the bus, local train, or Shinkansen for your next travel from Tokyo to Shizuoka area.
If you need ideas on what to do in Shizuoka City, check out our blog posts:
- Where to Eat in Shizuoka City
- Where to Eat in Shimizu Fish Market
- Shizuoka Marathon Recap
- Day Trip Ideas from Shizuoka City
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