Long-distance bus in Japan?
 

Hi,
Newbie to this board.

Am a fairly experienced traveller and use coaches quite a lot. Right now I'm searching for experts in long-distance coach/bus travel in Japan.

It seems that I can travel from Tokyo to Kyoto for only 8,000 Yen on a comfortable bus (13,000 for the shinkensan). The cheaper ones are said to be uncomfortable, although the prices do begin at only 4,500 Yen...a b-i-g plus from my point of view.

My questions:
1. Do the busses make regular rest stops, despite having toilets on board? Approximately how often? In Israel for instance, and in New Zeland the busses stop every 2 - 2 1/2 hours. In Turkey & Australia they go sometimes 3 1/2 - 4 hours before stopping for a break. I smoke!

2. In Turkey it is not accepted practice for a woman to sit next to a strange man on a bus.
Is it the same in Japan? I have seen Lady's busses and reserved Lady's seats on regular busses. Should I go for one of these?

3. Are the really cheap busses so very uncomfortable?

Thanks for any ideas, advice and suggestions.

Japanese buses are quite nice compared to many other countries I think. They do make rest stops in highway parking areas every so often...maybe every couple of hours or so. Some have toilets on board, some do not. All buses are non-smoking.

Buses do have the disadvantage of being at the mercy of traffic conditions...so the trip usually takes about double the time as the usual train might take, more than double if it's a shinkansen. From Tokyo, the night bus leaves Shinjuku at 9:30 pm and arrives in Kyoto at 5:30 am...long night, and the shinkansen takes under 3 hours.

The bottom line is that the buses are cheaper than the train, and they take significantly longer. If you have limited time to your travels (who doesn't) then riding on a bus may not be the most efficient way to spend your time. Buses also don't go everywhere, and have a more limited schedule than the train. The tickets are sold by the seat and you get a seat assignment...buses are often sold out. If there are tickets available you can buy them unitl departure time, but keep in mind that popular routes like Tokyo-Kyoto are often sold out days before departure. If you only want to go between Tokyo and Kyoto once and have all night to do it and can buy your ticket in advance then it might be a good choice.

Japanese buses are nothing like Turkish buses...no such thing as women travelling alone sit in the front behind the driver alone in two seats, no perfume spray or tea service, there are no ladies buses that I know of, but perhaps some tour company might have put together a ladies package tour you heard about. The buses aren't any more uncomfortable than buses anywhere else...you get an assigned seat when you buy your ticket and you won't know who you are next to until you are on the bus.

Have you looked into a JR pass? One round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto is just about even with the cost of a 1-week pass, and with a pass you are free to go anywhere JR goes. www.japanrailpass.net may be worth some reading.

Thank you KimJapan for your very complete answer. Yes, I have spent the last few weeks researching this trip, especially on www.japan-guide which has tons of info.

There are "Lady buses" and "Lady seats" on regular buses on the JRbus lines. If I don't need those, so much the better - they are usually more expensive than the cheaper buses.

This is the one and only big trip within Japan. I will base myself in Tokyo first and then Kyoto and take some 6-7 side trips that can also be done by local commuter train or bus.

Is it sufficient to reserve a seat 4 days in advance or should I reserve online before I arrive?

4 days ahead should be sufficient for a reservation.

Thanks! Then I'll reserve the night bus on my frist day in Tokyo.