Train Travel

From Mie Guidebook

Train travel is a more viable option in much of Mie than it is in many other so-called "inaka prefectures" due to the presence of Kintetsu. While JR provides service as well which is quite convenient in the areas of Mie closest to Nagoya, in much of the prefecture it runs trains that are infrequent and often slow. Kintetsu, on the other hand, provides frequent connection between Nagoya, Osaka, and the Ise-Shima tourist region in Mie making our prefecture well-connected to two of Japan's major metropolitan areas. There are also a number of smaller privately or semi-privately owned single-line railways throughout Mie.

Many JETs in Mie make do without a car and so frequently utilize the train system available throughout the prefecture. Even those with a car will often find that though the car is great for getting around town, the train is often a better option for long-distance travel. It is possible that some JETs will have little to no train-riding experience upon arrival in Mie and so learning the basic workings of the system and how to read the train schedule will be of great benefit to anyone living here.

Railways

• Kintetsu

  Japan's largest private railway and the main train service available in much of the ken. Connects Mie to two of Japan's major metro areas.

• JR

  Japan's national railway which runs many routes nation-wide connecting major areas and cities, and also operates the shinkansen bullet train.

• Iga Railway

  Former Kintetsu line which bisects the city of Iga and home to the distinctive "ninja train".

• Ise Railway

  A tiny privately-owned but (fairly) newly-constructed railway connecting Yokkaichi and Tsu via Suzuka. Some JR express trains utilize the Isetetsu track.

• Sangi Railway

  Operates two lines in northern Mie connecting Inabe to Kuwana and Yokkaichi.

• Yōrō Railway

  Former Kintetsu line which extends north from Kuwana towards the city of Ōgaki in Gifu Prefecture.

Timetable and Route Planning Websites

• Jorudan

  Widely-used train route searcher application. The standard search (without extra options) usually works quite well. Utilized by Yahoo and the Mie Prefectural Government as well. Is it better than Hyperdia?

• Hyperdia

  Feature and option-rich train route searcher application. The standard search (without extra options) may return goofy or indirect routes, but by specifying options and "through" stations you can get an ideal route. Is it better than Jorudan? The name "Hyperdia" is short for "Hyper Diagram" -- "diagram" being a katakana "English" Japanese word for "train schedule".

• Kintetsu Router Planner

  If you know you're taking Kintetsu somewhere, this is the best bet. You can input the station names in English (alphabet), but some Japanese will be required to navigate the options.

• Kintetsu Station Schedules

  A very useful and convenient page that gives you the actual individual station timetables for any Kintetsu station.

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