Included in itinerary planning
Transport planning is part of every journey I design. It is not sold separately.
What gets planned
- Route sequencing — how many bases, in what order, and which places are day trips rather than moves
- The rail pass decision — with the actual arithmetic for your route, not a general rule
- Train selection — which service, which class, and which legs justify the Green Car
- Seat reservations — booked in your name when the window opens, 30 days ahead
- Airport transfers — and whether you need one at all
- Luggage forwarding — what is sent where, on which morning, so no large case ever goes on a train
- Private cars — for the one or two days that genuinely have no train
The rail pass is usually not worth it now. The Japan Rail Pass rose sharply in price in 2023, and most of the advice recommending it predates that. On a Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip, individual tickets are cheaper. The pass also excludes the fastest trains without a supplement. The arithmetic is worth checking before you build a schedule around one.
The four mistakes this prevents
What you pay for, and to whom
I plan the route and reserve the seats. Tickets and fares are paid by you, directly to the rail operator or through your own booking, at the published price. I am not a ticket agent and take no margin on transport.
Where a car earns its cost
Between cities, almost never — the train is faster, cheaper and more comfortable. Inside Tokyo, a car is actively worse than the subway.
Where a car genuinely changes the day is rural Japan, and the north-west Kyoto temples. Usually that means one or two car days across a fortnight, and rail for everything else. The full comparison covers the real costs.
Tell me what you are planning
Send your dates and what matters to you. I confirm the scope and the fee in writing before anything is charged.
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