Saitama by train
Saitama's Ōmiya Station (大宮駅) is a major train hub, connecting together the Tohoku Shinkansen and Joetsu Shinkansen lines, as well as the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, JR Tohoku (Utsunomiya) Line, JR Takasaki Line, JR Saikyo Line, JR Kawagoe Line, JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line and Tobu Noda Line.
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Why do shinkansen trains travel from Tokyo to Omiya in nearly the same time as local trains?
While bullet trains in the north are capable of speeds up to 275 km/h (165 mph), trains between Tokyo and Omiya are limited to 110 km/h (65 mph) due to residential noise restrictions.
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Just about all northbound shinkansen trains from Tokyo and Ueno stop at Ōmiya station, with the ride from Tokyo taking 25 minutes. A reserved seat costs �2800, and a non-reserved seat, �1580, making the ride quite uneconomical compared to a local train. However, if you have a Japan Rail Pass or JR East Rail Pass, your trip is covered. Departures every 5-15 minutes. (Note: If you do decide to make this peculiar journey, note that seating is all-reserved on the Hayate and Komachi bullet trains.)
Regular trains on the Tohoku and Takasaki lines run from Ueno to Ōmiya in 25 minutes at a cost of �450. These trains make added stops at Saitama Shintoshin Station (さいたま新都心駅), near the Saitama Super Arena. Service every 10 minutes or less.
The Keihin Tohoku Line is a local service connecting Ōmiya and Saitama Shintoshin to eastern Tokyo, including from Tokyo station (50 minutes, �540), Shinagawa (one hour, �620) and Kawasaki (75 minutes, �780). Service every 10 minutes or less.
There is also service from western Tokyo to Ōmiya via the Saikyo Line and the Shonan-Shinjuku Line. Trains leave from Ikebukuro (25-35 minutes, �380), Shinjuku (30-40 minutes, �450) and Shibuya (30-40 minutes, �540). Service every 10 minutes or less.
The Shonan-Shinjuku Line is also the best way of reaching Ōmiya from Yokohama (one hour, �890). Service runs every 10-20 minutes. Keihin-Tohoku Line local trains make the same run in 80-90 minutes, departing every 10 minutes or less.
The Tobu Noda Line links Ōmiya station with Kasukabe (connection to the Tobu Isesaki Line), Kashiwa (connection to the JR Joban Line), Shin-Kamagaya (connection to the Narita Sky Access Line and Shin-Keisei Railway) and Funabashi (connection to the Keisei Line and JR Sobu Line).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Saitama
