Seoul to Tokyo by train
Travel from Seoul (South Korea) to Tokyo (Japan) by train (1160km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
To travel by train from Seoul in South Korea to Tokyo in Japan, you have to include a ferry. Please read the following information and blog posts.
There are two main routes. Compare them and decide which one feeds your needs best.
- 1Seoul (South Korea) - Busan (South Korea) - Osaka (Japan) - Tokyo (Japan)
- 2Seoul (South Korea) - Donghae (South Korea) - Sakaiminato (Japan) - Tokyo (Japan)
1160 km
How to use the following information: we show you the best routes and where to buy tickets. On longer routes you may need more than one ticket. Book your tickets step by step as explained. If you have questions about the route from Seoul to Tokyo, please ask in our forum. Of course, sometimes there are as well other travel routes possible.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections : popular connections travelled by other users
Tokyo - Seoul / Seoul - Fukuyama / Seoul - Hiroshima / Seoul - Osaka / Seoul - Yokohama / Seoul - Fuji / Busan - Tokyo / Busan - Fukuyama / Busan - Osaka / Busan - Yokohama1 Seoul (South Korea) - Busan (South Korea) - Osaka (Japan) - Tokyo (Japan)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
1a Travelling from Seoul (South Korea) to Busan (South Korea)
Travel from Seoul to Busan by one of the direct trains. The journey time depends on the train type you chose and varies between 2:30 and 5:15 hours. Buy your train ticket from 36.000 KRW (27 EUR) for the fast trains. Slower trains are cheaper.
Frequent train connections are available, at least every 30 minutes.
Find the exact train schedules and ticket fares via the given booking websites.
Where to buy a ticket from Seoul to Busan?
Check times&prices 
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Busan - Seoul
1b Travelling from Busan (South Korea) to Osaka (Japan)
Travel from Busan to Osaka by ferry. The journey time is 18 hours. Ferry tickets are available from 20.000 JPY (155 EUR). There are at least three ferry connections per week by the company Panstar Cruise.
Find the exact schedules and buy your tickets via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Busan to Osaka?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Osaka - Busan
1c Travelling from Osaka (Japan) to Tokyo (Japan)
To travel in Japan by train, buy your ticket via the given booking links. It is also possible to buy your train ticket at a railway station at ticket machines (English language version available). Due to the dense and frequent network in Japan, you will always get a seat at short notice. Another good option to travel in Japan by train the easy and relaxed way is the "Japan Rail Pass".
Where to buy a ticket from Osaka to Tokyo?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
Tōkaidō Shinkansen - 東海道新幹線 (TOKASHIN)
ferry: Ferry connections that might be helpful.
Vladivostok - Sakaiminato / Sakaiminato - Vladivostok / Donghae - Sakaiminato / Sakaiminato - Donghae
train company:
JRHOK JR Hokkaidō - JR北海道 / JREAST JR East - JR東日本 / JRCEN JR Central - JR東海 / JRWEST JR West - JR西日本 / JRSHI JR Shikoku - JR四国 / JRKYU JR Kyūshū - JR九州
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Tokyo - Osaka / Tokyo - Kyoto / Tokyo - Osaka / Tokyo - Yokohama / Tokyo - Fuji / Tokyo - Nagasaki / Tokyo - Fuji / Kyoto - Yokohama / Osaka - Kyoto / Yokohama - Kyoto / Fuji - Hiroshima
2 Seoul (South Korea) - Donghae (South Korea) - Sakaiminato (Japan) - Tokyo (Japan)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
2a Travelling from Seoul (South Korea) to Donghae (South Korea)
Travel from Seoul to Donghae by direct train. The journey time is 2:37 hours. Tickets are available from 31.300 KRW (24 EUR) in economy class and from 43.800 KRW (EUR 33) in first class.
There are four train connections daily.
Find the exact train schedule and buy your ticket via the given booking-links.
Where to buy a ticket from Seoul to Donghae?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Donghae - Seoul
2b Travelling from Donghae (South Korea) to Sakaiminato (Japan)
Travel from Donghae to Sakaiminato by ferry. The journey time is 15 hours with two nights on board. Ferry tickets start from 190 EUR including extra fees like port tax.
Book the ticket in advance via given booking websites. The more expensive category "beds" means you get a really comfortable bed with privacy curtain. All is clean and nice, like you expect it from Japan.
Sockets are not available. You have to ask the staff and pay for it. The little shop only sells snacks. Charge your mobile phone in advance and get some noodle packets with you, as you get boiled cold and hot water for free. Of course there is a restaurant on board as well, but it is rather expensive.
Where to buy a ticket from Donghae to Sakaiminato?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Sakaiminato - Donghae
2c Travelling from Sakaiminato (Japan) to Tokyo (Japan)
To travel in Japan by train, buy your ticket via the given booking links. It is also possible to buy your train ticket at a railway station at ticket machines (English language version available). Due to the dense and frequent network in Japan, you will always get a seat at short notice. Another good option to travel in Japan by train the easy and relaxed way is the "Japan Rail Pass".
Where to buy a ticket from Sakaiminato to Tokyo?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
Tōkaidō Shinkansen - 東海道新幹線 (TOKASHIN)
ferry: Ferry connections that might be helpful.
Vladivostok - Sakaiminato / Sakaiminato - Vladivostok / Donghae - Sakaiminato / Sakaiminato - Donghae
train company:
JRHOK JR Hokkaidō - JR北海道 / JREAST JR East - JR東日本 / JRCEN JR Central - JR東海 / JRWEST JR West - JR西日本 / JRSHI JR Shikoku - JR四国 / JRKYU JR Kyūshū - JR九州
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Tokyo - Sakaiminato / Tokyo - Kyoto / Tokyo - Osaka / Tokyo - Yokohama / Tokyo - Fuji / Tokyo - Nagasaki / Tokyo - Fuji / Kyoto - Yokohama / Osaka - Kyoto / Yokohama - Kyoto / Fuji - Hiroshima
Need a cheap place to sleep? We recommend booking.com
Find a cheap flight! Compare prices on Kiwi.com
Do you have questions about the connection between Seoul and Tokyo? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.
