Japan Travel by NAVITIME is a Japan transit and trip-planning app that helps international visitors navigate Japan stress-free — by train, shinkansen, bus, taxi, ferry and on foot. Pass-aware route search (incl. the JR Pass), 100% bus route coverage including rural areas, travel guides, itineraries that auto-calculate travel times, and shinkansen ticket booking — all in one app, trusted for over 10 years.
Key Features
[Route Search]
Find the best route anywhere in Japan in seconds — shinkansen, JR, subways, local trains, buses, taxis, ferries and flights. Choose from 50+ rail and unlimited-ride passes such as the Japan Rail Pass, JR TOKYO Wide Pass and Tokyo Subway Ticket, and see which legs your pass covers, which cost extra, and what you actually pay. See which car to board and which platform, whether to board a bus at the front or rear and pay when boarding or getting off, a 6-level crowding forecast per leg, and less crowded trains just before or after. Searches factor in real-time train and shinkansen delays and show detours around them. You can also set a slower walking speed for large luggage, or search for routes with fewer stairs, staying dry in the rain, or step-free access.
Hold your IC card (Suica, PASMO and more) to your phone to check its balance, and find luggage storage along your route.
[AI Camera Guide "Check & Ride"]
Not sure the train or bus in front of you is the right one? Photograph the platform departure board or bus destination sign. AI reads the Japanese display instantly and tells you whether it matches the route you searched — no Japanese language skills needed.
[Travel Guides & Itineraries]
Articles on Tokyo, shinkansen tips, Japan wifi, food and culture by international writers living in Japan — save every spot mentioned with one tap. Pick an itinerary from NAVITIME or other app users, or build your own day-by-day plan by placing spots on the map. Whenever you add or reorder spots, transport, travel and waiting times update automatically, with a running total cost. Invite companions to edit with you. Available in 13 languages, with map labels in 5.
[Local Support & Booking]
Where or when trains don't run, book a taxi from the map or route details. Check the fare estimate and license plate, and send your driver a preset message — no Japanese needed. Pay in the app and see the amount in your home currency. Get earthquake, tsunami, weather and volcano alerts with shelter search, and buy shinkansen tickets and the NAVITIME eSIM in-app. Hotels, passes and activities are bookable too.
[Who It's For]
- First-time visitors and solo travelers unsure about Japanese station signs and transfers
- Pass holders wanting full value from their rail pass
- Travelers with heavy luggage, avoiding stairs, or using a wheelchair
- Anyone planning a multi-city or rural trip by train, bus and subway
[What You Get]
- One photo of a departure board confirms you're on the right train — no Japanese reading needed
- 100% bus route coverage reaches rural Japan where trains don't go
- Know what your pass covers and what costs extra before you board
- Which car, which platform, how crowded — stress-free travel days
- Find stations, Japan wifi spots, ATMs, currency exchange and rail maps offline
- After the last train, call a taxi and identify it by its license plate
[Premium] Upgrade via in-app purchase.
- Alternative routes during delays
- Voice navigation
- Timetables and stop lists
- Real-time bus location
In short: Japan Travel by NAVITIME is a public transport navigation and trip planning app for visitors to Japan, available in 13 languages. Its AI camera feature, Check & Ride, reads a photo of a platform departure board or bus destination sign and tells you whether the train or bus matches your searched route. Free to download, with an optional premium upgrade.
If you’re going to be taking trains in Japan… just get this app.This is probably my first time writing a review, but I just had to get the word out that this is legitimately a bible for travel in Japan. I did not close this app like once my whole trip! It isn’t perfect, but it’s extremely practical and I would have never gotten through Tokyo without it. It was almost entirely accurate, with only a couple cases where it left me a bit confused, and even then it’s what saved me from that confusion itself every time.Some advice: Use the screenshot feature for every route you plan. I have roaming data but it still cut out in some places so you have to have things saved to access them at any point! Also, I liked to use this in conjunction with Google Maps for the walking routes since the path from this app was a bit hard to read for me.There are plenty of other features on this app that I’m sure other reviewers will talk about, but I’m just so grateful for this app’s help with trains and I think it’s a no-brainer to install it.
Best navigation app ever
MB de pacheco
Have been using the app all over Japan for the past two weeks and it has performed flawlessly. The information is accurate, detailed and reliable. It is easy to use and has lots of great features, like letting you create a menu of your hotel names and addresses so you can quickly search for the best route to or from wherever you’re staying. You can also easily filter searches by whatever pass you may have and/or type of transportation you prefer to use. If you’re traveling around Japan on your own itinerary, you’ll want to have this app.
App Stopped Working
Stirfry96
I arrived in Tokyo and for the first couple days used the free version of this app. I decided to purchase the 30 day subscription for $15 to be able to see stops as I rode the trains. After purchasing, the app changed and was harder to use, and then shortly stopped working altogether. Now when I try to launch the app, the JapanTravel loading screen will pop up, then change to a white screen and never load anything. I’ve restarted my phone and tried other methods and cannot get the app to work. Ultimately wasted $15 for an app that I can’t even open. It’s been broken for a couple weeks now. In my opinion, for navigating trains and buses in Tokyo, just use Apple Maps. This app left me wondering what to do when it essentially broke while in a station and never worked again. I can’t even open it to tell what’s happening with my subscription. Could’ve bought like 10 ikura onigiri at 7-11 with the money I wasted on this app. :/
Developer Response
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.To help us investigate, could you please send your feedback through the app's Feedback feature?Here are the steps:1. Display the app's drawer menu (select the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner)2. From the Feedback option at the bottom of the drawer, send a message stating you submitted a review on the store, then submitBy sending your feedback through this method, we can investigate the issue based on information like your operating system.Thank you for your cooperation.
They’ll Rip You Off
Majkboy
For being a Japanese company, they are the most deceitful, fraudulent, unhinged thieves, that I’ve ever done business with. I cannot believe that the Japanese ministry and their tourism company recommends this agency. It is a disgusting representation of what’s good in the people of Japan. Do not do business with them. If you can’t get a train to your destination, Rent-A-Car. But avoid this company at all costs. They will rip you off.Also, they will advertise that they can get you seats on a train and then say that they cannot and offer you the difference for the cheaper seats. And when you say no and cancel it, they tell you that because they booked the second portion of your ticket they therefore have the return or cancellation fee of 20%. Dispute all charges with your credit card. Keep all screenshots. Make a case. And if you have to go to their local branch, police department and file a fraud report. It’s the only way to get a company like this to behave professionally.
Ver12.3.0
【What's New】
- The Trip tab has been redesigned. Itineraries, bookings, collections, favorite itineraries, and favorite guides are now on one screen.
- New feature: automatically create an itinerary that visits up to 5 spots from your collections or favorites by the shortest route.
【How It Helps You】
- See everything you need for your trip at a glance.
- Just pick a start date and spots to create an itinerary, with no need to plan the visiting order or number of days.
Version 12.3.0
The developer, NAVITIME JAPAN CO.,LTD., indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Used to Track You
The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:
Location
Identifiers
Usage Data
Data Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
Location
Contact Info
Search History
Identifiers
Usage Data
Diagnostics
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
Usage Data
Diagnostics
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
Seller
NAVITIME JAPAN CO.,LTD.
Size
342.9 MB
Category
Navigation
Compatibility
Requires iOS 16.5 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 16.5 or later.
Location
This app may use your location even when it isn’t open, which can decrease device battery life.