Tsurugamine Station (Yokohama) to Osaka

Hi there,

All the way to Osaka to eat? That sounds like my kinda travel :)

Best and most economical don't go hand in hand for this journey. The bullet train will be around ¥14,000 each way, but will be by far the quickest and most convenient option. On the other hand, highway or night buses will take a lot longer to travel but will be cheaper. I suppose it depends on how hungry you are and on how often you think you may go. Prices do fluctuate, but you could possibly get from Tokyo to Osaka for around ¥8000 each way by bus.

If you do decide to do 2 return trips, then the cost of a 7 day JR Pass (¥28,300) will be both the fastest and cheapest option, giving you the best of both worlds.

Whether a 7 day rail pass is a good choice for you very much depends on your itinerary, however given that a return to Osaka by bullet train is basically the same price as a 7 day Japan Rail Pass, I think it's highly likely a rail pass will be a good option for you. What sort of other locations were you thinking of?

As the nationwide Japan Rail Pass (which you'll need) can only be purchased outside Japan, I recommend you purchase it before you go to Japan. You can start the Japan Rail Pass any time within 3 months from the date of purchase, so if you intend to travel in April 2013, you should think about making your purchase from Feb 2013.

I hope this helps!