Willer Express ReBorn
Photo: Willer Co. Ltd.

These fancy overnight buses in Japan feature private sleeping pods

The Willer Express ReBorn buses offer first-class seats with more space and privacy at great prices

Kaila Imada
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Kaila Imada
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Travelling across Japan is such a breeze thanks to a well connected network of flights and shinkansen. However, those options can be pricey. Now there’s an affordable way to travel where you don’t have to sacrifice comfort. Tokyo-based bus company Willer Express now has some amazing overnight buses, which offer you your own personal pod with reclining seats. 

You’ll find these private pods on Willer’s line of ReBorn buses, launched in 2020. Each ReBorn bus has 18 spacious reclining seats with a footrest, neck rest, foldable table, cup holder, blanket plus an electrical outlet to charge all your devices.

You can save a bit by taking the bus. A one-way shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Kyoto can cost at least ¥13,320 for a non-reserved seat. The ReBorn bus fare, however, starts from just ¥11,000 for the same trip. The ReBorn buses also operate routes from Tokyo to Nagoya, Niigata, Shiga and Osaka.
While the journey time on an overnight trip is a lot longer – it takes roughly seven to nine hours to get from Tokyo to Kyoto – you can save on one night at a hotel. With the ultra comfortable ReBorn bus, you'll be able to sleep through the journey and wake up fresh at your destination, with a full day to take in the sights.

These buses are definitely a great option to tour around Japan on the cheap. For more information, visit the website.

This article was originally published on August 19 2021 and updated on December 2 2022

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