Google maps timetables reliable?

I'm using google maps for planning my travel times between cities for jr trains and within cities for metro lines. But after looking up time schedules on hyperdia i see differences in times, and sometimes the lines recommended are not suggested on both websites.

Also i found out that google sometimes chooses to swap trains leaving me with 3 minutes to get from e.g. track 3 to track 19. I think having no Kanji skills and never being there before makes time gaps of 3 minutes to catch the next train nearly impossible.

How is your experience with planning on google maps? Is it reliable? Or should i just use hyperdia (i'm not using that website because it has less detailed information about track numbers/train names and directions).

In my experience I've found Hyperdia to be less reliable than Google Maps.

It might help if you post specific examples that you are having problems with?

I prefer using Hyperdia in general, although you do have to have some knowledge of stations and locations.

In general Hyperdia chooses realistic connection times. If you have concerns I sometimes find it useful to click on "Interval Timetable" just below the train information and that will show you all the other similar trains travelling along that line on that day. This way you can often easily find the next train in case you miss, or think you will miss, the first one.

Note that if your journey combines local trains and long-distance trains (like the Shinkansen) then sometimes finding a local train which is a few minutes earlier may help you feel comfortable making your connection.

You can also split your searches up on Hyperdia too.

Hope this helps!

Out of all the times we've used Google maps, only once did it give us the wrong info - it told us to stay on a tram in Kochi instead of changing lines. That's the only one I can think of. I don't use hyperdia much. I much prefer seeing the map in conjunction with the times.

For example, if you would like to go from Shinjuku gyoen to Tokyo National Museum, but do not know the nearby station or the whole map, google maps is really useful. If you do not know the nearby station, Hyperdia is useless. Google maps is convenient because it shows several candidates below the text box you are writing in. The spelling is not necessarily perfect.

I am a Japanese and therefore I know many station names. In the above case, I would just open hyperdia (or Jorudan) and input Ueno and Shinjuku, and make some "check-off" in "search details". Hyperdia is more comvenient because it shows various timetabeles as GC3 wrote, and I can choose one route. I myself do not use Google maps for making train plan. I was a little bit surprised that some person uses it as a tool for it.

Both tools are not perfect, therefore I sometimes double check the itinerary with hyperdia and Jorudan, and sometimes with JR website.

I already entered the "next available option" for changing trains on important routes and checked for reasonable times between changing trains. But i find it odd that google finds it possible to change trains from entirely different tracks within 3 minutes occasionally (but maybe it is possible). All i know is that i won't be able to do so :)

Anyway, thanks for confirming that the times on google maps are correct. Then i'll continue planning this way.

Should it be wise to write down the Kanji characters for the train names/destinations on my travel list? Or is it all straightforward for someone that can read english only?

While you may think it is not possible to go from track 3 to track 19 in 3 minutes it may be which is why Google is giving you that answer. Without know specifically what train station you are talking about, it may be as simple as getting off the train on track 3, walking up a flight of stairs, walk a few meters down the station and then down another flight of stairs and arrive at track 19 with a minute or two to spare.

While you may think it is not possible to go from track 3 to track 19 in 3 minutes it may be which is why Google is giving you that answer. Without know specifically what train station you are talking about, it may be as simple as getting off the train on track 3, walking up a flight of stairs, walk a few meters down the station and then down another flight of stairs and arrive at track 19 with a minute or two to spare.

You're right, i was just thinking from my own perspective. Someone who know's his way should have no trouble with it. And a person like me should keep this in mind when making a schedule.

If you can give a couple examples of tracks and stations where you are concerned about connection times other members of the board might be able to alleviate your worries.

There are also online maps of many of the major stations (especially the stations in Tokyo) that may also help you.

All the train stations I have used on my 8 trips to Japan have names in Roman alphabet.

On JR lines each station sign shows 3 names: the name of the that station is in the middle, in big letters. In small letters, on each side, are the name of the previous and next stations.
It is clever and very useful