Taking a bike on the train in Japan is easy, you just need a rinko bag. It works for Shinkansen “bullet trains” and one car rural ones alike.

As well as great roads, Japan has a fantastic rail network. The Shinkansen “bullet trains” are famous worldwide and complement a dense network of local trains that allow you to reach many destinations.

The rules are simple, you must to put your bike into a bag. That’s it, you can now travel with your bike on the trains in Japan.

However many bike bags are bulky and heavy, often built to protect your bike for the perils of air travel. This is where a rinkōbukuro (輪行袋), often called a rinko, comes in handy.

A rinko is a nylon bike bag, think a sack. It’s no-frills by design, the minimum amount of material needed to bag your bike into luggage. This ensures other travellers and the train aren’t at risk from a dirty chain or muddy tires. Even if your bike is spotless, it’s rinko or nothing to get on a train. If your saddle and seatpost poke out, prepare to cover them up if asked by station staff.

I’ve seen someone carrying a BMX through Ueno station using a shower curtain and duct tape. You could try an old duvet cover too. It just has to be covered. But a specialist rinko will turn into a pouch that you can store under your saddle or in your back pocket during a ride.

How to rinko

There is a technique to bagging your bike. Keep the chain on the big ring, this way the teeth won’t rip the fabric. Turn the bars and stashing the front wheel next to the frame, you can work your left crank and pedal round into a position that helps hold the front wheel. Rinkos often come with reinforced zones for the forks and where the wheels/skewers go. You get velcro straps to tie the front wheel in place, you want the front wheel next to the frame but not rubbing too much. It depends on the bag and your bike, but with practice you can get the job done in a few movements.

Rinko are sold in every sports bike shop in Japan. Retailer Mont Bell – no affiliation – sells online to many countries in case you want to order one ahead of a visit. France’s Fairmean does a premium version which is exceptionally light and I plan on testing one in the spring.

So far, so easy. But a bike in a rinko is still a big object and good luck if you’re trying to board a packed city commuter train in rush hour, so think about the time and direction you might travel in and plan. If it’s a commuter or local train where people just walk on and sit or stand then aim to board at the rear of the train, the last doors of the rear carriage as often there’s more space around for luggage. This helps if it’s busy, it’s still useful if the train is near empty as you can keep your bike out of the way. And a rinko offers slim protection, imagine your bike is wrapped in paper.

Bonus rinko

You can use a rinko at other times. If you want to keep a bike into your hotel room, a rinko can work when normally staff would frown. If you’re mid-ride and spot an onsen, rinko your bike and take it indoors so you can soak without worrying about your bike.

Take a bike on a Shinkansen train in Japan

You can take a bike on Shinkansen bullet trains. Normally big items require a reservation but bikes are fine without one, as long as they’re in a rinko.

If you’re going on a Shinkansen bullet train or another long ride you may wish to reserve a seat in advance. There’s a small premium to pay but this guarantees you a seat. Good for resting the legs. Explain you’ve got a bike in a bag and they’ll allocate you seats close to the oversized luggage zone. Reserving means using a “green window” staffed counter in a railway station. In the big cities there can be English-speaking staff, you reserve when you buy the ticket but also visit a counter any time before departure.

There are special cycle-friendly trains that welcome cyclists, no rinko needed, but they’re the exception. I’ll take a closer look in a piece here someday.

Travel tips

  • Taking a bike on a train in Japan is easy, you just need to put it in a bag. Many use a rinko, it’s light and cheap
  • A rinko is no loophole or niche item, it’s a regular way for cyclists to get about in Japan
  • If a hotel or inn doesn’t have safe storage for your bike, using a rinko can help you bring it to your room
  • For long journeys, reserve a seat and explain you’ll have oversized luggage. This means you can sit near your bike and stop anyone from jamming a suitcase on top