How Tokyo2Us Estimates Travel Times and Prices

Tokyo2Us compares every way to travel between two places on one map. To do that honestly, we need to be clear about where each piece of information comes from. This page explains our data sources, how we estimate times and prices, and how the site is funded.

Three kinds of data

Every option on Tokyo2Us carries a label so you know how much to trust it.

1. Live routing – for driving, we use open road-routing data (OSRM, based on OpenStreetMap). Times account for the road network but not live traffic.
2. Timetable – for public transport, where operators publish open timetable data (GTFS), we use the Transitous/MOTIS journey planner. These options show real departure times, lines, transfers and stops.
3. Estimate – where no open timetable exists, such as many long-distance buses, ferries and flights, we estimate the time from distance and typical speeds for that mode. These are clearly marked Estimate.

How prices work

Many operators do not publish fares openly. So:

• Cached fare – for flights, when a Travelpayouts token is configured we show recent fares found by other travellers. These are labelled "Cached fare" and are not live quotes.
• Estimate range – for everything else, we calculate a range from distance and typical per-kilometre costs for each mode. These are labelled "Estimate".
• Price unavailable – where we cannot estimate fairly, we say so.

We never present an estimate as a quote. Always check the final price with the operator or partner before you book.

Booking links and affiliate partners

When you click "Book", we send you to an operator or a partner site, such as Aviasales, 12Go, Omio, Direct Ferries, Booking.com, GetYourGuide or Klook. Some of these are affiliate partners: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Sponsored cards are always labelled "Sponsored" or "Ad". Read our affiliate disclosure.

Ads and the ad-free plan

Tokyo2Us is free. We show a small number of ads to pay for it. If you prefer no Tokyo2Us ad slots, an optional ad-free plan costs $9.99 a month. It removes our ads; partner booking links remain, because they are how you book. All planning features stay free for everyone.

Maps and places

Maps and place search use OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Country facts on our destination pages come from Wikidata, which is free to reuse.

Improving accuracy

If you notice an incorrect route, time or link, please contact us via the address on our about page. We review reports and update our data and estimation rules.

Why estimates are ranges

A single figure would look neat but would be misleading. Prices depend on the date, the time of day, how far ahead you book, the seat class and the booking channel, and they often change from one hour to the next. A range is more honest. It tells you roughly what to expect so you can compare options, without suggesting that a particular fare is guaranteed. When we have a real fare from a partner, we show it as "from" a price with a note that it was cached recently, and you should still check the live price on the booking page.

How journey times are calculated

For trains and buses with published timetables, we use the scheduled times when they are available. For driving, we use open routing data based on the road network, which does not account for live traffic, border queues or rest stops. Where no timetable is available, for example on some ferries or rural buses, we estimate journey times based on distance and typical speeds and label them as estimates. Transfers between modes, such as getting from a train station to a ferry port, are added as separate steps so you can see where the time goes.

Why some routes look different elsewhere

Other travel sites may show different times or prices for the same route. They may use different data providers, include or exclude certain operators, or show prices from a specific day. That is normal. We would rather show fewer options with clear labels than many options with prices we cannot check. If you see a route that looks wrong, tell us.

Your privacy

Searches are used to provide results and, in anonymous and aggregated form, to see which routes are popular so we can improve coverage. When you click a booking link, the partner's site receives the referral so it can credit us with any commission. It does not receive your Tokyo2Us account details. You can read more in our privacy policy.

What we will never do

We will not invent prices, availability, reviews or ratings, and we will not hide the recurring price of the ad-free plan. Affiliate partnerships never change the order of results. The fastest route and the cheapest route are shown based on the data we have, not on commission.

How to report a problem

If a time, price range or booking link looks wrong, contact us at support@tokyo2us.store with the route and the date you searched. We review reports and use them to improve our estimates and data sources. See About Tokyo2Us for more about who we are.

Coverage today

Coverage is strongest where open timetable data is published, such as many rail networks in Europe and East Asia. It is weaker for informal minibuses, small ferry operators and regions with little public data. We add sources over time and label everything clearly in the meantime.

Using estimates well

Treat an estimate range as a starting point for comparison, not as a quote. Use it to narrow down two or three good options, then open the booking links to check live prices and timetables for your date. If two options are close, consider comfort, luggage, flexibility and reliability, not only the price. Our train vs plane guide explains a simple way to weigh these factors.

Our promise

Clear labels, real sources and no hidden prices, so you can plan with confidence.