Okayama is on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka, which makes it one of western Japan's easiest cities to reach. From Osaka, the fastest trains take under an hour; from Hiroshima, about 40 minutes.
The city is also the main rail gateway from Honshu to Shikoku. The Marine Liner crosses the Seto Ohashi Bridge to Takamatsu, while limited express trains continue toward Matsuyama, Kochi, and Kotohira.