QUICK TRANSPORT QUESTIONS...Tokyo and beyond..
Apr 5th, 2019, 08:50 AM
#1
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QUICK TRANSPORT QUESTIONS...Tokyo and beyond..
We arrive at Narita in the afternoon, on a JAL international flight.
Getting to hotel, near Tokyo Station: How much walking is necessary to take the train from the airport? Are there luggage carts available to use and if so, are they free? If not free, does one need change to pay?
Train to Kanazawa from Tokyo: How long in advance do I have to think about buying tickets on one of the faster, direct afternoon trains? Can I do this a week ahead, or should I do it now (about 5 weeks ahead)?
From Kanazawa to Kaga Onsen (station nearest ryokan)? How long in advance do I need to purchase? (Same question applies to train from Kaga Onsen to Kyoto).
Thank you!
Getting to hotel, near Tokyo Station: How much walking is necessary to take the train from the airport? Are there luggage carts available to use and if so, are they free? If not free, does one need change to pay?
Train to Kanazawa from Tokyo: How long in advance do I have to think about buying tickets on one of the faster, direct afternoon trains? Can I do this a week ahead, or should I do it now (about 5 weeks ahead)?
From Kanazawa to Kaga Onsen (station nearest ryokan)? How long in advance do I need to purchase? (Same question applies to train from Kaga Onsen to Kyoto).
Thank you!
Apr 5th, 2019, 11:02 AM
#2
Can't say I've used them but there have to be luggage carts and I assume they are free, at least for the hundreds of international arriving pax who won't have any yen.
You can get those shinkansen tix when you get to Japan. You could get them at JR Narita Airport station if you are taking the Narita Express to Tokyo station - that would be convenient. A day in advance would be okay. I would probably just get them on the day.
The trip to Kaga Onsen is on a limited express train, so you could get reserved seats. You could show up at the last minute for that. Different answer, maybe, if there is a BIG festival that day and you are a group.
Getting seat reservations sooner could reduce your anxiety, but this is not like buying airline tix where the plane might sell out.
You can get those shinkansen tix when you get to Japan. You could get them at JR Narita Airport station if you are taking the Narita Express to Tokyo station - that would be convenient. A day in advance would be okay. I would probably just get them on the day.
The trip to Kaga Onsen is on a limited express train, so you could get reserved seats. You could show up at the last minute for that. Different answer, maybe, if there is a BIG festival that day and you are a group.
Getting seat reservations sooner could reduce your anxiety, but this is not like buying airline tix where the plane might sell out.
Apr 5th, 2019, 11:22 AM
#4
For Kaga Onsen to Kyoto, I'd probably get those tix at the same time as the tix that got me to Kaga Onsen. Or on the day that I arrived there.
My anxiety level for that leg would be a bit higher than the other two. Tokyo is a terminal station, so that train will be empty when you board. Same thing for the lex trains to Kaga Onsen. On the day that you board the train leaving Kaga, most/all will have boarded at Kanazawa and not many getting off at Kaga. But there will be some, maybe many.
My anxiety level for that leg would be a bit higher than the other two. Tokyo is a terminal station, so that train will be empty when you board. Same thing for the lex trains to Kaga Onsen. On the day that you board the train leaving Kaga, most/all will have boarded at Kanazawa and not many getting off at Kaga. But there will be some, maybe many.
Last edited by mrwunrfl; Apr 5th, 2019 at 11:24 AM.
Apr 10th, 2019, 11:34 PM
#7
I always book my main train from the airport JR office when I arrive. The lines are long at times, but the agents there are really efficient. I can remember only one time when I could not get on the train I wanted, but they found another that got me to Kyoto only an hour later that I'd planned. Often the agents there will point out a regional pass or different train connection that can save me time or money. There are lots of moving parts in the JR lines, but IME, the station agents really know their stuff.
(Note, I'm arriving at Narita tomorrow afternoon, and assuming I'll be on one of the many trains to Fukushima within an hour or so of landing. I'm pretty confident I'll get one, but will let you all know if I'm stranded!!)
(Note, I'm arriving at Narita tomorrow afternoon, and assuming I'll be on one of the many trains to Fukushima within an hour or so of landing. I'm pretty confident I'll get one, but will let you all know if I'm stranded!!)
Apr 11th, 2019, 01:31 AM
#8
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It’s helpful, when you reference a particular website, to provide an actual link to the site. I assume ‘shrinkansen’ is a typo? In any event, neither ‘shrinkansen-tickets’.com’ nor ‘shinkansen-tickets.com’ actually works as a valid address.
From a generic search, it appears that the site you probably mean is shinkansen-ticket.com? This site wants to charge you, for example, ¥17,600 for a reserved Nozomi Tokyo - Kyoto ticket that you can buy yourself for ¥13,910. There are 100+ Nozomi shinkansen trains a day on that route, so it is generally unlikely that you won’t be able to get seats on the train you want; if that happens, you just get the next one ... or the next one.
If you’re an iPhone user, you can use the Smart-Ex app to buy/reserve shinkansen tickets up to one month in advance. It appears there is also an Android/Google version.
I don’t know what specific tickets you want but generally we’ve never had any issues getting tickets, particularly if you get them a day or two in advance.
Apr 13th, 2019, 08:09 AM
#9
Why do you think you would need to do that? The only reasons I can think of is because you are nervous about buying the tickets yourself or you don't like or are unable (physically) to wait in line to buy tickets. I have read about people getting tix through their hotel concierge.
The cost of that service is too high, imo, but you are considering paying that markup, What trip is this?
If it is Tokyo to Kyoto then tt7 gave the prices above - ¥17,600 through that service (I assume that is in an ordinary reserved seat). If you are willing to pay that then you could just get a Green Car ticket for ¥18,690 if the ordinary reserved seats are sold out.
I would be willing, eager, to bet that lcuy didn't have any trouble getting reserved seats on the shinkansen she wanted.
Last edited by mrwunrfl; Apr 13th, 2019 at 08:11 AM.
Apr 13th, 2019, 07:53 PM
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Happy Travels!
Last edited by Guenmai; Apr 13th, 2019 at 07:56 PM.
Apr 22nd, 2019, 08:00 AM
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Correction: The above should have read Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo. I just caught the mis-type and wanted to correct it. And I remember another poster posting about having bought train tickets online about a year after one of my Japan trips.
Happy Travels!
Happy Travels!
Last edited by Guenmai; Apr 22nd, 2019 at 08:13 AM.
Apr 22nd, 2019, 12:06 PM
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It probably depends on where one is going and when one is traveling as I saw long lines. So, since I value my time, for me personally, I was glad that I didn't have to deal with it while there. To each his own.
Happy Travels!
Happy Travels!
Apr 22nd, 2019, 12:18 PM
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"Getting to hotel, near Tokyo Station: How much walking is necessary to take the train from the airport? Are there luggage carts available to use and if so, are they free? If not free, does one need change to pay?"
1)There are luggage carts.
2)They are free.
3) One can take them on the escalator.
4) As for the distance from the airport to the train, I don't remember off the top of my head, but I didn't find whatever the distance was to be difficult. Plus, I had a luggage cart. I take that airport train into Tokyo Station since my hotel is a 5-minute walk from Tokyo Station.
Happy Travels!
1)There are luggage carts.
2)They are free.
3) One can take them on the escalator.
4) As for the distance from the airport to the train, I don't remember off the top of my head, but I didn't find whatever the distance was to be difficult. Plus, I had a luggage cart. I take that airport train into Tokyo Station since my hotel is a 5-minute walk from Tokyo Station.
Happy Travels!
Last edited by Guenmai; Apr 22nd, 2019 at 12:20 PM.
