Hi
it says from March 18th there will be a new train direct from Tokyo to Nikko
http://www.japan-guide.com/news/0010.html
Can anyone tell me how much the additional fare will be for JR pass holders?

This is very useful info, thanks for posting it. I am interesteed in using this new line to Nikko in April since I am staying in Ebisu, close to Shinjuku.

I have to call JR's NYC office on Friday of this wk about something else and I'll ask whether they know the extra cost (and will post it if no one else has by then). Reservations are required for this train and I assume they are made through JR since you start the trip on their tracks, so I guess they take the extra payment for using the non-JR tracks.

Bonjour Janev and Emd,

Here's the info from JNTO: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/JN/nikko_shinjuku/index.html

One way Y 3900 (return not yet determined, JRPass not applicable since Tobu railways is not part of JR)

I suppose JR Pass will cover till the point where Red line and Blue (Tobu) line join together so you won't have to pay the full fare of Yen 3900. On the map ( http://www.japan-guide.com/news/0010.html) that point is half the way between Omiya and Utsunomiya but the name of the station is not written.

I did the following one week ago.
Atami > Kawazu by Super View Odoriko train and Atami - Ito was covered by 3-week JR Pass I had but I had to pay approx. Yen 1800 for the part between Ito and Kawazu even though I stayed on the same train the whole route. Shinjuku > Nikko will probably be the same case.

And thank you for the info. Shinjuku is the most convenient departure point for me when I'm in Tokyo, much better than Tobu-Asakusa station. So I might do this next time I will be back in Japan.

I was just thinking, if it appears that one can't use the JR pass on this line, is there another pass that can be bought to cover this trip & save money?

I have a call into the head travel info manager of the JR NYC office about this and will post details when he calls me back this afternoon. the japan-guide link says JR can be used for part of the trip and then there is a supplement for the non-JR track portion.

We'll see what JR says.

The senior Travel Info Manager at JR NYC (a good man to know) called back. He says all seats are reserved for this train. If you are buying a ticket/reserving a seat then you will pay one price. If you have a JR pass then you will pay only for the portion on the non-JR tracks, and you will pay that amt. when you make the reservation at JR. He does not know how much that will be yet, but he should know by the time I call him back on March 30 (I am trying to get a paper train schedule for the new quarter so I'll have one for my trip but they haven't come to NYC office yet so I keep calling him to check on that).