Hi

We are considering flying into Chitose Airport and flying out of Narita (because Frequent Flyer tickets)in mid June. Is there a "best" way to take the train from Hokkaido back to Tokyo ? We may want to stop in Fukushima on our way back.

Thanks.

There is a best way would be to take a limited express train from Sapporo to Hachinohe and connect at Hachinohe to a shinkansen to Tokyo. That would take about 9 hours 30 minutes to almost 10 hours. Hachinohe is the northernmost shinkansen station.

Other itineraries might have you take a limited express train all the way south to Sendai before connecting to a shinkansen. This would take 14 or 15 hours.

There is also a night train. You'd pay extra for the sleeper berth.

Flying would cost around 10,000 to 12,500 yen.

Hi

Can you get off the Shinkansen or is it nonstop to Tokyo ?

For example, can we get on it at Hachinohe and get off in Fukushima to spend the night ?

Thanks.

Flying would only cost 10,000 Yen..wow..what a deal.

Sure you can break your journey at Fukushima, though some trains, notably the faster Hayate, don't call at the station (non-stop between Sendai and Omiya, reservation-only). Unless you are using Japan Rail Pass, you have to buy another ticket from Fukushima to Tokyo.

You'd take the Hayate shinkansen from Hachinohe to Sendai and then transfer to a Yamabiko shinkansen to get to Fukushima.

I believe if you stop over in Fukushima that you would be able to use the same ticket to continue on to Tokyo. If traveling from Sapporo to Tokyo then according to the ticket validity terms stated here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_001.html
you'd be able to make a stopover of 7 days (two days for the first 200km and one day for each 200km of the remaining 1000km).

You'd have to pay a new seat reservation fee (500 yen) for the train from Fukushima to Tokyo, tho, if you wanted a seat res.

Dukey,

Airfares are for visitors only, see here

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html

Looks like mrw has mapped out the best way back to Tokyo on the train

Aloha!

Thanks everybody.

Should I get the tickets once I'm in Sapporo ? At any train station ?