trains in Japan
Nov 1st, 2016, 05:25 PM
#1
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trains in Japan
Hello,
We will be in Japan for 1 week. We will travel from Haneda airport to Kyoto and from Kyoto to Takayama. From Takayama we will return to Tokyo. Should we get a 7 day rail pass? What is the best way to figure out our train trips?
Thanks in advance!
We will be in Japan for 1 week. We will travel from Haneda airport to Kyoto and from Kyoto to Takayama. From Takayama we will return to Tokyo. Should we get a 7 day rail pass? What is the best way to figure out our train trips?
Thanks in advance!
Nov 1st, 2016, 05:33 PM
#2
Use Hyperdia. Put in your actual dates (there are cheaper rates in winter) and you will get actual prices to compare to the price of a pass. There are multiple passes, search on "japan-guide jr pass" to find info on them. There are different prices depending on the kind of train, and some shinkasen are more expensive than others.
Nov 1st, 2016, 07:05 PM
#3
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For everything you need to know:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359.html
(which will get you to a link to Hyperdia once it walks you through a variety of considerations, and which will give you information about how to use Japan's trains, too)
Good luck!
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359.html
(which will get you to a link to Hyperdia once it walks you through a variety of considerations, and which will give you information about how to use Japan's trains, too)
Good luck!
Nov 3rd, 2016, 06:04 AM
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When using Hyperdia for comparing costs open deciding whether to buy a JR pass, I saw a very useful tip. In the search window there's a 'More options' link which will open specific search options. Strike out the 'Nozomi' and 'Private railways' (as well as 'Airplane' and 'Walk').
Then proceed with your 'From' and 'To' destinations and date. After the search you're presented a few options (standard: 5, adjustable), left top corner you see the accumulated price for the whole route. By doing so you don't make use of any private railway company and thus can compare JR tariffs-JR pass.
But this is of no importance to you. In your case, as I read somewhere when you travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and vice versa within one week, the 7day pass is a no brainer.
I haven't been to Japan yet, but leaving next week for my first time visit. The aforementioned info is available on the internet... Enjoy your trip!
Then proceed with your 'From' and 'To' destinations and date. After the search you're presented a few options (standard: 5, adjustable), left top corner you see the accumulated price for the whole route. By doing so you don't make use of any private railway company and thus can compare JR tariffs-JR pass.
But this is of no importance to you. In your case, as I read somewhere when you travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and vice versa within one week, the 7day pass is a no brainer.
I haven't been to Japan yet, but leaving next week for my first time visit. The aforementioned info is available on the internet... Enjoy your trip!
Nov 3rd, 2016, 07:25 AM
#6
>>Should we get a 7 day rail pass?
Yes, if you are going to Kyoto on Day 1 and returning to Tokyo on or before Day 7 of your trip.
Zebby has some good advice except that you should keep the Walk option checked.
You should keep the Private Railway option checked, at least on the first search for any route. That is because your departure or destination might not be served by JR - Haneda Airport is one example.
All of the options are presented at the bottom of the search results options. If your results show a mix of private railway (the pink trains) and JR options, then you can uncheck "Private Railway" to get your JR-only options. Narita Airport to Tokyo would be one route where you might want to do that.
Yes, if you are going to Kyoto on Day 1 and returning to Tokyo on or before Day 7 of your trip.
Zebby has some good advice except that you should keep the Walk option checked.
You should keep the Private Railway option checked, at least on the first search for any route. That is because your departure or destination might not be served by JR - Haneda Airport is one example.
All of the options are presented at the bottom of the search results options. If your results show a mix of private railway (the pink trains) and JR options, then you can uncheck "Private Railway" to get your JR-only options. Narita Airport to Tokyo would be one route where you might want to do that.
Nov 3rd, 2016, 07:45 AM
#7
From Haneda Airport, you will want to travel to JR Shinagawa station to get a shinkansen to Kyoto. Then it is all JR to Takayama and back to Tokyo.
With a JR Pass, you want to use the Hikari shinkansen trains.
You can exchange your voucher for a JR Pass at Haneda Airport or at Shinagawa. If you do the exchange at Haneda then you can use the Tokyo Monorail to get to Hammamatsucho and then a JR train to Shinagawa. www.jreast.co.jp/e/haneda/
Another way would be to take a Keikyu train from Haneda to Shinagawa. Can't use the JR Pass on that but it is only ¥410 and no change of trains is necessary.
Here is the Keikyu timetable:
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/searc...d&sum_target=7
With a JR Pass, you want to use the Hikari shinkansen trains.
You can exchange your voucher for a JR Pass at Haneda Airport or at Shinagawa. If you do the exchange at Haneda then you can use the Tokyo Monorail to get to Hammamatsucho and then a JR train to Shinagawa. www.jreast.co.jp/e/haneda/
Another way would be to take a Keikyu train from Haneda to Shinagawa. Can't use the JR Pass on that but it is only ¥410 and no change of trains is necessary.
Here is the Keikyu timetable:
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/searc...d&sum_target=7
Nov 4th, 2016, 05:44 AM
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>>There seems to be lots of places to buy the rail pass on line. Is one company better that the other?<<
Go to this page:
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/purchase.html#step_01
If you are in USA, then click on the "North America" button link. On the next page, scroll down past Canada to see a list of authorized sellers in USA. But there are other online sites advertising for a bit less money, it is up to you.
Make sure the spelling of the traveler's names on the voucher must match that of the passport.
Go to this page:
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/purchase.html#step_01
If you are in USA, then click on the "North America" button link. On the next page, scroll down past Canada to see a list of authorized sellers in USA. But there are other online sites advertising for a bit less money, it is up to you.
Make sure the spelling of the traveler's names on the voucher must match that of the passport.
Nov 4th, 2016, 07:04 AM
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First of all, you cannot buy a JR pass. You purchase a voucher outside Japan and then exchange it when you're in Japan for the actual pass. You can do this at any major JR train station and it takes a whopping 10 minutes.
Second, there's no need to go to Reading54's link - there are numerous JR voucher resellers in major cities in the US (basically, any travel agency that specializes in East Asia or Japan will sell them) and a ton of online options, which tend to be reliable.
Third, the voucher offerings vary very little - usually by a few dollars here and there. The vouchers cost 29K yen and the various resellers will offer them at close to the foreign exchange rates (the one we purchased from actually charged less than the true exchange rate). I THINK we used Explore Japan (www.jrpass.com) and they not only sent the vouchers quickly but added a little guidebook for exploring Japan by rail and a couple of maps.
Second, there's no need to go to Reading54's link - there are numerous JR voucher resellers in major cities in the US (basically, any travel agency that specializes in East Asia or Japan will sell them) and a ton of online options, which tend to be reliable.
Third, the voucher offerings vary very little - usually by a few dollars here and there. The vouchers cost 29K yen and the various resellers will offer them at close to the foreign exchange rates (the one we purchased from actually charged less than the true exchange rate). I THINK we used Explore Japan (www.jrpass.com) and they not only sent the vouchers quickly but added a little guidebook for exploring Japan by rail and a couple of maps.
