transportation questions
 

we land at 4pm into haneda. wanted to take limousine bus to our hotel in Yanaka but think we land too late. what other options do we have to get to our hotel? how expensive wilt taxi be? it will be a Saturday and we are staying at Sawanoya Ryokan in Tokyo.

Second question-I will buy the Setouchi plass on the JR site. So I can only buy it 30 days prior to our picking it up correct? The day we pick it up IS NOT the same day we will activate it. we will pick it up at Haneda (assuming JR office is open). But picking it up and making reservations, this does not activate it, correct? We won't do that for another week plus.

and on the JR website it lists exchange stations. Haneda nor Kyoto train station are listed so how do I get these passes after I have purchased them?

This input is based on other JR regional passes,. not JR West. Am pretty sure, though, that you need to pick it up at a JR West location.

The 30 days sounds right You should be able to buy online, specify the validity date and book seat reservations on/after that date.
West Japan Railway Company - Setouchi Area Pass Information (westjr.co.jp)

The JR Wet region is shown on the map at the following link. Note that Hokuriku region is JR West. That is from Toyama west to Kanazawa and south to Kyoto. I think you could pick up the pass in that area even thought it is not useful in Hokuriku. But you will probably get it in Kyoto or Osaka.
West Japan Railway Company - Travel Information(HOME) (westjr.co.jp)

No worries on the timing.

That ryokan has good access info. You can get an idea of taxi fare online or ask them. Google maps says 25 km drive. I didn't see limo buses to Nippori or Ueno, but there is one for Akihabara.

So when I went on the JR site for this pass it did not list Kyoto or Haneda for pickup. It did list Osaka but hoping I don't need to go to Osaka or Shin Osaka just for this. How can I find out?

Kyoto Station 6:30-21:00

West Japan Railway Company - Search by Rail Pass exchange, receipt, or purchase location (westjr.co.jp)

The all areas search finds no Hokuriku options.

This is a great question as I’m thinking about getting a regional pass when we go next fall. My understanding is that the pass has to be picked up at one of the stations in the covered area:

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_setouchi.html

this is weird bc on another site it did not list kyoto station but others. I will rely on this and pick it up in kyoto upon arrival.

so it also seems from the jr site that if you are ordering from jr directly that there is no 30 day wait period. but i just want to confirm that the day i get it is NOT the day it is activated correct? again thanks. all.

So anohter question please- I can either purchase this pass through a travel agent outside of Japan or through JR West online. I dont see a limit on when I can purchase directly from JR online but do see I can't reserve until a month from boarding. It is silent on exchange dates but says it can be exchanged in Kyoto. If I pick it up on our arrival in Kyoto, do my 7 days run from this date or when I actually use it for the first time?

So is the only way to reserve in advance without fees is to purchase directly and on line?

You can purchase - pay for - that pass online a month in advance from JR West. You would get an exchange order from JR West. The date you choose when you purchase is the first day of validity for the exchange order. It is good for 90 days from that date. On the day you exchange for the pass you can specify the pass validity start that day or a future date (that is within the validity of the exchange order).

Sorry i am being think here. So i can purchase a month in advance from when? what date? So I can choose the effective day from when the 7 days start? So I exchange the order for the actual pass in Kyoto but can then pick a later effective date for the 7 day period to run?

Read it again.

your trip is in May and the voucher is good for 90 days. you could buy it today to be valid tomorrow. or april 27. or you can wait. in fact u could just buy one at the Kyoto TIC

i was told i could not buy this pass in japan. can i just buy it there at kyoto station?

There are three purchase options on the webpage: West Japan Railway Company - Setouchi Area Pass Information (westjr.co.jp)

1) Purchasing Exchange Order through a Travel Agency outside Japan
I suggest you call one of the agents to get info on getting a pass through them. Find out if you can do the exchange on one day and have the pass start on a future date.

2) Purchasing a pass via JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION

I started the process of buying the pass from JR West online. I specified the start date as March 31. The result was not what I expected, it included this info
22,000 YEN Setouchi Area Valid from 31 March to 6 April

Meaning that the actual pass would be valid for those 7 days. I was wrong in saying that you would be buying the voucher valid for 90 days.

3) Purchasing from a travel agency

• · Passes can be purchased from a travel agency in Japan.
  · Sales locations: Click here for details
  · A rail pass is purchasable up to 1month in advance of the first day of use.

That seems to be the same condition as JRW online: specify the pass validity period at the the time of purchase. This is the Kyoto TIC (Tourist Information Center) option that I mentioned.
West Japan Railway Company - Search by Rail Pass exchange, receipt, or purchase location (westjr.co.jp)

How to get to your hotel (ryokan)
 

Hello,
If you arrive at 4:00 p.m., you can probably be at the arrival gate by 5:00 p.m., which is not late at all.
Though I believe there are limo buses available, I will teach you how the average Japanese person travels from the airport.
You can find it in Google Maps route service, you set the starting point as Haneda International Terminal 3 and the arrival point as your accommodation name. (or the address).
First, take the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho Station (the last stop). And change trains to Yamanote-line for Tokyo and Ueno directions and get off at Nippori Station.
Google Maps says it is an 18 minute walk from the station to your hotel, I think it might be tough for you to walk with luggage, especially after a long flight. So I recommend taking a taxi. Nippori is big station and taxis are always available till late night.
From the airport to Nippori station it will cost you 700 yen (about $5) and from Nippori station to the hotel is 1.8 km, so I assume you can probably get there for less than 1000 yen (about $7).

it does not even seem there is an email listed on the JR site to ask questions. I am not sure why this is so complicated. I can purchase from a third party but will incur a $30 FEDEX charge and also can't make advance reservations. What have others done to buy a regional pass?

it does not even seem there is an email listed on the JR site to ask questions. I am not sure why this is so complicated. I can purchase from a third party but will incur a $30 FEDEX charge and also can't make advance reservations. What have others done to buy a regional pass?

tryilng to buy on official jr site but it's asking for an ID #.
What is this? Do i create one or is it something officicla please?

Give a link and I can take a look.

I totally expect you will need to create a logon or id or something to buy.

Mrwunrfl, I used your link above. Their office is now closed so I need to try again tomorrow. It's the buying directly from JR.

There are three purchase options on the webpage: West Japan Railway Company - Setouchi Area Pass Information (westjr.co.jp)

1) Purchasing Exchange Order through a Travel Agency outside Japan
I suggest you call one of the agents to get info on getting a pass through them. Find out if you can do the exchange on one day and have the pass start on a future date.

2) Purchasing a pass via JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION

I started the process of buying the pass from JR West online. I specified the start date as March 31. The result was not what I expected, it included this info
22,000 YEN Setouchi Area Valid from 31 March to 6 April

Meaning that the actual pass would be valid for those 7 days. I was wrong in saying that you would be buying the voucher valid for 90 days.

3) Purchasing from a travel agency

• · Passes can be purchased from a travel agency in Japan.
  · Sales locations: Click here for details
  · A rail pass is purchasable up to 1month in advance of the first day of use.

That seems to be the same condition as JRW online: specify the pass validity period at the the time of purchase. This is the Kyoto TIC (Tourist Information Center) option that I mentioned.
West Japan Railway Company - Search by Rail Pass exchange, receipt, or purchase location (westjr.co.jp)

>> Their office is now closed

it opens in less than half an hour from now.

Good price here: 7 Day JR Setouchi Area Pass - Klook
They provide a mobile voucher good for 90 days.

Hi. I was able to purchase the Setouchi pass on the official Jr Site. It was same price on Klook. US$ strong now.
So now that I finally have the pass, I have been told the value is that I can make 6 advance reservations. Which do I want to make?

r/t from Kyoto to Himeji
o/w Kyoto to Hiroshima (on a Friday) or can I reserve train to Miyajima?
o/w Hiroshima to Fukuoka (on a Sunday morning)

Also, daughter wants to bring a big piece of luggage and put a smaller one inside so we can buy stuff. If its not check on size, do I have to reserve space for this? And if so, how?

Getting close and getting excited!

anyone? thanks

With that pass you can't uise the shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin Osaka. Between those stations you want to take a limited express train with seat reservations. You can take a JR rapid train with no seat reservations. The rapid trains are more frequent than the limited express but are busier and you may have to stand.

Between Kyoto and Himeji stations you want to take a limited express train with seat reservations. There are rapid trains for that trip.

You really want to use the limited express trains instead of the rapid trains because it makes for a more comfortable trip and adds great value to the pass.

Without the pass for Kyoto to Shin Osaka, the cost would be:
rapid train 580
reserved limited express = 580 + 1690
maybe half or more of that 1690 is for the limited express surcharge which you would pay if you used an unreserved car. The rest is for the seat res, maybe 700 or so

Kyoto to Hiroshima trip should be limited express to Shin Osaka and then the shinkansen.

>> can I reserve train to Miyajima?
No. Using your pass you would take an ordinary JR local from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi then a short walk to the JR ferry. There are boats (non-JR) to Miyajima from a port near the Peace Park that you can take at extra cost. See the Miyajima webpage at japan-guide.com

You can get reserved seats on shinkansen and limited express trains.They also have unreserved cars that you can use. Everything else would be unrserved (ordinary JR local, rapid, ferry)

That luggage idea is a bad one, imo. You can find the info about oversized luggage fees on the trains yourself.

You don't know the size of the bag you want for good reason: you (probably) don't know what you will buy, how much space you need.

Take a look at collapsible / foldable bags. I got a good size duffle bag in Japan that folds up and tucks into a small zippered pouch.

Or a fold-up backpack (or two). I have one that fits easily into the pocket of my hoodie. When I don't want to wear the hoodie, I just open the backpack and stuff the hoodie into it for hands-free carrying.

isn't there a shinkanzen to himeji that i can reserve please? nozomi is allowed with this pass

Not from Kyoto. If you wanted to take the shinkansen then you would have to transfer at Shin Osaka to get the shinkansen. Thing is, the limited express train that you would take from Kyoto to Shin Osaka might be going on to Himeji. Shin Osaka is a big station and you don't really want to do that transfer when you can just take one train.

Repeating: with that pass you can't uise the shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin Osaka.

Ok, the limited express train for Himeji that I am recommending is infrequent. 7:06, 8:50 AM and then every two hours after that. I would choose one of those to avoid the tranfers, but there are many more options with a transfer.

Hi again and thanks again. Yes I know shinkansen is not from kyoto and that I need to transfer at Shin Osaka. So if I can get a limited express train from Kyoto all the way to Himeji, that is what you are advising so I don't have to transfer. Got it. Or if I'd have to transfer Id take the limited express to Shin Osaka and then get a shinkansen to Himeji. If I am just going to Shin Osaka, do I still reserve the limited express train?

So for these trips,which do I reserve?
limited express to Shin Osaka
shinkansen to Hiroshima
shinkansen from Hiroshiima to Fukuoka
limited express or shinkansen from SHin Osaka to Himeji adn return trip also

>> Yes I know .... Got it
ok, good, :)

What I don't know is whether a trip with a transfer at Shin Osaka would count as two reserved seats on your pass or just one. Maybe that was mentioned on the pass webpage.

>> what you are advising
My preference would be not to make a transfer on the way to/from Himeji. There are two issues wih this. 1) the through trains are infrequent (several of the limited express trains from Kyoto to Shin Osaka are headed to Kansai Airport, not Himeji), 2) the transfer trip takes significantly less time.

I take the limited express from Kyoto through to Himeji and it takes 90 minutes. Taking one train to Himeji means that I definitely will have one more free seat reservation available when I get to Hiroshima.
You take the l'ex to Shin Osaka, have 10 minutes to make the transfer to Nozomi bound for Himeji, and the trip takes you 61 minutes..,

So, the option I suggested is a preference, not a recommendatilon. I prefer the simplicity vs time savings. I would take the transfer option on the return to Kyoto even if it was only to see how many reserved seats it would count. Wouldn't know what time I would be getting back to Himeji station is a better reason - not going to wait around for the next l'ex to Kyoto.

>> Hiroshiima to Fukuoka
Let's start calling that by the correct name: Hiroshima to Hakata

You have up to seven train rides: 2 to 4 for Himeji, 2 for Hiroshima, and 1 for Hakata. I would just take the trains I wanted and if that meant that my 6 free seat res were used up when I got to Hiroshima then that would be fine. Go unreserved to Hakata or, maybe better yet, pay for the reserved seat (pay if you want to take a particular train from Hiroshima if you are heading to FUK airport). I would have said that the seat reservation would cost 500 to 900 yen but jorudan says 1530 yen, but still that is only 10 bucks. My expectation would be that you would be able to get reserved seat at last minute or there would be open seats in unreserved on this leg.

There is a possibility of having to stand when the seats in the unreserved car(s) are full. I had to stand with a bunch of others on Sanyo shinkansen once, and boy, people all around were pleased when I gave up my seat for an ancient lady which is not something I would have been compelled to do if I was Japanese.

I would probably book the reserved seat to Hakata when I arrived at Hiroshima.

thanks again for this. let me wrap my arms around it and will ask if further question.s

Hi again. So it seems I would want to reserve:

Hiroshima to Fukuoka shinkansen

Limited experess from Kyoto to Shin Osaka and then from Shin Osaka to Hiroshima via shinkansen (not sure if this is 1 or 2 reservations)

Rt limited express to Himeji from Kyoto.

Trains from Kyoto to Uji and Nara don't allow for advance reservations.

Another question-I am on the Japan travel app adn I am searching Kyoto to Himeji and not seeing any limited express trains. Just transfers at Shin Osaka. What am I doing wrong??

am using Navitime but not seeing any limited express trains

On Navitime, i put in the Setouchi pass and it shows 7:26-8:49 and 7:34-8:49. the second has 1 transfer in Shin Osaka. No direct trains

Sorry, I looked at the pass info again and the train i was recommending is one of the reserved seat trains that can't be used with that pass. i am very surprised by that. I think there are limited express trains that you can use between Kyoto and Osaka or Shin Osaka.

So, you will have to change trains.

I can't find the results you gave. What date? You can definitely use the *Rapid* train with the pass. They go to Shin Osaka and to Himeji. You could transfer to one of the permitted shinkansen at Shin Osaka.

The Rapid trains are all non-reserved. They are more/less commuter trains, so good chance of having to stand at least part of the way. They could be crammed, actually.

Uji and Nara would be on JR local or rapid trains (a rapid is like an ordnary local train but with fewer stops). You didn't want to use your free reserved seats for those trips anyway.

Ok thanks. Thought i was going crazy. Weird bc it says limited express are included but they don't seem to be, at least on the app. so yes rapid train and then change at shin osaka for shinkansen.

also, it looks like i can make unlimited reserved seat reservations but only 6 can be done online and the rest at ticket offices. Thanks again!!

You can use the Haruka Limited Express between Kyoto and Shin Osaka. The webpage for the pass says so. I def would want to get a reserved seat on that instead of the rapid train. That adds good value to the pass.

Here are Kyoto departure times of Haruka L'ex per the JR West timetable webpage:
7:13
7:49
8:20
8:45

That is for May 11. IDK why I can't get those trains on Navitime even when not selecting a pass.

thanks. so are you on the jr site then?

Yes, this one: West Japan Railway Company - Timetables, Route Maps, and Station Maps (westjr.co.jp)

jorudan shows these:
7:49
8:20

This is the transit route of the search result from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka - Japan Transit Planner | Norikae Annai (jorudan.co.jp)