Travelling NRT-Kyoto-Tokyo-NRT
Apr 2nd, 2004 | 10:18 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Nov 2003
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Travelling NRT-Kyoto-Tokyo-NRT
I'd like to make sure we've planned properly how to get around Tokyo and Kyoto
We arrive in Narita Airport, terminal 2, at about 1pm on a Monday
Go to lowest level, find JR office, buy green car tickets to Kyoto on NEX and Nozomi trains. Use credit card. Reserve seats.
Take NEX, switch in Tokyo station for Nozomi
Arrive Kyoto, take taxi or hotel bus (Westin)
Time in Kyoto
Buy ticket for return train with credit card in Kyoto station
Take Nozomi back to Tokyo
Take cab to Hotel Okura
Time in Tokyo. Use subways to get around. Pay with cash (consider Passnet).
Take airport limo bus from hotel at 1:20pm to Narita for a 6pm flight. Alternatively, take Ueno subway to Keisei Skyliner
Am I missing anything? Any significant issues? Due to timing, a JR Pass does not seem to make sense.
We arrive in Narita Airport, terminal 2, at about 1pm on a Monday
Go to lowest level, find JR office, buy green car tickets to Kyoto on NEX and Nozomi trains. Use credit card. Reserve seats.
Take NEX, switch in Tokyo station for Nozomi
Arrive Kyoto, take taxi or hotel bus (Westin)
Time in Kyoto
Buy ticket for return train with credit card in Kyoto station
Take Nozomi back to Tokyo
Take cab to Hotel Okura
Time in Tokyo. Use subways to get around. Pay with cash (consider Passnet).
Take airport limo bus from hotel at 1:20pm to Narita for a 6pm flight. Alternatively, take Ueno subway to Keisei Skyliner
Am I missing anything? Any significant issues? Due to timing, a JR Pass does not seem to make sense.
Apr 2nd, 2004 | 12:28 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
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You have figured out the procedures pretty well.
To save time, if you have a definite schedule, get your return Nozomi ticket at Narita. You can change reservation free of charge twice (I think). Airport limo is fine and convenient, esp if you have a lot of luggage, but you are still subject to traffic delays. I'd take a taxi to Tokyo station (around 1,500 yen) and get N'Express.
You will save money by getting JR Pass, but you can't ride fast and convenient Nozomi with it (6-7 departures an hour to Kyoto vs 1-2 for Hikari).
To save time, if you have a definite schedule, get your return Nozomi ticket at Narita. You can change reservation free of charge twice (I think). Airport limo is fine and convenient, esp if you have a lot of luggage, but you are still subject to traffic delays. I'd take a taxi to Tokyo station (around 1,500 yen) and get N'Express.
You will save money by getting JR Pass, but you can't ride fast and convenient Nozomi with it (6-7 departures an hour to Kyoto vs 1-2 for Hikari).
Apr 2nd, 2004 | 09:10 PM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 263
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richarddd,
You probably should buy all Nozomi tickets all at once.
I had a strange experience with using credit card at Kyoto JR Midori-no-Madoguchi. I am still sorting out what happened.
The JR West web site says credit cards are available, but at a JR West Midori-no-Madoguchi, they did not take the credit card, but I was told to go to the tourist agency arm of JR West with identical looking counter and display.
At Midori-no-Madoguchi at Tokyo station JR East counter, it said they take credit cards.
Sorting these out, what I think they mean is at least at Kyoto station, at JR West Midori-no-Madoguchi, the credit cards can be used, but not necessarily at all counters.
You probably should buy all Nozomi tickets all at once.
I had a strange experience with using credit card at Kyoto JR Midori-no-Madoguchi. I am still sorting out what happened.
The JR West web site says credit cards are available, but at a JR West Midori-no-Madoguchi, they did not take the credit card, but I was told to go to the tourist agency arm of JR West with identical looking counter and display.
At Midori-no-Madoguchi at Tokyo station JR East counter, it said they take credit cards.
Sorting these out, what I think they mean is at least at Kyoto station, at JR West Midori-no-Madoguchi, the credit cards can be used, but not necessarily at all counters.
Apr 2nd, 2004 | 09:56 PM
#4
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 263
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pushed post too early...
We also used Passnet T card in Tokyo because we knew we needed to use both Toei and Eidan lines over 2 days. If you use Eidan lines only on one day, Eidan only one day pass is cheaper.
Your itenerary seems to make JR pass favorable, unless when you say timing, you mean more than 7 day stay in Japan or need to take advantage of Nozomi's increased availability.
JR pass Green car for 7 days = Y37800.
Cash basis Green Car one way NRT-Kyoto=Y22910 on Nozomi and Y22610 on Hikari according to http://www.hyperdia.com/ unless you really want to take the Keisei Skyliner.
We also used Passnet T card in Tokyo because we knew we needed to use both Toei and Eidan lines over 2 days. If you use Eidan lines only on one day, Eidan only one day pass is cheaper.
Your itenerary seems to make JR pass favorable, unless when you say timing, you mean more than 7 day stay in Japan or need to take advantage of Nozomi's increased availability.
JR pass Green car for 7 days = Y37800.
Cash basis Green Car one way NRT-Kyoto=Y22910 on Nozomi and Y22610 on Hikari according to http://www.hyperdia.com/ unless you really want to take the Keisei Skyliner.
Apr 3rd, 2004 | 05:06 AM
#5
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Is the green car much better than the ordinary reserved?
Due to the 7 day limit, we'd only be able to use JR Pass NRT-Kyoto-Tokyo (not the final NEX trip). The main disadvantage is that we couldn't take the Nozomi, which are faster and, as you say, more available.
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english
Due to the 7 day limit, we'd only be able to use JR Pass NRT-Kyoto-Tokyo (not the final NEX trip). The main disadvantage is that we couldn't take the Nozomi, which are faster and, as you say, more available.
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english
Apr 3rd, 2004 | 07:24 AM
#6
Joined: Jan 2003
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richarddd, if you are going from NRT to Kyoto and back to Tokyo within 7 days, then the JR Pass might be worthwhile.
It would be about 41,070 for a green car trip NRT - Kyoto - Tokyo. The green car JR Pass is 3270 yen less.
If you make the 14:13 N'Ex, then hyperdia would connect you to the Nozomi train in Tokyo that departs at 15:33 and arrives Kyoto at 17:53. That is an 18 minute connection in Tokyo (there is a Nozomi 7 min earlier dep/arr for Kyoto, but hyperdia didn't show it when querying for NRT to Kyoto).
There is a Hikari train at 15:36 (departing 3 min after the Nozomi) that arrives in Kyoto at 18:20 (27 minutes after the Nozomi).
Worst case is that you have to wait an extra 20 minutes in Tokyo for a Hikari plus the extra 25 min over (over the Nozomi) in travel time. On your return, you would arrive at Kyoto station according to the schedule, so there would be no extra wait time, but still the 25 min extra travel on Hikari.
So, using the Nozomi train would save you about an hour and ten minutes (total) and cost you 3270 yen more (about $31). If you decided to make a quick visit to Nara from Kyoto, the JR Pass would make that simple.
For individual tickets with reserved seats, the difference between green car and ordinary is negligible, so I would go for the green. The difference between green and ordinary JR Passes is 9500 yen, so I would get the ordinary.
It would be about 41,070 for a green car trip NRT - Kyoto - Tokyo. The green car JR Pass is 3270 yen less.
If you make the 14:13 N'Ex, then hyperdia would connect you to the Nozomi train in Tokyo that departs at 15:33 and arrives Kyoto at 17:53. That is an 18 minute connection in Tokyo (there is a Nozomi 7 min earlier dep/arr for Kyoto, but hyperdia didn't show it when querying for NRT to Kyoto).
There is a Hikari train at 15:36 (departing 3 min after the Nozomi) that arrives in Kyoto at 18:20 (27 minutes after the Nozomi).
Worst case is that you have to wait an extra 20 minutes in Tokyo for a Hikari plus the extra 25 min over (over the Nozomi) in travel time. On your return, you would arrive at Kyoto station according to the schedule, so there would be no extra wait time, but still the 25 min extra travel on Hikari.
So, using the Nozomi train would save you about an hour and ten minutes (total) and cost you 3270 yen more (about $31). If you decided to make a quick visit to Nara from Kyoto, the JR Pass would make that simple.
For individual tickets with reserved seats, the difference between green car and ordinary is negligible, so I would go for the green. The difference between green and ordinary JR Passes is 9500 yen, so I would get the ordinary.
