Travels, Trains & Transportation
Apr 24th, 2008, 07:53 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Travels, Trains & Transportation
Hello all,
I wanted to share my Japan itinerary with you and to ask for you advice and suggestions. Please let me know what you think on destinations, durations and hotels:
- London to Tokyo Narita airport
- Narita to ANA intercontinenal (using a bus from the airport) - 6 nights
- Tokyo to Mount Fuji & Onsen (train/ bus?) - 1 night stay or day trip from Tokyo
- Tokyo (or Mount Fuji) to Kyoto - (train) - 3 nights (hotel tbd)
- Kyoto to Osaka (train) 2 nights (hotel tbd) which includes a day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima (inc ferry crossing)
- Osaka back to Tokyo Narita on the last day for a flight back to London
Its cheaper for me to fly back to London from Narita. Do you know how long the Osaka - Narita train is?
Any views of the Onsen Spa at Mount Fuji? Should we just visit the mountain and visit another Onsen?
Should I definately by my rail pass online? Is it availble to buy in Tokyo?
Also, will the rail pass cover all these trips? I'll get a 7 day pass for the second week only?
Regards
Neil
I wanted to share my Japan itinerary with you and to ask for you advice and suggestions. Please let me know what you think on destinations, durations and hotels:
- London to Tokyo Narita airport
- Narita to ANA intercontinenal (using a bus from the airport) - 6 nights
- Tokyo to Mount Fuji & Onsen (train/ bus?) - 1 night stay or day trip from Tokyo
- Tokyo (or Mount Fuji) to Kyoto - (train) - 3 nights (hotel tbd)
- Kyoto to Osaka (train) 2 nights (hotel tbd) which includes a day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima (inc ferry crossing)
- Osaka back to Tokyo Narita on the last day for a flight back to London
Its cheaper for me to fly back to London from Narita. Do you know how long the Osaka - Narita train is?
Any views of the Onsen Spa at Mount Fuji? Should we just visit the mountain and visit another Onsen?
Should I definately by my rail pass online? Is it availble to buy in Tokyo?
Also, will the rail pass cover all these trips? I'll get a 7 day pass for the second week only?
Regards
Neil
Apr 24th, 2008, 08:50 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Neil -
You cannot buy a Japan Railpass in Japan. There are many places to buy it in London - you can find the info on japanrailpass.net and compare prices. A 7 day pass should work for you.
Kyoto and Osaka are fairly close. You can stay in Kyoto the whole time and do day trips from there...unless there is another reason to switch. I wouldn't want to spend the time packing and unpacking, etc.
You can find info about train times and durations at hyperdia.com - English button on the top left.
Enjoy!
You cannot buy a Japan Railpass in Japan. There are many places to buy it in London - you can find the info on japanrailpass.net and compare prices. A 7 day pass should work for you.
Kyoto and Osaka are fairly close. You can stay in Kyoto the whole time and do day trips from there...unless there is another reason to switch. I wouldn't want to spend the time packing and unpacking, etc.
You can find info about train times and durations at hyperdia.com - English button on the top left.
Enjoy!
Apr 24th, 2008, 02:55 PM
#3
Day 1 to 6 - Tokyo
Day 7 to Fuji-Hakone
Day 8 to Kyoto
Day 9 Kyoto
Day 10 Kyoto
Day 11 to Osaka
Day 12 Osaka
Day 13 to Narita Airport
A 7-day pass is right.
After 6 days in Tokyo I would definitely had for Hakone in the morning, go on the tourist circuit in the afternoon, and spend the night there at a nice ryokan with onsen bath.
What time is your departure from NRT?
Day 7 to Fuji-Hakone
Day 8 to Kyoto
Day 9 Kyoto
Day 10 Kyoto
Day 11 to Osaka
Day 12 Osaka
Day 13 to Narita Airport
A 7-day pass is right.
After 6 days in Tokyo I would definitely had for Hakone in the morning, go on the tourist circuit in the afternoon, and spend the night there at a nice ryokan with onsen bath.
What time is your departure from NRT?
Apr 25th, 2008, 02:34 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mara / MrWunrfl
Thanks for the information!
Can you recommend a good ryoken with onsen in Hakone?
My return flight from Narita to London on Friday 6th June is at 13:20.
Will definitey consider staying in Kyoto and doing day trips. Any suggestions on hotel or location of town?
Also I have such a long list of things to do in Tokyo that I dont know how I'm gonna get it all done! Any suggestions on organising the trip in Tokyo?
Neil
Thanks for the information!
Can you recommend a good ryoken with onsen in Hakone?
My return flight from Narita to London on Friday 6th June is at 13:20.
Will definitey consider staying in Kyoto and doing day trips. Any suggestions on hotel or location of town?
Also I have such a long list of things to do in Tokyo that I dont know how I'm gonna get it all done! Any suggestions on organising the trip in Tokyo?
Neil
Apr 25th, 2008, 07:05 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Neil - Maybe mrwunrfl asked your return flight time as the trip from Kyoto to NRT is over four hours and you usually have to be there two hours before to check in.
As far as Tokyo, it is a large city as you know. It seems like you have an idea of what you want to see. When I went I tried to group things by neighborhood so I wouldn't have to be retracing my steps.
As far as Tokyo, it is a large city as you know. It seems like you have an idea of what you want to see. When I went I tried to group things by neighborhood so I wouldn't have to be retracing my steps.
Apr 25th, 2008, 10:18 PM
#6
Yes, Mara, you got the point of my question.
Neil, the soonest you could get to Narita Airport from Kyoto or Osaka would be 10:57 - if you caught the correct train at Shin Osaka or Kyoto and didn't mess up your transfer at Tokyo station to catch the Narita Express to the airport. Even if you could do all that, check in, check your luggage and make your flight, would you really want to do it before a 6000 mile flight?
On the evening of Day 12 (or earlier) you should (that is, I would) take a train to Tokyo for the night, or spend the night at an airport hotel.
About the rail pass - the one thing you definitely should do is go to the railpass link that Mara gave above and read up on the terms and conditions, where to buy, how to get the pass, ...
There are a few things you can do to keep Hiroshima and Miyajima in your itin. Like traveling to Hiroshima on the night of Day 10. Or skip Hakone. Or go from Tokyo to Hiroshima and spend a night there. Go to Peace Park in the morning and to Miyajima in the afternoon and stay at a ryokan there (I can recommend Momijiso) Then come back to Kyoto and from there go to Tokyo/Narita on Day 12. You are definitely on the right track except for Day 13 and you need to read the rail pass info.
Neil, the soonest you could get to Narita Airport from Kyoto or Osaka would be 10:57 - if you caught the correct train at Shin Osaka or Kyoto and didn't mess up your transfer at Tokyo station to catch the Narita Express to the airport. Even if you could do all that, check in, check your luggage and make your flight, would you really want to do it before a 6000 mile flight?
On the evening of Day 12 (or earlier) you should (that is, I would) take a train to Tokyo for the night, or spend the night at an airport hotel.
About the rail pass - the one thing you definitely should do is go to the railpass link that Mara gave above and read up on the terms and conditions, where to buy, how to get the pass, ...
There are a few things you can do to keep Hiroshima and Miyajima in your itin. Like traveling to Hiroshima on the night of Day 10. Or skip Hakone. Or go from Tokyo to Hiroshima and spend a night there. Go to Peace Park in the morning and to Miyajima in the afternoon and stay at a ryokan there (I can recommend Momijiso) Then come back to Kyoto and from there go to Tokyo/Narita on Day 12. You are definitely on the right track except for Day 13 and you need to read the rail pass info.
