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Itinerary check and suggestions. Is JR Rail Pass worth it in my itinerary?

ZingZai
ZingZai
almost 9 years ago
9 responses

Hi all. I will be travelling to Japan this summer and will like to share with you guys my itinerary. I hope you can share some of your suggestions as this is my first time travelling to Japan. I've only g

Day 1: Landing in Osaka in the evening.
Day 2: Exploring Osaka
Day 3: Day-trip to Kobe
Day 4: Day-trip to Nara (I do not know whether it will be wiser to do this day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. Note: I will still be staying in Osaka for the night).
Day 5: Train to Kyoto, exploring Kyoto
Day 6-10: Exploring Kyoto (I have heard alot of interesting things about Kyoto. There should be alot I can explore here)

Day 11: Train to Tokyo
Day 12: Explore Tokyo
Day 13-14: Train to Yokohama (I will be going for the Kanagawa Shimbun Fireworks Festival, super excited for it. It will be on night of 4th August)
Day 15: Yokohama to Hakone. Explore Hakone
Day 16: Slowly move up to the 5th station and climb Mount Fuji in the afternoon. Stay in Mount Fuji for the night.
Day 17: Descend from Mount Fuji. Train back to Tokyo
Day 18: Last minute shopping in Tokyo
Day 19: Going back home from Narita Airport.

There are a few questions I will like to ask here.
1) Is it worthwhile to be the JR Rail Pass? If so, which ones? I have read that I should buy it when I travel round-trips from Osaka to Tokyo as it is already 10 000+yen for one-way. I will NOT be doing round-trips so I do not know whether I should purchase it.

Thank you for reading and your useful suggestions. :)

avatar
Daniel-san
18832 posts
almost 9 years ago
Expert

Hello there,

I checked your itinerary for the best options and see that travel costs are limited. Therefor it is best to buy normal tickets as you travel. In order words the cost of normal tickets in your itinerary is below the cost of the JR Pass.

As for a day trip to Nara, both Osaka and Kyoto work well as a day trip. You can reach Nara within 90 minutes from each city.

Let me know if there's any other part of your itinerary where you would like feedback on.
Daniel

ZingZai
ZingZai
9 posts
almost 9 years ago

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. (:

For Day 15, we will be travelling from Yokohama to Hakone. I have looked at the map and it seems that it is wiser take JR Shonan Shinjuku Line to Odawara Station and buying the Hakone Free Pass, I believe it is 4500 yen for 3 days since I am at Odawara Station. Is there lockers there for us to leave our luggages there? (We will be leaving our luggages at Odawara Station.)

When at Gotemba Station, I have to purchase another ticket 1540yen(one-way) to the Subashiri 5th Station before I start climbing (I'm picking the easiest route). I think it will be better to purchase the round-trip ticket instead, 2050yen since I'll be going back to Gotemba Station?

We will then head back to Odawara Station, get our luggages and head to Tokyo. (It is written that the pass includes a round-trip from Tokyo to Odawara Station via Odakyu Railway).

In addition, since we will be climbing from the afternoon to the evening and climbing again around early morning to catch the sunrise, is it advisable to get a hotel/inn? If so, which station has the cheapest inn/hotel?

Once again, thank you. :)

ZingZai
ZingZai
9 posts
almost 9 years ago

Another additional question: where can i check the prices of the normal tickets from place to place? hyperdia.com? When you refer to normal tickets do you refer to JR rails or other rails as well? For example, for a round trip from Osaka to Kobe, it costs 410yen * 2 = 810 yen via JR special rapid trains and 320yen * 2 = 640yen via the Hankyu Railways. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3554.html?aFROM=2157_2159).

avatar
Daniel-san
18832 posts
almost 9 years ago
Expert

Hi again!

Yes there are lockers at Odawara station.

As for the return ticket to Subashiri 5th Station, could you give me a link to what you are referring about? I am not sure which ticket you mean.

There are different stops/huts long the way up to Fuji. The higher up the more expensive they become.

You can indeed use www.hyperdia.com to look up normal ticket prices. Normal tickets for me are just general tickets (not a JR Pass). This could be with JR or any other company.

Hope this helps,
Daniel

ZingZai
ZingZai
9 posts
almost 9 years ago

This is the link I'm refering to:
It is under "Get There and Around", "Buses to Subashiri 5th Station". It says that from Gotemba Station a round trip is 2050 yen. (I guess it is just an estimate, but the price should be around the range).

Ok thank you. :)


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