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Niseko - Tokyo - Nagano -Toyama - Kyoto - Kansai Airport

Melcar
Melcar
over 7 years ago
4 responses

We are trying to muddle through train pass options...
Here is our itinery.
Ski Niseko 6 nights.
Hirafu to Tokyo by train (looks like we have to leave by 6.30 in the morning do we have to validate our pass the day before?)
3 nights Tokyo
1 night Shibu Onsen Area
2 nights Toyama (visiting friend- private transport to Shiragawago)
3 nights Kyoto - day trip to Hiroshima
1 night outside of Kansai Airport

So at the moment I'm thinking JR pass from Hirafu to Kyoto then an area 3 day pass.
We are also still considering the green car pass but are not sure it is worth the cost.

Any ideas are welcome!

avatar
Daniel-san
18830 posts
over 7 years ago
Expert

Hello there,

Hirafu to Tokyo by train (looks like we have to leave by 6.30 in the morning do we have to validate our pass the day before?) This is correct, most exchange windows open at 7:00 or later. You can select a first day of use when you exchange the JR Pass, so you don't lose any days.

Looking at the rest of your itinerary, I do recommend using a JR Pass for the rest of your travels as well. Going to Tokyo, Nagano (for Shibu Onsen), Toyama, Kyoto and Hiroshimma, before returning to Kansai Airport is a lot of travel and a JR Pass will help you make amazing savings compared to purchasing normal tickets.

Considering the amount of hours you'll be on the train, a Green Seat can be a big comfort. At the same time, most travellers will be fine in ordinary class.

Hope this helps,
Daniel

Melcar
Melcar
4 posts
over 7 years ago

Ok so now to save some money we are looking at a green car pass for the first 7 days and then the Jr. West pass while we are In Kyoto. The 7 day pass gets us to kyto. It looks to me that travel from Kyoto on the regular Jr pass is restricted. From what I can see on the Jr west pass we can travel direct to Hiroshima and back without going through Osaka. It allows for use of the fast train from Kyoto to Hiroshima where as the other Jr pass doesn't? Also it works out cheaper.

Does this look correct?

avatar
Daniel-san
18830 posts
over 7 years ago
Expert

Hi again,

I would just get a 7 day jR Pass and cover your long routes with it, why add a JR West Pass? Its true that the JR West Pass can be used directly to Hiroshima but it does not allow for seat reservations, which would be a no-no for me personally. By using a 7 day JR Pass the day that you'd leave for Tokyo, no other passes would be needed.

Local travel in the remaining days does not cost a lot and normal tickets would work perfectly fine there.

Melcar
Melcar
4 posts
over 7 years ago

Hi Daniel,
Thanks very much for your help I truly appreciate it.
Our trip however takes over 10 days. If we are to travel by train from Niseko to Tokyo then the 7 day pass would begin there. It would expire the day we arrive in Kyoto. So we either buy the pass at the beginning or at the end of the trip. From what I read about Kyoto it doesn't seem worth using a JR pass on that part of our trip. Maybe a direct train pass to and from Hiroshima would be best then. Or we somehow go from Toyama very early to Hiroshima and Hiroshima late into Kyoto. Hmm back to the train time tables...

Melcar
Melcar
4 posts
over 7 years ago

Hmm maybe not. Looks like a long trip! Maybe I just talk my husband out of Hiroshima.... Save it for next time!

avatar
Daniel-san
18830 posts
over 7 years ago
Expert

Hi again,

Sorry, somehow I forgot about Niseko in my last post. In that case it would be better to use a JR Pass when you leave there, as I wrote in my first post.

Hiroshima is a very nice visit but I can see why you may want to leave it for a later time.


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