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Sukimi
Sukimi
2 days ago
1 answer

Hello,
5 of us will be visiting, along with my daughter, who lives in Japan and cannot get the JR Pass. All 6 of us will be doing the following:
Day 1 Tokyo sightseeing
Day 2 Disney
Day 3 Disney
Day 4 Travel to Sapporo, Hokkaido (Lake Shikotsu)
Day 5 Lake Shikotsu
Day 6 Travel to Otaru, Hokkaido
Day 7 Otaru
Day 8 Travel to Narita for evening flight home

We don't know if we will fly or take the Shinkansen to Hokkaido. There is a 6 day regional pass that includes Tokyo and South Hokkaido (JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass) but not sure if it's the best option. Does it matter if 5 of us have the JR Pass and 1 does not? If we fly, is it better to do individual train tickets rather than a JR Pass?

avatar
mariko
422 posts
about 22 hours ago
Expert

Hello,

Yes, it’s absolutely fine! To make sure you all sit together, please go to a manned ticket office (Midori-no-madoguchi) at the station. The 5 pass-holders show their passes for free reservations, and the 6th person simply buys their ticket for the same train and carriage right then and there.

While the Shinkansen is a lovely experience, the journey from Tokyo to Sapporo takes about 8 to 9 hours and requires a transfer at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station. Flying only takes 90 minutes, so even with the airport process, you’ll save at least half a day. If you are flying, you can use individual tickets or the Hokkaido Rail Pass for your stay!

I hope this helps!

Kind Regards,

Mariko


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