evergrn

If you're doing round trip from Shinjuku using Odakyu each way, then Hakone Free Pass is usually worth it. The pass includes train fares, but you'll have to paid the extra (tokkyuken) to ride the Romance Car express train. If you want the absolute cheapest way, then just get the Hakone Free Pass only and the travel on the regular commuter train will be included. But I'd recommend you at least take the Romance Car from Shinjuku, if you're not going to do the bullet train from Shinagawa.

joykid

So from Haneda - Shinjuku I will use Keikyu line (or do I have to get off at Shinagawa and then change to JR Yamanote line Shinagawa to Shinjuku ?), then buy Hakone freepass at Shinjuku and then use it for Odakyu Romance car after paid additional fare for tokkyuken, am I getting it right?

5khours

JL tends to be a bit robotic in their service so you never know. I tried to get a sandwich once in F..... think Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces. NH on the other hand will give you as much of anything you want whenever you want it.

joykid

By the way, does anybody know how to book/reserve an appointment for massage in JAL F Class Relaxation Room in Haneda Airport? My flight going back to SFO will depart from Haneda and I heard it's better to make an appointment first since it always full. But how to make an appointment if I arrive in arrival part of the airport at 5 am in the morning from my flight SFO-HND.

joykid

So based from your experience, ANA is much better than JAL in terms of service?
And pardon me, I am new to this ... what did you mean by JAL's service tends to be "a bit robotic"? can you please give example?

evergrn

You could do that. Personally I'd take the Limo Bus to Shinjuku Station.
https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/pl...es/index/4/214

Limo Bus is quicker and more hassle-free. It will be 2x the cost of train, but to me it'd be definitely worth it.

Odakyu's service counter (where I've gotten the Free Pass in the past) will not be open when you get there. So then you'll have to try to purchase from the machine. Just read where it says "Where to Buy" on this page.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/hakone/

You should aim to catch the 7.27am Romance Car from Shinjuku. If you take the 6.15am Limo Bus from HND, no problem at all. If you take the train, I'd plan on arriving at Shinjuku via Yamanote line not much later than 7am. It's a big station, and you might struggle a bit with the machine.

Honestly, I still think you should just do the bullet train from Shinagawa. I bet you'll get to Hakone Yumoto much earlier on the order of an hour or more, compared to Odakyu.

joykid

Thanks for the advice.

The limousine bus from Haneda to Shinjuku is 1230 yen.

Keikyuu line from Haneda - Shinagawa has to transfer at Keikyu Kamata and costs 410 yen? (based on my search on Jorudan)

and JR Yamanote Shinagawa - Shinjuku costs 200 yen.

So Haneda - Shinjuku by train costs a total of 610 yen.......620 yen more than limousine bus....not too much difference so I think limousine bus is worth it as it added convenience not to have draging or stroling our luggage while navigating big stations.

I think I will take Shinkansen bullet train from Shinagawa - Hakone Yumoto on the way in. Then try Romance car on the way back from Hakone Yumoto to Shinjuku. Do you think this will work?

Romance Car Train Timetable Shinjuku- Hakone-Yumoto and vice versa: Limited express surcharge + normal fare (890 yen + 1,190 yen) Total 2,080 yen.

Shinkansen ticket Shinagawa - Hakone Yumoto: 3050yen (fare+supplement).

So Shinkansen ticket is 970 yen more expensive than the Romance car, but it's faster and as you said it will give me an hour extra time to explore Hakone....so I think it's worth it. Which type of Shinkansen is this.... Nozomi, Hikari, etc?

Please do kindly correct and advise if I get any of the price or plan above wrongly.

Also on the other note, upon arrival at 5 am at Haneda, we plan to take advantage of the shower room benefits at TIAT Shower Room facilities that provided for F and J passengers to refresh ourself before long day trip at Hakone......if we decided to take Shinkansen from Shinagawa - Hakone Yumoto, will we make it if we take shower first at airport lounge and exchange currency/withdraw some money from ATM? I plan to open Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking Account but still thinking of combining it with applying for some credit cards, since I heard it will be a hard pull to apply for the checking account. Do you have any experience with this?

Thank you for your advice and help!

evergrn

Yes, that's what I've been recommending to you all along.

I doubt that Nozomi stops at Odawara. I know some Hikari (but maybe not all) stops at Odawara, because I just got off one last year in Odawara. Kodama definitely stops in Odawara. Again, hyperdia is your friend.

Keikyu trains from HND run fairly frequently, and so do bullet trains stopping and going at Shinagawa. You can spend as much time as you want at HND, as there isn't a train to "make it" to, per se. It just means you'll get to Hakone later.

pointspinnacle

Can somebody explain this Japan Rail pass? I am on the website and I understand the price but how to buy it is a bit confusing. I can only buy from travel agent or airline??

Bottom line how do I go about getting this pass?? I want a 7 day pass for two people. Is it worth getting the green car pass for additional money in others experience?

Also are there any recommendations for a personal /driver guide in Kyoto for less than $50 per hour?

Thanks!!!

abmj-jr

There are numerous dealers who can sell the Japan Rail Pass. I always get mine on-line or by phone. In both cases, it is delivered by certified delivery service. If you are in a major metropolitan area, there is probably a branch of the Japan Travel Bureau or some similar agency where you can make the purchase in person. Otherwise, just call in an order.

The list of dealers for North America is found here: http://www.japanrailpass.net/area_04.html

Information on the whole process can be found here: http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/

Because I live in California, I generally call the Bay Area branch of TTA for my Rail Passes. Any of the others will work as well. Just give them a call.

Understand that what you will purchase is not the actual Japan Rail Pass but rather an "Exchange Order" which you will then trade in after arriving in Japan for the actual Rail Pass. There is a whole list of JR stations where this can be done in the paperwork that comes with the exchange order but the simplest is probably right at Narita, Haneda or Kansai Airport when you get to Japan. Narita and Kansai both have rail terminals right in the airport building and all three have Japan Rail Service Centers who can make the exchange. Even if the active 7 day period of my Rail Passes don't start until a later date, I prefer to make the exchange right then so I don't need to worry about it later.

For 2 people, you will need a 7-day Rail Pass for each. My preference is to NOT spend the extra money for the Green Car option. The regular cars are very comfortable. The biggest advantage you might get with a green car might come for travel during a very busy time, like Golden Week or around a national holiday. Green cars tend to have more seating availability and not fill up as quickly as the regular cars. If not traveling at one of those busy times, I don't see much value.

Doi Taxi gets high ratings here and elsewhere for his Kyoto car tours in English.

http://kyoto-doitaxi.com/

pointspinnacle

Thank you so much abmjr!

-I see I can buy the rail pass online and the price appears to be the same no matter where it is purchased correct?

-Do the regular cars have enough space on them for luggage? like 2 bags, one a larger sized checked bag and a carryon.

-I have seen the kyoto-doitaxi website and do feel it is a good option. I was wondering if you or anyone else has used/found someone that is cheaper than $50usd per hour. Also it appears he just guides you around in the van and then drops you at the locations. It might be nice to have someone come to the attractions to tell you more about them and perhaps take some photos of us.

-once i land in NRT and i exchange my exchange order for our rail passes I need to go directly to Osaka. Can you advise the best way to do this or the suggested path in detail if possible?

Thanks a ton!!

MaximusDecimusMeridius

All rail journeys and timetables in Japan can be found on

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

In the options uncheck NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN) as theses Shinkansen trains are not covvered by the pass (all other Shinkansen are) and Private Railway. Then only journeys covered by the JR pass will be listed.

For some routes you may need to check Private Railway if JR do not have trains to that location, you will need to pay the extra charges.

It is a very useful website- there is an app too if you wish to download it.

abmj-jr

As far as I know, Japan Rail limits what the dealers can charge for the Rail Pass so the listed dealers should all be about the same cost.

The airport trains (Narita Express) have large storage racks for luggage at the end of each car. For the shinkansen (bullet train,) your best bet is the space at the rear of each car, behind the last row of seats. People in Japan are honest and helpful. I have never had a problem doing this in dozens of rail trips. There are racks over the seats for smaller bags.

I never use guide services in Japan so don't have personal experience. You might consider arranging a Goodwill Guide or one of the other volunteer guide services. They are typically students whose services are free. You are expected to pay for the guide's lunch and any entry fees during the day. Here is a list: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/tr...=6&btnSearch=t

As mentioned above in another post, Hyperdia is your friend.

For your specific trip in question, I'd suggest having the agent who exchanges your Rail Pass book the tickets at the same time. That trip works much more easily if you take the Narita Express to Shinagawa Station (not Tokyo) and connect at Shinagawa to the shinkansen to Shin-Osaka. The agent may try to book you through Tokyo Station but Shinagawa is MUCH smaller and simpler to navigate, even if you have to wait a few minutes more for a Narita Express headed there. I would be comfortable with a 10 minute connection at Shinagawa but would want at least 20 or more at Tokyo.

After exchanging your Rail Pass, the agent will check availability on trains going where you want and reserve you a seat on the Narita Express and one of the shinkansens to Shin-Osaka. When you go through a ticket style, don't insert your seat ticket into the slot like you would a paid ticket. Go over to the side and show your Rail Pass to the uniformed agent who will wave you through. At the train, find the right platform, train, car and seat (all listed on the seat ticket) and be prepared to show the seat ticket to the conductor as he passes through. Personally, I have a little tradition for that first train ride. I buy a bottle of something Japanese at a vending machine - usually cold green tea - to enjoy on the ride. I am often hot and a little frazzled by then and that first cool beverage, enjoyed while watching the scenery go by, is very relaxing. YMMV.

At Shinagawa, you will already be inside the station so will just have to find the right platform for your train and wait for it to appear. Again, make sure you board the right car and find the correct seat. If you are hungry and there is time, you can buy a box lunch or other snack from a kiosk on or near the platforms to enjoy on the ride down to Kyoto. Everyone eats on the train in Japan.

Once you get to Shin-Osaka Station, your next leg will depend on where in Osaka you need to go. You might take the local train or subway into one of the city center stations and get a cab to your hotel. Or it might be a bit more expensive but simpler to take a cab from Shin-Osaka (which is on the outskirts of the city) all the way to your hotel.

If you get confused along the way, just approach a uniformed JR employee and show him/her your ticket and they will point you in the right direction.

pointspinnacle

Thanks for the replies guys! Very helpful and appreciated.

joykid

I checked Hyperdia site for Shinagawa - Hakone Yumoto route and it offers me couple options:

1. by Shinkansen (Hikari or Kodama) from Shinagawa to Odawara and then Hakone Tozan Railway to Hakone-Yumoto, it cost total of 4080 yen for reserved seat and 3360 for unreserved seat, is it worth it to get a reserved seat for extra cost of 720 yen? FYI we will take this train on March 31(Tue) at around 6 - 6:30 am, so probably not many people or rush hour and maybe we can find open seat?

2. by JR TOKAIDO LINE from Shinagawa to Odawara, total of 1630 yen. Cheaper but 30 mins longer.