lynndx101

Hi,
Currently I am in progress of planning a trip to Osaka sometime towards the end of may. This will be the first time flying internationally to visit one of my friends who will be attending Osaka university. So far, the cheapest flights to osaka and tokyo are through Air china. Yet, the layover times for the cheaper flights are either slightly over an hour to being +12 hrs long. This concerns me because I rather take the shorter layover but Im not too sure whether I will have enough time to make the transfer from one air china flight to the next at PEK Beijing airport if I have to go through customs and claim my checked baggage. I read that if i dont check baggage, I can make it, but others say that PEK customs can be slow. So what is the transfer process like at PEK from one flight to the next if I book on the same airline? Can I make a 1.5hr layover for this flight?
Also, the flights seem to be cheaper going to tokyo, is it better to fly to tokyo and buy a Japenese Rail pass and take a train to osaka?
Any advice on what to do in Osaka? I might buy a Japenese rail pass which enables me to travel throughout most of japan.
Thanks guys

nishimark

If the flight is cheaper to Tokyo and you're going to buy a rail pass anyway you've answered your own question I think.

ksandness

Yes, I agree.

A roundtrip between Tokyo and Osaka will about equal the price of a JR Pass, and you can travel anywhere else in the country while the pass is valid.

lynndx101

Thanks. Second question. Is a 1hr layover in PEK do-able if I have checked baggage? Both flights are at the same terminal (terminal 3) but I read that I would have to go through customs anyway? Im not sure if I read Air China's website right.

abmj-jr

You need to provide some additional information.

How long will you be in Japan? Will your friend be hosting you the whole time? Will he or she be showing you around the country or will you be on your own for part of the time? Do you have plans to travel around the country on your own or will you be traveling with friends?

I would personally avoid taking a longer flight with a stop-over in another country just to save a few dollars. The savings would have to be in the hundreds to convince me to travel USA-Japan via China. Total travel time would likely be 8 hours or more extra.

Have you looked at an "open jaw" flight wherein you fly into Tokyo and fly home from Osaka (KIX)? Or the other way around? That can save some back-tracking and some time and perhaps some money.

IF you will be purchasing a Japan Rail Pass anyway and IF you will have a little time to spend in Tokyo before you need to be in Osaka, then flying into Tokyo instead of Kansai International near Osaka might make sense. I wouldn't suggest buying the Rail Pass just to get to and from Tokyo but some other travel could make it economic. Again, how long you will be traveling around Japan can make a difference. The Rail Pass comes in 7- and 14-day versions (and longer but that is very expensive.) If you can do all your longer train travel within 7 days, it can be very economic. If you use it for the round-trip Tokyo-Osaka-Tokyo plus at least one-way on the airport train (Narita Express) it will just break even if it is all within the 7- or 14- days your Rail Pass will be valid. Any additional travel within the 7 days is just gravy. If you would be flying in via Tokyo and out via Osaka, then you would need more rail travel - such as to Hiroshima and back - to make it work out economically.

lynndx101

I plan on staying a Week inside the country. Excluding the flying time. The biggest problem I have is that my friend who is also a American is probably going to not want to take a train up to Tokyo to meet me because he plans on going to Osaka around February. So, he's offered to show me around and definitely help with the language barrier (I'm going to try to self study some conversational Japanese) but I'm mostly off on my own from the airport in Tokyo to Osaka. Yet, I still want to see some sights in other parts of the country, which is why I'm considering a Japan rail pass. Yet, my biggest problem is making the layover. I want a cheap flight but since this is my first time traveling internationally, I have this fear I will definitely get delayed along the line at PEK and miss my flight. So, I could travel with Air Canada and take a layover at YYZ, which might be better but it it 150$ more expensive. So, is it do-able? Can I make my connecting flight with a 1hr layover in PEK or am I more than likely going to get lost because no one speaks English and miss my flight?

lynndx101

I looked up a possible open jaw flight with arriving in Tokyo and leaving from Osaka. Both one ways would add up to 1k whereas I can get a round trip to Tokyo for about 800 with air China and 894 with air Canada. Is the travel time from Tokyo to Osaka really that long via Japan rail?

abmj-jr

Tokyo to Shin-Osaka is less than 3 hours using a Japan Rail Pass. The trip from NRT airport into Tokyo is about an hour on the Narita Express, so around 4 hours from NRT to Shin-Osaka. Then a few minutes on the subway or cab to wherever you need to go in Osaka. There are several Osaka stations.

If you arrive in Tokyo at Haneda (HND) instead of NRT, the trip to a bullet train station is about 20-30 minutes instead of an hour from NRT.

For only $94.00 difference, I'd definitely take Air Canada instead of Air China. The reduced travel time and avoiding PEK would be worth that to me. YMMV.

If your plan turns out to be flying into Tokyo - either NRT or HND - then train to Osaka, then some other travel and finally train back to Tokyo and then out to NRT, all within 7 days, then the Japan Rail Pass definitely makes monetary sense. Just remember that you must purchase the Rail Pass BEFORE you arrive in Japan. You can usually get it a large travel agencies or on-line. They will sell you an exchange order that will have to be turned in at the JR station before it can be used on trains. Make sure your round-trip travel NRT-Tokyo-Osaka-Tokyo-NRT all falls within 7 days.

lynndx101

Thank you. Have any of you had experience with a layover in YYZ? Is customs packed enough to justify getting a NEXTUS card?

RichardInSF

I'm with abmj-jr; for $84, the Toronto transfer on Canadian beats the heck out of flying all the way to Beijing (which is a HUGE airport and can be hard to get around) to get to Japan. Last time I transited a China airport (in my case Shanghai) they did make me clear immigration and customs both inbound and outbound. Lines were huge. I had to assert myself to make it in 2+ hours and that was only with carry-on.

I still would take the two one ways for $1,000 over both of those options. By flying into Osaka, you only need to go one way (to Tokyo) via train which will will save you enough to make getting the JR pass unnecessary. You're only there 7 days. Between Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and a possible side trip to Nara, you can easily fill a week. The savings by taking the direct flights instead of buying a JR pass is easily over $100 even counting paying for transit to/from airports, so that covers a goodly chunk of the fare difference.

Incidentally, the non-stop bus between Haneda airport and the nearest bullet train stop (shin-Yokohama) takes in total more like 50-60 minutes considering the wait for the bus and actual transit time. I know because I just did this two weeks ago at a low traffic time. It can take a lot longer if you have to wait in line to buy the bus ticket instead of realizing you can go straight to the platform and buy it there from a machine if you have Yen.

evergrn

I haven't been through YYZ in ~3 years, but used to fly through there from US to Asia quite a bit before that. YYZ's a nice clean airport, and I've always preferred preclearance in Canada to, say, SFO or ORD. So it's a decent transit airport. I've never transited through any mainland Chinese airport after all these years, because I hear stories like RichardinSF's and so I've always avoided Chinese carriers. So to me, YYZ hands down. However, I much prefer YVR to YYZ. I don't know if YVR is an option for you. If you have a long layover like 3+hrs, I find YYZ's AC terminal to be boring due to the uninspiring food/shopping options in the international area and especially transborder. Would be moot if you're using Maple Leaf Lounge. Otherwise, YVR is much more interesting imo. Mind you, I haven't been through YYZ in a few years.

evergrn

The nearest bullet train station to HND would be Shinagawa, actually. Nearest in terms of time to get there. Shinagawa should be 20-25min from HND.

add: I just looked it up. HND(Int'l)-Shinagawa is a mere 13min by Keikyu.

abmj-jr

That's the one I had in mind.

kevincrumbs

Not sure about YYZ customs & immigration but unless you are frequently going to Canada, it's probably not worth it to get NEXUS for what may be a one off event.