Middle_Seat

I'm planning to fly to NRT next April, spend a day or two in Tokyo and then travel down to Kyoto for a few days. I'll have a backpack and a rollaboard. Is the bullet train my best option for that journey?

abmj-jr

Yes.

Are you going back to Tokyo to depart the country or flying out of KIX near Osaka? If you will be making the round-trip, a Japan Rail Pass might save you some money if you can include the airport train or other rail travel.

elexianyx

It really depends on how you want to move around in Kyoto and around Narita. The bullet train would worth the most value if you buy a pass, but buying that pass and only use it for the NRT-Kyoto journey might not be worth it. I would go to this site called jorudan as it's the best tool I've found so far(use google translate). And if routes far enough like yours, they'd sometime suggest domestic lcc, which I search for prices here.

BUT, be aware that if you're going to Kyoto by flight, there's another 90 minutes train ride from KIX(near Osaka) to Kyoto. So yes the train might be a better option. Since there are a whole lot of different train types in Japan, I'll stick with Jorudan for figuring out the best routes to take the train, and it's easier to show the staff for purchasing tickets.

abmj-jr

You can use Jorudan but I prefer Hyperdia. If using a Rail Pass, be sure to uncheck "Nozomi/Mizuho/Hyabusa" in "more options" as those trains are not available for Rail Pass users.

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

For the round-trip Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo PLUS at least a one-way to/from NRT, the 7-day ordinary Rail Pass will more than pay for itself. If only using the train for the round-trip without any other rail segments, you are better off just paying as you go without the Rail Pass.

Of course, a Rail Pass can also be used for Kyoto-Nara, Kyoto-Osaka, Kyoto-Himeji or Kyoto-Hiroshima in addition to the other segments.

BRITINJAPAN3

Most flights would be Haneda to Itami, then a 1 hour or so bus to Kyoto. Depending on starting point the plane is not much faster,

nishimark

There are also overnight buses available. They're cheaper than the train by at least half, plus you don't have to pay for a hotel that night. Also, you don't spend half a day on travel. They are made to sleep on (reclining seats), but not sure how well you might sleep in a reclining bus seat as compared to a bed.
http://willerexpress.com/en/

ksandness

Unless they've changed the buses in recent years, people who are large (either horizontally or vertically) would find the buses tough going.

I enthusiastically suggest the train. You got central city to central city in about three hours in a comfortable setting, and you get to see some of what the country looks like outside the major cities. If it's between, say, December and March, when the air is clear and dry, you may see Mount Fuji out of the north side of the train.

beep88

There are different buses for different budgets. If you go for the cheap, you get little leg room, seat width, or privacy. Pay more and get more.

Willer New Premium Seat http://travel.willer.co.jp/seat/new_premium/

Single aisle seat one way 7100 yen. seat pitch 117cm, width 50cm

Willer Executive Seat http://travel.willer.co.jp/seat/executive/

One way 11000 yen, seat pitch 107c m, width 80 cm, 3 seat mini-cabin


The ordinary class bullet train seats have good leg room but not width if you are large horizontally. One way 13710 yen.

TravelDream

The Shinkansen has to be the best choice, surely?
It would definitely be the quickest and easiest way.

Flying would take longer, as you'd have to fly to Osaka airport and then take a bus or train to Kyoto. It would also be much less convenient (having to transfer) and probably be more expensive in total.

I've never been on a long-distance bus in Japan, so maybe my comment isn't fair. But.. they can be hellish. They tend to be less comfortable than by train. I've been on 'executive' long distance buses with 2-1 seating and probably 50-60 inches of leg room with seat that go to an angled lie-flat. It was really bad and I regretted it and would gladly pay triple to fly it if I did it again. I can only imagine with narrow Japanese-sized seats it would be much worse.
You also always have that feeling less than half way there that you would already be there by train or plane.

Middle_Seat

Thank you to everyone who has answered my original question! I'll be flying into and out of NRT, 7 days apart, so my best bet might be the Rail Pass. When I google 'japan rail pass' I see plenty of adverts for companies that seem to sell them...are they all selling the same kind of pass?

At this point, I think that I'll have time to visit only Tokyo and Kyoto.

If you have the rail pass, can you just get on a train and grab a seat, or do you need to reserve one in advance or at the station?

fimo

Had a couple of friends who took the bus, and wouldn't take it again. They're pretty seasoned low frills travellers so not like an overnight bus is new for them. But they would rather budget for a train next time all things considered.

abmj-jr

Although there are many businesses that advertise the JR Rail Pass, I personally prefer to deal with an officially authorized dealer. The link below will tell you everything you need to know about using the Rail Pass. If you scroll all the way down, you will see a link to "Buy at JR designated sales offices or agents." You can find one near you if you'd prefer to do the transaction in person. Many also will take a phone order and send the Exchange Order to you via Fedex or UPS overnight.

For your needs, the 7-Day Ordinary Rail Pass is what you need. It is good for 7 total days. If you will be leaving on the 7th day, you could use the Rail Pass to cover the Narita Express train at both ends of your trip - going into Tokyo upon arrival and going back out to NRT for the flight home.

For most local trains you can just walk on, using the Rail Pass to get through the manned gate at the ticket gates. You can also try to walk on to the bullet train but only a few cars are for non-reserved seating and you might not find a seat. For the longer runs to and from Kyoto, I'd definitely make reservations. My habit is to reserve my onward seats out of a town when I arrive there so I don't have to make a special visit to the station later. You can reserve your first Narita Express at the same time and agent that you exchange your pass. Likewise, when you reserve your last bullet train (shinkansen) segment back to Tokyo, the agent will also be able to make your Narita Express reservation.

Since you will have 2 or 3 days in Tokyo and Kyoto, you might want to consider a half-day trip to a near-by site just as a change. From Kyoto, the ancient city of Nara is less than an hour on the local train and is older, smaller, quieter and a little more serene than Kyoto. The main attractions are within a few minutes walk from the station.

Likewise, Himeji is only about an hour on the shinkansen and offers the best preserved original feudal era castle in the country, about a 10 minute walk from the station.

Even if you only do the airport train(s) and the round-trip to/from Kyoto, the Rail Pass will save you money.

http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/

Middle_Seat

Nara and Himeji look like good options near Kyoto. Are there similar day trip options near Tokyo?

Would it be reasonable, on the train ride from Tokyo to Kyoto, to do a brief stopover near Mt. Fuji? I don't want to climb to the top, but hiking there for a couple of hours mid-day might be enjoyable. Luggage storage for that brief time would be needed.

jib71

Yes - Kamakura, Nikko, Hakone come to mind. I recommend getting a guide book.

Not really. If you take a fast train on the main Shinkansen line to Kyoto, you won't stop anywhere near Fuji. If you take a slower train that stops at the smaller cities you could get off at Shin Fuji station but it's not a great place for a walk:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@35.14...7i13312!8i6656

Kallio

For a round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto there is also Japanican discount train ticket. In some cases it may be better deal than JR Rail Pass.

http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/VJOPENTK1

Japanican also has train+hotel packages which may be worth looking at.