Originally Posted by
Wongo
Thanks or the large amount of input from everyone... Had been busy in the weekend.
robyng You are pretty right on about my folks ages... We will be sending luggage to Hokkaido as it is a shopping trip as well. Only light luggage will be carried.
evergrn Maybe I will take your suggestion for stopping at Sendai, what is your recommended timetable so it makes the travel less from hell... Assuming we can start later and have a nice break at Sendai? By the time the train get to Morioka it would have been night time already.
gnaget My driving is terrible, never bother to get full license once I got the restricted...
I actually wasn't the one who suggested the stop in Sendai. But since you ask, here it is...
Sat 11/22
Beppu 10.53a-(Sonic)-12.03p Kokura 12.26p-(Sakura)-2.44p ShinOsaka 3.16p-(Hikari)-6.10p Tokyo
At Tokyo, your options would be 6.20p Komachi (arrives Sendai at 7.52p), 6.36p Yamabiko (arrives Sendai at 8.49p) or 7.20p Komachi (arrives Sendai at Sendai at 8.53p). The first option's a tight transfer as you know, but you can do it. The second one's very slow, but it saves you from having to stand around at the station. The third option allows you time to explore Tokyo Sta complex if you're so inclined.
Sun 11/23
Sendai 10.42a-(Hayabusa)-12.29p ShinAomori 12.45p-(SuperHakucho)-2.58p Hakodate
If you're going to break up the trip, then I'd cut into the time in Beppu rather than Hakodate if it were me.