FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Ideas for Tokyo/Kyoto?
View Single Post
Old Jan 14, 2015 | 11:52 pm
  #2  
abmj-jr
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
Originally Posted by FederalFlyer
... I should also add: does the JR pass make sense? We want to take the fastest bullet train between Tokyo and Kyoto so the JR pass will be of no help there. Will just moving around Tokyo and Kyoto justify it's purchase?
No. If you will not be using the Rail Pass for the longest travel on the shinkansen (bullet train) it would not make sense. Just get a Suica pre-paid card for local travel in Tokyo. There is a similar pre-paid card for Kyoto.

If, on the other hand, you use the Rail Pass for your longer travel PLUS the train trip out to NRT, then it would make sense. The "fastest" bullet train, called Nozomi, is not really any faster than the other shinaknsens, it just makes fewer stops. That means it makes the trip to/from Tokyo-Kyoto about 20 minutes faster than the Hikari, which is available to Pass holders. Nozomi and Hikari run at the same speed. The only real advantage to Nozomi versus Hikari is that there are more frequent departures on Nozomi.

If you really want to stay with Nozomi shinkansens, then I'd recommend purchasing the round-trip Narita Express ticket which has just been announced for the trip to and from the airport plus a Suica card for local travel. You can purchase your Nozomi tickets as you go.
abmj-jr is offline