Originally Posted by
Kalakala
Look at flights in lieu of trains. A dummy booking (June 7-12 Haneda to Hakodate and return) on the ANA website shows a roundtrip cost of $212. That would make luggage handling much easier.
Definitely plan to fly. The problem is that even business class (they didn't seem to operate first class on this route with the two airlines I looked at) only allows 20kg of luggage and charge quite a bit more for excess (I will have two suitcases, and allowed 32kg each on my international legs, although it probably won't be quite that much).