First Trip Questions Itinerary.
Nov 21, 2010, 5:28 pm
#16
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9
sorry to hijack your thread but i'm in the same situation. i didn't want to open another thread just to discuss the same topic.
So i'll be traveling from tokyo > kyoto > osaka for 2 weeks with 1 week being in tokyo and the other in kyoto/osaka so am i better off buying 7 days or 14 days JR pass? I heard in kyoto the main transportation is buses so it's such a waste to get the JR pass but the trip from tokyo-kyoto can cost about the same without the pass. so any suggestions?
So i'll be traveling from tokyo > kyoto > osaka for 2 weeks with 1 week being in tokyo and the other in kyoto/osaka so am i better off buying 7 days or 14 days JR pass? I heard in kyoto the main transportation is buses so it's such a waste to get the JR pass but the trip from tokyo-kyoto can cost about the same without the pass. so any suggestions?
Nov 21, 2010, 6:40 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,633
Nov 21, 2010, 7:06 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
If you will be traveling Tokyo-Kyoto AND Kyoto-Tokyo within a 7 day period with some other train travel during the 7 days, then the 7-day Rail Pass is probably worth it. If you can also include the Narita Express from Tokyo out to NRT on your departure day in the 7 days, then it is definitely worth it.
On the other hand, if you are not returning from Kyoto to Tokyo but instead departing from KIX, then the Pass is probably not worth it. Round trip Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo plus other travel - yes. Oneway Tokyo-Kyoto plus some other travel - probably not.
Nov 22, 2010, 7:25 pm
#19
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9
thanks a lot for the suggestion and i did forget to mention that I'm arriving in haneda and leaving the same airport.
so arrive haneda> spend 1 week in tokyo> 1 week in kyoto > back to haneda.
while in tokyo will i need to use the JR pass to get around or do i use other forms?
so arrive haneda> spend 1 week in tokyo> 1 week in kyoto > back to haneda.
while in tokyo will i need to use the JR pass to get around or do i use other forms?
Nov 22, 2010, 8:37 pm
#20
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
In your place, I'd activate the Rail Pass for the last 7 days of my stay - to cover the roundtrip Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo plus miscellaneous train travel such as Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, etc. For the first period in Tokyo, I'd purchase Suica subway pass, which is also good on many local trains.
Nov 22, 2010, 8:53 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Coconut Creek, FL
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum-2 MM Starwood Plat,Delta DM
Posts: 975
The JR west pass WILL NOT cover from Tokyo to points west. The Sanyo JR West pass only covers from Osaka to points west on JR West trains.
Getting the "regular" full 7 day Japan Rail Pass is your best bet to cover from Tokyo to any other part of Japan then back to Tokyo and NRT.
Getting the "regular" full 7 day Japan Rail Pass is your best bet to cover from Tokyo to any other part of Japan then back to Tokyo and NRT.
Rob
Nov 23, 2010, 4:33 am
#22
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 35
hi all,
can i ask if i can take unlimited shinkansen trip with this 7 day JR pass? thanks
can i ask if i can take unlimited shinkansen trip with this 7 day JR pass? thanks
The 7 Day JR Pass will allow you to ride the Shinkansen (the bullet train).
For the route from Tokyo to Kyoto there are three services of Shinkansen
1. Nozomi
2. Hikari
3. Kodama
Nozomi is the most frequent but you cannot use the JR pass with the Nozomi Shinkansen.
You can however use the Hikari Shinkansen, there are about two Hikaris per hour between Tokyo and Kyoto, you can make free reservations with your JR pass. You can pull up schedules using http://www.hyperdia.com (in advanced options UNCHECK NOZOMI). Ignore all the fares, you don't pay them with the JR Pass.
Kyoto - Nara is rapid trains no reservations, just show your JR pass when using JR trains.
Kyoto-Osaka, you can use JR Special Rapid trains on this section, again just show your JR Pass. You can also use the Hikari or Kodama Shinkansen between Kyoto and ShinOsaka Station, the trip is so short between Kyoto and ShinOsaka you could probably just opt for the unreserved section of the train (the shinkansen has both RESERVED and UNRESERVED) sections.
For the route from Tokyo to Kyoto there are three services of Shinkansen
1. Nozomi
2. Hikari
3. Kodama
Nozomi is the most frequent but you cannot use the JR pass with the Nozomi Shinkansen.
You can however use the Hikari Shinkansen, there are about two Hikaris per hour between Tokyo and Kyoto, you can make free reservations with your JR pass. You can pull up schedules using http://www.hyperdia.com (in advanced options UNCHECK NOZOMI). Ignore all the fares, you don't pay them with the JR Pass.
Kyoto - Nara is rapid trains no reservations, just show your JR pass when using JR trains.
Kyoto-Osaka, you can use JR Special Rapid trains on this section, again just show your JR Pass. You can also use the Hikari or Kodama Shinkansen between Kyoto and ShinOsaka Station, the trip is so short between Kyoto and ShinOsaka you could probably just opt for the unreserved section of the train (the shinkansen has both RESERVED and UNRESERVED) sections.
Nov 23, 2010, 7:55 am
#23
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Riding the rails
Programs: Japan Forum, Skyteam Elite Plus, BW Diamond Select, HHonors Gold, NWA, DL, NH
Posts: 1,936
Nov 24, 2010, 5:03 am
#24
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,633
Nov 24, 2010, 8:24 am
#25
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
