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Japan Transit/Connection/Layover Master Thread

Old May 21, 2020, 5:59 pm
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Japan Transit/Connection/Layover Master Thread

Old May 7, 2021, 9:29 pm
  #121  
 
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Many thanks. I reached out to EK who agree with your interpretation of the above.

Anectodally, a friend who just flew in on EY from AUH said that out of the seven passengers onboard, only four ended up going on to hotel quarantine so I suppose it is possible the other three were in transit.
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Old May 8, 2021, 2:00 pm
  #122  
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Originally Posted by ainternational
To OP - suggest you just call the hotel and ask. They may not know yet for sure but they should be helpful and are likely to speak English.
was thinking of sending them an email....if i don't get a response then will try calling them....
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Old May 9, 2021, 1:27 am
  #123  
 
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Originally Posted by jib71
AFAIK, change of airport is not possible at this time. Arrival at NRT followed by transit to HND requires entry into Japan. Use of public transportation is prohibited for 14 days. etc. etc. Perhaps someone has more up-to-date info. on this.
Your best option may be to get a flight to HND and transfer at HND.
I guess that it might also be possible to extend visas for continued residency in the USA in this circumstance.
My son will be coming back to Kansai from HNL in July, but the ANA flights I was planning on were to NRT then the connection departing from HND.

JAL has connections via HND, but entering the domestic side is not allowed.

I called JAL and they confirmed this, saying there are no direct flights to Kansai until Sept.

This is from the JAL website:
All travelers arriving from an international flight must stay at places designated by the quarantine chief (such as home) for 14 days from the day following their entry into Japan. Travelers must not use public transportation (including domestic flights) to get to their designated place of quarantine from the airport. Therefore, connections to domestic flights can be made from the 15th day after the 14 days of quarantine is completed.

Last edited by JapanFlyerT; May 9, 2021 at 1:37 am
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Old May 9, 2021, 2:48 am
  #124  
 
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Will yo drive to Tokyo to collect your son? Or perhaps he can hire a car and drive himself? Or will he have to hotel quarantine for 14 days?

At one time there was a flight from Tokyo to Nagoya that qualified as an "international," - IIRC, passengers all connected from international flights without clearing customs and immigration in Tokyo. It would make sense to operate such services to KIX, FUK, CTS to make life a little easier for people who want to return to the regions - but I don't suppose that's on the cards.
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Old May 9, 2021, 4:55 am
  #125  
 
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Originally Posted by jib71
Will yo drive to Tokyo to collect your son? Or perhaps he can hire a car and drive himself? Or will he have to hotel quarantine for 14 days?

At one time there was a flight from Tokyo to Nagoya that qualified as an "international," - IIRC, passengers all connected from international flights without clearing customs and immigration in Tokyo. It would make sense to operate such services to KIX, FUK, CTS to make life a little easier for people who want to return to the regions - but I don't suppose that's on the cards.
He's just 17, so driving home on his own is out. I did find out that United flies into Nagoya, with a 12hr stopover in Guam, so that will probably be the route we go (6 hours of driving for me instead of 16 roundtrip to Tokyo). When he flew out a year ago it was ITM-HND/NRT-GUM-HNL, so this is actually easier.
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Old May 9, 2021, 6:19 am
  #126  
 
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Hawaiian has nonstop HNL-KIX right now? Seems to be once a week on Tuesday, shows up on Google Google flights

operating in July too $800 usd one way
https://www.google.com/travel/flights/s/Htx1
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Old May 9, 2021, 7:58 am
  #127  
 
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Originally Posted by JapanFlyerT
This is from the JAL website:
All travelers arriving from an international flight must stay at places designated by the quarantine chief (such as home) for 14 days from the day following their entry into Japan. Travelers must not use public transportation (including domestic flights) to get to their designated place of quarantine from the airport. Therefore, connections to domestic flights can be made from the 15th day after the 14 days of quarantine is completed.
Of course, flight booking systems haven't been adjusted to require a minimum connection time of 336 hours for international to domestic connections. Why do the airlines offer those itineraries if no one can book them?

At least it's possible for someone to drive to Tokyo to pick him up. It's worse if someone needs to go to Hokkaido, Okinawa-ken or some remote island if you can't take a flight, train or ferry. How do those people get home? Do they all have to spend 14 days at a hotel?
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Old May 9, 2021, 8:31 am
  #128  
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Originally Posted by Im a new user
Of course, flight booking systems haven't been adjusted to require a minimum connection time of 336 hours for international to domestic connections. Why do the airlines offer those itineraries if no one can book them?
They don't offer connections, but they will allow you to do a 15 day stop in Tokyo should you want to do so.


Originally Posted by Im a new user
At least it's possible for someone to drive to Tokyo to pick him up. It's worse if someone needs to go to Hokkaido, Okinawa-ken or some remote island if you can't take a flight, train or ferry. How do those people get home? Do they all have to spend 14 days at a hotel?
Yes, they would basically need to stay 14 days in a hotel, coming back to the 15 day stop that you can buy.

Towards the end of March, JAL operated a couple of US (I forget the gateway) to Chubu. So at times there are extra flights to make it easier to hit certain regions. If there is a projected need.
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Old May 9, 2021, 8:42 pm
  #129  
 
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Originally Posted by paperwastage
Hawaiian has nonstop HNL-KIX right now? Seems to be once a week on Tuesday, shows up on Google Google flights

operating in July too $800 usd one way
https://www.google.com/travel/flights/s/Htx1
You're right. I didn't see that before. Though with the o/w price at 95,000 (r/t 165,000) it is pretty pricey.

I think I'll use 27,500 UA miles for the GUM flight. Worth keeping an eye on though in case the price drops to the 50,000 range.
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Old May 9, 2021, 9:04 pm
  #130  
 
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Originally Posted by Im a new user
At least it's possible for someone to drive to Tokyo to pick him up. It's worse if someone needs to go to Hokkaido, Okinawa-ken or some remote island if you can't take a flight, train or ferry. How do those people get home? Do they all have to spend 14 days at a hotel?
I thought it would be possible to drive a rental to Hokkaido but I guess you would be breaking the rule by getting on a ferry.

There are approved "private car" rentals run by taxi companies, which are basically expensive taxis that only take one person at a time and require PCR tests.

Okinawa does have direct international flights. I suppose you could hire a "private boat" to take you to a remote island.

Of course, all of these "regulations" are really requests, and people probably fudge all the time. A friend's son came back from the US and was picked up curbside, but he could have easily boarded a highway bus or a train. My son said he knows Japanese uni students who came home, and then were out and about a week later (they left their phones at home). Nowhere near the tight tracking that occurs in Hawaii and Australia.
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Old May 10, 2021, 10:38 am
  #131  
 
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Originally Posted by JapanFlyerT
You're right. I didn't see that before. Though with the o/w price at 95,000 (r/t 165,000) it is pretty pricey.

I think I'll use 27,500 UA miles for the GUM flight. Worth keeping an eye on though in case the price drops to the 50,000 range.
youll have to peek into exertflyer to see why (fare rules or lack of fare class buckets), Hawaiian does have it down to $400 oneway selected days in august (also shows more airlines have nonstop hnl-kix starting in august)

Possible to wait a month when theres more airlines flying?
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Old May 10, 2021, 9:38 pm
  #132  
 
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Originally Posted by paperwastage
youll have to peek into exertflyer to see why (fare rules or lack of fare class buckets), Hawaiian does have it down to $400 oneway selected days in august (also shows more airlines have nonstop hnl-kix starting in august)

Possible to wait a month when theres more airlines flying?
You might be right about more flights coming in, although if Japan has raging COVID I suspect there won't be much demand. I have seen plenty of scheduled Hawaii flights get canceled over the past year. Good idea though to look at expert flyer.

I am sure my son wouldn't complain about an extra month, but we do miss him and he needs to get through a 2-week quarantine here. The drive to Nagoya is not too bad (just 2 hours more than the drive to KIX), so that will be what we go with unless something pops up to KIX.
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Old May 11, 2021, 12:56 am
  #133  
 
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Originally Posted by JapanFlyerT
I am sure my son wouldn't complain about an extra month, but we do miss him and he needs to get through a 2-week quarantine here. The drive to Nagoya is not too bad (just 2 hours more than the drive to KIX), so that will be what we go with unless something pops up to KIX.
For reference, we picked up a local friend last fall who returned from the States and could only get to Haneda. We live in Kobe area. Drove up to Haneda to pick her up and brought her back. Actually, went the day before and stayed in Yokohama, then drove back the day of her arrival. Wasn't bad. As you probably know, there are a few nice SAs along the way scattered among the usual ones. Traffic at night was good. Google maps provides a chat section where you can see other drivers making comments of where the police are active, should you choose to drive with the other fast drivers in the right-hand lane. :-) Took about 7 hours, including stops, for the return trip.
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Old May 11, 2021, 1:03 am
  #134  
 
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Originally Posted by nishimark
For reference, we picked up a local friend last fall who returned from the States and could only get to Haneda. We live in Kobe area. Drove up to Haneda to pick her up and brought her back. Actually, went the day before and stayed in Yokohama, then drove back the day of her arrival. Wasn't bad. As you probably know, there are a few nice SAs along the way scattered among the usual ones. Traffic at night was good. Google maps provides a chat section where you can see other drivers making comments of where the police are active, should you choose to drive with the other fast drivers in the right-hand lane. :-) Took about 7 hours, including stops, for the return trip.
I've made the drive once but it took 10 hours due to traffic. Never used the Google maps chat, but that does sound useful. In most cases, I feel driving up to 120km is not very risky (knock on wood).
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Old May 11, 2021, 1:41 am
  #135  
 
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Originally Posted by JapanFlyerT
I've made the drive once but it took 10 hours due to traffic. Never used the Google maps chat, but that does sound useful. In most cases, I feel driving up to 120km is not very risky (knock on wood).
Traffic going into Haneda was certainly worse than leaving. Agree about 120 km or so. That's the pace in the right lane, so just travel with the rest of the pack.
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