Transportation - Japan (Osaka / Kyoto / Tokyo)

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  rambutann on 07/11/2016 - 22:03

  +2

  I have commented on way too many Japan threads recently haha

  I did this exact trip over the course of 2 weeks.

  The cheapest way to do all of this is as follows (from my experience. Feel free to correct me).

  Fly into Osaka Kansai, catch a train to wherever you are staying. Get a 1 or 2 day pass on the Keihan Railway network to go to Kyoto. I believe it was ¥700 for a day pass for tourists so that's really cheap and easy. I'd buy that once you get there. Use a bicycle to get around Osaka or just pay for individual tickets if you want to catch the train. I also got a Hanshin railway pass to go to Kobe for the day.

  I did also get a 2 day kansai thru pass and it was well and truely not worth it at all compared to the Keihan/Hanshin passes considering the thru pass was around ¥4000 yen and the others were both under ¥1000. I used it to go to Wakayama, Nara and to the airport. The only benefit of the thru pass is that you can use it to get to the airport.

  Fly from Osaka to Tokyo. It was much much much cheaper to fly than what it was to take the shinkansen. Like $60pp vs $200. After luggage/transfers it works out to be closer to $100 to fly. Transfer from Narita via bus is cheapest.

  I just used individual tickets to get around Tokyo/Yokohama. I believe that you can get 24/48/72 hour passes and they look best. I was staying on a private railway line so this was not an option for me and it worked out cheaper for me to buy individual tickets. I don't think any kind of JR pass is worth it for your itinerary but I could be wrong.

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  altomic on 07/11/2016 - 22:34

  +2

  I'd recommend the bus between osaka<—>tokyo if you want to save some cash and are happy to sit on a bus travelling along an express highway and watch the scenery go by.

  the benefit of buses is that they leave/arrive in the centre of the city so no further transfers.

  plus, very few foreigners use them so it's a nice snap shot into the life of travel in Japan. especially when the buses stop at the rest stops and you can see the regional specialities, foods, crafts for sale.

  also driving between osaka <—>tokyo is good (using the express highways/tollways) and GPS

  travelling around Tokyo can be difficult (in terms of tickets) as there are many different train companies which run different lines. some subway maps don't show some of the competitions train lines. I lived in tokyo for 18 months and when I went back in June I was surprised by finding some new lines that I never knew about previously. I just bought tickets as I needed them. but mostly I walked. - there is so much to see in Tokyo that you could just walk aimlessly through the streets and still see interesting things.

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    Kelberos on 01/12/2016 - 19:56

    Night busses aren't too bad either, from what ive been told. You get to trade a night of reduced sleep quality for a bit more spending money. Just lock up your luggage at the coin lockers after you arrive.

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  Kjong on 30/11/2016 - 10:07

  Thanks guys. Ended up choosing the flight route to Osaka to Tokyo, picked up a ticket for $115 each on peach (airline).

  Just wanted to confirm that even though I won't be buying a JR pass I'll be able to use the trains on the JR line by simply buying a train ticket using the machines at the train station on a daily basis?

  • 

    OutOfComplaintForms on 01/12/2016 - 18:09

    +1

    Yes, you can buy a train ticket when traveling on the JR Lines at every station (and at every metro as well).

    Personally, I wouldn't have taken the flight option since the difference between the Shinkansen is negliable, not to mention the amount of time you have to waste going to and from the airport and faffing about.

    • 

      Kelberos on 01/12/2016 - 20:04

      +1

      Agreed. If its a one way trip then id just bite the 'bullet'. Id rather go to Shin-Osaka station and arrive in Ueno or Shinjuku. Rather than going to KIX and arrive in HND(… or worse NRT).

      And factoring in the flight time and faffing about with transport, you probably wont be saving up a whole lot of time anw.

      I would suggest getting the IC card as soon as possible. I think its the ICOCA for Osaka. Just keep topping it up as you can actually use it on most vending machines, convenience stores, and some restaurants. Saves you the trouble of keeping track of them coins.

      Ive never actually bothered getting the day-passes. Maybe someone else can comment on it.

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  cynix on 02/12/2016 - 15:06

  These days when I go to Japan I just rent a car. So much more convenient and flexible than public transport. I only take subways in the last day or two when shopping within the city etc.