Search the Community

Hi Friends, I know that @Tony Galiani was waiting for this report ... So that, let's begin this (very) long serie of posts, depicting my travel to the Rising Sun Country. As it's somewhere my 10th or 11th travel ... I'm familiar with Japan. As I've announced it a couple of weeks ago ... ... I was in Japan for a mix of leisure and work, landing on september 10th, 2023 at Tokyo Narita airport, rsp 17:35 JST (time is important ...). Landing doesn't mean disembarquing (at 17:45 JST). As usual NRT is really convenient and fast and despite I've got a checked luggage to collect, I'm around 18:10 in front of the Skyliner desk, queuing, absolutely not stressed. Guess what ? you're in Japan ... people are efficient ! (to be fair, I was flying First Class with Emirates, and you're given a 'Fast lane' card. Anyway, even without 'fast lane' it's really fast at NRT) Why not the N'EX ? First of all the N'EX is slower and less comfortable (to me) but .... look at the waiting line full of tourist exchanging their JR Pass voucher It's 18:13 when I've got my Skyliner ticket ... and the train leaves at 18:16 meaning in less that 3 minutes. Welcome in Japan, no stress two minutes after you're on the platform, boarding the Skyliner (reason why I didn't made an orgy of photos ...) (this shot below is from a former travel in 2016, just to show you how it looks like ... at that time there were no fences and sliding doors) It's really a comfortable place to travel (to answer a question below, yes N'EX has free Wifi as Shinkansen and other JR limited Express). Anyway, I do not need it as I've purchased an 'unlimited' Data Card for 29 euros in France ... very easy to use, and cheap too) and if you need to plug your laptop of cellphone charger, everything is there (sorry for the poor quality) Commuting in Nippori (instead of Ueno... it was raining) a looooong corridor to the JY Yamanote line direction Shimbashi, my favorite place to stay in Tokyo

Since 1 December 2012 Series E259 6-car trains have been operated on a new Marine EXP Odoriko service. The Marine EXP is limited to one return train on weekends. The only difference I see is that the trains carry a Marine Express Odoriko head mark crest. The Marine EXP is shown pass through Kita-Kamakura, the station with the track level crossing (thanks BB!) and a station between two double tunnels.

With the upcoming opening of the Ueno Tokyo Line, JR East has announced the special trains (rinji ressha) typically running on weekends and holidays, that will utilize this route: -Ltd. Express Odoriko 161/162 Abiko to Izukyu Shimoda and return, 7 or 10 car 185 series -Express Burari Yokohama/Kamakura-go Iwaki to Kamakura and return, 7 car 651 series -Ltd. Express Kinugawa 92/93 Ofuna to Kinugawa Onsen and return, 6 car 253 series http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2015/01/23/312/

Here's a nice video compilation of JR East Tokyo-area services that have changed with the March 15, 2014 schedule revision. Videos by tiyodarain (chiyoda line, I think).