Night buses!

[JR 500系]

As the topic goes, I am very amazed with Nishitetsu's Hakata-Go night bus from Hakata to Shinjuku that was featured in this youtube video:

 

 

So much so I think we could plan a trip on a night bus since it's cheaper than a night train, get to place of destination in the morning and save a night of hotel! Amazing comfort too! 

 

Found this site that seems to be very useful in booking and looking for day/ night high speed buses!

 

http://www.bushikaku.net/

Edited November 20, 2015 by JR 500系

[kvp]

It looks like only 4 seats are more comfortable, the rest is cattle class. And these 4 first class seats are just barely reaching the level of a standard coach seat on an average euronight train (including the reading lamp and the foldable seat) and look similar to what you got on a japanese night train if you decided to get a seat only. It's cheaper though as road maintenance is paid by the government and not the bus company.

[railsquid]

So much so I think we could plan a trip on a night bus since it's cheaper than a night train, get to place of destination in the morning and save a night of hotel!

 

It looks about as comfortable as staying overnight in an internet cafe, without the benefit of even a shower. I can put up with that level of discomfort flying between radically different timezones but travelling within Japan for pleasure... No thanks. Train or plane.

Edited November 20, 2015 by railsquid

[katoftw]

If I was travelling by myself and not in any great rush.  Then maybe.  But you'd want somewhere to shower when you got off.

 

What time to they arrive and depart?  Total trip time?

 

edit//

 

Found this while googling:-

 

If you're really ambitious, Nishitetsu bus runs an overnight service, the Hakata, from the Shinjuku expressway bus terminal in Tokyo to Fukuoka non-stop. The ride, at just over 14 hours, is Japan's longest overnight bus service. A one-way ticket will run you ¥15000; ¥27000 for a round trip.

 

But as a travelling tourist.  They value in savings isn't really there compared to alternatives.  A 7 day rail pass costs about 30,000 yen and you get to do the same trip in 7 hours.  And you could cover a lot more sights using the rail pass.

 

It would really depend on you trip.  Going full backpacker traveler style it might work.  As the extra value of train rides on a daily basis makes the rail passes more suitable.  But if you are walking around more, then the buses might works.  But you'd be really splitting hairs in an attempt to saves 5-10% in the end.

 

I guess if you did a Tohoku and Kyushu only trip.  Then a week in Tohoku using some kind of pass, then a trip on this bus (travel + hotel room in one) then some kind of pass for Kyushu.  Then you might find huge savings.

Edited November 20, 2015 by katoftw

[katoftw]

I trip I would like to do sometime when I have a slower itinerary is to do the Tokaido and Sanyo Lines on local and express trains.  I just punched it into hyperdia and it come up as a 25-26 hour trip (5 hour stop somewhere as no trains run 11pm to 4 am) and costs 13,XXX yen.  So if you could get a 3000-4000 inexpensive business hotel along the route somewhere.  You be up for similar money.

Edited November 21, 2015 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

HHmmm good points.

 

It is already very difficult to convince the Mrs. to agree to travelling overnight on a train, let alone a bus!

 

Regarding shower facilities, the buses do stop at certain rest areas with restaurants and toilets, so you can alight to go for a shower there..

 

It does give a good perspective to travelling on high ways, and good to visit hard to reach rest areas... Other than that, yeh a Shinkansen would be better anytime ~

 

But don't you think these buses are just so beautiful? Not only exterior but interior also...

[miyakoji]

JR500 you are indisputably a bus fanatic.  I respect your niche interest, but I'll take the train :)

[railsquid]

Ditto. Or the plane. I really can't see myself being functional on the day after being stuck overnight in a small metal box.

[JR 500系]

JR500 you are indisputably a bus fanatic.  I respect your niche interest, but I'll take the train :)

 

Thanks for the great compliment!  :)

 

Yap Japanese buses are so beautiful and service is great too... Unlike the ones we have here...

 

 

Well verdict I guess is an overnight train, which is very quickly running out very soon...  or a shinkansen. Ends up cheaper (with rail pass fully covering) and faster...

[kvp]

I mostly travel in Europe only (i don't even have a passport anymore), but personally i like to take the train. Not the overnight kind if i can help it, but normal ones even if it means i have to change from one local to another, but it helps that until the recent events, the normal long distance trains were in service, so you could just buy a ticket at 4:00 am at one station and get on a train that takes you across Europe and after 14 hours, you get off at the other end of the line, while still seeing all of the scenery and cities along the route. You could get surprisingly cheap hotels at the middle of nowhere or in less touristy areas. For example i managed to find a hotel in Hamburg, that had the problem of being too close to the station, with a view over the tracks from the windows. In Switzerland, there is a little known mostly industrial town (Chur), which has a really nice old town area (the oldest in the region), where you can find cheaper hotels just outside the old town walls in very non modern (several 100 years old) buildings if you don't mind having the local train running under your window. Finding cheap hotels allows travel by day which is imho a great way to actually see something during the trip. The same stands for buses, even though i tend to avoid them as they don't even allow you to walk around or lean out of the windows for photographing, but taking a day bus would always mean you'll see more.

 

I think this is still doable with trains in Japan (like taking the old cape gauge tokaido route, which is imho scenic), but you have to change more often as imho mostly local trains remain on many stretches. Also stopping and finding a cheap hotel mid way would double your travel time, but could be just as cheap as taking a faster train or a sleeper train/bus and skipping the sights between the two endpoints. If you can get a ticket that allows you to get off at certain locations (and get on the next train) it's even better as the time between two local trains is usually enough to look around in smaller towns.

[katoftw]

I think this is still doable with trains in Japan (like taking the old cape gauge tokaido route, which is imho scenic), but you have to change more often as imho mostly local trains remain on many stretches. Also stopping and finding a cheap hotel mid way would double your travel time, but could be just as cheap as taking a faster train or a sleeper train/bus and skipping the sights between the two endpoints. If you can get a ticket that allows you to get off at certain locations (and get on the next train) it's even better as the time between two local trains is usually enough to look around in smaller towns.

Yes it is still doable.  Which is why I mentioned it earlier in the thread.  It would be 20 hours of total travel.  Quite easy to travel 2 hours a day, stopping where you like over a 10 day period.

 

Places roughly 2 hours apart between Shinjuku and Hakata.  Atami, Shizuoka, Toyohashi, Maibara, Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguichi.

 

To add more flavour, using the Kisei and Kure Lines would net more scenery.

Edited November 21, 2015 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Another Super Classy Super wonderful Super comfortable night bus, My Flora!

 

 

It seems they are highly popular with the ladies!  :)  Look at that toilet!

Edited March 31, 2016 by JR 500系