Visiting Japan (Kansai Area) during New Year help and advice?

[Jensen]

Arriving Kansai Airport on 29th December 2014.

Spend 4 days and leave Hong Kong on a family matter and pop back to Kansai Airport on 13th Jan 2015. 

Leave on a afternoon flight 21st Jan 2015.

 

Haven't planned or research anything yet.

This is a list of places I planned to go or ride

Ride!

Shimakaze 近鉄50000系

Rapi:t  南海50000系 (preferably the new pink one! would have preferred the Red Comet)

Shinkansen 500系 (really love this train)

Shinkansen N700A

 

Are there any special, new or soon to retire trains in the Kansai area?

Will be getting Kansai Wide Area Pass so that I can travel on Shinkansen betweem Shin-Osaka and Himeji!

I won't venture out of either Kansai Wide Area Pass or Kintetsu Pass to save train costs.

 

Visiting

Osaka (where I will base)

Kyoto 

Kobe

Okayama (stay 1 night)

Himeji

Nagoya 

Kinosaki Onsen (to relax for 2 night)

Nara

 

Is there any train model shops around Osaka? Would love to pop in to buy a set or two! 

How will the train operation differ during the New Year?

Reduced schedule or line shut for repair like in UK?

 

Will need to fit in JR Central in Nagoya

Any other rail museum? I believe JR West is closed or sth?

 

Would love to hear from all of you for ideas and plan!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[miyakoji]

Yeah the Osaka Municipal Transportation Museum, or whatever it was called exactly, is closed. Its replacement will be JR West's museum, but I think that's scheduled for Spring 2016. Shimakaze may be difficult to get tickets for, someone here will have more info.

[bikkuri bahn]

Kintetsu's Shimakaze service sells out pretty quickly for most segments one month before depature date, but you may have a chance on getting a reservation on short sections (not the whole length of the journey), as I witnessed a good number of people getting on and off at intermediate stations.  Another thing to do is to wait until the day before the departure date, and hope to snag a space that opens due to a cancellation. Anyway, don't make firm travel plans, and always have a plan B ready should you not be successful in getting a reservation.

[westfalen]

I'd consider getting a Kansai Thru Pass as well to supplement the Kansai Wide Area Pass, it is valid on virtually everything but JR. http://www.surutto.com/tickets/kansai_thru_english.html

 

There has been a thread on Osaka hobby shops http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/2270-model-railway-shops-in-osaka-shi/.  There are several good ones in the one street in the Denden electronics district of Namba.

[bikkuri bahn]

+1 on the Kansai Thru Pass.  One of the best travel bargains if you're going to be extensively using the private railways and subways in the Kansai area. I have used it multiple times (the identical Japanese version available for purchase outside the Kansai area), logged prob. thousands of km riding the rails.  Just be careful that once you start using it, the validity is for consecutive days- i.e. a three day pass is for three straight days.

[lurkingknight]

not consecutive days for kansai thrupass... it punches in on the day you punch it and expires at midnight. You can then punch it 4 days later for the 2nd day, so on and so forth. I did this last year when we went to from osaka to hiroshima and back to kyoto.

Edited August 24, 2014 by lurkingknight

[Guest keio6000]

I would add that while the Rapit surely has its appeal to some, for me I think no kansai trip is complete without Haruka.   No single train ride gets you more:  KIX airprort amazing airport and bridge, a tour of downtown osaka including several major stations, a view of the osaka freight yards, the main line between osaka and kyoto where there are interesting things to see on both sides - hankyu, jr, and shinkansen and more, and finally the incomparable kyoto station.

 

 

I think kansai is somewhat of a design wasteland as far as current jr limited expresses go, and upon first look the haruka may appear to be more of the same, but actually in person i think it's a very nice looking train which gets little attention because of the freakshow rapit :)

[Jensen]

Thx everyone for there comments they are really constructive!

 

Miyakoji: Yeah I heard something similar to what you said about closure of JR West Museum. Just visit 1 this time! 

 

Bikkuri: I've just checked the summer schedule was practically full for the Shimakaze. Hopefully a weekday ticket during mid Jan is much quite period for that train. 

any comment about this website claiming that the "Foreign visitors can use their Kintetsu Rail Pass or Kintetsu Rail Pass Wide on the train." from this website http://japanvisitor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/shimakaze-premium-express-luxury-train.html

If it truth I can save more then 9000 yen return per person?

 

Westfalen: Great idea about the Kansai Thru Pass, haven't heard that one before, that help save more money if I don't plan to travel long distance in consecutive days.

Those shops will keep me occupied for good period of time.

Two weeks ago while at Aachen, Germany for holiday, nearly missed my train cause I was too consume in a large train model shop I just walk by.

 

Lurkingknight:  Does the Kansai Thru Pass include Rap:t?  Is there a limit between days that ticket need to be used by? Can I do the following 1st Jan, 13th Jan and 15th Jan?

 

Keio 6000: I thought I missed some trains out, I can't agree more that Kansai trip is not complete without Haruka. As I will be doing 4 journey between airport and the city, I should have the chance ride to ride Hauka twice and Rap:t twice too. Haruka is a lovely train too.

[Jensen]

I forgot to ask If I can book ticket for the Shimakaze while I'm still in the UK? 

As Bikkuri Bahn mention that it sold out months ahead.

Although I will be travelling on weekdays, but I want to get things more or less fixed before arriving in Japan to ensure a smooth journey.

I'm not sure where to go as I'm more interested in riding this train then the final destination, haha

Iseshi  伊勢市? Toba  鳥羽? Ugata  鵜方? or Kashikojima 賢島?

I'm thinking of going from Osaka and staying the night in Nagoya after the train trip so I can an early in to the Museum.

[lurkingknight]

if the rapi:t belongs to the nankai railway as the wiki page says it does http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapi:t

 

my booklet from the 2012 printing for the thrupass says it will cover all trains operated by nankai.

 

Most of the exceptions are local bus lines and airport limo buses.

 

more info at the thrupass site here;

http://www.surutto.com/tickets/kansai_thru_english.html

 

 

 

most businesses in japan don't seem to be open before 10AM in most cases that can be plenty of time to hop the shinkansen from osaka to get to nagoya pretty early. Check the operating hours of the museum and decide from there, also check the last train times to get back to osaka and the subway to get to your hotel. Might save you from having to book hotels here and there for a night. I think it's a bit over an hour to nagoya from osaka. Although if you're just hanging around kansai, there's no need for a jr pass so your extra cost to hop the shinkansen could offset your hotel in nagoya. It might be cheaper to overnight there, but you're still ending up taking a couple rides on the shinkansen regardless if you're entering and exiting the country via osaka..

Edited August 25, 2014 by lurkingknight

[westfalen]

From the Kansai Thru Pass website.

 

"It can be used from Kansai Airport Station on the Nankai Train after arriving at Kansai International Airport (The Express Rapi:t requires additional tariff)."

[Ochanomizu]

Hello Mr Jensen,

 

Here is a good website for your travel plans: http://www.japan-guide.com/

[bikkuri bahn]

not consecutive days for kansai thrupass... it punches in on the day you punch it and expires at midnight.

 

In that case the foreigner/non-resident version has better conditions of use than the domestic version. As soon as my card was activated the first day, the fare gate printed good until[ (date two days later) ].

Edited August 25, 2014 by bikkuri bahn

[bikkuri bahn]

I forgot to ask If I can book ticket for the Shimakaze while I'm still in the UK?

 

Kintetsu doesn't seem to have an office in the UK.  There are these branches which you are supposed to inquire:

http://www.kintetsu.co.jp/senden/shimakaze/en/inpuiry/

[Jensen]

Hi Bikkuri Bahn

 

Thx for the info, will pop them an message and wait for their reply.

Shimakaze is my top priority in the train list to see and ride!

 

Do you think I can sit next to drivers or something?

Cox I was very lucky on last trip to Germany, the train driver on ICE3 let me sat next in the drvier cab next to him and talk about trains! all the way from Cologne to Brussels. That made my journey of the year!

[Jensen]

if the rapi:t belongs to the nankai railway as the wiki page says it does http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapi:t

 

my booklet from the 2012 printing for the thrupass says it will cover all trains operated by nankai.

 

Most of the exceptions are local bus lines and airport limo buses.

 

more info at the thrupass site here;

http://www.surutto.com/tickets/kansai_thru_english.html

 

 

 

most businesses in japan don't seem to be open before 10AM in most cases that can be plenty of time to hop the shinkansen from osaka to get to nagoya pretty early. Check the operating hours of the museum and decide from there, also check the last train times to get back to osaka and the subway to get to your hotel. Might save you from having to book hotels here and there for a night. I think it's a bit over an hour to nagoya from osaka. Although if you're just hanging around kansai, there's no need for a jr pass so your extra cost to hop the shinkansen could offset your hotel in nagoya. It might be cheaper to overnight there, but you're still ending up taking a couple rides on the shinkansen regardless if you're entering and exiting the country via osaka..

Hi lurkingknight

 

 

thx for confirming Rap:t is part of Kansai thru pass!

 

I originally planned to do a day trip to Nagoya from Osaka. But its either cost a lot or time consuming.

 

 

I would to love to ride on the Shinkansen between Osaka and Nagoya under an hour. (Last year with JREast pass I did several Ueno and Tokyo trip in the Shinkansen.)

 

One way cost between Osaka and Nagoya is 5830 yen unreserved Hikari. For two people return would cost 23320yen. Also this journey is covered by KintetsuPass (Good cheap pass).

 

[Jensen]

From the Kansai Thru Pass website.

 

"It can be used from Kansai Airport Station on the Nankai Train after arriving at Kansai International Airport (The Express Rapi:t requires additional tariff)."

Hi Westfalen

 

thx for telling me that there is a surcharge fees, would you happen to know how much or where I can find out?

 

[Jensen]

Hello Mr Jensen,

 

Here is a good website for your travel plans: http://www.japan-guide.com/

Hi Ochanomizu

 

thx for the link to that website

 

I glance at the rail pass available, and for Kintetsu Pass

On Japan guide webite it claim:

''One round trip between the airport and the city center, i.e. between Osaka's Kansai Airport and Namba Station (by Nankai Railways) and/or between Nagoya's Central Japan Airport and Nagoya Station (by Meitetsu Railways). These trips can be made outside the 5-day period.'' 

 

I checked on the Kintetsu website, it doesn't mention anything about airport ticket being outside of the 5 day preiod ticket. Can anyone provide additional information about this?

[lurkingknight]

once you are a bit more sure of your itinerary, try to use hyperdia.com to get an idea of how much you will ride the transit system.

 

I know when I went it might have been more economical for us to get a passmo card and keep it charged rather than to get the thrupass. I'm not sure what the fares are on the more specialized trains, but the subway system was very inexpensive. I think I worked it out that to get the 5000y we spent on it, we'd need to take 6-7 short subway rides a day. Even the fare from our hotel to the aquarium was only 3-400y.

 

There was a coupon book that came with it that was supposedly good for a bunch of stuff but turns out we didn't even need/use them. In the area we were staying (shinsaibashi) we were doing a lot of short hops on the subway,  most of what we wanted in that area was only 2-3 stops so it was relatively cheap. The thrupass was a bit wasted on that. Also consider what your arrival times are, since we didn't know the thrupass day is activated at the time of the first scan and ends midnight that night, we kinda wasted a day when we arrived late at night.

[westfalen]

 

Hi Westfalen

 

thx for telling me that there is a surcharge fees, would you happen to know how much or where I can find out?

 

Hyperdia shows a fare of Y920 plus Y720 for a 'Super Seat' or Y510 for a 'reserved seat' so I assume the 720 or 510 is what you would have to pay.  I don't know what the super seat is but for an extra Y210 it might be worth finding out.

 

Still cheaper than going one stop from Brisbane airport to the main line in a normal old suburban EMU. :icon_scratch:

[westfalen]

Hi Bikkuri Bahn

 

Thx for the info, will pop them an message and wait for their reply.

Shimakaze is my top priority in the train list to see and ride!

 

Do you think I can sit next to drivers or something?

Cox I was very lucky on last trip to Germany, the train driver on ICE3 let me sat next in the drvier cab next to him and talk about trains! all the way from Cologne to Brussels. That made my journey of the year!

In many of the trains you can sit or stand behind the driver and look out the front.  I've never had any luck getting into the cab though, even after they find out I am a driver too, maybe they are under threat of dismissal for having unauthorised persons in the cab like we are here in Brisbane.

 

I'll be going to Germany at the end of October, I might have to put the hard word on some ICE drivers.

[bikkuri bahn]

It's forbidden for passengers to enter anywhere in the cab.  It's often written on the cab door or window.  Even if you got access by a friendly driver, there is a good chance another passenger will see it and report it complete with video evidence, probably getting on the local if not national news, and resulting in the driver getting the axe. That said, I am thankful that many trains have huge windows that let you see out the front from the passenger area. I bet a similar setup in the U.S. would result in scratched up glass within a week, and people tapping and banging on the glass to purposely distract the driver.

[Jensen]

once you are a bit more sure of your itinerary, try to use hyperdia.com to get an idea of how much you will ride the transit system.

 

I know when I went it might have been more economical for us to get a passmo card and keep it charged rather than to get the thrupass. I'm not sure what the fares are on the more specialized trains, but the subway system was very inexpensive. I think I worked it out that to get the 5000y we spent on it, we'd need to take 6-7 short subway rides a day. Even the fare from our hotel to the aquarium was only 3-400y.

 

There was a coupon book that came with it that was supposedly good for a bunch of stuff but turns out we didn't even need/use them. In the area we were staying (shinsaibashi) we were doing a lot of short hops on the subway,  most of what we wanted in that area was only 2-3 stops so it was relatively cheap. The thrupass was a bit wasted on that. Also consider what your arrival times are, since we didn't know the thrupass day is activated at the time of the first scan and ends midnight that night, we kinda wasted a day when we arrived late at night.

 

I agree that its not worthwhile to use any pass while in Osaka, or day trip to Kyoto or Kobe.

Need to a bit sure about the itinerary, will need to plan the coming weekend!

Do you think staying at Osaka Umeda and use it the base of of travel good?

My first arrival time is 9am, should start to use one of the pass.

My other 2 departure are in the afternoon and second arrival is early evening, I think I should get single journey for those.

 

Hyperdia shows a fare of Y920 plus Y720 for a 'Super Seat' or Y510 for a 'reserved seat' so I assume the 720 or 510 is what you would have to pay.  I don't know what the super seat is but for an extra Y210 it might be worth finding out.

 

Still cheaper than going one stop from Brisbane airport to the main line in a normal old suburban EMU. :icon_scratch:

 

the Y210 is not much extra, might worth a try!

 

I'm sure they are under threat of dismissal for having an unauthorised personnel in the CAB. He also say no to pictures too!

You can seat in a small area consist of 2- 3 rows and watch the driver cab if the window is not tainted.

Its nice area to sit and watch, one end is first class other is second class. 

The driver was chatty on my journey.

 

 

It's forbidden for passengers to enter anywhere in the cab.  It's often written on the cab door or window.  Even if you got access by a friendly driver, there is a good chance another passenger will see it and report it complete with video evidence, probably getting on the local if not national news, and resulting in the driver getting the axe. That said, I am thankful that many trains have huge windows that let you see out the front from the passenger area. I bet a similar setup in the U.S. would result in scratched up glass within a week, and people tapping and banging on the glass to purposely distract the driver.

 

You are right about passenger entering anywhere in the cab. I agree its also dangerous too. 

In UK the train doesn't have window at all to see out the front from the passenger area. I would also bet the glass would also be scratched up in UK too, with the exception long distance train.

[lurkingknight]

anything south of umeda would be a better choice I think, there's a lot more food at dotonbori and nanba I think. They're only 3-4 stops from umeda on the midosuji line. I enjoyed the area we stayed in so I could be a bit biased since it was my only stay in osaka, it was right off shinsaibashi and a short walk from most of downtown. You can easily spend 3 or 4 days wandering around the shopping arcades... they all butt against each other so it's hard to differentiate between them... we got lost numerous times and every time would always end up at nanba, like it was a black hole that kept sucking us in.

 

If you like trains I think the westin at umeda has some views of the train yards. You might get some better deals on hotels farther from the station though.

Edited August 26, 2014 by lurkingknight

[miyakoji]

That Westin would have a good view of the yard, had they not closed it and pulled up the track :(