Sleeper Trains...

[ShayDn 0]

Hi,

 

Anybody have any experience with the sleeper trains in Japan?

 

I'm going to be over in February for a couple of weeks skiing, 1 week in Hakuba and 1 week in Niseko (so I can really sit on the fence on N vs H debates.) I was thinking about taking the overnight train to Niseko on the 11th. From Hyperdia my trip looks like:

 

Shinkansen 18:34 Nagano --> Omiya (80 mins)

Shinkansen --> Morioka (2 hrs)

Sleeper --> Oshamambe (7 hours)

JR --> Kutchan @10:55am (1hr 40)

 

I see the advantages as - get to ski the whole day in Hakuba, save on 1 night accomodation, don't need to worry about packing for the plane, or checking in etc...

 

So - is it easy to sleep on the sleeper service? Do I need a sleeping bag or is bedding included? Is there enough room for all my skiing gear? How about travelling as a couple (I mean with my gf not my skiing gear!) What should I be aware of? Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks for your advice!

[nzlegend 1]

 Originally Posted By: ShayDn

Hi,

Anybody have any experience with the sleeper trains in Japan?

yep once, it was bloody expensive and cramped. I am 182cm and the cheap beds are about 180cm long tops. I guess the more expensive private sleeping options are much bigger. If you are a couple get a private sleeper. The cheap options are just rows of bunks 3 high, just curtain for privacy.

IIRC correctly it came with sheets - I went in summer so blankets weren't an issue.
A couple of shin rides will hit the pocket too.
If money is not an issue then its an option for you, but then I suppose there is no cheap way to Hokkaido!



Hakuba is quite a ways from Nagano city and the Shin Station. You would have to leave the hill early-ish on that day to get to Nagano with time to spare.

[ShayDn 0]

Thanks for the info - luckily I'm not that tall... 180cm length shouldn't be too bad - will look into the private options, there's no option on Hyperdia to get a price for that though. The basic sleeper charge is 9450JPY.

 

Thanks for the headsup about the distance from Nagano - now that I revised the search, it doesn't even go through Nagano... and looks like it's only 15 mins difference between taking an Airplane and taking the sleeper, and the sleeper saves about 8000 yen (without the private sleeper option).

 

It's a helluva journey, and still adds up to about 35,000JPY which is rather steep :-o - but I guess it's cheaper than train to airport, flight + hotel night.

 

Hmmm... gonna have to think about this some more, I have to include Niseko in my trip to meet up with some friends there, but I'd like to get some good Honshu skiing in too...

[Ezorisu 0]

I don't remember the price when I did it, but my 3 mates and I got what basically amounted to a doorless compartment with a pair of stacked bunks with curtains. There were pillows and blankets provided, and since it was winter, the heaters were running full-blast. I was in a bottom bunk, so all the heat got trapped inside my curtain and I didn't even need the blanket! There was a car with showers, and a dining car too. The particular train I was on was unlike most trains I've been on in Japan where they are exclusively electric with drive wheels at each car. This one was like an older Western train with a locomotive and unenergized cars. A Diesel locomotive was used to pull the works on Hokkaido, and an electric one on Honshuu. The Diesel locomotive can be noisy if you are up front and are a light sleeper.

 

We used the overnight sleeper train for the reason you mentioned - to save on one night's accomodation.

 

FYI - you can't use a JR rail pass for the overnight trains (doesn't sound like you are anyway, but I thought I'd mention that).

[SirJibAlot 0]

I did the Ginga from Osaka to Tokyo once (missed the last Shink), I found it to be quite civilized (except for the rock solid Japanese pillows). Bring your own pillow, and you'll be golden!