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From what I can understand, expressways are getting an awful lot cheaper on weekends and holidays (1000 yen limit?)

 

I see it is from 28th March, but is this just a campaign until 26th April or a more permenant thing?

 

Big help for sure!

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Yeah, that's GREAT for me. The bridge tolls from Shikoku to Honshu are also dropping to 1000 yen from around 5000 yen one way! I heard that the current plan is to do it for 2 years to stimulate the economy, after which time nobody's sure.

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I think it's a maximum of 1000 yen on any one particular highway or group of highways. You can't go from Kyushu to Hokkaido on 1000 yen because different highways are under different jurisdiction but you can go pretty far. If you get off the highway, you have to pay again of course. You need an ETC card too and it's going to be on weekends only.

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From amagasaki to nagano it is one highway all the way, so I am laughing. It used to be 7500yen including 30% night discount (about 11000yen full price) but now it'll be about 2000yen total smile I might even bother going to shikoku now finally.

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If the DPJ become the Govt - they will drop the tolls completely! highways will become freeways (and they will perpetually jammed.)

 

The ferry operators to Shikoku will go bust if the bridge toll drops. They are fighting it.

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Originally Posted By: bobby12
I might even bother going to shikoku now finally.

Check it out for sure. Summer rocks down here. Central Tokushima and Kochi if it's mountains are rivers you're after. The far South/West tip of Kochi for beaches. Go go level up the economy! smile
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Originally Posted By: SG
If the DPJ
The ferry operators to Shikoku will go bust if the bridge toll drops. They are fighting it.


That's a good point. That was one of the reasons the tolls lasted as long as they did. Those ferry routes were pretty much obsolete once the first bridge was built anyway, but it definitely upsets the balance. JR has a lot to loose. I think when all is said and done though, it will definitely get people out of the house more spending money and it should give the auto industry a bit of a kick even. I think it's a pretty good way to stimulate the economy. Better than that cash bonus thing anyway.
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Yes it is a good idea, it will get me moving around and paying for hotel/restaurants/activities. But as you say, JR will take a hit. We sometimes used JR to go Nagano but not any more!

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It will be interesting to see how busy the expressways have been.

 

Quote:
I see it is from 28th March, but is this just a campaign until 26th April or a more permenant thing?

 

2 years at first, cal.

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Someone on the news was going from somewhere in Tohoku via Kanetsu via Joetsu via Toyama via somewhere else to get to Osaka for 1000 yen. The journey was twice the normal distance they were trying to avoid Tokyo where the discounts don't apply.

 

I bet environmentalists ain't too happy about that kind of news. Gasoline stands will be though.

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yes they were saying on the news that driving around tokyo you go in and out of various different highways and you get charged loads. serves people right for living in tokyo ;-)

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There seem to be some mid-week discounts as well that I didn't know about. Yesterday I used the expressway that should have been 700 yen - paid 500 yen (ETC). Don't know the details but it is a good thing.

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Originally Posted By: 2pints,mate
Quote:
group of highways


Are they govt run or companies?

Not sure. I think Government run but they fall under different juristiction. All Shikoku highways fall under one bundle for example and I think some highways are prefectural, others national, and those big bridges have special status as well.
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Weekdays from 9am - 5pm are 30% off (under 100km ok)

 

It's a new discount like the 1000 yen at weekends.

 

Expressways just got a whole lot more accessible.

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That sounds good too. We used to have an '50% off under 100km' discount on Shikoku so we used to carry around 2 ECT cards and switch at a highway exit in the middle of our 170km trip from Kochi to Tokushima.

 

Is that weekday discount all over the country or just in certain areas?

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