Osaka to Sapporo - Options

[deanrobi 2]

Next year we are going to fly into Osaka rather than Tokyo and after a day or so we plan on flying up to Sapporo, I haven't really researched this yet but I'm assuming that its possible and that the flight would only be an hour or so longer than flying from Tokyo.

 

On the way back we would like to get the train from Tokyo, maybe the (Shinkansen)is this possible?

[thursday 1]

so on the way back, you are planning Sapporo to Tokyo and then Shink to Osaka? If so, then yes, Tokaido Shink.

[RobBright 35]

so you want to fly back from sapporo to tokyo, then get the train from tokyo to osaka?

 

or train from sapporo to tokyo, then tokyo to osaka?

[deanrobi 2]

RB,

 

We will fly back to Tokyo from sapporo and then we were thinking of catching the high speed train down to Osaka just for the experience.

[RobBright 35]

it'll take about 2 and a half hours from tokyo to shin osaka, and if you can get the rail pass from JR, you can use the hikari or kodama shinkansen for "free", well included in the price of the JR rail pass.

[deanrobi 2]

RB, so help me out a bit here, The JR pass would cost me how much? and when you say 'Hikari' and ' Kodama' shinkansen are they different rail line to the same place.

 

I fumbled around on http://www.hyperdia.com/en/# the other night (great site) and I think it was about 7,140 yen for the trip from Tokyo to Osaka.

 

thanks for you help

[RobBright 35]

There are three types of shinkansen iirc to Shin-Osaka:

 

nozomi - which is the fastest

kodama and hikari - which are the slowest and either stop at all stations or the majority of them.

 

The JR rail pass varies in cost depending on how long and if you want standard or 1st class seating.

 

Try doing AG search on Google for JR rail pass- will have lots of information on the main site

[Thundercat 60]

You can also look at the website japan-guide.com for information about travelling in Japan. Have a look around on that site as it gives you a thorough run down of what to expect when taking the train, prices, etc. It definitely costs more than 7,000Y. In fact, it's probably double that for a one way ticket. If money is an issue it'd be cheaper to fly.

[deanrobi 2]

Money is not an issue we just want to experience the really fast bullet train so I guess I will search up on the 'nozomi' thanks

[Tubby Beaver 209]

BTW you can also ride the Nozomi from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo.....DON'T fork out extra for the ticket though, just buy the slowest shink ticket (its the cheapest) but get on the Nozomi. Take a seat in unreserved seating, no probs. Even if the conductor checks your ticket, he just stamps it and gets on his way, no hassles.

[mrbrisbane 0]

In 2006 we aere in a similar position and had planned to take the west coast train (Nihonkai service) which is on overnight to Aomori. That was the year that all the train services north out of Osaka were disrupted by severe weather and we ended up having to fly.

 

On the way back we did the train from Kutchan to Hakodate (gr8), then the ferry from Hakodate to Aomori (gr8) then various trains from there down thru Yamagata (ZAO) and Aizu (Bandai). It was all a bit slow - took over a week but wow did we see some different terrain and experience a whole lot of Japan.

 

Cheapest of all the options is possibly the ferry from Niigata to Hakodate.

 

There are lots of options especially if you want to see a bit more of the country.

 

Don't automatically exclude getting a car. The options for stopping and grabbing a ski anywhere and everywhere along the way are huge.

[thursday 1]

Don't forget to stop for a Lucky Pierrot burger in Hakodate.