Train questions

How busy is Kansai International Airport in early morning? My plane will be landed around 6.30am.
I will need to send luggage and also exchange my JR Rail pass. Will I be able to catch LTD. EXP HARUKA at 8.46am? Will it be too tight?

I will travel straight to Okayama that morning. Normally how busy is Sakura train? Will I be able to get Green Car seats without much advance booking (given that I just exchanged my pass on that day)? Is seating on Sakura train more comfortable than that on Nozomi?

I will then continue to Shikoku to spend a week there. How crowded are the Limited Express train (Shiokaze and Nanpu)? Is it worth paying extra for the Green Car on the Limited Express.

Thank you.

How busy is Kansai International Airport in early morning? My plane will be landed around 6.30am.

Not busy.

I will need to send luggage and also exchange my JR Rail pass. Will I be able to catch LTD. EXP HARUKA at 8.46am? Will it be too tight?

Under usual circumstances, you should have no problem to catch the 8:46 train. Maybe even the 8:06.

I will travel straight to Okayama that morning. Normally how busy is Sakura train?

They tend to be quite busy.

Will I be able to get Green Car seats without much advance booking (given that I just exchanged my pass on that day)?

Yes, you will have a good chance that the train is not booked out yet.

Is seating on Sakura train more comfortable than that on Nozomi?

The Green Class seats are virtually the same (I don't like them because of a foot rest that gets into my way - this is a problem people with long legs may encounter). The reserved ordinary seats are more comfortable than on the Nozomi (rows of 2x2 vs. rows of 3x2); and because of the absence of the stupid foot rest, I actually prefer them to the Green Class seats. The unreserved ordinary seats are again the same as in the Nozomi.

How crowded are the Limited Express train (Shiokaze and Nanpu)?

Not usually very crowded.

Is it worth paying extra for the Green Car on the Limited Express.

It is an individual decision. If you have lots of luggage and/or prefer some added comfort, it can certainly be worth it. But if you try travel on a budget, it won't be worth it.

You should easily make if you don't slack off too much (and your plane isn't delayed).

Paying extra for a Green seat is almost never worth it unless you are a giant snob.

"Paying extra for a Green seat is almost never worth it unless you are a giant snob."

Wow. Way to make some assumptions there! I don't ride shinkansen often, so I usually just get regular seats, but when I go to Tokyo from my inaka area I ALWAYS get the green car. You can eat on the green cars more acceptably than on the regular ones, the seats are more comfortable, an attendant sells snacks if you get hungry, and during rush hours you are about 10 times more likely to get a seat than on the crowded regular cars.

I guess if that makes me a snob so be it, but I'm not going to apologize for a) wanting to actually sit down during the ride during the crowded times, and b) actually wanting to be comfortable.

If you're using your rail pass, don't forget that Jr Rail Passes are not valid on Nozomi trains.

Thank you for all your answers.

I am planning to visit Korankei on 19 November. However, I will be traveling from Okayama and therefore won�ft be able to leave Nagoya before 10:30am.

How would the traffic to Korankei be, giving it is Wednesday?