Kyoto to Kanazawa

Hi

Can anyone advise what is the best way to travel to Kanazawa? And from there to Shiragawago, how can I purchase the bus ticket online and to reserve the seats? How many days advance require to reserve?

TQ

I am using the JR Limited Express Thunderbird train from Kyoto to Kanazawa. I cannot say if it's the "best" as
I don't know how you're defining 'best'. At Kanazawa station you can get a ticket for the Nohi bus to Shirakawago.

Thanks John! How do you purchase the bus ticket and make a reservation?

You can make a reservation over the phone. But the little experience I have with this tells me that perhaps more than one bus can be used for the trip, so they may determine how many buses they need based on reservations. It's happened to me before, but that was a JR Tohoku bus and not a Nohi Bus. I'm sure they'd like as much business as they can, so they may add more buses to a particular time if needed. But don't quote me on that.

Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass

http://touristpass.jp/en/takayama_hokuriku/
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_takayama_hokuriku.html

covers all of your itinerary. It is 10500 yen which is about 7000 yen cheaper than buying normal tickets.

You can purchase it online

http://www.japan-rail-pass.com/pass-regional/central/takayama-hokuriku...

or via travel agencies in your country.

http://touristpass.jp/en/takayama_hokuriku/purchase/

For JR train (Thunderbird), you might better reserve your seat for free at JR train stations such as Kyoto. For buses, you can reserve at your local travel agency where you buy the pass, or as John wrote, just call on the bus company while you are in Japan.

http://touristpass.jp/en/takayama_hokuriku/howto/

Hi Froggy

Thank you for the information, I have more questions now...LOL

1. The pass is valid during my time of travel (Dec). will the office issue another valid pass at a later stage?

2. The pass on can travel on all JR lines? Except green car, can it be use from airport to Namba station?

TQ

1. The pass is valid during my time of travel (Dec). will the office issue another valid pass at a later stage?

I assume this pass is issued by a joint of JR West and JR Central. The pass is valid until June 26th this year. I am not certain whether they will continue to sell it for the next season (maybe from Oct 1st, 2015), but I do not think they will discontinue it. Anyway keep watching their website. They will announce their plan as soon as they decide.

2. The pass on can travel on all JR lines?

As far as it is within the area the pass covers, yes.

Except green car,

Yes, except green car. You can reserve seats of limited express (not including any Shinkansen) up to four times. You can use non-reserved seat of limited express and ordinary commuter trains unlimitedly (within 5 days of validity, of course).

can it be use from airport to Namba station?

No. Kansai airport to Namba is not included in the pass area. Further, if you are talking about Nankai Namba station, the train from Kansai Airport to Nankai Namba is operated by Nankai Railway which is a competitor of JR West.