Train Station & Line Questions

Hi everyone,

I have recently booked my trip to Japan and bought my JR Pass.

Now I was wondering you could help me in figuring out which stations and lines I will need to go to/take for my trip if possible please?

My main train journeys are:

Haneda Airport to Shinjuku
Tokyo - Kyoto
Kyoto - Hiroshima
Hiroshima - Osaka
Osaka - Tonosawa
Tonosawa - Tokyo

I would ideally like to use the bullet train for most journeys. I think with Tonosawa we will need to get another form of transport to get near to our Onsen. Any help on the best say and which lines to get would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Rich

Use Hyperdia (hyperdia.com/en) to find the routes, trains and fares. In the 'More options' section, untick 'Private Railway' to find only JR trains, and if looking for JR Pass-valid shinkansen, untick 'Nozomi/etc.'.

Google Maps also has the entire Japanese public transport system uploaded into it, so you can use it while out and about very easily (if you have an internet connection).

Please use the following website to plug in your stations and you'll see the lines and prices. If it's after April, the results won't be 100% certain, but you can get a good idea what they will be, save for a few minutes either way on most cases.

http://www.hyperdia.com

Haneda Airport to Shinjuku

Take the Tokyo Monorail from Haneda to Hamamatsucho Station. Transfer onto the Yamanote Line to Shinjuku

Tokyo - Kyoto

Take the JR Chuo Line (Rapid or Local) from Shinjuku to Tokyo. Then transfer onto the Tokaido Shinkansen (Hikari) to Kyoto.

Kyoto - Hiroshima

Take either the Tokaido Shinkansen or JR Kyoto Line to Shin-Osaka Station. Then transfer onto the Sanyo Shinkansen (Sakura) to Hiroshima.

There are also a few direct trains (Hikari) between Kyoto & Hiroshima on the shinkansen, however these are only at 07:23am, 08:00am & 08.23am (subject to change)

Its also vital that you get off at Shin-Osaka and NOT Osaka Station.

Hiroshima - Osaka

Take the Sanyo Shinkansen (Sakura) from Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka.

Osaka - Tonosawa

Take the Tokaido Shinkansen (Hikari) from Shin-Osaka to Odawara Station.

Take the Hakone Tozan Railway (For Hakone Yumoto) to Hakone Yumoto. Transfer here onto the Hakone Tozan Railway (For Gora) to Tonosawa.

Take note that the Hakone Tozan Railway is a private line which isn't covered by the JR Pass.

Tonosawa - Tokyo

Take the Hakone Tozan Railway (For Gora) to Hakone Yumoto. Transfer here onto the Hakone Tozan Railway (For Odawara) to Odawara.

Take the Tokaido Shinkansen (Kodama) from Odawara to either Shinagawa Station or Tokyo Station.


I would also recommend that you use the website http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ for planning your journeys in more detail.

Hope that helps!

Tonosawa - Tokyo

Take the Hakone Tozan Railway (For Hakone Yumoto) to Hakone Yumoto. Transfer here onto the Hakone Tozan Railway (For Odawara) to Odawara.

Take the Tokaido Shinkansen (Kodama) from Odawara to either Shinagawa Station or Tokyo Station.


Just correcting a small error from my post..

Haneda Airport to Shinjuku
Keikyu railway - direct service to Shinagawa and then JR to Shinjuku (Y610) Cheaper than the monorail option.

Haneda Airport to Shinjuku
Keikyu railway - direct service to Shinagawa and then JR to Shinjuku (Y610) Cheaper than the monorail option.

Unless of course they have activated their JR Pass (Which I don't recommend to them btw)
Or they arrive in Japan on a weekend, holidays or other selected dates. Then they can get the Monorail & Yamanote Line discount ticket for 500yen.
http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/tickets/value/yamanote.html