Sapporo to Hakodate by hokaiddo rail pass

We are planning to travel JR east south hokaiddo rail pass (valid 6 days) , but it seems that the Skinkansen is not connect yet Sapporo - Hakodate and we have to take local express train.

1) Is this route Sapporo - Hakodate (local express train) included in the hokaiddo rail pass ? Im confused.

2) Which is most economical way to travel Sapporo - Hakodate if we a group of 5 ?

3) For car rental in Hokaiddo area, which website is money saving ?

Hi there. Yes. I bought my pass from 17th April 2016 to 23rd April 2016. Below is the Transportation Condition on my JR Hokkaido pass.
Pointer 3: This pass is valid for unlimited travel in reserved seats in ordinary cars on local trains/rapid trains, limited express, and ordinary express on Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) lines (does not include Hokkaido Shinkansen). It is also valid on JR Hokkaido bus lines (with some exceptions). The pass is not valid for some Hokkaido JR bus routes, other companies' bus routes or subways.

In other words, it's free reservation and you don't have to pay for it. I used Hyperdia and accounted the amount I needed to bring along and to my surprise, the reservation does not require payment, it's free.

Pointer 6: If using a first-class (Green Car) or sleeper car on a limited express or express train, a first-class or sleeper fee is required along with a limited express or express fee. Numbered ticket and liner fees are also required on some services. It is not possible to change to a reserved seat or sleeper can once on board.

How to use reserve seating (English guide stapled to my JR Hokkaido pass)
Pointer to note is IF you MISS the train with your reserved seat ticket, please take the next train with the free seating.

In other words, just go to cart 8-10 (I think) unreserved seats if you miss your timing on your reserved ticket. Ticket reservation must be made at the ticket counter or JR Pass information help desk. Normally I would just go to the ticket counter and tell them the timing on what hyperdia suggested. Conversing in Jap would be ideally easier for you and the counter.

Hope this helps. If you would like to see the card conditions, I can scan a copy over.

If i buy JR 6 days pass, the shinkansen not open till sapporo yet. So, from sapporo to hakodate need to use local express train which takes abt 4 hours, am i right ?

Which town / prefecture did you travelled with your JR pass ?

Different passes allow you to travel on different lines.
A 7/14/21 day JR pass will allow travel anywhere (including Hokkaido) on JR rail lines.

Hokkaido also offer some various passes. Which are explained in the transport section of this website and the JR Hokkaido website.

Alright, I'm going to try my best to answer your questions regarding JR East-South Hokkaido rail pass. My pass was a JR Hokkaido pass so it's different from yours. The JR East-South is 6 days flexible during a 14-day time span. You cannot travel anywhere further than Sapporo, Otaru or New Chitose Airport, i.e. you can't go to Furano, Biei or Asahikawa (You have to pay additional to get to these places as they're not covered under the pass). Hokkaido rail pass covers everything in Hokkaido that is JR including the JR buses.

Scroll down to look at the map that points out the stations:
http://www.jreasthokkaido.com/e/

As of now, your only way to Sapporo from Hakodate is via Ltd Exp Super Hokuto which is approximately 4 hours. I have no drive in Hokkaido so I'm afraid I can't help you on that. Do note that there are tolls on certain routes.

Since you're traveling in 5, why not hire a car and have everyone to split the cost. Having said that, please have a back up driver because long hours of driving will drain the driver fast. I don't know how long the driving hours are in Japan but in Australia, the longest I have drove in a day was probably 8 hours with breaks in between.

Thanks Lynn.

Yes decided to drive fr Furano - Hakodate & staying @ Dormy Inn, it says free taxi to onsen at sister hotel. Driving seems to be the cheapest choice since we are in group of 5.

From Hakodate - Tokyo, which is the cheapest & best way ?
Airdo cost 16,900yen / pax

Seeing as the train costs you over 23,000yen, it appears flying will be cheaper. If you had flown from Chitose, it could have been 6,000yen.