magome tsumago trail

Hi, we plan to drive to Magome and then walk the Magome - Tsumago trail. What is the best wat to return to our car? Taxi? Bus? Train? Thank you.

Many had said that this hike was memorable. Indeed it was for me too, but for a wrong reason - the most boring hike I have ever attempted in Japan.
IMO, the main attractions would be in Magome and Tsumago themselves. If I were you , I would just spend time in both Magome and Tsumago and skip the blooming boring hike . If you still feel the urge to do the hike, your return trip to the car can be bus, train as well as taxi.

What is the best way to return to our car
I would say Taxi, if money is no object.

The trail from Magome starts out none too interesting as it follows the highway up, but near the pass you walk through a village of old buildings that have architectural interest but aren't part of the restored post towns. On the down hill side of the pass with the tea house, the first building you see is the old guard station, where anyone without a pass in the Edo Period would be stopped. There's usually someone in there keeping the fire in the ryori going. Immediately after that are the waterfalls. You have to leave the trail a bit to see those but they are just off the main trail. Following the main trail goes right past them. The rest is downhill through pretty countryside with stone walls and old farm buildings. Depending on the season, a variety of flowers are in bloom all along this section. When you get to the river with the large white stones, you're almost in Tsumago.

If you go as early as you can, the towns won't have turned into the tourist zoos that they become when the buses start arriving. Tsumago itself seems to be one large souvenir shop and was less interesting than Magome. Both towns have some museums if you want to check them out.

I would park the car near Nakatsugawa Station and take the bus up to Magome. The bus leaves from right outside the station. You then could hike over to Tsumago. If the weather is good, you can continue up to the old castle site on the north side of town for views over the entire valley before continuing through the countryside to Nagiso. You could then catch a local train back to Nakatsugawa.

If you did park in one of the large lots at the base of Magome, you can catch a bus back to Magome from Tsumago.
http://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html

The taxi would cost about 5000 yen. I taxi'd from Tsuamago to Magome and walked back. If you have zero expectations, it is a nice walk with some interesting things. If you are expecting to step back in time (as I was, I think), it is very underwhelming and disappointing. Make sure you do the little deviation off to the waterfall which is quite pretty.