Takayama & Hirayu Onsen

Hi,
I have two questions.
1) I have made a reservation on the website "highwaybus.com" for bus tickets from Shinjuku to Takayama. Where do I go to collect my tickets and make payment? I am leaving for Takayama on 10-Oct-2016.

2) Where do I purchase Three-Star Alps Unlimited Ride Shinjuku Pass Type-S2? Is this a better ticket compare to the above tickets I have reserved at the website highwaybus.com? Or should I purchase the tickets from takayama to Hirayu Onsen and Shinhotaka Ropeway separately when I have arrived Takayama?

Thank you for your assistance.

We would need to know how many days you plan to be in the Hida Takayama area as well as where you want to go, in order to determine if the Alps pass is worth it. If you're going to Shirakawa go, Shin-Hokata, and Kamikochi, it would likely be worth it.

Could you post a link to the pass you're describing? There are several different passes available. I was just in the area a few weeks ago, and it was a bit confusing, trying to maximize value with passes.

Dale

Hi Dale,
I will be staying one night at Takayama on 10-Oct and 2 nights at Hirayu Onsen and Fukuji Onsen respectively. I will leave for Tokyo on 13-Oct Thursday. So I plan to spend some time around the Alps and go to Shinhotaka Ropeway during my the two nights when I am at Hirayu Onsen. I believe I will hv no time for other visit. Would appreciate your advise.
Thank you.

As far as Q1 is concerned, I am not sure where in Tokyo you would pick up the ticket from Shinjuku to Takayama. There are several "highway bus" websites for Japan. If it was this website,

http://highway-buses.jp/takayama/

... then I would call the phone number on the website. If you ordered online, they must have sent an email outlining the details?

Q2 is a bit more complicated. I've not heard of the pass you name. I got this pass,

http://www.alpico.co.jp/access/ticket/006.html

for four days of unlimited travel within the Okuhida area, including Shin-Hotaka, Hirayu, Kamikochi, Takayama, and Matsumoto. It wasn't a huge discount, but I did save some yen (a few hundred) and it was very convenient, instead of paying bus fare with each trip.

Are you planning to go to Kamikochi? (it is worth it, in my opinion, especially since you're so close!)

Are you planning to return to Tokyo via Matsumoto and Nagano, rather than going back via Takayama?

Y12,000 is pretty steep, but can be worth it, if you're planning the Ropeway, and Kamikochi, and other travel. But, if you are just going Takayama to Hirayu, then Hirayu to Fukuji, and omitting Kamikochi, then it isn't worth it.

The two day Takayama-Hirayu-Shinhotaka pass won't work for you either, since your travel takes place over more than two days.

You'll have to check the prices of the individual trips online

takayama to shinhotaka onsen, about Y2160
shinhotaka onsen to hiraru onsen, about Y700
hiraru onsen to kamikochi about Y1160
kamikochi to matsumoto about Y2450

Sorry for my late reply, I see you're traveling soon! I am currently on vacation, so haven't been checking this forum. Good luck!

Dale