Lugguage transfer - Alpine route

Hi
I am planning a trip with 2 other senoir citizens to the teteyam-Kurobe Alpine route. Still planning and need info on lugguage transfer from Shinano-omachi to Toyama. My queires:
(a) lugguage must be in by 9.30 am to be tranferred to Toyama
(b) collection at Toyama after 1600 hours?
(c) so I must stay in Shinano-omachi instead of Masumoto to ensure my lugguage is taken care of by 9.30 am at Shinano-omachi station?

Please help with my queires as I read of lugguage transfer time from Toyama to Shinan-omachi but not the other way around.

Thank you.

The rules for 2010 are as follows (I think they are unlikely to change for next year):

Luggage must be dropped off at Shinano-Omachi Station between 9:00am and 11:10am. And then it can be picked up at Toyama Station after 4pm

In Japanese:
http://www.alpen-route.co.jp/tks/work.html

Instead of the local forward service, you could also use a nationwide delivery service:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html

Thanks Uji for the impt info.

I tried to post in our travel plan but somehow it did not come on.
Anyway, appreciate your and any other knid ones out there to give me your comments and suggestions to our travel plan:

On 3-Day JR East Rail:
7 Nov -Tokyo to Matsumoto- enroute visit Karuizawa and Nagano. Stay at Matsumoto

8 Nov - Matsumoto to Kiso Valley (Magome) and back. Stay Matsumoto

9 Nov - Matsumoto to Shinano-Omachi - trhough Apline Route to Toyama. Stay at Toyama

Then use 7-day JR Rail Pass:
10 Nov - Toyama to Kurobe Gorge and back. Stay Toyama.

11 Nov - Toyama to Kanazawa and back. Stay Toyama

12 Nov - Toyama to Takayama. Stay Takayama

13 Nov Takayama to Shirakawaga and back. Stay Takayama

14 Nov - Takayama to Kyoto. Stay Kyoto

15 Nov -in Kyoto

16 Nov - Kyoto to Tokyo to Narita to fly home.

Hope to hear from u soon as we need to book accomodation etc.

Thx a trillion

I also just noticed that the luggage forwarding system seems not available from November 11.

Your itinerary looks good. You could reduce travel time here and there by staying overnight along the way (Toyama - Takayama - Shirakawago - Kanazawa - Kyoto) instead of returning to a base (Toyama and Takayama), but I assume you prefer to spend a little bit more time on the trains in order to have consecutive nights at hotels (and less luggage complications).

Maybe you know already that the 3-day JR East Pass does not cover your side trip to the Kiso Valley.

It is generally a rather fast paced trip, but I assume that is according to your likings. Just one day for Kyoto is very short, but I guess you have been there before.

Thanks Uji.

(1) Kiso Valley -I thought that I can use the JR East pass on the third and last day for travel on the Chou Line from Matsumoto to Shiojiri and then to Nagiso to take bus to Tsumago or further to Nakatsugawa to take bus to Magome. 'Appreciate it if you could help confirm if so. or else my plans would need to change if I have to start my 7-day JR pass for this leg of the journey.

(2) Walking trail -Understand it is easier to start walk from Tsumago towards Magome then the other way around.True?

(3) Will consider your idea of not have bases- but indeed idea is not to have the hassle of looking for accommodation, checking in and pulling lugguage along so often.

Hope to get your reply soon. Thanks for advising oldies like us.

Kiso Valley -I thought that I can use the JR East pass on the third and last day for travel on the Chou Line from Matsumoto to Shiojiri and then to Nagiso to take bus to Tsumago or further to Nakatsugawa to take bus to Magome.

The JR East Pass is not valid beyond Shiojiri. The supplement charge would be around 1500 yen one way by local train or around 3000 yen one way by limited express train.

Walking trail -Understand it is easier to start walk from Tsumago towards Magome then the other way around.True?

No, it is somewhat easier to walk from Magome to Tsumago, because Magome is located at a higher altitude then Tsumago.

Hi Uji

Thx for yr invaluable advice.
we r leaving for Tokyo on 5 Nov. urgently need advice from you or others reading this:

(1) To go to Magome -From Shirijori station (JR East line) - is there a full ticket for train ride and bus ride to Magome? Hw much will that cost? and the time table?

(2) For Alpine Route- do we get the tickets for the full works from start at Shinano- omachi for trip all the way to Toyama using the different modes of transport? When to get the tickets?

(3) Form Toyama - how to get to the Kurobe Gorge? Can use JR Pass?

And we do not speak Japanese- will communciations be a problem for our trips to post towns, Alpine route and the gorge?

Thx.

is there a full ticket for train ride and bus ride to Magome? Hw much will that cost? and the time table?

I don't know what you mean with "full ticket". The section from Shiojiri to Nakatsugawa is not covered by the JR East Pass. It costs a supplement of 1620 yen if you use a local train (2 hours) or around 3000 yen if you use a limited express train (1 hour).

If you use a local train, use the JR East Pass to get through the ticket gate at Matsumoto and pay the supplement at the ticket gate at Nakatsugawa Station or to the conductor inside the train (if one passes by). If you use a limited express train without seat reservation, pay the supplement to the conductor on the train. If you use a limited express train with seat reservations, the supplement payment will be taken care of when making the seat reservation at the ticket window.

The bus ride from Nakatsugawa to Magome costs 540 yen to be paid on the bus.

Train timetable:
http://www.hyperdia.com/

Bus timetable:
http://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html

For Alpine Route- do we get the tickets for the full works from start at Shinano- omachi for trip all the way to Toyama using the different modes of transport?

No, the ticket for the Alpine Route can be bought at Ogizawa, the first transfer point after Shinano-Omachi Station. But not at Shinano-Omachi Station itself. The bus fare from Shinano-Omachi and Ogizawa is pay on the bus separately.

Form Toyama - how to get to the Kurobe Gorge? Can use JR Pass?

There are direct non-JR trains between Toyama and Unazuki Onsen, where the trains into the gorge depart from (90 minutes, 1790 yen). But if you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can save some money (and often also some time) by taking a JR train from Toyama to Uozu (20 minutes) and then take the non-JR train from there to Unazuki Onsen (40 minutes, 900 yen).

You can look up train schedules and fares here:
http://www.hyperdia.com/

And we do not speak Japanese- will communciations be a problem for our trips to post towns, Alpine route and the gorge?

This can sometimes cause minor problems or be challenging (to find the right bus, for example), but usually nothing major. Some people speak some English.

Thanks Uji for such useful info. we are leavng on the 4 Nov not 5 Nov. 'Hope we get to see what we have planned out albeit no communications issue and we got on to the right trains and buses :)

How cold would it be out there in those places we would be visiting? Do we need to prepare termals or could it be a cool autumn out there?

Cheers

The Alpen Route will be by far the coldest part of your journey when it can be below freezing.

Apart from that it is unlikely that you experience freezing temperatures even during the night:
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/yoho/

thanks Uji. leaving tomorrow for Tokyo. 'Appreciate your help. Guess hv lots more info needed but just do not hv the time to look into them - will flow with whatever we have and get around the challenges we may face.

God bless.

Have a nice trip!