Backup Plan - 3/18-29

First of all, I want to sincerely thank all of the folks in Japan who have tirelessly kept all of us travelers and potential travelers up to date so we can continue to make our decisions, unimportant though they may be in the larger scheme of things. You're doing a great service. My specific quandary is as follows:

Original plan was to Fly into Tokyo Friday and stay 4 days, then move on South. My airline (Singapore) will not rebook me because of my return date being too late for a waiver. I also don't have the KIX option because they don't fly there from the US. So what I was thinking is this: I really do not want to eat my ticket and JR pass, and I would like to help by spending some of my money in the areas not impacted directly by the quake. Obviously with the rolling blackouts this is not an ideal time to visit Tokyo, but I do need to fly in there. I'd like to simply fly in and go directly to Osaka/Kyoto - but given that the NEX and Keisei apparently aren't running to NRT, this seems to present a major logistical challenge.

So here's my question - what's the best way, given the current transport options, to get to Kyoto or Osaka from NRT? Am I best served to try and get a limobus to Tokyo and spend one night there, then go South? I'd love to go directly from NRT or at least stay at an airport hotel and go the next morning, but it doesn't seem possible to get from NRT to Kansai without going through Tokyo - or flying, of course, though I'd rather not as I have a JR Pass. Does anyone have any advice?

Again - Uji, Dave, everyone - you have my sincere thanks.

but given that the NEX and Keisei apparently aren't running to NRT, this seems to present a major logistical challenge.

If some new major thing happens, it might end up as a major problem. But it is more likely to be a minor problem associated with possible inconveniences, such as waiting times and slower than usual travel speed.

No details about train schedules for the coming days have been decided, but it is highly likely that there will be SOME trains between Narita Airport and central Tokyo, from where the Tokaido Shinkansen has been providing close to normal operation since the 12th.

Today, for example, there are no airport trains between 11:00 and 17:00, but Keisei local trains run at a reduced schedule during the rest of the day (no express trains). No JR trains seem to be running. You can expect a similar situation over the coming days, although nothing is certain these days.

Another possibility is to fly directly from Narita Airport to Osaka, although I expect these direct flights to be pretty popular these days.

Well, I did the best I could here - got the airline to let me push things back a bit. I now arrive in Tokyo on the 31st and fly out on the 11th. Hopefully this will be better - at least it gives things a couple of weeks to settle down. I'll extricate myself from Tokyo as quickly as possible and spend the bulk of my time in the South.

If nothing else, the sakura should be in full bloom... Thanks again to all who offered advice and if you haven't already, please donate generously to the Red Cross or other relief organizations.

@dee67; it would be nice if you could update us if you'll push thru with your plans from time to time, as we too are scheduled to visit Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo on April 1. Though I have cancelled day tours, we are still holding on to our hotel and flight until we can.

Checky:

I certainly will keep updating. Unless things get very ugly up at Fukushima I don't see myself cancelling this time, but let's just wait it out.