8 days Kyushu

Hi,

We are a group of 6 pax, arriving Toyko on 1st Apr at 2 pm, intended to use JR Rail Pass (14-Day) to Kyushu. However, I searched Hyperdia but I cannot find the connection to Hakata that is leaving Narita between 3:30 to 4 pm (for custom clearing). There is a connection at 3:45 & 3:59 pm on 31 March though (arrive Hakata at 11+ pm). Do you think this connection will continue in April?

I would to check the time taken to drive starting from Beppu & the routes/highways to take:
(1) Beppu to Mt Aso Nishi
(2) Mt Aso Nishi to Takachiho
(3) Takachiho back to Beppu
As Car Rental Co requires us to return the car before their office closes at 8 pm, is it still enough time to travel as above?

We will be staying near Gotemba Stn on 11 Apr, may I check - can we get Hakone Pass at Gotemba stn?

Thank you.

I cannot find the connection to Hakata that is leaving Narita between 3:30 to 4 pm (for custom clearing). There is a connection at 3:45 & 3:59 pm on 31 March though (arrive Hakata at 11+ pm). Do you think this connection will continue in April?

There are JR NEX trains that leave from Narita at 3:15, 3:45, and 4:15. Hyperdia connections from Tokyo or Shinagawa give a long layover at either of those stations with a Shinkansen departing at 7:03 PM and arriving in Hakata at 9:03 PM. You can also got to the Midori-no-Madoguchi (JR Green Window) at Narita, Tokyo, or Shinagawa to get you traveling out of Tokyo earlier. This may give you a transfer at Shin-Osaka that's longer than what Hyperdia automatically puts up.
http://jreast-shinkansen-reservation.eki-net.com/pc/english/common/tim...

I would to check the time taken to drive starting from Beppu & the routes/highways to take:
(1) Beppu to Mt Aso Nishi
(2) Mt Aso Nishi to Takachiho
(3) Takachiho back to Beppu
As Car Rental Co requires us to return the car before their office closes at 8 pm, is it still enough time to travel as above?

I drive that area a lot and you will be driving all day to do that loop. The Yamanami Highway between Beppu and Aso is a nice scenic drive and you can take a short detour down to Kurokawa to look around the onsen town or to get a wooden ticket and stop in a few hot springs. Highway 325from Takamori to Takachiho is a narrow windy mountain road that you aren't going to make good time. You could go down 265 to 218 which is longer but probably faster. Your return to Beppu will probably be the same route as you used to get down to Aso. Taking 218 to the coast to Route 10 in Nobeoka is a long drive. If you only have 1 day out of Beppu, I would leave out Takachiho. It may not look far on the map but when combined with Aso out of Beppu you will be hard pressed to make it all a day trip.

We will be staying near Gotemba Stn on 11 Apr, may I check - can we get Hakone Pass at Gotemba stn?

The Hakone Freepass can be purchased from any Odakyu Line station. Gotemba Station is a JR station but since Odakyu highway buses run between Shinjuku and Gotemba, I think you can purchase them there. To make sure you can email
welcome@odakyu-dentetsu.co.jp
to make sure. Or check before you leave Tokyo.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html

Thanks for the info, Anaguma.

That are the timings that Hyperdia doesn't showed even i knew NEX's time schedule does have 315 345 & 415 pm departure. Can i assume it is available and ignore the limited routes given by Hyperdia? This will affect our decision whether we need to stay a night at Shin-Osaka.

So, is it better if we rent the car for 2 days & use Beppu as base - to travel to Takachiho & combine stopovers at Miyazaki (like Obi Castle ruin, Aoshima) on 1st day & half day trip to Mt Aso on 2nd day as we still need to take train down to our next destination -Kagoshima.

How long is the drive from Beppu to Takachiho?
And Tackachiho to Miyazaki City?
And Beppy to Mt Aso?

This is a good tool to look up travel times. These are some very long drives you are planning:
http://drive.yahoo.co.jp/route/search

The drive from Beppu hells area to Mt. Aso is about 2 hrs 10 min at a distance of 106 km

The drive from Beppu hells area to Takachiho Gorge is about 2.5 hrs at a distance of 112 km

The drive from Mt. Aso to Takachiho is about 80 min at a distance of 55 km

The drive from Takachiho Gorge to Miyazaki is about 3 hrs 15 min at a distance of 136 km