Take a JR Shirasagi limited express train from Nagoya to Tsuruga and transfer to the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen to Toyama. The one way journey takes about three hours and costs around 10,000 yen. Alternatively, the journey by less frequent JR Hida limited express via Takayama takes about four hours and costs around 7,500 yen. Both trips are fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
Take the JR Shinano limited express from Nagoya to Matsumoto (2 hours) and then the JR Oito Line to Shinano-Omachi (1 hour). The one way fare is about 6,500 yen and fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
The Alpine Takayama Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass is available only to foreign tourists. It provides unlimited use of JR trains between Nagoya and Toyama and between Nagoya and Shinano-Omachi Station and of transportation along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route for 23,800 yen. It is valid for five consecutive calendar days. More details.
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Kippu is a discount ticket that combines a train journey from Nagoya (and other locations in central and western Japan) to the Alpine Route and back with transportation along the Alpine Route. It can be purchased at JR stations across Japan and is valid for up to eight consecutive calendar days.
Two versions of the ticket are available for departure from Nagoya. Both cover a circular journey from Nagoya to Toyama, then along the Alpine Route to Matsumoto and back to Nagoya or the other way around. The Hida version (21,180 yen) differs from the Shirasagi version (25,470 yen) in that the journey between Nagoya and Toyama is made by the Hida limited express via Takayama rather than by the Shirasagi limited express and Hokuriku Shinkansen via Tsuruga.
Both versions allow ticket holders to get on and off along the Alpine Route, between Shinano-Omachi and Matsumoto and along the Kiso Valley (between Seba and Nakatsugawa). The Hida version additionally allows for stop overs at Takayama (and other places along the Takayama Line between Gifu and Hida-Furukawa), while the Shirasagi version allows for stop overs at Kanazawa.
Above fees and schedules are subject to change. Be sure to check current yen exchange rates.
Tickets can be bought at stations along the Alpine Route between Toyama and Ogizawa, but not at Shinano-Omachi Station. Tickets covering the entire route allow for stop-overs along the route but not for backtracking. They are valid for up to five days. It is also possible to purchase tickets for smaller sections of the route or discounted round trip tickets. The cost for a ticket from Toyama to Ogizawa is 12,170 yen one way or 22,140 yen for a round trip.
Be aware that tickets for specific departure times need to purchased for the cablecar from Tateyama Station to Bijodaira at the route's western gateway and for the electric bus from Ogizawa Station to Kurobe Dam at the route's eastern gateway. The official bilingual website allows travelers to purchase Web Tickets and make these advance reservations. Reservations are not possible for other sections, where passengers board on a first-come first-serve basis. On busy days numbered tickets may be handed out to organize the order of boarding.
Note that the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route can gets very busy during holidays such as the Golden Week, summer holidays and weekends during the autumn leaf season, resulting in possible waiting times or even the inability to board without advance reservations.
While the Alpine Route can be covered in a day trip from cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Nagoya, staying over along the route itself or at either end of the route is recommended for a less hectic pace. There are several accommodation options along the Alpine Route, especially around Murodo and the Midagahara Wetlands. Among them are hotels and large mountain lodges, some of which feature hot spring baths. The Hotel Tateyama, Japan's highest-located hotel, is located on top of the Murodo bus terminal.
At the western end of the route, many hotels can be found in Toyama City, while at the eastern end Omachi Town offers hotels and hot spring lodgings. Not far away is the city of Matsumoto, which is a major tourist destination in itself.
A same-day baggage forwarding service is offered along the Alpine Route between Dentetsu Toyama Station and JR Shinano-Omachi Station for 3000 yen per piece from April 15 until November 4 (drop-off before 10:00 in Toyama and 10:30 in Shinano-Omachi). An alternative is using a regular takuhaibin delivery service, although delivery will generally be on the next day.
The section between Tateyama Station and Ogizawa is closed to private vehicles. Visitors arriving by car should park their cars at either Ogizawa (limited free parking or 1000 yen per calendar day) or Tateyama Station (free parking). For car users, who do not wish to backtrack, several companies provide car forwarding services between Ogizawa and Tateyama Station, charging around 25,000 to 30,000 yen.
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