Tokyo to Osaka rush hour trip

Hello, i would like some advise on my japan trip.

I am planning to catch SHINKANSEN HIKARI 465 at 9:03 from tokyo to shin-osaka. I will be staying near kabuchi-cho, so I will leave from Shinjuku-3 chome station. I'm thinking to ride around 8am M line to tokyo station.

I am well aware that it is tokyo morning rush hour. I will have my luggage shipped to osaka, but i will still bringing a stroller and 2 toddlers. Is that feasible? Or should i just take a later train to avoid congestion. Upon arriving at osaka, i'm planning to go straight to osaka castle, that's why i do not want to depart too late from tokyo.

Alternatively, i could take yamanote line from JR shinjuku to tokyo station heading to ikeburro. It will take longer, but if i can have more space i will take it. Does anyone have any info which one is more crowded to tokyo station, yamanote or marunouchi line?

Another question is, is 30 minutes enough for us to navigate our way at tokyo station from M line/yamanot to shinkansen platform 14?

Thank you in advance.

I guess you will have the Japan Rail Pass, since you are thinking of slower Hikari. If so, you can take limited express train (reserved seat) to Shinagawa and then take the Shinkansen.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=SHINJUKU(JR)&ar...

"M" line to shinkensen with stroller and toddlers - 10 minutes across Tokyo station - pretty easy. It is a bit of a walk, and in a rush I've done it in under five minutes without too much trouble.

If you get Yamanote line, get that to Shinagawa - a smaller station and a bit easier to navigate, but it will still be busy that time of day.

Between Shinjuku sta and Tokyo sta on the morning rush hour, you will be packed for both JR Yamanot and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi. Taking rush hour train with a stroller and 2 toddlers are quite gamble.
The rush hour begins around 6:20 am(until 9:30 am), so if you can leave Shinjuku-3chome sta before 6:00 am or so, you can bring your stroller together comfortably.

If you have a rail pass you can always take the N'EX for Shinjuku to Tokyo...

https://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/co...

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=SHINJUKU(JR)&ar...


If I were you, I would forget going via Tokyo, would just follow what recommended by frog1954, less hectic and less crowded.

Between Shinjuku and Shibuya, it will be very crowded, as in shoulder to shoulder standing. Not really recommended for strollers and toddlers.

I would take a later train by one hour. Tokyo to Shin-Osaka is thress hours. IT you depart a 10:03am, you'll still have plenty of time for Osaka castle.

Sorry, forgot to add that I have done this trip a few times between 8am and 9am.

As can be seen from the timetable I posted, services that stop at Shinagawa from Shinjuku are quite infrequent.

Shinjuku to Shinagawa for Shinkansen. But I took the 7:40 Hikari to Kyoto. I left my hotel (Hotel Gracery Shinjuku) around 6am. I just took my time at station finding my platforms at Shinjuku Sta and Shinagawa. Also bought bento and people watch while waiting. I wanted to avoid rush hour so I timed my train rides early.

I much prefer the JR Chuo Line Rapid Service for travel between Shinjuku and Tokyo

Thank you all for the responses. Yes, i have JR pass, and it will be active on that day. I dont think it is possible for me to leave at 6am, with the packing, 2 toddlers, and check out procedure.

So my options are to take NEX to shinagawa/tokyo or go after peak hours. The only thing i'm worried about if i go after peak hours is that i will have to rush through osaka castle.

I agree with Hakata, take the 10:03. I went to Osaka Castle and spent 2 or so hours there and didn't feel rushed. If you have two toddlers and no other adult to help you, I am not sure you can even manage 2 hours at Osaka Castle. I know when my daughter was 5 she couldn't have spent more than 2 hours there. I seriously can't imagine someone with a double stroller on train or subway during rush hour. I also agree with the idea of using a NEX to get to Tokyo Station. Since there are elevators, I think overall that would be easier than the Chuo or Yamanote, even then trying to take something to Shinagawa since I am pretty sure most Shinjuku NEX go to Tokyo and not Shinagawa (if you can get a NEX to Shinagawa do that though!) The Yamanote is always busy between Shinjuku and Ikebukuro and Shinjuku and Shibuya and the Chuo tends to be busy as well. The NEX will be the most stroller friendly. Be forewarned I can not imagine taking even a small umbrella stroller on the Kyoto city buses, those buses are small and tight!

Thank you for the advise. Afer i check the NEX schedule, it only stops at shinjuku station at 8:02 and 9:39. If i cant catch 8:02, probably i will just take chuo at 9:30, hopefully i can still make it to Hikari 10:03, although it will be safer to reserve the 10:33 one. I assume once i reserve seat, i cannot change it anymore right?

I assume once i reserve seat, i cannot change it anymore right?

In most case including the reservation with the Japan Rail Pass, you can change the reservation for free once. As far as I know the Japan Rail Pass holder can cancel the reserved seat for free and reserve another seat for free unlimitedly. My suggestion is don't miss the 8:02 NEX though :).

One more thing. You can reserve NEX and Hikari seats beforehand. I recommend to reserve as early as possible at any JR station with the ticket booth (Midori no Madoguchi).