Hakuba to Osaka Purchase Methodology

Ello,

I've checked the options to travel form Hakuba to Osaka and it seems that travelling by train would be do-able but there are four transfers and I'm not sure how many train companies.

My question is - Can I buy a ticket for this entire journey at the first station or do I need to buy tickets after certain transfers?

Are there any alternatives? I have research renting a car for 1 day to make the trip but it appears quite expensive due to the one way fees.

Night bus is not an option as we have a young child. Thanks,

My question is - Can I buy a ticket for this entire journey at the first station or do I need to buy tickets after certain transfers?

It is all by Japan Railways. Therefore, you can buy a base fare ticket all the way from Hakuba to Osaka. And you should buy express supplement tickets for the sections you use limited express trains and shinkansen.

Are there any alternatives?

You could partially use a bus, but I personally think that train travel is easiest and most comfortable.

Thank you Uji,

Do the ticket machines include the express supplements automatically?

Go to a ticket window or service counter and buy the whole trip at once. Don't much around with machines for this journey.

You can go via Kanazawa or Nagoya. Either way is the same travel timeframes.

H has a good point. Buying the tickets for this particular journey at a machine would be quite complicated, as you indeed need to also buy supplement tickets. Not impossible, but going to the office would be much easier.

Thank you both, really appreciate it.