Getting from Hakuba to Kyoto

We (4 adults) are skiing in Hakuba (Happo-one) in late Feb and and then going on to Kyoto. The most direct way by train seems to be Hakuba-Mastumoto-Nagoya-Kyoto. But this involves three trains and changing between each. It will take 5 hours (10,800Y ea). We will have luggage (unless we send it on) so I am wondering it we would be better off hiring a car and driving or catching a bus or organizing a private shuttle?

Also do you advise that we sent our luggage via Takkyubin to Kyoto? Is it reliable and how long does it usually take?

Hope you can help! Thank you

But this involves three trains and changing between each.

There is one connection per day that involves only one transfer of trains:
13:34 depart Hakuba
14:38 arrive Matsumoto
14:43 depart Matsumoto
18:36 arrive Kyoto

I am wondering it we would be better off hiring a car and driving or catching a bus or organizing a private shuttle?

There seem to be some direct buses, many of which are overnight buses, because it is a long journey:
http://www.sunshinetour.co.jp/ski-bus/kansai-hakuba/schedule...

Also do you advise that we sent our luggage via Takkyubin to Kyoto? Is it reliable and how long does it usually take?

If you have ski and don't need them anymore afterwards, I would send them directly to the airport. The delivery services are highly reliable. Delivery is usually on the next day. Sometimes it takes two days. You will know by the time you drop off the lugagge.

Hi, I've been looking into the same journey from Mid march, does seem a relatively painful journey, were going to Osaka rather than Kyoto. One option I originally considered was heading back to Tokyo and then back across to Osaka but time for that was even longer. What concerns me most is missing a connection somewhere, if you've got 4 or 5 changes and sometimes only 6 or 7 mins between arriving and departing, when there's 4 people and luggage etc and you in a forgeign country in a smaller station where they may not speak engligh as much I will be panicking about getting from one train to another in the alloted time... and when trains arent running that frequently if you miss one somewhere it could become a nightmare...
You've also got to prepay tickets and reserve seats etc on a lot of the trains, how does it work if you miss one connection????

Thanks Uji. I will think about that more direct journey. It would be perfect if it also went in the morning.

To Steve: You make a good point about having enough time in between connections. You might be best catching a bus all the way to Osaka. I do know that if you miss your reserved train, you can just catch the next one but you have to take pot luck as to whether you will get a seat. When were in Japan last time (Jan last year) we travelled the trains a fair bit and the long distance trains all had spare seats. Good luck!

Thanks pmacvee, when you were there how did you find negotiating your way around the slightly less well known train stations that we have mentioned above? Is it generally quite easy to get from one platform to the correct one for the next leg of the journey or do you end up struggling to find the information you need to work out where to head? and end up panicking and risking missing a connection? Without wasting time sitting on platforms what would you advise as a realistic gap between trains? 10mins 20mins 30mins etc? Thanks, Steve.

Last Jan we took the trains that Uji mentions. With 3 kids and plenty of luggage we made the connection no problem. The trains all run like clockwork and Matsumoto station is not that big, so 6 mins change is ample. You can check in advance the platform you will arrive at and need to change to in the Japan Rail timetable (this is your bible - get an Eng hard copy if at all possible) or at Hakuba station.

If you don't have accom in Kyoto I highly reccomend the Granvia Hotel above Kyoto station. Leaving aside the wonderful convenience, this was the best and cheapest hotel we stayed in during our 2 weeks in Japan. With advance booking, the rate becomes unbelievably reasonable.

Thanks LostinHK, very usefull info, I feel a bit more relaxed about the whole thing, there's 4 of us travelling, no kids in tow and we've done a fair amount of worldwide travel so hopefully we'll be fine. We opted in the end to base ourselves in Osaka and travel to and from Kyoto etc so have a hotel sorted there (New Otani). But Granvia was in the running when we looked at Kyoto. Cheers.

Steve, I haven't been to Hakuba or Matsumoto before. However, Hakuba will be small and it will be easy to find our way around it. All platforms we have used have English signs and the indicator boards usually swap between Japanese and English to show the destinations (at the larger stataions anyway). Matsumoto will be slightly larger so I would allow about 8-10mins. At the larger stations like Nagoya, Kyoto and Tokyo, I would allow 15-20mins especially if you are changing to a Shinkansen as these run on a separate line and the stations are massive. The Shinkansens don't hang around for long so you need to be there & ready to jump on when the train arrives. You can always ask an attendant for help to find the platform. Just keep it simple, say "Platform X, please". Make sure you look up which platform your train leaves from before you go - see http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/ or http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi. There are also maps of the larger stations on the net if you need them (recommended). Have fun.

Thanks Pmacvee, I appreciate your response. Cant wait to get out there and hit the snow!
Enjoy your trip, sounds like your a week or so ahead of us, so make sure you leave me some powder bowls ;o)

I am wanting to travel from Kyoto to Hakaba by train in February, is this possible?

"I am wanting to travel from Kyoto to Hakaba by train in February, is this possible?"

Yes.

Detailed info:
http://tinyurl.com/54jnjp

We have travelled by train between Kyoto and Hakuba. A very scenic trip along the Japanese Alps - highly recommended. There is no direct line. You can get a Shinkansen from Kyoto to Nagoya, then there is a couple of options as to how you get to Hakuba. A train to Nagano then bus to Hakuba. Or change trains at Matsumoto to Hakuba. The trip will take about 4 hours. Very pleasant and, of course, the trains manage to run to perfect time.
These two sites are great for planning you train trips.
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi and http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/e-norikeyin.html.
We are making the same trip in 33 days & counting - except to Nozawa this time. Praying for more snow.
Enjoy your trip. It's adictive!