Narita To Osaka, Train Questions

Hi,

I have to fly Delta, and the only available flight for me is to Narita in Tokyo. My goal is to get to Osaka. I'm very much on a budget, and only have about $700 to spend for my 7 day stay.

Should I just fly in, find my way to the station, and take the train to Osaka? Am I looking at $40 or $80 USD to take the train?

I'm understanding an express train is $80 USD and the stopping train is $40 USD one way. Correct me if I'm wrong in any of this...

Let me know what you think, and what the difficulties of this would be (ie - train schedules, other transportation, limited japanese and NO kanji etc.)

Thanks!

-Eric

If you are on a tight budget, I recommend to take the night bus for less than $50 one way. A train would come to over $100 one way. This is a particularly easy to use bus system, since it comes with English online reservations (and good prices):
http://www.123bus.net/

In any case, here are all your options for travel between Tokyo and Osaka:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4006.html

And for Narita Airport to Tokyo:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2027.html

Just curious do you have to fly delta because of frequent flyer miles or some other reason?

If it is frequent flyer miles you can certainly use Delta miles on Northwest Airlines who flies to Osaka/Kansai and Nagoya.

I am flying with a friend whom works for delta, and thus obtained our tickets for a little under $500.

Also, I have another friend who lives in Osaka, otherwise I'd opt to stay in Tokyo.

So even my cheapest train option, not even the express train, will run me $100?

So even my cheapest train option, not even the express train, will run me $100?

The "cheapest" train option will take you 9-10 hours and require about 4 transfers, using local and rapid trains.

Again:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4006.html

If you want to do it on the cheap then I also suggest the bus.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2362.html

Possible to use this pass (my travel date is April 1st, I could have someone pick up the pass prior).

Moonlight Nagara: Tokyo - Nagoya - Ogaki (daily) [also a kaisoku train]

Switch trains at Nagoya, which is also closest to Osaka, and navigate my way their through the train system?

Yes someone can buy it for you outside of Japan, but they would also need to purchase and make reservations for you as well for the Moonlight Nagara. This train is very popular so reservations sell out fast.
Luggage space is limited as well.

You can switch at Ogaki instead of Nagoya.

I mean Yes someone can purchase it for you Inside of Japan and send it to you. But you also need to have a seat reservation made early as well.

Get the Japan Rail pass before you get to the country and take the Shinkansen (bullet train)

You've got 700$ for seven days? Umm... have you done any math for this trip yet?

Let's do some quick math. Okay, the cheepest place I've found to stay in Osaka was about 2500yen a night. Say you get that place. 5 nights? Theres about 125$ Maybe you happen to get hungry on your trip. let's say 1000yen a meal, (and don't even think about going to a regualar restaurant in Osaka (which is WORLD FAMOUS for it's food) , or getting drinks with dinner) for 1000yen, I'm talking about street vendors and convience stores and Kappa Sushi). Lets say you want to eat 3 times a day, 21 times @ 1000yen is about 210$, yeah? So now that lodgings and food is taken care of you have a whopping 355$ to burn. OH WAIT! I forgot the train to Osaka or the night bus. If you get the rail pass you'll be cool (unless the money you buy the rail pass with comes out of the 700$ spending bonanza). If so, at this point, you're about out of your 700$. You have no more money for admission to anything (Osaka Castle, Nara, Himeji or Himeji castle), transportation such as taxis, trains or busses in Osaka. Your nightlife expirince will consist of walking around drinking hoposhu watching other people in bars, music livehouses, and night clubs having fun. But lets say you you can get a round trip night bus from Narita to Osaka for 100$ (I don't know the price off hand but I think that's about the cheepest you can go) So Now were at 255$, 7 days, split that up... that's about 3600yen a day for (as I mentioned before) Souvineers, nightlife, sightseeing, basic travel around town.

I don't mean to burst your bubble, but you are realistically looking at going to a forigen country and DEFINATLY running out money mid way through your trip.

My suggestions:

If you're going to do Japan, do it right. There's so much great stuff here to see and do, It would really be a shame if this was the one time you visited and couldn't do anything. The Sightseeing is great, you have to expirience Kareoke (at least) once. Osaka is such a food and entertainment town, you should get some some sushi done right, you should really be able to enjoy the food. There's a great music scene in Osaka that should be checked out, there are night clubs. You might want to visit a pachinko parlor just so you can tell you're friends back home you did it.

Scrap the trip or bring more money.

If you do scrap the trip, go to South East Asia instead. I just got back from Vietnam and Cambodia and it was awsome and DIRT CHEEP. 5-10$ hotel rooms, 3-5$ meals (4 courses, and like 3 beers) You could take a night bus (10-12 hour ride) for like 9$. You could do 2-3 weeks in Cambodia or Vietnam for 700$ NO PROBLEM. Japan is an expinsive country.

Otherwise, seriously, running out of money on a trip is NO FUN trust me, I've done it plenty of times.

If your flight is booked and you can't bring anymore money, hit me up sabolbrigg@yahoo.com and I can give you a few tips that might save a few yen, here and there.

Good Luck!!!

Brigg,

I have a friend that lives in Osaka, and so lodging is taken care of. Also breakfast will be cost-free (we will take care of it), and he has a car.

Is $700 still unreasonable? We are also heavy drinkers.

Get the Japan Rail pass before you get to the country and take the Shinkansen (bullet train)

A Japan Rail Pass comes 2-3 times more expensive than travel by highway bus. I don't recommend it to very-low-budget travelers.