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JR sleeper osaka to tokyo no more? 2008/2/13 10:21
First: to everyone out there who has such great info, THANKS!
I've been playing with my itinerary and it seems to work out perfectly to take a JR Ginza "sleeper" train from Osaka at 22:30 to Tokyo on 22 March.works with mylast day of JR green pass and I think I just need to pay the berth surcharge.
Question one-Has anyone heard that JR is stopping overnight services "with the march 15 adjustments" whatever they are...Please tell me that this is just a vicious rumor...
2-if not, any thoughts on VERY cheap place to sleep near Ueno or tokyo station, A capsule might be a bizzare but cool experience but we are a mother and adult son so it must accept women. Are there ever coed areas?
3- how late does the JR line between tokyo and ueno run?
by lori  

Ginga sleeper 2008/2/13 11:44
lori,

Yes, the Ginga overnight sleeper train will be discontinued from 15 March this year.

A capsule hotel is probably not a practical option for a mother and son. For cheap hotels, try looking at the Toyoko Inn website for hotels close to where you want to stay.

The JR Yamanote Line shuts down before 1 am, so you really ought to aim for not later than 12:30 at night.
by Dave in Saitama rate this post as useful

Ueno etc. 2008/2/13 16:05
The Tokyo station area doesn't have cheap hotels, at least none show up on sites for western tourists, as this is a pricey area, smack in the business district and not far from the Imperial palace. Ueno and Asakusa, especially the later, are a better bet. you can go from Ueno or other places to Asakusa by the Ginza subway line. please check: www.japanhotel.net
by Red Frog rate this post as useful

. 2008/2/14 06:18
I've been playing with my itinerary and it seems to work out perfectly to take a JR Ginza "sleeper" train from Osaka at 22:30 to Tokyo on 22 March.works with mylast day of JR green pass and I think I just need to pay the berth surcharge. Question one-Has anyone heard that JR is stopping overnight services "with the march 15 adjustments" whatever they are...Please tell me that this is just a vicious rumor...

I'd say you don't need to be discouraged. Indeed the 'Ginga' will have been terminated by the time you travel, but you could take the overnight sleeper train 'Sunrise'. It stops at Osaka, but leaves Osaka at 12:34 am on the 23rd when your pass will have been void.

Refer to one of the JR pass policies.

http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en008.html
If you travel overnight on the last day your pass is valid, the basic fare will be covered as far as you travel, including train changes, until you first exit a station. However, surcharges are only covered for the train on which you were riding past midnight on the final day your pass was valid.

So you should take this train from Okayama or Himeji before the date changes, though it entails backtracking.

Shin-Osaka 20:59--Hikari--21:50 Okayama 22:33--Sunrise--7:08 am Tokyo, or

Shin-Osaka 22:38--Kodama--23:20 Himeji 23:35--Sunrise--7:08 Tokyo

The surcharges are 8,785 yen per person for the single twin, and free for the Nobinobi seat, a carpeted flat semi compartment, regardless of whether you board the train at Okayama or Himeji. Look at the images.

http://www.jr-odekake.net/train/sunriseizumo_seto/accommo.ht...
The single twin is in the upper right, and the Nobinobi seat in the lower right. Click to enlarge.

Even after alighting this train at Tokyo, the base fare will be valid no matter how far you may travel, as long as you don't exit the train side at the station.

Happy travels.



by optimistk rate this post as useful

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