Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route closure

We're hoping to do this route from Shinano-omachi to Toyama on 20 May this year. I was reading through old posts and was alarmed to see that it can be closed due to bad weather. How often does this happen and is it likely to happen in May?

If it was closed it would really muck up our plans as we have a hotel booked in Toyama that night which we'd have to cancel and then go back to Matsumoto and hopefully be able to book another hotel there.

Also, can we send our luggage from Shinano-omachi Station to Tateyama Station?

The weather is generally fine in the Alps in May. If it is closed then you can't do much about it.
You can carry on up the Oito line to get to Itoigawa and then an express train to Toyama.

You can't send luggage from a station to another station as someone has to sign for it. Best option is to send it from your Matsumoto hotel to the Toyama hotel. If you send it the day before you check out of Matsumoto, it should get to Toyama by the next day. A suit case will cost about 1,500yen

Thanks Kegger

I realize we could keep going on the Oito line to Toyama, but I've been told the scenery isn't special that way, so I'd rather go back to Osaka via Matsumoto and the Kiso Valley if the Alpine Route was closed.

I've read that luggage can be forwarded from Tateyama to Shinano-omachi when you do the route so I just wondered if it could be sent in the other direction. This would be same-day delivery - different from Takkyubin.

We did the Tateyama alpine trip on 25th & 26th April last year and we were lucky. For your travel date of 20th May, it is unlikely that the snow corridor will be closed.

Yes, there is a special alpine route luggage forwarding service. This is their webpage in Japanese -
http://www.alpen-route.co.jp/tks/work.html

I used a translation tool to roughly make out how the system works. The serivce is both ways but note the drop-off time and collection time at the destination station. U can actually drop-off at Shinano-Omachi station and collect at Dentetsu-Toyama station.

Spoke to soon.
You can send luggage from right next to Shinano Omchi Station from the Alps Roman Kan Bldg using the Alpen Porter service. They accept luggage from 9:00-11:10AM.

1200yen to Toyama or Unazuki Onsen Hotels
1500yen to Tateyama Cable Station Bus Center

Can only be picked up after 4PM

Thanks CYC

It isn't only the snow walls that gets closed though - apparently the whole route can be closed if the weather is bad.Hopefully this won't happen when we're there.

Did you find the experience worthwhile? I'm beginning to have doubts about whether to do it - it's expensive, slow and in the end might not be running anyway if the weather is bad.

It's good to know that we can forward our luggage between the 2 stations.

I don't think it happens very often that the route gets closed. And if it does, I bet you don't want to travel along the route on that day, anyway.

Most transportation runs underground. The only section exposed to bad weather, particularly strong winds, is the ropeway.

Hi,

It is worth every penny. The snow corridor is awesome. We felt since the whole alpine route transport is quite expensive, we wanted to spend more time on the snow mountains and chose to stay overnight at Mikurigaike Onsen at Murodo. The experience is fabulous.

As everyone is telling u, it seems quite unlikely that the route will be closed around end May.

Hi Cyc, i wl be going Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route early May, u think is advisable to bring winter jacket? how is the tempature like when u was there?

Hi,
It can get quite cold if it is snowing. Warm clothing is necessary. But there is no need to bring "down" winter jacket if u are there only for a day trip.

thanks for the adv, that is great that i dont hv to bring my winter clothing..