Hi Wisdom of the Crowd,
Please advise what could be the best combination of passes (i.e. local passes / regional passes) needed for this itinerary? We will be traveling to Kansai & Tokyo using public transport.
Trip includes:
Day 1 - > Arriving KIX => travel to Osaka => Exploring Osaka
Day 2 - > Osaka => Nara => Osaka
Day 3 - > Osaka (USJ)
Day 4 - > Osaka => Kyoto
Day 5 + 6 -> Kyoto
Day 7 - > Kyoto - Tokyo
Day 8 + 9 - > Tokyo
Kindly assist.
Thanks in advance.
Comments
It's actually pretty hard to make a Kansai area pass pay off. And I presume you are not returning back to Osaka from Tokyo, right? If so, the JR Pass won't help you.
I suggest you browse
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_kansai.html
and pick what best suits you.
Best wishes.
Thanks for your prompt reply. Yup, we are on a one direction trip from Osaka -> Kyoto -> Tokyo.
Do you recommend any local area pass such as
1) Yokoso! Osaka Ticket (Osaka)
2) Osaka Amazing Pass (Osaka)
3) Kansai Thru Pass (Kansai Region)
4) Tokyo ( Tokyo Subway Ticket (24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour)) ?
5) Others ( ___ ? )
Many thanks in advance
All the tickets you mention can be quite useful but it depends on where you are going, how far, etc.
The Yokoso Osaka Ticket as far as I know is sold until Mar 31, afterwards I don't know - they may extend it or not. The Osaka Amazing Pass makes sense if you plan to go to some of the places it gives admission to. It would be very hard to only use it for the subways alone.
The Kansai Thru Pass or JR's Kansai Area Pass makes sense if you are going long distance, like to Himeji.
Another possibility is the Icoca & Haruka discount ticket.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_icoca_haruka.html
You get a discount on the Haruka train, and then you can use the IC card as you like (in Tokyo also if you want).
If you are going all over Tokyo for 48 or 72 hours, I highly recommend the subways passes for those however.
http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/ticket/value/travel/index.html#anc03
10 april arrive narita airport travel to Urayasu
11 april Urayasu - Osaka
13 april Osaka - Hiroshima
14 april hiroshima - kyoto
16 april kyoto - urayasu
16 - 23 april stay with my daughter in Urayasu and then fly out Narita on 23rd
My daughter resides in urayasu, and we are going to go to disney land and disney sea a couple of days, then Hakone, and around tokyo. Would you say I benefit more with 7 day pass due to my extended travel and then use an area pass.
Yes, you'd get much more value using a 7 day JR Pass, since you complete your long distance travel within 7 days.
If you are going to Hakone, then a Hakone Free Pass would also be a good choice.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html
The Loop Course is a common way to see all the sights and takes a full day.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html
You can find regular rail fares, routes and schedules on Hyperdia.
http://www.hyperdia.com
Under "More Options", be sure to uncheck the Nozomi box since you can't ride that train using the pass.
You can see previews of some of the best places to see in Japan on:
https://www.youtube.com/user/thejapanfaq/videos
There are also loads of other tips on
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/the-best-japan-travel-tips/
Best regards.