plambers

Leaving in under 2 months so getting super excited. Just saw that bus from Tokyo-Takayama takes a little under 5 hours and costs 6500 yen where train takes a little over 4 hours and costs 14,500 yen. Is the bus that bad? One leaves at 7:05 am so would get us to Takayama around noon which is perfect.

Also, do buses have restrooms ? Where is bus station in Tokyo?

mrwunrfl

Almost certain that bus originates at Shinjuku Bus Center which is across the street from Shinjuku Station. Check for details at bus company website, but bus should have a toilet and will make some rest stops. Am pretty sure they have a bus pass. The ride won't be nearly as comfy as the train trip.

An alternative is to take JR to Matsumoto and then a bus to Takayama.

You could stop at Kamikochi along the way. Or make a quick visit to Matsumoto castle.

>> Is the bus that bad
Call it tolerable. Would be barely sufferfable for me if I had to share a seat (because long legs and broad shoulders). IDK how likely it would be necessary to share.

plambers

thinking it will not be very comfy for such a long ride. thanks for confirming.

mrwunrfl

fare 6500 weekdays or 7500 weekends. so maybe empty seats on weekdays
maybe only stop at hirayu
Takayama-Tokyo (Shinjuku) Line | 濃飛バス公式サイト (nouhibus.co.jp)

Map:
map_shinjuku_en.gif (630×450) (nouhibus.co.jp)

HappyTrvlr

Japanese trains are wonderful!

plambers

I am sure they are. Getting to Takayama now is expensive but we will take the train.

mrwunrfl

Ok, two routes. One is via Toyama and the other is via Nagoya. You could choose the route depending on where you go after Takayama to avoid backtracking and ride the length of gthe Takayama Line. If Kyoto is next then you could go to Takayama via Toyama. The route to Kyotgo goes via Nagoya (or Gifu-ken) If you would take the train from Takayama to Kanazawa (travel via Toyama) then you could get to Takayama via Nagoya.

plambers

Hi. I know there are 2 routes. I will take the one with the best timing and price i think. Yes we go to Kyoto after Takayama. Good memory!! Thanks as always

mrwunrfl

07:20 Tokyo
09:25
09:54 Toyama
11:25 Takayama
Time required:4:05 Price:16,320
That is 240 yen less than via Nagoya. Travel time is about the same in either route but a bit quicker via Toyama. Weather permitting there would be a nice view of Fuji-san on the way to Nagoya, though.

plambers

oh I was on Navitime and did not see this. wonder why. 4 hours is perfect. thanks-what site do you use to find this?

plambers

found it. it says 15, 590 on navitime. 7:20 departure and 11:05 arrival. 30 minutes at toyama so no problem not making train. should i buy this now or will price go up?

mrwunrfl

West Japan Railway Company - Timetables, Route Maps, and Station Maps (westjr.co.jp)

be sure to adjust the time

Same result using navitime
How to Get From Tokyo to Takayama | Japan Travel by NAVITIME - Japan Travel Guides, Transit Search and Itinerary Planner

mrwunrfl

The prices are set. If you are going for the Takayama festival in May then, yes, buy now.

I see that the JR West site gives Price:16,120 for May 16. The 16,320 price I gave before was for tomorrow. The 200 yen difference might just be a seasonal thing.

The 15,590 price does not include a reserved seat between Toyama and Takayama. That would cost 530 yen.

Go ahead and find that trip on the JR West site. On the right side, click on the Reserved seat option for the shinkansen. Gran Clas, Green car, Reserved. So no non-reserved seating on that train.

See the Reserved seat option 1730 for the Hida L'ex. Choose the Non-reserved option ans see 1200.

The 1200 is the limited express surcharge. The 530 difference is the actual cost of the seat reservation. Probably don't need a seat res on that train (unless you are going to the festival).

Learn more about JR fares by searching for Toyama to Takayama and see
Basic fare
ticket
1,690 YEN

That would be the cost of the trip on a JR local train. Add the 1200 limited express surcharge and the 530 seat reservation fee to get to Price: 3,420

plambers

question-if i buy directly from the jr site, do they send me a qr code that i can use for the ticket? we are now so short on time so i'd like to buy in advance. for a 7:20 train, and staying at Sawanoya, what time would we have to leave hotel to arrive at station? how far in advance do we get to station?

for some reason this does not show on navitime.

are you sure i wont need a reserved seat on the second leg?

mrwunrfl

>> are now so short on time
What do you mean?

>> question-if
the site should explain that

>> staying at Sawanoya
That would be 10 min drive to Ueno Station or 17 min to Tokyo Station. You can depart from either station on shinkansen, Hokuriku Line from Ueno or Tokaido Line from Tokyo. That 7:20 shinkansen from Tokyo is on Hokuriku Line but maybe doesn't stop at Ueno. Access info for you:
Access TOKYO RYOKAN UENO JAPANESE INN SAWANOYA RYOKAN

mrwunrfl

>> for some reason this does not show on navitime.
It shows on their website. Are you using a rail pass?

>> are you sure i wont need a reserved seat on the second leg?
No, am not sure. I said "probably".

What is the time constraint that makes you say you are short on time?

I got those drive times to the stations from google.IDK what to tell you as far as when to leave. Figure a half-hour taxi ride to the station and 50 min to get to the platform, so leave the ryokan at 6 AM for that 7:20 train and you will have plenty of time. IF that train is the one you actually want.

plambers

so sorry. we were to fly to japan today. our flight was delayed to dallas and we would miss our connection. we are now flying out sunday bc no business class flights til then. so we arrive at haneda at 4, go to sawanoya, and then leave sawanoya at 5 am to go go takayama.

trying to figure out buying tickets online or at haneda when we arrive and if we need a reserved seat on second leg of train on the hida express. or could i just buy online? was hoping you would respond bc our situation really stinks now.

mrwunrfl

bummer about the delay

>> then leave sawanoya at 5 am to go go takayama
why 5 am?

You arrive HND at 4 PM?

Jusr go to the JR Travel Service Center at Haneda Airport when you arrive. Tell them what you want.

What is it that you want?
(am asking what will you tell them)

mrwunrfl

Do you have to be in Takayama by a particular time?

You mentioned on other thread that you saw that there was some issue on the Takayama Line with a "Hida" train. Is that between Nagoya and Takayama, or between Toyama and Takayama, or both?

Understand that you can go:
Tokyo-Toyama-Takayama
Tokyo-Nagoya-Takayama
Ueno-Toyama-Takayama
Ueno-Tokyo-Nagoya-Takayama

You tell them that you want to travel from Ueno to Takayama departing at about 7AM on the 21st.
Or tell them the arrival time you want if that is what is important to you.

plambers

yes we arrive at haneda at 4 pm. won't get to Sawanoya til 6 the earliest.

I'd like to get to takayama around noon to we can go to Hida folk village and crafts experience that afternoon.
the next day I will see Takayama in morning and we have 1 - 4 e bike trip in HIda Furukawa
Next day is Kamikochi
Departure day we will walk Higashiyama trail.

Very much looking forward to our time here. We are also staying in a ryokan with onsen for 2 nights here.