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JR Pass - HUGE PRICE INCREASE! Any advice?


teomingern
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On 2/12/2024 at 5:52 PM, Lala81 said:

After some thinking, think I will directly go to Kyoto from KIX.

I want to go arashimaya area, so traveling from osaka as a base, too far bah. 

Since the Haruka express from KIX just adds 30mins with no transfers required (bringing luggage around). Going Namba alone is 40mins.
Better to go kyoto direct then come back to osaka later on in the trip.

Although it's a bit sian to take a budget flight for 6hr + then take another 1h train ride. 

Depends on where you stay in Osaka... if you're very close to the station, it's quite manageable lor... 1 hour train ride is nothing...

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On 2/13/2024 at 12:07 PM, Lala81 said:

oh the Kansai thru pass don't work on JR. 

 

You're not travelling very far... I think the cost of the passes doesn't really work out... buying individual tickets seems like better... only issue is that you have to spend time to buy them at the machines... otherwise within a pass you just jump on the train... depends on whether you prefer less hassle and trade that for higher cost or save money and spend time to buy tickets...

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Hypersonic
(edited)
On 2/15/2024 at 5:31 PM, teomingern said:

You're not travelling very far... I think the cost of the passes doesn't really work out... buying individual tickets seems like better... only issue is that you have to spend time to buy them at the machines... otherwise within a pass you just jump on the train... depends on whether you prefer less hassle and trade that for higher cost or save money and spend time to buy tickets...

I have to calculate I guess. I'm definitely not the type to do 3-4 locations in one day type. I usually just plan one sorta activity per day and let everything else be secondary. 

Like even the city bus for Kyoto. 3a1c already means 800+ yen for bus ride. For some short distances I may just take a cab for a bit more. 

I'm already considering tt for some days like when I want go go from saga arashimaya to Kinkaku-ji 

Edited by Lala81
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On 2/15/2024 at 5:56 PM, Lala81 said:

I have to calculate I guess. I'm definitely not the type to do 3-4 locations in one day type. I usually just plan one sorta activity per day and let everything else be secondary. 

Like even the city bus for Kyoto. 3a1c already means 800+ yen for bus ride. For some short distances I may just take a cab for a bit more. 

I'm already considering tt for some days like when I want go go from saga arashimaya to Kinkaku-ji 

I think you'll still find the bus fare cheaper than taxi... not sure about the difference... the last time I hailed a cab from Hakata city (400m from Hakata Station) to Fukuoka Airport it cost me 1600 yen... 2A2C + 2 luggage + 2 strollers...

Edited by teomingern
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Hypersonic
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On 2/15/2024 at 8:20 PM, teomingern said:

I think you'll still find the bus fare cheaper than taxi... not sure about the difference... the last time I hailed a cab from Hakata city (400m from Hakata Station) to Fukuoka Airport it cost me 1600 yen... 2A2C + 2 luggage + 2 strollers...

See how bah. Not really that bothered about these transport fees since I'm not going to be taking multiple shinkansen or long taxi rides. 

Edited by Lala81
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On 2/15/2024 at 8:32 PM, Lala81 said:

See how bah. Not really that bothered about these transport fees since I'm not going to be taking multiple shinkansen or long taxi rides. 

Easy to do a back of envelope calculation... can download the app and check out taxi prices... I think available also as estimates on Google Maps...

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Turbocharged

im thinking of renting a car for 14 days. would the cost be similar to that of the JR pass?

considering enter Fukuoka and exit Tokyo. Likely return car upon enter Tokyo and carless for 3-4days there. so max 10days car rental?

any car rental company to recommend? for 4 pax? week 2 of Dec arrive.

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On 2/16/2024 at 2:27 PM, Wildfaye29 said:

im thinking of renting a car for 14 days. would the cost be similar to that of the JR pass?

considering enter Fukuoka and exit Tokyo. Likely return car upon enter Tokyo and carless for 3-4days there. so max 10days car rental?

any car rental company to recommend? for 4 pax? week 2 of Dec arrive.

JR Pass for 14 days is now 80,000 yen or S$746 (from Changi Recommends)... that's for an adult (> 11 years old). Child prices (6-11 years old) is half price of adult's.

So 4 pax adults = $2984.

Car rental, if you're happy with a standard sized car like a Corolla from Nippon-Rent-A-Car works out to 11,770 yen per day before factoring in the cost of insurance, collision damage waiver, ETC rental (to pay highway toll charges), petrol. 10 days = 117,700 yen. That's about S$1070 based on exchange rate of 110 yen = S$1... 

So likely car rental is cheaper... but if you intend to rent from Fukuoka and leave the car in Tokyo then there's a really expensive levy to pay for that...

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Turbocharged
On 2/15/2024 at 5:31 PM, teomingern said:

You're not travelling very far... I think the cost of the passes doesn't really work out... buying individual tickets seems like better... only issue is that you have to spend time to buy them at the machines... otherwise within a pass you just jump on the train... depends on whether you prefer less hassle and trade that for higher cost or save money and spend time to buy tickets...

With ic card, u don’t need to buy a machine often either. My Chinese new year trip to Tokyo I lived with ic card for everything, even trips to Narita airport. 
u do need to get the half priced ic card for kids at the station which we did last year in September. 

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5th Gear
(edited)
On 2/16/2024 at 4:18 PM, teomingern said:

JR Pass for 14 days is now 80,000 yen or S$746 (from Changi Recommends)... that's for an adult (> 11 years old). Child prices (6-11 years old) is half price of adult's.

So 4 pax adults = $2984.

Car rental, if you're happy with a standard sized car like a Corolla from Nippon-Rent-A-Car works out to 11,770 yen per day before factoring in the cost of insurance, collision damage waiver, ETC rental (to pay highway toll charges), petrol. 10 days = 117,700 yen. That's about S$1070 based on exchange rate of 110 yen = S$1... 

So likely car rental is cheaper... but if you intend to rent from Fukuoka and leave the car in Tokyo then there's a really expensive levy to pay for that...

For 4 pax, a standard size car no enough space for luggage. Often overlooked, especially in winter with extra luggage. Need mpv, wagon or suv.

Edited by Alfc
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On 2/17/2024 at 5:01 AM, Wind30 said:

With ic card, u don’t need to buy a machine often either. My Chinese new year trip to Tokyo I lived with ic card for everything, even trips to Narita airport. 
u do need to get the half priced ic card for kids at the station which we did last year in September. 

Yeah IC card works especially if you're just doing trips within the area... but for shinkansen rides, you might have to top up given the much higher ticket prices...

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On 2/17/2024 at 8:05 AM, Alfc said:

For 4 pax, a standard size car no enough space for luggage. Often overlooked, especially in winter with extra luggage. Need mpv, wagon or suv.

I suppose depends on whether it's 4 separate persons or 2 couples and also how much you want to pack along... it's only 2 weeks, actually 1 large suitcase for a couple is enough... but I notice most people need at least 1 large suitcase per person - don't know why need so much stuff... in which case, a wagon or SUV would be necessary...

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Hypersonic

I have IC cards from my 2018 trip. But think my girl should be adult liao. Since she's 12 this year. 

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5th Gear
(edited)
On 2/17/2024 at 9:28 AM, teomingern said:

I suppose depends on whether it's 4 separate persons or 2 couples and also how much you want to pack along... it's only 2 weeks, actually 1 large suitcase for a couple is enough... but I notice most people need at least 1 large suitcase per person - don't know why need so much stuff... in which case, a wagon or SUV would be necessary...

Even for 2 large suitacase in winter time for 2 couples (4 pax), can a corolla fit 2 large suitcase in the boot? No shopping or cabin luggage? I am not sure

Edited by Alfc
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On 2/17/2024 at 12:19 PM, Alfc said:

Even for 2 large suitacase in winter time for 2 couples (4 pax), can a corolla fit 2 large suitcase in the boot? No shopping or cabin luggage? I am not sure

Better get wagon type. Even Prius is enough only for 3 pax with 3 large bags. Had to lower 2/3 of the back seats for the bags. 

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On 2/17/2024 at 11:19 AM, Alfc said:

Even for 2 large suitacase in winter time for 2 couples (4 pax), can a corolla fit 2 large suitcase in the boot? No shopping or cabin luggage? I am not sure

Japanese Corolla is shorter than Altis.  Unlike to fit.

Better get Corolla Touring

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On 2/17/2024 at 11:19 AM, Alfc said:

Even for 2 large suitacase in winter time for 2 couples (4 pax), can a corolla fit 2 large suitcase in the boot? No shopping or cabin luggage? I am not sure

Not sure... I use 28" luggage... stack on the flat side? Not sure... if have to upgrade to a wagon or family sized sedan means more expensive rental but likely still cheaper than JR Passes... but the savings not so big... but I prefer a car cos flexible...

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On 2/17/2024 at 12:49 PM, inlinesix said:

Japanese Corolla is shorter than Altis.  Unlike to fit.

Better get Corolla Touring

Oh? I didn't know that... you mean the Altis is only for our area ah? Thought it's universal model...

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