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Expensive Cab?

SINOARTHUR

後輩
6 Apr 2003
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I may go to Japan at the end of this year, is it really expensive to stay in a motel or something?

my friends told me that, it takes 20,000 yen from airport to central by taxi in Tokyo, is it reliable?


Arigatou
 
yeah cabs in tokyo are pretty high-dollar. your much better off taking a train or bus out of the airport.
 
Yes, that's why almost nobody takes a cab to/from the airport. Take a bus or train. I think a bus is around Y3000.

A cheap motel will cost around Y6000 to Y10,000.
 
I ended taking two very expensive cab rides in and around Sapporo, one from Chitose airport back to my apartment after a delayed arrival (taking the last flight no less) and the other time being after a night of excessive partying with three co-workers. On both occasions I had missed the last train (11pm or so?) and had to take a cab which ended up costing me something like 15,000 yen each time (125 bucks or so at the time). Both drivers were very courteous and conversational so I ended up tipping them (call it an American habit 8-p) despite their protests.
:)
 
so your prolly looking at paying $140-$275 aussie dollars for a cab ride versus about $40 for a bus. im thinking the trains would be cheaper than that, especially if you get a JR railpass before you leave. i think you have to get a 5 pack or something but still very worth it and might be able to sell some of them to get some money back...
 
Originally posted by Iron Chef
I ended taking two very expensive cab rides in and around Sapporo, one from Chitose airport back to my apartment after a delayed arrival (taking the last flight no less) and the other time being after a night of excessive partying with three co-workers. On both occasions I had missed the last train (11pm or so?) and had to take a cab which ended up costing me something like 15,000 yen each time (125 bucks or so at the time). Both drivers were very courteous and conversational so I ended up tipping them (call it an American habit 8-p) despite their protests.
:)

How much miles was this 15000 yen ride? o_o
 
Heh, the trip from Chitose back to my apartment took almost an hour so I can't really estimate (50+?) but the other trip was just driving all around Sapporo proper to drop my three fellow co-workers off at their homes respectively with me taking the last stop (not to mention picking up the fare, heh).
:)
 
The minimum taxi fare in Tokyo is about 600yen (for 1 or 2km ?)

The cheapest way to go from/to Narita airport from/to Tokyo is the train. Take the Keisei-line and change to any of the numerous lines on the way to Tokyo, depending on where you are going. Don't use the Skyliner, which is a tourist trap. It cost 3000yen instead of 1000yen and takes only 15min less on the normal 1h15 journey. To find the cheapest or quickest route, try sites like Ekitan (only in Japanese, unfortunately, but you can input station/city names in romaji, except for metro, I think). Just introduce the name of your starting and arrival points, choose if you want the cheapest or quickest way or the fewer changes, click and that's it! Works between any stations (train, underground; private, public...) in Japan.

Of course, it's all on my site about Japan (cheapest flights too)
 
Hiya!

One thing I don't see mentioned here is the JR Railpass. If you are coming here as a temporary visitor, and planning on exploring the country a lot, this is invaluable. I bought one the first time I visited Japan, and it was sooo great! It's a pass, good for one, two, or three weeks, which allows you unlimited use all JR trains, ferries, and buses. It is good on all shinkansen except the Nozomi, and it is good on the Narita Express (which is a very comfy ride between Narita and Shinjuku)! It even gets you reserved seats on shinkansen and other long-distance trains. The 3-week one runs about 54,000 yen or so, which sounds like a lot, until you consider that one shinkansen trip between Tokyo and Kyoto would ordinarily run you more than half of that, roundtrip. Add to that the cost of buzzing around Tokyo and outlying areas, and you easily recoup the cost. It is not good on subways in Tokyo, but it is great for everything else. Plus, you don't even have to stand in line and buy tickets (except when you want/need a reservation)... all you do is flash the pass at the attendant, and waltz right past the gate. Too cool.

You must purchase the pass from outside of Japan, such as through a travel agent, and then it will be activated once you arrive here with a temp visitor stamp in your passport. You can actually activate it whenever you want once you get here, and the clock starts ticking then.

Anyway, with the rail pass in hand, transit to/from Narita/Tokyo is a no-brainer... Narita Express all the way. :) Again, if it seems expensive, consider that exploring this country by train is quite expensive, and the rail pass can end up saving you A LOT of money. I probably used $1000 worth of trains with my $500 pass... But, if you plan on sticking around Tokyo only, then it is probably not worth it to you.

Hope this helps! You can get more info by doing a search for "JR rail pass" or "Japan Railpass" online, from a travel agent, or from the JR website. I think it's something like


-Joel
 
Yeah. The only problem is the cost of the JR pass. It's only interesting if one travels almost every day long distance. So if you have a week and want to see Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kumamoto then Aomori and Sapporo, that's interesting. If you've never been to Japan before, chances are you'll at least a few days (or all your stay) in Tokyo and around (including yokohama, Kamakura, Mt Fuji and Nikko). In this case, the JR pass is completely useless - especially that you can't use it for the underground/subway or any of the private lines (Seibu, Tobu, Tokyu, etc) that will lead you to Nikko and other places.
 
Yeah, but keep in mind, just a couple of trips on shinkansen, and you've beat the cost. I spent 3 weeks in Japan that first time, spent most of the first week in Kawagoe and spent the last week in Tokyo exclusively, yet my pass was a total lifesaver. But you're right.... if you don't plan on wandering around outside ot Tokyo too much, maybe the pass isn't the right thing for you. It all depends on what you're gonna do.
 
Or, you could just take a normal ticket from Narita to Tokyo, stay a few days or the time you want in Tokyo, then use the pass once you start travelling outside of the Kanto, so as to save precious days on it.
 
Yea I never used the suggested rail-pass, it's like what, 1100yen from the airport to nishi-nippori and then it's really cheap to get to anywhere else? whats the point of paper-work or even savin' money, like I tell everyone when you travel you shouldn't have to worry or even think about what your spending, it's a celebration in a sense, a treat to yourself and in no way shape or form should you go "half-*ss" or not treat you and your peeps to the best of treats, ya kno?

Josh

Ghettocities Clothing
Videos, Photos, Videos, Girls, like beer and stuff in J apan...
 
if you're staying just in Tokyo area or surrounding prefectures, get a Suica. It will be very convenient for you.

Sorry if picture is bad. I took it with my webcam.



Tiger
 
I didn't use those, it's easier to just use yen, you don't need to keep pumpin' money into it, that takes just as long as puttin' money in the vendors, but yea, whoever asked, just learn how to get out of Chiba and/or Narita Airport and you'll be perfectly fine, the best advice is to learn by yourself, I'm sure we all did that a little bit.

Josh
 
Suica is a lot faster than putting yen into machines. That's why they made it! Otherwise it would have no use. I think you are not making sense.

Tiger
 
whats the point of paper-work or even savin' money, like I tell everyone when you travel you shouldn't have to worry or even think about what your spending, it's a celebration in a sense, a treat to yourself and in no way shape or form should you go "half-*ss" or not treat you and your peeps to the best of treats, ya kno?

The more you save the more "treats" you can afford. Besides the rail pass makes life a lot easier because you don't have to buy tickets each and every trip. I probably wouldn't get the pass if I wasn't planning to take any shinkansen rides, though.

Re: taxi rides
I once took a taxi from Shinjuku to Narita because the trains were shut down. The cost was Y24,000. There were three of us so it was Y8,000 a person, only 2.5 times the price of the NEX.
 
I wouldn't be too awestruck. I think he just hasn't figured out how to use the pre-paid card machines so he may as well pretend it's easier and cool to use cash.

Once one has to buy tickets to get on a train after a big event like a baseball game or fireworks they quickly realize how nice it is to have a metrocard in their pocket.
 
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