Trains - Osaka to Tokyo

[andimak]

Hello everyone,

I'm Steve from the UK, and I'm new here, but travelling to Japan next week.
Waiting for a call back from the travel agents on this one but could someone answer this one for me please??

I will need to travel Osaka to Tokyo via train and will have a rail pass, which excludes me from the Nozomi shinkansen.

Do the Hikari and Kodama trains arrive at the same station in Tokyo???

I think they do but I just want to be sure, as some friends are doing the same journey travelling on the Nozomi and I want to meet up with them in Tokyo.

Thanks in advance..

Steve

PS who else is going to the PunkSpring 08 festivals in Osaka and Tokyo??
I'll be there with Buzzcocks

 

[nice gaijin]

Yes, the shinkansen pretty much the same line between Osaka and Tokyo. There are two stations in Tokyo where the shinkansen makes a stop, so double check where your friends will be unloading. The stations can also be quite confusing, so you should also arrange a particular exit at which to meet, especially if you have no cell phone or other means of communicating with them.

 

[andimak]

Thanks for the reply - they will be arriving at Shinagawa so all I need to do is ensure that I get off there

We will have cell phones, and I know they will work on the Japanese networks.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[nice gaijin]

It's hard to miss a stop on the shinkansen, but if you do, Tokyo is one short stop past Shinagawa, and is the end of the line for the bullet train. The phones will help, if they do indeed work in Japan.

 

[andimak]

OK thanks for that - it is useful to know....

Do they make announcements in English on the trains or just in Japanese?
And how long do the trains stop for at the stations?

Sometimes in the UK they stop and then go almost immediately, and if you're not already by the door ready to push the button, you miss the stop

Steve

 

[nice gaijin]

It depends on the train... I think they do both English and Japanese on the Shinkansen and the Yamanote (or some other popular line in Tokyo). There are no buttons to press; they basically keep the doors open long enough for everyone to get on/off, which can be anywhere from 8 seconds to a full minute. They keep meticulous track of the time though, so the trains are almost always on time. In the city, you don't usually have to wait long for the next train.

 

[andimak]

Thanks again for the info - I am sure I'll pick up a route map so that I know where we are on the line

Very precise - 8 seconds to a full minute!!! Will have to be ready for that.
Oddly the trains in the UK seem to have got more reliable - at least the ones I use - and they normally leave EXACTLY on time - I always aim to be at the station early so that will work in Japan I think.

 

[nice gaijin]

I never bothered scheduling my arrival at the station, except when I had shiteisekiken (reserved seating) on the shinkansen. I'd just arrive at the station and wait for the next train; within the city, it's never a long wait (or you know something is wrong).

 

[andimak]

We'll probably do that as well - the only time critical journey is the one coming back from Osaka to Tokyo.
One group will be going on the Nozomi but as me and my friend will be using the rail pass we'll catch an earlier slower train so that we get to Tokyo at around the same time.

I am sure it will all come together and we'll have a great time.

 

[nice gaijin]

I don't think there's a terrible difference between the nozomi and the slower trains. It seems like you have all your ducks lined up, have a good time!

 

[andimak]

Domo arigato!

I picked up a couple of travel books so I should now be well equipped, what with the web research that I've done as well.
One of us will have a laptop as well so what more could we need

 

[bruno]

Train schedules

Google " hyperdia.com " !!

 

[andimak]

Cheers for that Bruno - already been looking at that as well.

Much more useful than the UK equivalent I am finding.....although I am probably not using all the features that I should be.
Guess what I am going to do over the weekend!!!