Kansai WIDE pass question

[melvados]

Hi all, firstly I apologize for this noob question I am going to ask as I am trying to get my head around the pass.

While I am doing my route planning, trying to see if it is worthwhile to get the Kansai WIDE area pass or ICOCA card, with the help of Google map (from station to station), I seem to have got myself confused by the lines and the condition of the pass.

For eg. Shin-Osaka > Kyoto, I got 2 results.
1. Shin-Osaka > Kyoto [42 mins, JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line]
2. Shin-Osaka > Kyoto [13 mins, Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen]

If I am getting the ICOCA card, I should be looking at #1 right (going by the cheapest cost)?

But if I am going to get the Kansai WIDE pass, as mentioned in its pass, one of the validity condition states that it can be used on "Non-reserved seats on Bullet Train "SANYO SHINKANSEN", but cannot be used on "Bullet Train - Tokaido, Sanyo Shinkansen"

So for the above 2 results that I got from Google, does #2 applies for the pass? While it states "Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen", the naming of it makes me confused as to whether is it is part of the cannot-be-used category - Tokaido/Sanyo Bullet Train.

 

[evilerniex]

here are the results for the normal trains between shin-osaka and kyoto:
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/s...h_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7

shinkansen between shin-osaka and kyoto is not covered by the pass. and there shldnt be a need to take shinkansen coz normal trains are so frequent and the travel time is only a bit more.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_08.html

where are the places u are planning to go? kansai wide pass is meant for travelling longer distance, such as to shirahama, amanohashidate, and okayama. if not, u can consider kansai area pass, or just go with ICOCA

 

[melvados]

here are the results for the normal trains between shin-osaka and kyoto:
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/s...h_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7

shinkansen between shin-osaka and kyoto is not covered by the pass. and there shldnt be a need to take shinkansen coz normal trains are so frequent and the travel time is only a bit more.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_08.html

where are the places u are planning to go? kansai wide pass is meant for travelling longer distance, such as to shirahama, amanohashidate, and okayama. if not, u can consider kansai area pass, or just go with ICOCA

The furthest I am planning to go will most probably be Himeji/ Minoo.
But as I am still in the midst of planning my itinerary, if the schedule is tight, Minoo will the place I am going, and getting an ICOCA card seems to be more practical.

If I am still planning to go to Himeji, getting Kansai Wide Pass seems practical, no?

Am trying to get my head around with these rail passes as it is confusing (at least for me)

 

[Ruriel]

The furthest I am planning to go will most probably be Himeji/ Minoo.
But as I am still in the midst of planning my itinerary, if the schedule is tight, Minoo will the place I am going, and getting an ICOCA card seems to be more practical.

If I am still planning to go to Himeji, getting Kansai Wide Pass seems practical, no?

Am trying to get my head around with these rail passes as it is confusing (at least for me)

Settle on your itinerary first before looking at regional rail pass options.

No point deciding on rail pass options first then squeeze your itinerary around it and rushing to and fro just to make sure the pass is worth it. It will be difficult to plan the itinerary like this. Instead, decide where you want to go, make sure there's enough time to enjoy the places that you have on your list, before checking out which pass is more suitable.

Rail passes are supposed to help you save money if the places you going are included in it (although sometimes after calculations icoca may still be cheaper as you are likely not covering ALL the places that the pass covers), but they are not there to limit your itinerary. So don't limit your own trip by planning around rail passes.

 

[evilerniex]

I agree with Ruriel. Settle the places u are going first.

But if it is just to himeji, JR Kansai area pass would suffice

 

[melvados]

Hi all,

The following is my planned itinerary. While it is a 7 days itinerary, it may be stretch to 8 days if need be. Reason I did not add in Nara/ Kyoto is that I have been there once and am not that keen to revisit them.

(Hotel for Day01 and Day02 will be the same)
Day01 [Saturday, Nov. 10th]

• Arriving at KIX
• Going to hotel by Limousine, drop at Hotel New Hankyu stop
• Hotel check-in - Toyoko Inn Osaka Umeda Higashi (Probably reached by 3pm+)
• Explore around, not sure what other things/ places to visit in the short time frame...

Day02
[Setting off from Osaka > Hikone, train journey may takes about 120 mintues]

• Hikone castle
• Lake Biwa
• Back to Hotel

(Hotel for Day03 and Day04 will be the same)
Day03

• Send luggage for forwarding so that it arrives at hotel on Day06

[Setting off from Osaka > Shin-Kobe (around 930am)]

• Nunobiki Falls and Nunobiki Herb Garden
• Lunch at Ishida Kobe Beef Steak (need to do online reservation)

[Shin-Kobe > Nishi-Akashi]

• Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

[Nishi-Akashi > Kobe]

• Hotel check in - Toyoko Inn JR Kobe-eki Kita-guchi
• Nankinmachi
• *Kobe Port Tower at night? (or to be move to Day04)

Day04
[Setting off from Kobe > Himeji]

• Himeji Castle + Koko-En Garden
• *Kobe Port Tower at night (if unable to make it on Day03)
• Back to Hotel @ Kobe

Day05
[Setting off from Kobe > Minoo, train journey will takes about 60 mintues]

• Mino Falls
• Instant Ramen Museum

[Setting off from> Ikeda]

• Ryokan check-in - Fushioukaku Ryokan Onsen (walk or call to take shuttle bus)

Day06
[Setting off from Ikeda > Osaka, train journey will takes about 40 minutes]

• Osaka Museum of History
• Dotonbori
• Midosuji Avenue
• Denden Town
• Hotel Check-in + making sure that luggage arrives

Day07
[Setting off from Osaka > Kyoto]

• Gion* (TBC)

[Setting off from Osaka > Osakako]

• Ferris Wheel
• Stay for night view etc
• Back to Hotel

Based on the above, I suppose a Kansai WIDE Area pass is better suited here?
Appreciate for any feedback on above itinerary.

 

[evilerniex]

kansai area pass is enuf to cover the places u are going:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_03.html

i dun think there is any places in ur itinerary that requires the WIDE area pass

any reason for switching hotels and forwarding the luggage? from the look of it, u can actually just base urself in osaka throughout.
and luggage forwarding is usually overnight, so i dun think u can just send out on day 5 morning for it to reach ur hotel on day 6.