Hokkaido

[RooFlyer]

Cash can get you out of a lot of trouble when you are there.

Oh, yes! Have loaded my Wise card up and I'll probably take a couple of hundred $ worth of yen with me. If not used, can pay for last accommodation etc.

 

[trendwhore]

Oh, yes! Have loaded my Wise card up and I'll probably take a couple of hundred $ worth of yen with me. If not used, can pay for last accommodation etc.

Worst case ATM exchange rate is all good, even better if you have a card with no international fees

 

[RooFlyer]

Worst case ATM exchange rate is all good, even better if you have a card with no international fees

Taking trusty 28 Degrees (Latitude) card; plus my regular NAB card has said they no longer charge international fees (but an unattractive FX likely).

 

[rbjhan]

Taking trusty 28 Degrees (Latitude) card; plus my regular NAB card has said they no longer charge international fees (but an unattractive FX likely).

I've been using CitiPlus for so long, now that they are gone I'm a bit lost
Will probably take my Bankwest debit card , and Macquarie.

 

[elanshin]

Just becareful when you read the prompt on the atms. A few have now decided to ask if you want to withdraw using yen or your own currency (AUD) and if you select AUD will hit you with a coughpy exchange rate.

 

[RooFlyer]

Just becareful when you read the prompt on the atms. A few have now decided to ask if you want to withdraw using yen or your own currency (AUD) and if you select AUD will hit you with a coughpy exchange rate.

Just like the credit card scam. I trust there is usually an 'English' option up-front?

 

[Cynicor]

I've been using CitiPlus for so long, now that they are gone I'm a bit lost
Will probably take my Bankwest debit card , and Macquarie.

Why wouldn’t you just use the nab that replaces Citi???

 

[elanshin]

Just like the credit card scam. I trust there is usually an 'English' option up-front?

Yes they should have English options. Many will actually Auto default to English due to the card.

 

[rbjhan]

Why wouldn’t you just use the nab that replaces Citi???

Bad experience with NAB, years ago, but I'm not touching them ever again.

 

[RooFlyer]

Why wouldn’t you just use the nab that replaces Citi???

In my case they've issued it with a separate NAB ID from my credit card, so I have to set up a separate profile, login etc. Not gunna do that. They said they will get around to "merging the databases" sometime. Until then, my Citi and Wise cards will do just fine.

 

[Pushka]

In my case they've issued it with a separate NAB ID from my credit card, so I have to set up a separate profile, login etc. Not gunna do that. They said they will get around to "merging the databases" sometime. Until then, my Citi and Wise cards will do just fine.

Mine appeared in my usual profile. I just want it to disappear.

 

[Matt_01]

@RooFlyer I have read through the last couple of pages and think most of your questions have been answered however this was my experience from a couple of weeks ago. I ditched the idea of the online suica and reverted to my physical one, Mrs&MissM had forgotten their pasmo card and within 24 hours they had new icoca cards. They all do the same thing just issued by the different JR companies. As they can all be used on the JR lines and metro I would just load them up at ¥1000 and let them run down. If the IC cards get below either ¥240 or ¥280 the gates will auto close and you will have to use the recharge facilities. Japan used to be a very cash based but CC seem to be more widely accepted, the IC cards are essentially debit cards and a few days before we left Japan I became interested in the balances as I did not want to leave with high balances on the cards so just used them at the 7/11, family mart etc. Across our 3 cards the remaining balance was around ¥48 which will still be there when we go back.
This was the first time we have not travelled with JR passes and as for the Shinkansen I did what @elanshin does and buy tickets separately. The ticketing machines are quite smart and can issue tickets from point A to B/C/D etc. but then you have to work out which is your train ticket, the reserved seat ticket, the next train etc. all tickets get issued separately. Also when on the Shinkansen you will get asked if you are travelling with bags over 160cm for all our trips I just hit the no option. I had worked out very quickly that if you tick the yes option the computer seems to work out if there is available space in the lockable baggage area in the vestibule and if there is none it won't let you book. As long as you book on into a selected seat car you are allowed to store you luggage behind the last row of seats but just be mindful of PAX and their want/need to recline their seat. You can also do this in the non reserved cars but there is a greater chance of space not been available. The Japanese do not tend to travel with luggage on trains so there is always heaps of space.

 

[rbjhan]

As long as you book on into a selected seat car you are allowed to store you luggage behind the last row of seats

Just be careful, technically this is not allowed. That space is only for people who booked last row seats.
Some conductors do not care, others will enforce the rules and ask you to move them - they can see on the tablet if it's been booked, obviously.

See FAQ below

Reservations for Seats with an Oversized Baggage Area

From May 2020, passengers are required to reserve a seat with oversized baggage area when bringing baggage with overall dimensions of more than 160 cm/62 inches onto the Tokaido Shinkansen. This size is roughly the same as that for which an oversized baggage fee is charged on international flights.

global.jr-central.co.jp

 

[Matt_01]

Just be careful, technically this is not allowed. That space is only for people who booked last row seats.
Some conductors do not care, others will enforce the rules and ask you to move them - they can see on the tablet if it's been booked, obviously.

See FAQ below

Reservations for Seats with an Oversized Baggage Area

From May 2020, passengers are required to reserve a seat with oversized baggage area when bringing baggage with overall dimensions of more than 160 cm/62 inches onto the Tokaido Shinkansen. This size is roughly the same as that for which an oversized baggage fee is charged on international flights.

global.jr-central.co.jp

I will not disagree with you, but it can be difficult to explain the rules of travel in Japan to those who may not be familiar with the 'general' rules or have not been there. I should have been more concise and said 'normally allowed but not always...'. I always get up up from my seat and head to the back of the car or wherever Mrs&MissM luggage is, as the train pulls into a station and if needed I will move it. I have stayed in the vestibules to stop the rolly bags bags from moving around.

 

[rbjhan]

I will not disagree with you, but it can be difficult to explain the rules of travel in Japan to those who may not be familiar with the 'general' rules or have not been there. I should have been more concise and said 'normally allowed but not always...'. I always get up up from my seat and head to the back of the car or wherever Mrs&MissM luggage is, as the train pulls into a station and if needed I will move it. I have stayed in the vestibules to stop the rolly bags bags from moving around.

What I was trying to say is, sure you can get away with it, but if, someone else book the space, or a conductor decides to be strict on a particular day, it might lead to some unhappy encounters if people are not aware that in fact, they are breaking the rules.

 

[Cynicor]

All this about luggage on the shink is only for the Tokaido shink. The other lines don’t mind

 

[fly2earth]

Just becareful when you read the prompt on the atms. A few have now decided to ask if you want to withdraw using yen or your own currency (AUD) and if you select AUD will hit you with a coughpy exchange rate.

And I always pick the wrong one even though my intentions are correct. What are the chancces

Post automatically merged: May 6, 2024

Wanting to fly to Sapporo because the reward booking using points is the same for a longer distance hence more "worth it" but then afraid I might have made a wrong choice if I were to be stuck in a less desirable location than say Tokyo/Osaka hence wasting my time and money.
Like flying to Christchurch because it is the same price but stuck at the airport because nothing to do and regret that you did not choose Auckland. Never been to CHC but feel I might get bored of it after a day

 

[RooFlyer]

I've got the shinkansen app that elanshin posted but it always fails when trying to authorise my credit card (several types), I'll call Latitude on Monday to see if they are blocking the trial amounts that the card uses to authorise, but otherwise I won't worry too much as I'm only taking a few shinkansen journies.

This is a common problem in Japan (and on Japanese apps) with foreign issued credit cards. I have not ever had my UBank or Macquarie Bank debit cards rejected. Cash can get you out of a lot of trouble when you are there.

Talking about the smartEX shinkansen app.

It rejected both my NAB card and 28 degree Latitude card. I called NAB and asked if a merchant/app attempting to make small deposits on my card (to authorise) would get a rejection. Answer was no - many apps do that. I tried again while the guy was on the line - rejected. BUT the NAB guy couldn't see any activity/attempt! I did it again, being triple careful with the input details and same - the NAB guy could see no attempted activity on my card. Weird. (I also called Latitude/28 degrees card but their call centre was clueless, as expected.)

Now, I've just tried my WISE debit card. Also rejected. Twice. I'm getting a complex.

Main reason for wanting to use it was to reserve a Green car seat in advance for Nagoya ---> Osaka, having travelled in from the airport mid morning. I guess I'll just go to the ticket office and take my chances, .

 

[Matt_01]

Main reason for wanting to use it was to reserve a Green car seat in advance for Nagoya ---> Osaka, having travelled in from the airport mid morning. I guess I'll just go to the ticket office and take my chances, .

Are you travelling using a JR pass or just purchasing tickets on the go. IME if purchasing tickets as needed you should be able to buy them at the ticketing machine. No need to go to the ticket office just go to the ticket machine and press the 'English' button then just follow the steps. That been said Nagoya to Osaka is less than 1 one hour and standard class is more than acceptable.

 

[Pushka]

Talking about the smartEX shinkansen app.

It rejected both my NAB card and 28 degree Latitude card. I called NAB and asked if a merchant/app attempting to make small deposits on my card (to authorise) would get a rejection. Answer was no - many apps do that. I tried again while the guy was on the line - rejected. BUT the NAB guy couldn't see any activity/attempt! I did it again, being triple careful with the input details and same - the NAB guy could see no attempted activity on my card. Weird. (I also called Latitude/28 degrees card but their call centre was clueless, as expected.)

Now, I've just tried my WISE debit card. Also rejected. Twice. I'm getting a complex.

Main reason for wanting to use it was to reserve a Green car seat in advance for Nagoya ---> Osaka, having travelled in from the airport mid morning. I guess I'll just go to the ticket office and take my chances, .

Amex works. Thats what I've got stored. Just checked. Also, the app doesn't work overnight in Japan. Some kind of daily maintenance. Suica travel card is the same.