Trains of Japan - A Review Thread

[VPS]

I probably don't need this , but off to search my local library!

Edit, and I found it! New book incoming!

Of course you need it - how on earth are you going to keep AFF up to date with everything if you don't. In fact we probably should help you buy it

 

[rbjhan]

Of course you need it - how on earth are you going to keep AFF up to date with everything if you don't. In fact we probably should help you buy it

Well I already booked another special one for my Feb trip

 

[CaptJCool]

Christmas gift !

 

[trendwhore]

Also forgot about this but recently went to train museum in Kyoto and can thoroughly recommend if you're in the area.. and there were hardly any tourists!

 

[frodo]

Shimakaze (Kintetsu)

One round trip per day from Osaka/Kyoto/Nagoya to Ise-shima.
View attachment 363395


The 1st row seats are extremely popular and difficult to book. Well I guess row 3 is okay too

I recently caught the shimakaze and did not manage to get front row seats (a task which was made even more difficult by booking the train towards Ise shrine during the new year period).

The reservation system was a bit of a mess as it was showing all seats as empty during seat selection, but after I entered in my card details, it would error out saying that the seat was already reserved. I tried a few different seats and the same error happened - eventually I got sick of doing that and just let the system auto-assign a seat for me.

Similar to the shimakaze is the hinotori from kintetsu, although this is more of a commuter train than a tourist train, a luxury alternative to the shinkansen.

The hinotori runs between Kintetsu-Nagoya and Osaka-Namba with departures every 30 min (peak) and 60 min (off peak) and takes around 2 hours. By comparison, the shinkansen from Nagoya to Shin-Osaka takes 50 minutes.

This time, I did manage to get the front row

 

[rbjhan]

I recently caught the shimakaze and did not manage to get front row seats (a task which was made even more difficult by booking the train towards Ise shrine during the new year period).

The reservation system was a bit of a mess as it was showing all seats as empty during seat selection, but after I entered in my card details, it would error out saying that the seat was already reserved. I tried a few different seats and the same error happened - eventually I got sick of doing that and just let the system auto-assign a seat for me.

Similar to the shimakaze is the hinotori from kintetsu, although this is more of a commuter train than a tourist train, a luxury alternative to the shinkansen.

The hinotori runs between Kintetsu-Nagoya and Osaka-Namba with departures every 30 min (peak) and 60 min (off peak) and takes around 2 hours. By comparison, the shinkansen from Nagoya to Shin-Osaka takes 50 minutes.

This time, I did manage to get the front row

View attachment 425005View attachment 425006View attachment 425007

Interesting, when I booked it certainly was very easy and I encountered no problems re seat selection.
In terms of difficulty, well nothing beats JR Kyushu

I knew about the Hinotori (Sun bird) but couldn't justify the time difference....also not a fan of Namba! My preferred station in Osaka is Umeda...