Korean Job Discussion Forums

busan_boy2000 · Joined: 11 Nov 2003

I guess the best way to get to Tokyo is going to be a direct flight from Gimhae to Narita. But what about Kyoto? Does it make sense to take the ferry and then the train? or fly, and then the train?

Is there anyone on this board that is in Busan, and has experience with weekend trips to Japan? Not for the visa, but just for kicks. I would like to pick your brain. Any general advice would be cool about the fastest and cheapest ways. I guess reliability is a concern as well, as you want to be back to work on time for moday aft.

peas.

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

If it's only for a weekend, then the boat isn't a practical option. Your best bet would be to fly into Narita (Tokyo) or Kansai (Osaka), and then take the train between Kyoto and Tokyo. Japanese trains aren't cheap though. One way between Tokyo and Kyoto costs more than $100 on the shinkansen. I'm not sure how much cheaper the slower trains are.

You can get a seven day rail pass for about 280,000 won before you go, but if you're only going to be there for the weekend, it might not be worth it. I got huge savings out of my railpass, but I spent the whole seven days travelling all over the place.

A weekend in Japan, you're looking at about 300,000W round trip ticket to Kansai (maybe cheaper if you can find the right deal), about 250,000W for trains to/from the airport and between Kyoto and Tokyo, and two nights of cheapish hotel accomodation should be about 100,000W.

The bottom line is that Japan is not cheap, so even a weekend will be expensive.

waterbaby · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

I caught a ferry to Osaka & it took 18 hours, so I wouldn't recommend that for a weekend trip! There may be faster boats, though.

Alias · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

How much is the ferry from Busan to Osaka? Is it a nice trip?

Alias · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

Follow up question. What are the ferry options from Busan to Japan?

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Sorry for being lazy, but you can find information here:

www.pusanweb.com

OK, I felt bad and got more specific for you:

http://www.pusanweb.com/guides/transportation/ferryguide.htm

waterbaby · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

busan_boy2000 · Joined: 11 Nov 2003

So how much is the hi speed ferry to Fuokoka? I actually watched it travel past me twice a day from my old apartment but never took it. It seems like a lot of people I met in Busan flew to Foukoka.

I'm trying to figure out how to visit Japan on this new contract I'm starting - as the last time I didn't go at all - other than the airport on the way. I need to find some resonable ways to make short trips outside of Korea this time. Does the area around Foukoka have any interesting sights? I know that Foukoka has some respectable galleries that would be cool. Anything else? Most of the visa run accounts I hear people give circle around drinking - but why the %$^%# would anyone need to leave Korea to go on a drinking trip.

So maybe I'll exploit the short ferry ride this time and exploit this part of Japan that not a lot of people seem to visit.

busan_boy2000 · Joined: 11 Nov 2003

case and point the thread going on about the visa run below.

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

The ferry to Fukuoka is a good option if you're planning to go to Fukuoka, but it isn't a practical way to get to Kyoto and Tokyo because even if you take the short hop to Fukuoka, you still have to get the train to Kyoto and Tokyo, and I said in my previous post, trains are expensive. The cost of a roundtrip fast-ferry ticket to Fukuoka plus roundtrip trainfare between Fukuoka and Tokyo would be more expensive than flying from Busan to Tokyo or Osaka. If you wanna do Tokyo and/or Kyoto in a weekend, you have to fly. There's just no way around that.

peppergirl · Joined: 07 Dec 2003

If you want to go to Kyoto you'd better fly to Osaka. MUCH closer to Kyoto than Tokyo-Kyoto (esp. Narita airport to Kyoto!) and a lot cheaper!
Plus I think it's cheaper to fly to Osaka than to Tokyo anyway.

Alias · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

Thanks for all the information. I would like to take a ferry to Hiroshima but I didn't see it listed. The only other way is to fly there through Tokyo.

busan_boy2000 · Joined: 11 Nov 2003

Wouldn't it be reasonable to take the Foukoka fast ferry than a train to Hirohima? They are fairly close aren't they? (I guess I could check a map)

ps.

Busan-Fuokoka is the only fast ferry right?

peppergirl · Joined: 07 Dec 2003

Fukuoka-Hiroshima is 5hrs by train + bullet train, about 15,000 yen.

http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperd01.cgi

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003