I am writing this post here at the departure gates of Kansai Airport. I am waiting for my flight back to Manila and decided to share this post while passing time.
Here’s the basics first. Nagoya is lovely – in a chill and laid back way. My hubby was smitten and vowed to move to Nagoya if they the hobby and gaming community in check. We spent three amazing days in Nagoya in the Aichi region before moving to Osaka in the Kansai region. (Will post a detailed itinerary separately).
While there are many ways to go from one prefecture to another – you can take the plane, train or bus – it differs significantly between Osaka and Nagoya. Because the two areas are too close, there are only two options when you want to go from one to the other. One is the train and another one is the bus. This post will be about the JR Bus Service.
What you need to do first is to go to the Nagoya Station in downtown Nagoya in order to buy tickets to the JR Bus.
After alighting from the subway, proceed to the Taiko-Dori side (West exit) of the Nagoya Station. The Taiko-Dori side also holds the Shinkansen area plus ticketing booth for JR Rails along with JR Bus.
Once you see the landmark, which is the large clock where people often meet up (pictured above), you are already in the area. Proceed to the doors to your left leading outside.
Upon exit, you should see a stairs leading down and to it’s immediate left is the JR Bus Ticketing Office.
Go inside and approach the officer on duty. Ask for the bus schedules for Osaka-bound highway buses. You are free to choose the time which you want to arrive. Though do note that a trip from Nagoya to Osaka usually takes three and half hours.
Once you’ve chosen your departure time, you will be asked to pay for your ticket. A one-way bus ticket usually costs Y3,000 (PHP 1313). You can buy your tickets ahead of time – so you the option of buying your ticket a day or two before your trip.
Since highway and limousine buses have reserved seating, buying your tickets early assures you of good seats.
On the day of your departure, proceed to the ticketing station which also doubles as the waiting area for upcoming trips. The ticketing station has vendo machines for drinks or snacks so you will be assured that you won’t get hungry waiting for your bus.
There are display screens showing bus schedules and destinations, while the loading area is numbered – the screen will show which loading area is assigned to your bus.
Once the bus arrives, show your ticket to the driver, load your luggage on the storage area and find your seats based on the number indicated on the bus.
The buses are usually equipped with a charging dock for your devices, its own toilet and if you’re lucky, its own wifi service.
Other bus services to Nagoya include Willer (much cheaper but needs online purchase for tickets), Meitetsu and Kintetsu service.
LIFESTYLE WANDERLAND 