| TRAINS & TRAVEL P.O. BOX 10625 RENO, NEVADA 89510-0625 Chris@traintrips.biz Jane@traintrips.biz Deborah@traintrips.biz | 1-800 359-4870 USA 1-800 752-1836 CANADA 1-800 266-8751 FAX (775) 453-1004 | |
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THE ACTUAL ITINERARY FOR THE JAPAN RAIL ADVENTURE IS CURRENTLY BEING REVISED TO REFLECT PENDING 2010 RAIL PASSENGER SCHEDULE CHANGES AND EXPANDED STEAM PASSENGER SERVICES. INCLUDED WILL BE THE FOLLOWING BASIC COMPONENTS IN OUR PLANNED VISIT TO THE WORLD'S MOST RAILROAD ORIENTED SOCIETY.
1. ALL FOUR MAIN JAPANESE ISLANDS: HONSHU, HOKKAIDO, SHIKOKU, AND KYUSHU. THE 2010 TRIP WILL FOCUS MORE ON OUTLYING AREAS OF JAPAN.
2. MULTIPLE SHINKANSEN (BULLET TRAIN) RIDES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF JAPAN
3. SIX OR MORE STEAM TRIPS, INCLUDING BOTH PRIVATE RAILWAYS AND JR LINES.
4. A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF LOCOMOTIVES, BIG AND SMALL, WITH BEAUTIFUL U.S. SOUNDING CHIME WHISTLES.
5. MULTIPLE STREETCAR SYSTEMS, INCLUDING TOKYO, HAKODATE, SAPPORO, HANKAI (OSAKA), KOCI (SHIKOKU), HIROSHIMA, KUMAMOTO, AND NAGASAKI. OTHER LINES MAY ALSO BE INCLUDED.
6. JAPAN'S MOST FAMOUS RAILWAY MUSEUMS.
7. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT SLEEPER TRAIN RIDE ON THE 42" GAUGE JR LINES.
8. FOUR AND FIVE STAR RAILWAY STATION HOTELS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. NO TRANSFERS NEEDED!
9. SMALL GROUP, MAX 20-23 TRAVELERS.
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Japan may well be the world's most railroad oriented society. It's an amazing place, with rail lines literally everywhere, but perhaps the most wonderful part is that it combines new and old, from the famous Shinkansen "Bullet" trains, to 1920's streetcars and interurbans, to a surprising number of steam lines-some even operated by the former, now privatized, Japan National Railroads (JR). This tour, led by Japanese and American rail experts, will provide you with an in depth looks at railroads in Japan, and at the same time offer limited opportunities for shopping and tourism. Travel on JR lines will be in first class (Green Class) using an unlimited ride JR Pass that will be provided to each participant. This is primarily a train riding adventure, but with plenty of photo opportunities. Maximum group size will be 30.
Note: Because of the excellence of rail service in Japan, we will use a limited number of base cities for overnight stops. This will allow us to leave baggage behind on most day trips.
DAY 1 SATURDAY OCTOBER 16 (D) - Tour members will be met at the Tokyo Narita Airport on this date and assisted with their transfer to the hotel. Arrival Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) Overnight at the Hilton Narita Airport (2-nights) The Welcome Dinner will start at 7:30PM. DAY 2 SUNDAY OCTOBER 17 (B-L) Morning visit to the 610mm (2 foot) gauge Narita Yume Farm Railway. This famous dairy farm is home to a variety of small steam and diesel locomotives, and we will have several steam locomotives planned for our use. Afternoon to the 1067mm (3'6" gauge) Moka Railway for a ride behind steam, with either a C-11 2-6-4T or C-12 2-6-2T for power. Overnight Hilton Narita Airport Hotel. DAY 3 MONDAY OCTOBER 18 (B-L) JR Narita Express train to Tokyo Station, connecting to the Shinkansen Hayate to Sendai. From there we continue by JR local trains to Iwakiri and Rifu for a visit to the "Bullet" train shed. Then it is back to Sendai and on to Hachiaoke, again on the Hayate. There we change to the Super Hakucho for the run through the world's longest undersea tunnel to Hakodate on the island of Hokaido. Overnight Hakodate (2-nights) DAY 4 TUESDAY OCTOBER 19 (B-L-D) Morning charter streetcar tour of the Hakodate system using a beautifully restored tram. Afternoon by Super Hakucho to Tappi, a unique undersea railroad station!! Return on another Super Hakucho. Overnight Hakodate. DAY 5 WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 20 (B-L-D) Sleep in before a full day of "Bullet" trains, leaving Hakodate on the Super Hakucho , traveling south to Hachiaoke, and continuing on aboard the Hayate to Tokyo, where we connect with the Hikari to Shizuoka. Overnight Shizuoka (3-nights). DAY 6 THURSDAY OCTOBER 21 (B-L) We take a JR local train to Kanaya to connect with steam powered Oigawa Railway, with one of the road's six locomotives up front (from classes C-10, 11, 12, or 56). During this all day adventure we will also see the Oigawa's diesel and electric rack section. Overnight Shizuoka. DAY 7 FRIDAY OCTOBER 22 (B-L) We travel aboard the Hikari to Nagoya and then transfer to the private Meitetsu electric line to Inuyama, and then a short bus ride to the Meiji-Mura Railway, operator of Japan's oldest steam locomotives. There is also a short historic tram line here. Return via Meitetsu to Nagoya, and onward via JR Hikari. Overnight Shizuoka. DAY 8 SATURDAY OCTOBER 23 (B-L) Depart on the Hikari to Tokyo, switching to the Shinkansen "Max" Toki to Kumagaya. Continue on the Chichibu Railway behind a C-58 2-6-2, returning by JR local and then by Toki to Tokyo, connecting to the Hikari to Shin-Osaka, and Hikari Railstar to Fukuyama. Overnight Fukuyama (4-nights). DAY 9 SUNDAY OCTOBER 24 (B-L) Depart by Hikari to Shin-Yamaguchi. Travel behind a West Japan Railway JR C-57 4-6-2, or another engine, to Tsuwano, returning in the afternoon. Hikari back to Fukuyama. Overnight Fukuyama. DAY 10 MONDAY OCTOBER 25 (B-L-D) Depart on the Kodama to Okayama. A brief look at the streetcar terminal across from the JR station, and then it's on board the 1067mm gauge Marineliner, crossing the spectacular suspension bridge to the island of Shikoku, bound for Takamatsu. From there we will travel over local interurban lines of the Kotoden Railway, including a charter on the Shido line with a vintage 1920's electric interurban. Later in the day we train on to Matsuyama, Shikoku's largest city, for a brief ride on the local streetcar system, before returning to Okayama and Fukuyama, combining the narrow gauge Shiokaze and Shinkansen Kodama. Overnight Fukuyama. DAY 11 TUESDAY OCTOBER 26 (B-L) By Hikari to Hiroshima. Board a charter Hiroshima Electric Railway streetcar, ideally one of the vintage cars that survived the 1945 atomic bomb attack. Afternoon to the Mojiko Railway museum at Kokura? Evening return via Hikari Railstar. Overnight Fukuyama. DAY 12 WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 27 (B) Depart by Hikari Railstar to Shin-Osaka, transferring to a Hikari to Kyoto, one of Japan's most famous tourist cities. Rail attractions are varied, including the railway museum, and two electric tramway systems. Overnight Kyoto. DAY 13 THURSDAY OCTOBER 28 (B-L) To Osaka-Tennoji by 1067mm JR passenger for a charter run on the standard gauge Hankai Tramways aboard one of their beautifully maintained 1930's streetcars. Late afternoon to Tokyo aboard the Hikari Shinkansen. Overnight Tokyo. DAY 14 FRIDAY OCTOBER 29 (B) A visit to the newly opened Omiya Railway Museum, the largest in Japan, with 36 steam locomotives and passenger cars. Time for tourism, or a ride on Tokyo's only surviving streetcar line, the Arakawa Line. Overnight Tokyo. DAY 15 SATURDAY OCTOBER 30 (B-L) Early morning departure aboard the Skinkansen Toki to Nigata for a scenic East Japan Railways (JR) steam run behind a C57 Pacific. Return to Tokyo in the evening via the Yamabiko Shinkansen. Overnight in Tokyo at the Marunouchi Hotel. (Farewell Luncheon). DAY 16 SUNDAY OCTOBER 31 (B) Independent departures. JR Narita Express or Keisei Electric Railway service available for Narita Airport (NRT). |
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PRICES ALL PRICES ARE PER PERSON DOUBLE ROOM OCCUPANCY............................$4498 SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT...........................$ 998 DEPOSIT TO HOLD SPACE WHEN TOUR IS A SURE-GO.....$1500 FINAL PAYMENT DUE BY JULY 19, 2010 TOUR INCLUDES *31 MEALS *UNLIMITED RIDE JR RAIL PASS *ALL TRANSFERS DURING THE TOUR *15 NIGHTS LODGING IN GOOD TOURIST CLASS HOTELS *31 TRAIN RIDES & CHARTERS USING STEAM-ELECTRIC-TRAM *FULLY ESCORTED BY AN AMERICAN & JAPANESE RAILFAN GUIDE |
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TOUR PRICE: All tour prices are subject to change without notice at any time.
CHANGE OF ITINERARY: We reserve the right to substitute, change train routing, alter or modify the tour if any unexpected and unforeseen conditions beyond our control occur. As almost everyone knows, in the railroad industry last minute changes do occur.
DEPOSITS AND FINAL PAYMENTS: The required deposit is due in our office within 14 days of making a booking. For most tours the final payment is due in our office 90 days before the start of the tour. Due dates are posted for each tour and will also be on your invoice and in some cases we will vary the due Date depending upon the tour in question.
MILEAGE COLLECTORS: Mileage collectors please take note before you book! Trains and Travel does not cater just to mileage collectors. We cater to all people that enjoy the railroad hobby. We give strong warning that itinerary and route changes do happen and this is totally beyond our control when it does. If the only reason that you would want to book a tour with us is to collect the rare mileage, may we suggest that you be prepared for possible route changes.
RESPONSIBILITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: We assume no responsibility for injury, sickness, damage, loss, additional expenses, accidental delay or irregularities which may be caused through willful or negligent acts or omissions on the part of the companies providing or engaging in transportation, accommodations or services related to the accomplishment of the tour including Trains and Travel. We have no control on the timings of our charter trains and indeed passenger trains and charters can and do run late most of the time. Nor do we assume responsibility for natural disaster, social or political upheaval, acts of terrorism or acts of nature. The right is reserved to substitute hotels, tour leaders, equipment, motive power, trains, routes and to alter the itinerary when deemed necessary without notice. We are not responsible for expenses incurred by tour members in preparing for the tour.
CANCELLATIONS: Trains and Travel does not accept cancellations on the phone. Cancellations must be received by postal mail, e mail or fax before any refunds will be processed. Be sure and allow enough time if sending your written notice by the very slow US mail postal system. When a written cancellation is received in the Trains and Travel office this will be the effective date of the cancellation. Please take note that it can take up to 60 days to process some refunds in but most cases refunds will be issued in half that time. Cancellation refund rules: 100 days prior to the start of any tour you will receive a full refund less a $200 per person administration fee. 99 to 75 days before the departure of any tour there will be a 80% cancellation penalty based on the full cost of the tour. Any cancellations received 74 or less days before the start of any tour will not receive any refund. These cancellations rules apply to everyone and will be enforced.
RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE: Trains and Travel reserves the right to refuse service to anyone we deem necessary, to insure that all of our clients will have the best possible tour.
PRE-DEPARTURE TOUR BULLETINS: Tour bulletins will be sent to clients that have booked on our tours. Bulletins include weather, packing tips, food, health, updates and much more. Tickets and a detailed itinerary booklet will be sent out about three weeks before the tour begins.
PAYMENTS: Payments can be made with personal check drawn on a U.S. Dollar account, money order for U.S. Dollars, bank wire transfer, or credit card. We accept Visa, Master Card, Discover or American Express. Final payment for all tours is due 90 days prior to departure. If final payment has not been received 7 days after the due date, a late fee of $50 may apply.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: All prices are based on double room occupancy. We will try and match you with a roommate. if one is available. If not, you may be charged the single room supplement listed for the tour you are booked on. Single rooms may not be available in some remote locations and on some trains.
TOUR REFUNDS: If for any reason tour members amend or delete any arrangements during travel, and leave the tour on their own, we cannot give any refunds on unused portions of the tour. If buses and trains are cancelled by the carrier or there is a labor strike or they go out of business, we cannot be held responsible and we cannot give refunds. Travel insurance will protect you for any of these reasons. If TU needs to cancel any tour everyone will receive a full refund. Please take note that refunds can take up to 60 days to process.
PARTIAL TOURS: We will allow passengers to join or leave a tour at certain points. It will all depend on the tour and the conditions. Give us a call and we will try and work up a custom option for you.
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