Help on buying Shinkansen tickets

[StarG]

In all seriousness, if you're looking to move 16 high-maintenance people, from KIX-NRT, perhaps a private jet charter could work out. A G4 could move all of you + luggage.

LOL.
I wish it is that easy.

Kyo: we are flying CX to/from Japan.

[9V-JKL]

LOL.
I wish it is that easy.

It may be that easy: http://www.japanjetcharter.com/english/home.html

[StarG]

It may be that easy: http://www.japanjetcharter.com/english/home.html

I was talking about the decision to charter a jet.
This bunch of high maintenance people do care about budget!
I need to move them in comfort at the cheapest way possible.

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know how much it costs to charter a GV for the route?

[jhm]

I need to move them in comfort at the cheapest way possible.

Have you looked into hiring a bus ?

It'll save you shepherding a group of 16 people to/from the Shinkansen station (a fleet of taxis for 16 plus luggage ?) and the hassle of moving a large pile of luggage up to/down from the train platform. Whilst it might take (I don't know) twice the time of the Shnkansen, you'll get from hotel door to hotel door. It'll certainly be the easiest option (and perhaps the cheapest too)!

[HUGE AL]

In all seriousness, if you're looking to move 16 high-maintenance people, from KIX-NRT, perhaps a private jet charter could work out. A G4 could move all of you + luggage.

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know how much it costs to charter a GV for the route?

I was just about to say a G4 is not big enough for StarG's luggage!

[jhm]

Perhaps too late for StarG but I understand from a Japanese friend that whenever she needs to take the Shinkansen from Osaka, she gets her tickets from discount shops near the station. It's apparently cheaper than buying from JR direct because (so I understand) JR gives discounts for buying in bulk which these shops do.

Edit:

http://forum.gaijinpot.com/showthread.php?t=2760

Aside from the local day trip tickets (eg. visit Kamakura from Tokyo), the most popular seem to be on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe. Not all destinations are covered, however. Regular fair on a Hikari train between Tokyo and Osaka is 13,950 yen, but if you buy a "business kippu" booklet of 25 tickets, the price per ticket drops to 12,160 one-way, including a reserved seat. Most people don't travel enough to buy an entire booklet, so discount ticket shops buy them and resell them at a slight profit.

You can find these ticket shops in any large urban shopping area because they also buy and sell gift certificates, beer coupons, expressway toll cards -- pretty much anything with a cash value assigned to it. There are many small shops just across the large road (Sotobori Dori) from Tokyo station, Yaesu north exit, mainly on the tiny side streets. They are usually only large enough for a few people to go inside at any one time, and their windows are filled with pricing information.

[StarG]

Thanks for that update jhm. Can be useful for future trips.