Hello!
We are in a need of a little bit of help. We have a one day trip planned for Nikko in november and planned to buy the world heritage pass. In the Tobutoptours page they’re saying that the pass covers 1 round-trip between Asakusa and Shimo-Imaichi station. Then at bottom of the page they’re saying that the pass is valid for regular trains only and there is no direct service to nikko by regular train. So exactly what trains do we need to take to get there that is covered in the pass? Is it worth the hassle?
Thanks in advance
4 comments
It cover local train, but offer a discount on the limited express train surcharge.
You can use the app Japan travel by navitime to check train schedule. You can filter to remove limited express train to see the difference, also remove JR and start from Asakusa, because the Tobu train going to Nikko start from there.
The strangest part of the nikko world heritage pass is running into the twin towers… in japan… in 2022… like they’ve been on vacation all along.
Also be aware that the monkey parks nearby are cool, but Japan’s animal rights are downright medieval from a western point of view. I lasted 30 seconds before I had to leave.
JapanGuide is a great general resource for these types of questions. Just search for whatever city/area you’re going to in Japan and check the Get There and Around page and it’ll give you a helpful overview of the basic public transit routes. On the Nikko page the first paragraph outlines how to get there via Tobu railway.
– [Nikko: Getting There and Around](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3805.html)
– [Tobu Nikko Pass](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_002.html)
The regular trains take a solid 2.5-3 hrs and there’s no long stops and no washrooms on the trains and there’s a sizable time gap between trains, just a little tip in case you get caught out.
There’s no direct service, in this case it means one train pulls up to another waiting train and you have to switch. Hence the washroom thing being an issue.