Fellow snowheads, I really need your help please. I am looking at booking my flights for next year, the flight options have a layover at Tokyo Haneda for 1hr 25 mins before boarding the flight to Sapporo - I have never changed flights and am concerned that this is not enough time as it says a change of terminal must take place - can anyone please advise how this works, I will be booking with Lufthansa all on one ticket I believe?
Thanks
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I rang Lufthansa and they reckon 30 minutes is all that is required so I assume I won't be going through customs/luggage claim on this transfer!
I've got an apartment in Niseko Hirafu for 10 days with the hope that gives me the option to take a day trip or two to Rusutsu and Kiroro.
I'm sorry for the silly questions but I do have one more, any idea what snowboard hire is like in Niseko, I'm a 5'2" male 65kgs so I currently ride a Forum Superstar 148, it's a womens board but it is perfect as it is stiffer and lovely in the powder, I find that any male boards suitable for my size are freestyle noodles that don't suit my riding needs of piste and powder. Rather than carting my board bag around would I be ok hiring (I am staying a week in Tokyo/Osaka too).
Any advice greatly appreciated
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Minion1980, I'm just back from Hokkaido. I thought Tokyo Haneda was a Domestic only airport, but I understand it is now taking International flights as well.
I flew BA to Tokyo Narita International, then JAL to Sapparo Chitose. Like you I had 1.5 hours between flights. I had to collect my bags, and exit customs. However, there is a Domestic check in desk in the International terminal, so you can check your bags in again, and then taken an internal airport bus, which took 10 mins. It then took another 10 mins to walk to the gate, so everything was fine, but a 30 min delay on the incoming flight would have made it very tight.
Tokyo to Sapparo is basically a commuter run, so there are flights every 20 mins, should you arrive late.
I'm a skier so can't advise on a board, but I know there are plenty of board rental shops in Niseko. It is also home to the famous Gentem Stick boards, which are made in Niseko, and were being drooled over by the boarders in my group.
@PowderAdict, Thanks man much appreciated, I'm thinking it is probably easier to hire a board especially if I am travelling around Japan for a week after boarding. How did you find the jetlag on your fist day or two? I'm due to arrive in Sapporo at 16:00 after leaving London at 13:30 the day before!
It's 11 months away but I am so excited!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Minion1980, We flew to Chitose through Haneda from London in January. We collected bags at Haneda's International terminal before catching the short train shuttle to the Domestic terminal. Our London flight was delayed by almost an hour leaving us only 15 minutes to catch our one-ticket connection to Chitose. Because we had booked both legs through the same airline (BA), they booked us onto the next flight (an hour later).
You absolutely WILL be going through customs when first arriving in Japan.
Because of the train transit, I think you would struggle with a 30 minute transfer. 45 minutes would be very doable. I don't like time pressure in airports so I'd opt for 45mins or more connection time.
There are flights to Chitose from Haneda every hour or so but probably less frequently with Lufthansa's JP partner, whoever that is.
If you buy the domestic flight separately from the international (not on one ticket), then I'd suggest you allow for a longer connection time as rearranging your delayed connection will not be at the top of the domestic airline's priorities.
@Minion1980, Jet lag is pretty personal, but I find it is usually worse for me on the third day. The first day of travel you are knackered so sleep anyway. The second day you are excited, so over come it, but by the third day you start to relax and it hits home.....
My travel was fairly similar, 10:45 Heathrow on Thursday, 07:30 Tokyo on Friday, 11:05 Sapparo on Friday, then a 2.5 hour bus transfer to Furano. So arriving at around 14:30, but your body thinks it is 05:30, and you haven't slept.
Rental locations. The last one is Rhythm, which is one of the larger operations.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Minion1980 wrote:
@PowderAdict How did you find the jetlag on your fist day or two? I'm due to arrive in Sapporo at 16:00 after leaving London at 13:30 the day before!
It's 11 months away but I am so excited!
I had a pretty long journey (I forget exactly now, but over 30 hours) but arrived in Niseko after 9pm. Other than part of one flight which was overnight I just stayed awake the whole time so when I arrived in Niseko it felt like the perfect time to sleep. Was a bit tired at the end of the first ski day, but no issues otherwise.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Grinning, my layover is 1hr 25 mins which I thought was quite short but as I have booked all connecting flights with Lufthansa I would expect them to sort me out should I miss the scheduled connection. Their partner in Japan is ANA and that is who my flights between Tokyo and Sapporo are with. I just rang Lufthansa to get snowboard equipment added to my flights which the girl did (free of charge like BA) but she advised me that she wasn't able to book the ANA flight with a snowboard so I am not sure what to do, I like having my own equipment and I can also store it at Haneda for 500 yen whilst I spend a week travelling around Japan - anyone have any experience of adding snowboard equipment to an internal ANA Flight? I've got plenty of time to contact them I guess.
@PowderAdict, thanks for the rental sites I will look at these. I've never left Europe so have never experienced jetlag, I expect it will be similar to losing a nights worth of sleep which was no problem in my teens and twenties but these days not so good at recovering!
I now need to sort transfers to Niseko and investigate day trips, any advice on companies doing excursions to Rusutsu and/or Kiroro greatly appreciated.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Plenty of niseko transfers - think ours were through a company called Resort Liner. I wouldn't stress about it though - Japan is very organised country and transport is super easy and reliable. Definitely get out of Niseko if you can, our least favourite resort of all the ones we visited in Japan.
We shipped our skis from Haneda to Hokkaido on the way (as we had a couple of days in Tokyo) then back from Niseko (again, couple of days sightseeing) using JAL ABC - very easy, took all the hassle out of travelling with skis and <£30 each way for two ski bags and we just collected the bags from the desk in Haneda airport before we checked in for out return flight to LHR.
Jet lag is a bit weird - varies massively between different people and also effects me differently on different trips. you'll probably find yourself wide awake very early in the morning at times (about 3:45am for me) and unable to get back to sleep. Just try and stay awake in the evenings (resist temptation for afternoon naps!) and sleep pattern will slot in to place after a few days.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Dashed, and there was you complaining you weren't getting enough face shots at the start.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
So it seems like this thread has reached its natural conclusion for the year. Thanks to all the contributors, you've made up my mind for me that I'll definitely be out next year. Does anyone have any favourite videos to provide a bit of stoke for next season, personal or professional?
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