Access to Chubu International Airport

Chubu International Airport or 'Centrair', Japan's third major international
airport, opens on February 17 2005. This article summarizes transportation to
and from the airport.

1. By train
2. By bus
3. By boat
4. By taxi and car
5. Getting to Expo Park
6. More Information, Disclaimer

[ All links to English-language pages, unless stated otherwise ]

1. By train

Meitetsu (Nagoya Railway) is the only railroad to the airport.

http://www.centrair.jp/en/access/ac-to-train/index.html
Fine map, but no timetable.

Meitetsu home has information only in Japanese:
http://www.meitetsu.co.jp/ (J text)

Here are the major points, from the Meitetsu pages:

During the daytime (9:00-16:00) six trains depart from the airport hourly.

Two Kaisoku-Tokkyuu ("Rapid Limited Express") to Nagoya and beyond
* 28 minutes to Nagoya
* All cars special-class, blue and white car body
* 350 yen surcharge
* Stops at Jinguu-mae and Kanayama between Airport and Nagoya
* Beyond Nagoya, one hourly run advances to Gifu, the other to Inuyama
* All trains of this type get to Nagoya

One Tokkyuu ("Limited Express") to Nagoya and beyond
One Tokkyuu to Toyohashi via Kanayama
* 37 minutes to Nagoya
* Partly special-class, red and white car body
* 350 yen surcharge for special-class
* 7 stops between Airport and Nagoya
* Toyohashi train does not serve Nagoya (connection provided)
* Nagoya train proceeds to Gifu
* Trains terminate at Kanayama (=no service to Nagoya) after 16:00

Two Kyuukou ("Express") to Nagoya and beyond
* 46 minutes to Nagoya
* 12 stops between Airport and Nagoya
* Commuter cars
* Through service into Inuyama Line beyond Nagoya

Service differs somewhat before 9:00 and after 16:00.

Meitetsu Nagoya (formerly Shin-Nagoya) is a labyrinthine underground terminal.
Declan Murphy reports that multilingual signs are up now
(http://groups.google.co.jp/groups?se...%40hotmail.com).
Arrive early if it's your first time there. Kanayama is a smaller, friendlier
joint station, like JR/Keisei Nippori in Tokyo.

Meitetsu Gifu is several blocks away from JR Gifu. If going to Hida-Takayama,
transfer at Nagoya.

The JR Pass is not good for Meitetsu.

Airport limited timetable and fare table:
http://www.meitetsu.jp/centrair/access.html (J text)


2. By bus

Airport shuttle buses travel to major hotels in Nagoya, most cities in the
area. On the outside rim buses from Centrair reach Fukui, Nagano and Fuji City.

http://www.centrair.jp/en/access/ac-to-bus/index.html

The bus to Hamamatsu is an hourly service.

Entetsu Bus:
http://navi.entetsu.co.jp/highway/centrair.htm (J text)

Bus to Hamamatsu
2 hours, 3000 yen (traffic permitting)

Train to Hamamatsu
86 + 30 minutes + transit time at Toyohashi
1590 (Meitetsu base fare) + 350 (Meitetsu surcharge) + 650 (JR base) yen

For Iida, the highway bus from Nagoya Station (2-3 hours Nagoya-Iida; hourly)
looks better than JR Iida Line (2.5 hours from Toyohashi; two 'Inaji' limited
express runs daily).

http://www.meitetsu-highwaybus.com/ (J text)


3. By boat

Two ferry lines cross Ise Bay, to Tsu and Toba on the Mie-ken coast.

http://www.centrair.jp/en/access/ac-...sel/index.html

Tsu Airport Line
http://www.tsu-airportline.co.jp/ (J text)

Airport - Toba ferry
http://www.isewanferry.co.jp/tokoname/tokoname.htm (J text)


4. By taxi and car

Centrair pages provide taxi fare estimations and info on airport parking lots:

http://www.centrair.jp/en/access/ac-to-taxi/index.html
http://www.centrair.jp/en/access/ac-to-car/index.html


5. Getting to Expo Park

There are two rail routes to Expo 2005 Park:

1) Subway Higashiyama Line (Nagoya-Fujigaoka) and linear motor car
2) JR Chuo Line (Kanayama-Kouzouji) and Aichi Kanjou Railroad.

Though the first course is the straighter, it is likely to take much more time
due to capacity limitations of the linear motor ("linimo") line.

JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa Expo Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this train at Nagoya
if you want a seat.

Expo 2005 site:
http://www-1.expo2005.or.jp/en/ticket/ (transportation guide)

http://www.expo2005.or.jp/ (other languages)


6. More information, Disclaimer

Hitachi Information Systems Hyperdia automatic timetable:
http://www.hyperdia.com/

Previous post: Meitetsu timetable changes January 29
http://groups.google.co.jp/groups?se...0wta.att.ne.jp


This is a private translation of railroad, bus, airport company announcements.
Despite my efforts, there may be errors in this writing. Any tourist should
make independent confirmations, especially when buying a long-distance ticket or
using airport express service. If you notice any problems, please let me know.

Slight additions from the version posted Feb 16 on scj(m).

Bon Voyage,

Douso, The Prophet of the Way

Prophet of the Way wrote:

Declan Murphy reports that multilingual signs are up now
(http://groups.google.co.jp/groups?se...%40hotmail.com).

"Declan Murphy" also reports that the new airport was a complete and
utter shambles for most of this morning (or least from 9.40 to when I
left at 12:30). The staff were getting lost, passengers misdirected etc.
For the first week or so, it is going to be a zoo. It took a while, but
eventually my customers were able to catch their flights home. The key
reason why it was such a shambles was because coach loads of daytripping
old farts were traipsing about collecting the free omiyage on offer.

Arrive early if it's your first time there. Kanayama is a smaller, friendlier
joint station, like JR/Keisei Nippori in Tokyo.

There is no information (in Japanese or any other language) regarding
how to /where to transfer to JR lines. If you aren't familiar with
Meitetsu, best to use the airport buses, even if you are only planning
to go to Nagoya's shinkansen station. The expressway was nice and fast,
and I was cruising along in the 120-140 km/hr range, but the designers
that be have effed up the connections between the Chita and Isewan-gan,
so you have to get off the kousokudouro and then back onto it again.

3. By boat
snip
Airport - Toba ferry
http://www.isewanferry.co.jp/tokoname/tokoname.htm (J text)

If you are planning on taking the ferry to Toba in Mie,

http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/.../mie/toba.html

*DO NOT* go to the ferry terminal. Nowhere on the way to the terminal,
or even inside it, is there any mention that you need to walk all the
way back to either the bus or train station and go to Tokoname first.
Probably a real bitch if you have luggage.

JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa Expo Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this train at Nagoya
if you want a seat.

Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.

--
"UFJ in general are a bunch of ****heads" - tourist in not-quite-Japan.

Declan Murphy wrote:
Prophet of the Way wrote:

JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa Expo Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this train at Nagoya
if you want a seat.


Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.



err, the Aikan has a Nagoya Station? The transfer from the
Shinkansen would be a real bitch.

Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:

Declan Murphy wrote:

Prophet of the Way wrote:

JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa Expo
Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this train
at Nagoya
if you want a seat.

Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.

err, the Aikan has a Nagoya Station? The transfer from the Shinkansen
would be a real bitch.

I guess they will either run a train on the Chuo line as far as
Kouzouji, and then somehow squeeze the bugger onto the Aikan, or just
herd everybody off the Chuo train onto an Aikan train with some kind of
combined ticket. Still easier to go from Okazaki.

As I'm an Aichi motorhead (and have an expo pass), I'm just going to drive.

--
"UFJ in general are a bunch of ****heads" - tourist in not-quite-Japan.

Declan Murphy wrote:
Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:


Declan Murphy wrote:

Prophet of the Way wrote:


JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa
Expo Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this
train at Nagoya
if you want a seat.


Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.


err, the Aikan has a Nagoya Station? The transfer from the Shinkansen
would be a real bitch.


I guess they will either run a train on the Chuo line as far as
Kouzouji, and then somehow squeeze the bugger onto the Aikan, or just
herd everybody off the Chuo train onto an Aikan train with some kind of
combined ticket. Still easier to go from Okazaki.

As I'm an Aichi motorhead (and have an expo pass), I'm just going to drive.


"motorhead" is redundant. "I live in Aichi" is enough to say 1)
you have a car 2) you will drive.

Declan Murphy wrote:
Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:


Declan Murphy wrote:

Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:

Declan Murphy wrote:

Prophet of the Way wrote:


JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa
Expo Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this
train at Nagoya
if you want a seat.


Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.


err, the Aikan has a Nagoya Station? The transfer from the
Shinkansen would be a real bitch.


I guess they will either run a train on the Chuo line as far as
Kouzouji, and then somehow squeeze the bugger onto the Aikan, or just
herd everybody off the Chuo train onto an Aikan train with some kind
of combined ticket. Still easier to go from Okazaki.

As I'm an Aichi motorhead (and have an expo pass), I'm just going to
drive.


"motorhead" is redundant. "I live in Aichi" is enough to say 1) you
have a car 2) you will drive.


I think there are a few luddites in inner Nagoya who continue to resist.
They will be crushed. Preferably by motor vehicles. Or they will learn
to love to drive, and learn to love to drive only Japanese cars.
Preferably locally built ones.

Driving back from the airport I was speaking with Yamasa's housing
officer. She owns a Beetle. I told her I was shocked. She said that she
was more shocked, as the Beetle was found to have a hole in it due to
the shoddy workmanship of whatever fly-by-night operation manufactured
the bloody thing. "I should have bought a Japanese car..."



BTW not only do I get to go to an Aichi wedding soon, it's a
Mikawa wedding, 50,000yen gift money.

Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:

Declan Murphy wrote:

Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:

Declan Murphy wrote:

Prophet of the Way wrote:

JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa
Expo Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this
train at Nagoya
if you want a seat.

Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.

err, the Aikan has a Nagoya Station? The transfer from the Shinkansen
would be a real bitch.

I guess they will either run a train on the Chuo line as far as
Kouzouji, and then somehow squeeze the bugger onto the Aikan, or just
herd everybody off the Chuo train onto an Aikan train with some kind
of combined ticket. Still easier to go from Okazaki.

As I'm an Aichi motorhead (and have an expo pass), I'm just going to
drive.

"motorhead" is redundant. "I live in Aichi" is enough to say 1) you have
a car 2) you will drive.

I think there are a few luddites in inner Nagoya who continue to resist.
They will be crushed. Preferably by motor vehicles. Or they will learn
to love to drive, and learn to love to drive only Japanese cars.
Preferably locally built ones.

Driving back from the airport I was speaking with Yamasa's housing
officer. She owns a Beetle. I told her I was shocked. She said that she
was more shocked, as the Beetle was found to have a hole in it due to
the shoddy workmanship of whatever fly-by-night operation manufactured
the bloody thing. "I should have bought a Japanese car..."


--
"UFJ in general are a bunch of ****heads" - tourist in not-quite-Japan.

Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:

Declan Murphy wrote:

Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:

Declan Murphy wrote:

Prophet of the Way wrote:

JR Central will run special shuttle trains to the Bampaku-Yakusa
Expo Station on
the Aichi Kanjou Railroad ("Aikan", "Aichi Loop"). Get on this
train at Nagoya
if you want a seat.

Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.

err, the Aikan has a Nagoya Station? The transfer from the Shinkansen
would be a real bitch.

I guess they will either run a train on the Chuo line as far as
Kouzouji, and then somehow squeeze the bugger onto the Aikan, or just
herd everybody off the Chuo train onto an Aikan train with some kind
of combined ticket. Still easier to go from Okazaki.

As I'm an Aichi motorhead (and have an expo pass), I'm just going to
drive.

"motorhead" is redundant. "I live in Aichi" is enough to say 1) you have
a car 2) you will drive.

I think there are a few luddites in inner Nagoya who continue to resist.
They will be crushed. Preferably by motor vehicles. Or they will learn
to love to drive, and learn to love to drive only Japanese cars.
Preferably locally built ones.

Driving back from the airport I was speaking with Yamasa's housing
officer. She owns a Beetle. I told her I was shocked. She said that she
was more shocked, as the Beetle was found to have a hole in it due to
the shoddy workmanship of whatever fly-by-night operation manufactured
the bloody thing. "I should have bought a Japanese car..."


--
"UFJ in general are a bunch of ****heads" - tourist in not-quite-Japan.

Airport to JR Nagoya train or bus?

Meitetsu:
850 + 350 yen, 28-37 minutes (special car)
850 yen, 37-46 minutes (commuter car)

Bus:
1000 yen, 60 minutes (traffic permitting)
You can choose which side of JR Nagoya to get to. If boarding the Shinkansen
from Nagoya, take the bus for "JR Nagoya Shinkansen", operated by JR Tokai Bus.


On trains to Expo Park:

Ron Hitler Barrassi wrote:

Or get on at Okazaki, where you are guaranteed a seat.


err, the Aikan has a Nagoya Station? The transfer from the Shinkansen
would be a real bitch.


I guess they will either run a train on the Chuo line as far as
Kouzouji, and then somehow squeeze the bugger onto the Aikan, or just
herd everybody off the Chuo train onto an Aikan train with some kind of
combined ticket. Still easier to go from Okazaki.

This is a special through train jointly operated by JR Central and Aikan.

Nagoya - Kanayama - JR - Kouzouji - Aikan - Expo Yakusa

The name 'Aichi Kanjou' suggests a loop line, but in reality it is only one
quarter or so of a full circle. Kouzouji is the nortwest end, Okazaki the
southeast end. Probably the trains from Okazaki will be less crowded than
the through runs from Nagoya, but getting to Okazaki is a wide detour from
Centrair. Meitetsu Higashi-Okazaki is quite far from JR Okazaki.

Prophet of the Way wrote:
Airport to JR Nagoya train or bus?

Meitetsu:
850 + 350 yen, 28-37 minutes (special car)
850 yen, 37-46 minutes (commuter car)

Bus:
1000 yen, 60 minutes (traffic permitting)
You can choose which side of JR Nagoya to get to. If boarding the
Shinkansen
from Nagoya, take the bus for "JR Nagoya Shinkansen", operated by JR
Tokai Bus.

Having spent 3 of the past 5 days at the new airport and various points
between, my advice is:

1) If you have nothing but hand luggage, take the Meitetsu train to
either Nagoya or Kanayama. Officially it will take 28-37 minutes, or
37-46 minutes, depending on how stingy the arseholes in your corporate
accounts department happen to be. Unofficially it will take longer by
train than advertized, because Meitetsu has grossly underestimated
demand - especially in the mornings. Almost all peak hour trains on the
line leading to the airport are running behind schedule and sometimes
"express trains" are trundling along at less than 35km/hr.
Hopefully/possibly the situation will improve as soon as every ****ing
oyaji and his dog stops heading to Aichi's latest "leisure spot" for
lunch and a goddamn bath.

2) If you have any sort of luggage, take the airport bus, or rent a
*Toyota* like a real man.

On trains to Expo Park:
snip

Nagoya - Kanayama - JR - Kouzouji - Aikan - Expo Yakusa

The name 'Aichi Kanjou' suggests a loop line, but in reality it is
only one
quarter or so of a full circle. Kouzouji is the nortwest end,
Okazaki the
southeast end. Probably the trains from Okazaki will be less crowded
than
the through runs from Nagoya, but getting to Okazaki is a wide detour
from
Centrair. Meitetsu Higashi-Okazaki is quite far from JR Okazaki.

Centrair to JR Okazaki is averaging 63 minutes by bus (advertized as 80
minutes), and less than 55 to Meitetsu Higashi Okazaki. The advertised
times for transport have so far been completely wrong, overestimating
road travel time, and underestimating rail time.

It doesn't matter that Meitetsu Higashi-Okazaki and JR Okazaki are
about 20 minutes apart, because any sensible person using the Meitetsu
line would transfer to the Aikan at Okazakikoenmae, instead of heading
to JR Okazaki from Meitetsu Higashi-Okazaki. Similarly almost nobody
except every ****ing oyaji in Aomori and his dog is going to head
directly from Centrair to Yakusa, because it was booked last year there
is simply no accommodation left anywhere near the Expo site until
October. Unless they want to sleep in a park, most visitors arriving by
air are going to have to leave for the actual expo site from
accommodations in either Nagoya, Toyota, or central or southern
Okazaki. And if they want accommodation, they had better book it last
week.

Regards Declan
Okazaki, Aichi

http://www.yamasa.org/member/declan/index.html