Train Transfers. Help Please!!
 

Hi everyone!! :ywave:

My name is Laura and I´m from Barcelona.

I´m travelling to Japan for the first time in a few weeks, and I was hoping you can help me.

I arrive in Ueno Station on platform 21 and I have to get my next train from platform 16 only 10 minutes later. Do you think this is possible or is it too tight??

I have the same problem in Maibara Station. I need to change from a Ltd Express train to a Shinkasen.

How easy is it to move about the stations. Are they well signed posted? Are the signs in english?

Cheers!!

Laura

It should only take a minute or so from track 21 to track 16. The shinkansen is a little more complicated, but it isn't a huge station, so you should have no problem.

Yes, only a few minutes to get from 1 platform to another. Assuming the train isn't running late, and you hurry, there shouldn't be a problem.

In larger stations, there will usually be some Romaji (English letters) on the signs. At smaller or more rural stations there may not be. You can always ask someone if you need help.

Ueno station's map is below.
Platform 21 is the lower right.
Platform 16 is the middle right.

JR

Maibara(米原) station's map is below.

Maibara | Central Japan Railway Company

Reference HP
Central Japan Railway Company

Hyperdia
 

Cheers everyone!!

One more question. How much can you trust the Hyperdia website when it comes to timetables and platform number??

Thanks again to everybody for the help!

Laura

I have never used it, and I have never worried about a platform number. I just ask someone. Generally the station workers have all the platforms memorized.

I have used Hyperdia extensively during our three weeks of travelling in Japan and always found the information absolutely spot-on.

You will find that all trains of a certain company and destination usually leave from the same platform at a station. So there is little change which makes it easy for Hyperdia.

I had been worried about much tighter transfer times and once I even managed to get some Shinkansen seat reservations during a 10 minutes transfer in IIRC Fukuoka.

Have a great time. It will work out.
Mike

The map and schedule on JR's Hyperdia are always accurate. I access it on my telephone (like everyone else here) when I need to find out when, where, and how I want to get somewhere.

Generally speaking, as long as you have 1 or 2 minutes to transfer trains, you should have no trouble. In most cases the platforms are very close to each other. Even if you do miss your connection, the trains run every few minutes, so catching the next one is no big deal.

The signs are in Japanese and English, and are very large. They are generally color-coded as well, for example, the Chuo line uses orange signs, and the train has a large orange stripe down the side. The Keio line is red, the Yamanote line is green, etc. On occasion, different train lines use the same platform, so knowing which "color" your train is can be a big help.

The Shinkansen trains do not run so often (unless you are at a major station like Tokyo or Shin-Osaka). But 5 minutes is more than enough time to transfer trains (so long as you have your tickets in advance).

Thanks a lot for the info guys!!

100% , unless there is an accident or anything that would delay the trains, information on hyperdia is definitely 100% reliable.