JR Hokkaido Mail Magazine – Let’s go to Furano and Biei! Traveling HOKKAIDO by Train May,2010 INDEX 1. Special discount ticket to let you fully enjoy the beautiful sceneries: Furano Biei Round Tour Ticket . 2. The Twinkle Bus takes you around Furano and Biei. 3. The journey in Hokkaido can be flexible with Rail & Rent-a-car! Enjoy beautiful green scenery from the train windows. While enjoying sceneries appear in a frame of the train window, the train takes you to your destination at leisure. Let’s go and visit peaceful country sides this summer again! Special discount ticket to let you fully enjoy the beautiful sceneries: Furano Biei Round Tour Ticket The summer season is coming to the Furano and Biei area. The beautiful flowers and hills and scenery will relax and comfort you. What you need to travel around Furano and Biei efficiently are: the limited express train “Furano Lavender Express” that takes you directly from Sapporo to Furano; the “Furano/Biei Norokko-go” that allows you to enjoy the scenery along the railway at a leisurely speed; and the “Twinkle Bus” that starts from the Furano or Biei station and takes you to all the nearby tourist spots. “Furano Biei Round Tour Ticket” is 4-day validity period. This ticket allows unlimited train rides in the Free Area. Please enjoy staying in Furano and Biei using this ticket! The fields of flowers, with all their vivid colors, await you again this year! Furano Biei Round Tour Ticket （（（Valid period is 4 days ））） Sales period May5-Oct.14,2010 Use period Jun5-Oct.17,2010 Sapporo Dep.5,400yen （age 6 to 11: 2,700Yen ）,New Chitose Airport Dep.7,400yen Fare （age 6 to 11:3,700Yen ） * If you get off at any station outside of the Free Area, the ticket becomes invalid. This does not include Sapporo Station, however, when you departure is from New Chitose Airport Station. * With the departure from New Chitose Airport Station, the valid train to Sapporo Station is the only local train with unreserved seating. “Furano Biei Round Tour Ticket ” is a set, Ticket A and Ticket B. “Ticket A” is valid only from the departed station to the first station to get off at in the Free Area. Please be sure to turn in this ticket to the station staff when you get off. “Ticket B” is for unlimited rides in the Free Area and also the return trip to your first departure station. After Ticket A is collected at the station, Ticket Benables you to take unlimited rides in the Free Area, and will also bring you back to your departure station. It is valid for 4 days. Please do not lose it. How to use the ticket Limited Express (L’EX) ‘Furano Lavender Express’ It links Sapporo and Furano, a comfortable ride of about 2 hours without any transfers. Tentative schedules and operation date plans for the major stations (2010): Toward Dep. Dep. Arr. Days of Operation Furano Sapporo Takikawa Furano No.1 7:55 9:00 9:53 Daily July.3- Aug.15 Daily June.5- Aug.31 Sept.4 ・5、11 ・12 、18-20 、 No.3 9:06 10:05 11:02 23 、25 ・26 Oct. 2 ・3、9－11 No.5 10:10 11:16 12:17 Daily July.17- Aug.1 Toward Dep. Dep. Arr. Days of Operation Sapporo Furano Takikawa Sapporo No.2 14:10 15:10 16:28 Daily July .3- Aug.15 Daily June.5- Aug.31 Sept.4 ・5、11 ・12 、18-20 、 No.4 16:29 17:23 18:29 23 、25 ・26 Oct. 2 ・3、9－11 No.6 17:36 18:34 19:37 Daily July.17- Aug.1 Furano-Biei Norokko Train’ You can enjoy splendid views of the nature from the wide windows of the train running slowly! During the operation period of the Norokko-go, the “Lavender Field Station” will be in use between Nishinaka and Naka-Furano stations. The closest flower garden, “Farm Tomita,” is an enjoyable 7 minutes walk from the station. Tentative schedules and operation date plans for the major stations (2010) Operates:: Daily June 5 thru August 31 Sept. 4・5、11 ・12 、18-20 、23 、25 ・26 Oct. 2・3、9－11 Toward Dep. Dep. Dep. Lavender Arr. Furano Furano Asahikawa Biei Fields No. 1 10:03 10:39 11:16 11:37 No. 3 ― 13:02 13:40 13:52 No. 5 ― 15:08 15:44 15:57 Toward Dep. Lavender Dep. Arr. Dep. Furano Asahikawa Fields Biei Asahikawa No. 2 11:52 12:14 12:54 ― No. 4 13:59 14:21 15:03 ― No. 6 16:13 16:38 17:20 17:45 Rail Connections From Super-Kamui No. 5: Dep. Sapporo 08: 25> Arr. Asahikawa 09: 45 > Change to Furano- Sapporo Biei Norokko Train: Dep. 10:03 Return to Furano-Biei Norokko Train: Dep. Furano 16:13 > Arr. Asahikawa 17:45 > Change to Sapporo Super-Kamui No. 46: Dep. 18:00 > Arr. Sapporo 19:20 The Twinkle Bus takes you around Furano and Biei. For people wish to visit tourist spots away from the station but who do not want to drive a rent-a-car, the Twinkle Bus, limited to JR passengers, is very convenient. It departs from and returns you to Biei and Furano stations to smoothly assist your travel. Reservations are available at the ticket counters in our stations and at Twinkle Plaza. Reservation When your tour plan is made, please purchase the ticket at your earliest convenience, as seats are limited. Fares vary with each tour. Please refer to the following. Fare Passengers with Furano Biei Round Tour Ticket , Lavender’s Hill Free Kippu, Lavender Free Pass, Japan Rail Pass, or JR Hokkaido Rail Pass also need to purchase the ticket. 1. Twinkle Bus Biei Hill Country Course It takes you to the standard tourist spots in Biei. The following is the schedule of operation. The bus with ● mark will run. Bus Numbers No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8 Departure Times 9:20 10:50 11:05 11:55 13:05 14:05 15:15 16:15 Daily June 5-30 ● - ● - - - ● - Daily July 1- August 31 ● ● - ● ● ● ● ● Sept.4 ・5、11 ・12 、18-20 、 The tree of Seven star 、 ・ ● - ● - - - ● - 23 25 26 Fare 500Yen. age 6-11 250Yen Travel time approximately 50 minutes. Biei Station > The tree of Ken &Mary (view from bus) > The tree of Seven star (Stopover time about 10 min.) > The Route tree of Family (view from bus) > Northwest observatory park Northwest observatory park (Stopover time about 10 min.) > Return to Biei Station The tree of Ken &Mary 2. Twinkle Bus Biei: Takushin-kan Course Takushin-kan Gallery offers you a chance to enjoy landscape photography of our beautiful scenery. The gallery itself looks out on the Shikisai Hill, covered with brilliant summer flowers. The following is the schedule of operation. The bus with ● mark will run. Takushinkan Takushinkan Takushinkan Bus Numbers No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Departure Times 10:45 13:10 15:40 Daily June 5-30 - ● - Daily July 1- August ● ● ● Fare 500Yen,age 6 to 11: 250Yen Travel approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. time Biei Station > Shinei hill observatory The Hill of Seasonal Colors park l (view from bus) > Takushinkan (Photo Art Gallery) (Stopover time about Route 10 min.) > The Hill of Seasonal Colors (Stopover time about 10 min.) > Bibaushi Elementary School (view from bus) > Return to Biei Station 3. Twinkle Bus Furano A set of the drama “Garden of the Wind,” the moving story that has attracted many people is in Furano. You can enjoy a moment of serenity and comfort in this garden filled with bloomed flowers. Daily June 5- August 31 Days of Sept.4 ・5、11 ・12 、18-20 、23 、25 ・26 Operation Oct. 2・3、9－11 Fare 1,000Yen, age 6 to 11: 500Yen Travel time approximately 4 hours. Goro’s Stone House Furano Station: Dep. 11:50 > Jun and Yui’s Recycled House (Stopover time about 15 min.) > Goro’s Stone House(Stopover time about 20 min.) > Anpan Man Shop / Furano Jam Factory (Stopover time about 1 hour.) > Route Furano Cheese Factory (Stopover time about 15 min. ) > Shin-Furano Prince Hotel / Kaze no Gāden (Stopover time about 1 hour. ) > Return to Furano Station: Arr. 16:00) Kaze no Gāden (Wind Garden) 4. Twinkle Bus Biei Lavender Course The tour renewed ！！！ After traveling a straight road that extends uphill and downhill like a roller coaster, and after visiting many beautiful tourist spots, including a purple carpet at the foot of Tokachi mountain ranges, you can taste good wines at the Furano Wine Factory. Days of July 3（Sat ）-Aug 15（Sun ） Operation Fare 1,000Yen, age 6 to 11: 500Yen Travel time 2 hours 20 minutes. Biei Station Dep. 13:30 →Roller Coaster Road （view from bus ）→Lavender East Route fields （Stopover time about 20 min ）→Furano Winery: （Stopover time about 30 min ） →Furano Station Arr.15:50 Roller Coaster Road Lavender East (Early July) Furano Winery 5.Twinkle Bus Furano Lavender Course New ！！！ You can sample rich cheeses made in Furano and also enjoy flavorful ice cream at the Milk Kobo (factory).You can spend a whole hour at the Farm Tomita and savor the deep scent of the lavender fields. Days of July 3（Sat ）-Aug 15（Sun） Operation Fare 1,000Yen, age 6 to 11: 500Yen Travel time 2 hours 40 minutes. Furano Station Dep.10 ：10→Furano Cheese Factory （Stopover ） ルート Farm Tomita （Stopover ）→ Panorama Load Ehana （view from bus ）→Biei Station Arr.12 ：50 Farm Tomita: Mid July Biei Station The journey in Hokkaido can be flexible with Rail & Rent-a-car! JR Hokkaido offers a discount service for “Eki Rent-a-car” for those passengers with special tickets! Take advantage of this opportunity and enjoy your travels using the valuable Rail & Rent-a-car plan! Beautiful scenery, many sites of interest, and a number of popular tourist facilities are found along the railway line in the northern land.