Hokkaido Summer 2012 北海道夏季之旅 - Furano JR Station 富良野駅

Tip: There are no lifts and escalators available in Furano JR station. Therefore, you will need to carry your luggage up the stairs of overhead bridge to get to respective platforms. Suggest to reach at least 15 mins before departure timing, especially if you are carrying bulky luggage.

Train services:
(1) Furano line - to Nakafurano, Bibaushi, Biei and Asahikawa.
(2) Nemuro main line - to Takikawa (and change to Hakodate main line bound for Sapporo).

Discounted train tickets:
Between Sapporo and Furano (via Takikawa), discount for group of 4 tickets purchased.
- Total fee = 8,480 yen (instead of 14,080 yen, ~40% discount), for unreserved seats.
- Free seating in train commuting between Furano and Takikawa. Additional fee required for reserved seats in train commuting between Sapporo and Takikawa.

JR Hokkaido: http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/pticket/pticket03.html#04
Train timetable: http://www.hyperdia.com

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Essential services:
(1) Tourist Information Centre

(2) Bus Terminal
- Lavender buses to/fro Asahikawa Airport.
- Twinkle bus for Furano route.
- Kururu bus (available in Summer only), bus stop A.
- Buses going to Grape Juice Factory and Winery, Rokkatei (Campana della Vigna) and Farm Tomita.

Kururu Bus: http://www.furano-kankou.com/english/hyperlinks/getting-shuttle-Kururubus.htm
Fee = 2 day pass for 1000 yen.
Summer season only loop service, available from 1 Jul to 15 Aug. Starts and end at Furano JR Station, this bus brings visitors to tourist attractions (e.g. Furano Marche, Grape Juice Factory and Winery) and hotels in Furano.
Bus pass can be purchased at Tourist Information Centre.

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Can't speak Japanese? 
During peak summer, JR employs and assigns Mandarin speaking staffs at certain train stations (spotted one in Furano and the other in Biei during this trip). Local crew are not very well-versed in English, therefore you can approach them to purchase train tickets at the counter. Just keep a lookout for staffs wearing lanyard with "Mandarin translator" tag.

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Commemorative stamp: