When will you tour the Alpine Route?
Would like to know can JR Pass be used to travel from Tokyo to Matsumoto? With a nationwide Japan Rail Pass, you can travel from / to Shinano-Omachi Station via Matsumoto Station to / from Shinjuku or Tokyo Station by JR lines.
Haven't decided to start the Takeyama Alpine route from Toyama or from Matsumoto. Matsumoto Station is not the east terminus of the Alpine Route.
The Tateyama (not "Takeyama") Kurobe Alpine Route is connecting Tateyama (in Toyama Prefecture) and Ogizawa (in Nagano Prefecture).
Transportations on the typical course from / to Dentetsu-Toyama Station via the Alpine Route to / from Shinano-Omachi Station (except footpaths) are offered by non-JR operators; no JR pass is valid there.
- Article featuring Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7550.html Will see which point is more convenient to travel to Takayama after the Tateyama Alpine visit. If you travel later to Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture, it sounds better to tour the course via the Alpine Route from Omachi to Toyama than the reverse.
You can walk from Dentetsu-Toyama Station (of Toyama Chihou Testudou) to Toyama Station (of JR).
Then you can travel from Toyama Station to Takayama Station by JR Takayama Line, taking either one Limited Express train (for about 1 and a half hour) or two Local trains (for about 2 to 2 and a half hours, including the time to change trains in Inotani Station).
Please note that trains are not frequently available between Toyama and Takayama.
Current timetable for the Limited Express trains
(available from Toyama to Takayama)
: Toyama 08:00 --["Wide View Hida" #6]-- 09:31 Takayama.
: Toyama 13:02 --["Wide View Hida" #14]-- 14:32 Takayama.
: Toyama 15:10 --["Wide View Hida" #18]-- 16:38 Takayama.
: Toyama 17:10 --["Wide View Hida" #20]-- 18:38 Takayama.
- Article featuring Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html