JR Thunderbird train ticket (Osaka/Kyoto to Kanazawa)

This was my first time using Klook to buy a pass, and I was a bit nervous and unsure. Redemption Guide: We cleared customs at Terminal 2 at 12 PM, then took the free shuttle bus to Terminal 1. We went up to the second floor, where there's a JR station with a manned counter. Since it was a weekend, there weren't many people in line. A gentleman who spoke excellent Chinese (likely Chinese himself) was on duty, making communication very easy. We successfully redeemed our tickets for the JR Limited Express Thunderbird from Shin-Osaka to Tsuruga, and then transferred to the Shinkansen from Tsuruga to Kanazawa. We had seats for both, and there was no problem with our large luggage. Considering my 86-year-old mother, he suggested we allow a bit more transfer time in between, so we wouldn't have to rush to find the platform and catch our train in an unfamiliar place with two large suitcases. It added a little extra time, but everything went smoothly.

Purchased the Toyama to Osaka ticket on the same day. Cheaper on Klook and came with free 3GB eSIM! Easy to buy through the ticketing machine. Do note that after buying the ticket, you need to use the machine again to choose reserved seats! Took me a while to figure out what to do, but it turned out all good. You can select reserved seats for both shinkansen and the Thunderbird Limited Express - however there was not enough space at the seats in Thunderbird for our big luggages, so must make sure you check where the oversized baggage area is beforehand! There was a lot of ppl transferring to the Thunderbird too so if you have a short transfer time between trains, ensure you walk fast!

This time, for my round trip between Kyoto and Kanazawa, I chose physical tickets. I scanned the QR code and passport at the green machine and exchanged them for physical tickets, which was very convenient.

The price is at least 100 yen cheaper. You can only redeem it at a green automatic ticket machine that can scan passports (at Fukui Station, only machine #5 works, and it must be marked with "5489"). ⚠️ You can select Chinese on the machine. The redemption process is slightly different from what's described in the app. I ended up asking a staff member for help with the redemption, and I found that their sequence was to first scan the passport, then directly select QR code scan, and then follow the prompts to issue the ticket. ⚠️ After the ticket is issued, you need to reinsert it into the machine to select the date and seat. Because I was worried about not being familiar with the process, I exchanged my ticket a day in advance, which was very wise. This way, I wasn't rushed on the day of travel.

seat reservation process: Easy to do and well worth booking seats. price: Was a great price to do the whole trip in one go, changed trains at the station half way to our destination and no problems. pass area coverage: Great views of the country side and had great internet coverage so could still keep in contact with people.

Since it was a family trip, we chose physical tickets. From Kyoto to Kanazawa, we took the Limited Express Thunderbird from Kyoto Platform 0 to Tsuruga, and then transferred to the Shinkansen to Kanazawa. The trip went smoothly.

This train is really convenient, especially on the Shinkansen from Tsuruga to Toyama. However, when transfer in Tsuruga, it is really short time and we only catch the train in time by the kindly help of a staff in the station. In general, this trip is really good and we highly recommend this.

The first time I took the newly opened Shinkansen to Tsuruga, then transferred to the Thunderbird Limited Express to Osaka, after exchanging my passport for tickets, I needed to select the "Discount Ticket" option on the screen to reserve a seat.

It was great because it was convenient and inexpensive to use. At Kyoto Station, you need to purchase tickets and reserve seats directly from the ticket machine.

travelled from osaka to kanazawa in a group of 4. redeemed our tickets with the qr code from the machines at osaka station. easy to redeem with some help from the JR customer service instructions.