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Travelling by prepare is among the issues we love most about Japan. There’s an intensive community, the trains are spacious and comfy, and so they all the time run on time (we even made a one-minute connection!).
The solely draw back is the worth. Buying a Japan Rail Pass upfront used to avoid wasting you some huge cash, however that has modified with a worth enhance in October 2023.
In this evaluation, I’ll discover whether or not a Japan Rail Pass is price it any longer and share helpful suggestions for utilizing the move and travelling by prepare in Japan.
Contents
Update: Japan Rail Pass Price Increase 2023
The price of the Japan Rail Pass elevated considerably (round 70%) in October 2023.
Unfortunately, which means that for many guests, the Japan Rail Pass now not saves you cash.
This is such a disgrace as I completely love the comfort of travelling with a move. You ought to nonetheless think about a Japan Rail Pass if:
- You are travelling rather a lot – For instance for a visit that features Tokyo to Kyoto return with a day journey to Hiroshima (see the itinerary under), a move now prices about the identical as particular person tickets.
- You prioritise comfort – It’s so good with the ability to hop on trains with out shopping for a ticket.
Another change with the brand new passes is that you should use it on the quickest shinkansen trains (Nozomi and Mizuho), however it’s a must to pay a hefty supplementary payment (4960 yen/ US $33 from Tokyo to Kyoto). This isn’t price it to succeed in Kyoto 20 minutes sooner.
What is a Japan Rail Pass?
A Japan Rail Pass is a ticket that gives limitless journey on all Japan Rail nationwide trains for a sure interval. Passes can be found for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days and you’ll select between an ordinary and inexperienced (first-class) move.
Japan Rail Passes are solely obtainable to foreigners travelling on a vacationer visa and (often) should be purchased exterior Japan.
You should purchase your move on-line and get it delivered to your own home handle and even to your first Japan resort if you happen to’ve left it to the final minute.
Japan Rail Pass Price (New Prices)
This is the present price of every of the usual Japan Rail Passes in Japanese yen with the present approximate alternate fee in US {dollars} and the price per day in {dollars}.
| Japan Rail Pass | Cost in Yen | Cost in $ | Cost per Day in $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Day JR Rail Pass | ¥50,000 | $336 | $48 |
| 14 Day JR Rail Pass | ¥80,000 | $538 | $38 |
| 21 Day JR Rail Pass | ¥100,000 | $672 | $32 |
JR Passes for youngsters price half the quantities above (i.e ¥25,000 for a 7 Day Pass).
I don’t assume there’s any must pay further for the Green Pass (¥70,000 for a 7 Day Pass) to journey first-class as we discovered customary class snug with loads of leg room, tables, and energy factors.
The solely time it is likely to be price contemplating is throughout vacation durations comparable to Golden Week in late April/early May when customary class trains are busy (you may make seat reservations, although).
We all the time purchase our tickets on-line with official vendor JRailPass.com. They ship worldwide in two days.
Buy your Japan Rail Pass from JRailPass.com right here
Which Trains are the Japan Rail Pass Valid On?
The JR Rail Pass is legitimate on all Japan Rail trains, however it will probably’t be used on trains operated by non-public firms.
This means you’ll be able to’t take the quickest Nozomi or Mizuho shinkansen (bullet trains) until you pay an costly complement, however there are many different bullet trains and this by no means prompted us an issue.
For instance, when travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto you’ll be able to take the Hikari shinkansen which is just 20 minutes slower at 158 minutes than the Nozomi shinkansen which takes 138 minutes.
The rail move can be utilized on some native trains inside Tokyo and different large cities, however not on the metro or buses.
It’s largely helpful for saving cash on journey between cities. See the native transport part under for extra particulars.
Joyful Trains
The JR Pass is legitimate on lots of Japan’s Joyful Trains that are enjoyable, character-themed trains.
We observed the Hello Kitty shinkansen in Okayama station and had been tempted to hop on for a pleasure journey (the benefit of a rail move is you’ll be able to observe whims like this).
Destinations the place we couldn’t use a JR Pass
If you might be solely travelling to main cities, you’ll have the ability to use your JR Pass in every single place. For journeys to some smaller cities, you could must pay further to take the bus or non-public railway.
Even with these further bills, the rail move nonetheless saved us cash on our three journeys.
On our first journey we visited two locations that we couldn’t entry with our rail move. For the mountain temple city Koya-san we used our move to journey from Kyoto to Osaka after which purchased a ticket for the non-public Nankai Railways prepare.
For the tiny city of Tsumago within the Kiso Valley we used our move to get from Nagoya to Nagiso then paid for the bus to Tsumago.
On our second journey (see our two week Japan itinerary) we used our rail move to get in every single place besides Hakone the place we purchased a Hakone Free Pass from Odawara prepare station to discover the world by bus, prepare, ferry, and cable automobile.
The solely different slight situation was having to take a slower prepare with one switch to get to Nikko as you’ll be able to’t use a move for the direct prepare from Shinjuku to the Tobu Nikko station.
On our third journey, the one place we couldn’t get to with a JR Rail Pass was Kawaguchiko (to see Mt Fuji at Lake Kawaguchi).
We had been travelling from Okayama (on the identical line as Hiroshima) and will solely take the shinkansen so far as Mishima the place we took a 1.5-hour bus journey to Kawaguchiko.
From Tokyo you will get to Otsuki with a rail move and solely pay the common fare for the ultimate part to Kawaguchiko.
We additionally visited the very cool Naoshima Art Island as a day journey from Okayama. The rail move lined our prepare to Uno port however didn’t cowl the 20-minute ferry (which is cheap anyway).
Is a Japan Rail Pass Worth It?
Whether a Japan Rail Pass is price it for you relies on your route.
If you’ll be travelling at a quick tempo to a lot of locations, particularly on the costly bullet trains, then a rail move could prevent cash.
If you might be solely travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto and again inside every week, the move now not saves cash.
The return journey on the shinkansen prices ¥27,300 (for a reserved seat). You’ll need to do lots of further journey to succeed in the ¥50,000 price of a 7-day move.
Japan Rail Pass Calculator
To work out whether or not the JR Pass is price it for you, you could provide you with a possible itinerary after which calculate how a lot it will price to pay in your tickets as you go.
To get a tough concept use Japan Guide’s Japan Rail Calculator. It’s not 100% correct, however it’s fast and straightforward to make use of.
For an correct calculation, put every leg of your journey into Navitime to see the prices.
If it’s a detailed name
If the price of the move is just a bit greater than particular person tickets, I like to recommend shopping for the move. It makes journey a lot simpler not having to purchase tickets and with the ability to hop on and off trains as you want.
You also can use the move for some native journey (particularly in Tokyo the place it may be used on the trains however not subways) and day journeys.
Our our newest extra unconventional journey from Kyoto-Kinosaki Onsen-Okayama (with day journeys)-Mishima (for the bus to Kawaguchiko)-Tokyo we purchased a 14-day Japan Rail Pass.
As we had been travelling at a reasonably sluggish tempo, this labored out roughly the identical worth as if we’d purchased the tickets individually (on the previous move worth), however the comfort made it price it.
Our Savings with a Japan Rail Pass
For a earlier two week journey to Japan we flew out and in of Tokyo and used a 7-day Japan Rail Pass to journey to Nikko, Hakone, Takayama, and Kanazawa—see our detailed Japan itinerary.
Here are the financial savings we made through the use of a Japan Rail Pass. This features a aspect journey from Takayama and utilizing the move for native trains in Tokyo on our last day with the move.
| From | To | Cost in Yen |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Shinjuku | Nikko | 5,380 |
| Nikko | Odawara (for Hakone) | 8,200 |
| Odawara | Takayama | 12,000 |
| Takayama | Hida-Furukawa (aspect journey) | 240 |
| Hida-Furukawa | Takayama | 240 |
| Takayama | Kanazawa | 5,610 |
| Kanazawa | Tokyo Station | 13,920 |
| Tokyo Station | Shibuya (inside Tokyo) | 200 |
| Shibuya | Takadanobaba (inside Tokyo) | 170 |
| Takadanobaba | Shibuya (inside Tokyo) | 170 |
| Total Cost of Individual Tickets | JP¥46,130 | |
| Cost of Old 7 Day Japan Rail Pass | JP¥29,110 | |
| Previous Saving | JP¥17,020 | |
| Cost of New 7 Day Japan Rail Pass | JP¥50,000 |
We saved over ¥17,000 or $115 per individual with the previous Japan Rail Pass.
Unfortunately, with the brand new Japan Rail Pass costs, we’d have saved ¥4000 ($27) by shopping for tickets individually. In this case, I do assume the move can be price the additional price for the comfort.
Here’s an instance for a typical 10 day journey to Japan arriving in and departing from Tokyo and visiting the highlights.
Spend the primary three days in Tokyo (pay out of pocket for the Narita Express prepare from the airport), after which activate your 7-day rail move on the day you allow for Kyoto.
Spend six days in Kyoto and take day journeys to Nara and Osaka (that are cheap on native trains) and additional afield to Hiroshima by bullet prepare (the place you’ll actually respect the move). See extra Kyoto day journey concepts.
Return to Tokyo in your last day and use the move to take the Narita Express prepare to Tokyo Narita Airport.
Here’s how a lot you’d save by buying a JR Rail Pass for this itinerary:
By buying a 7-day JR Pass for this journey, you used to avoid wasting a substantial quantity. After the worth enhance, shopping for a move is about the identical as particular person tickets however could possibly be price it for the comfort.
When Not to Use a Japan Rail Pass
If you might be flying into Tokyo and out from Osaka (or vice versa) and solely travelling to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, a rail move might be dearer than the one-way shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto.
Or even in case you are simply travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto and again (with out main day journeys), shopping for particular person shinkansen tickets is cheaper and also you’ll have the ability to take the quickest Nozomi prepare.
If you might be solely travelling in a single space of Japan, comparable to Kansai the place Osaka and Kyoto are, paying for tickets individually will doubtless be cheaper than a JR move. You would possibly need to look right into a regional rail move as an alternative such because the Kansai Area Pass (though these have additionally had worth will increase).
If you might be on a extremely tight finances and are travelling at a sluggish tempo, it may work out cheaper to take the bus. Willer gives bus passes from ¥10,200 for 3 days of journey inside two months.
We a lot desire prepare journey, although, because it’s sooner, extra snug and spacious, we are able to work on the tables, and I don’t get journey sick (an issue on the bus on Japan’s winding mountain roads).
Where to Buy a Japan Rail Pass
Japan Rail Passes are bought by some journey brokers exterior Japan, however the easiest method to purchase a move is on-line.
We purchased our passes for our final two journeys from JRailPass.com who’re an official JR Rail Pass vendor. You will obtain an alternate order that you simply alternate for the move whenever you arrive in Japan.
Another possibility is Klook, which is the best choice for Australians as they embrace free delivery inside Australia (or decide up from Sydney CBD).
The alternate order should be exchanged inside three months, so don’t order too far upfront.
Our buy with JRailPass.com was very straightforward. For every passenger you want the complete title precisely because it’s written on their passport and their nationality.
You are additionally requested for an approximate arrival date in Japan, however that is simply to allow them to ensure your passes will arrive on time. You don’t must determine the precise begin date of the move till you get to Japan.
They can ship passes worldwide and so they often arrive inside two working days, though ours took three days to Indonesia. On one in all our journeys we had been already travelling so we acquired the move delivered to our resort in Bali.
There are further bank card and delivery charges until your order is over $600 when there’s free delivery to the UK and Europe.
In the US the passes are despatched by UPS and worldwide they use FedEx International Priority. You are given a monitoring quantity to trace the progress of the supply. Someone has to signal for the supply.
Sending a Japan Rail Pass to Japan
If you’ve left shopping for your move to the final minute, you will get the alternate order despatched to your first resort in Japan.
It’s finest to verify together with your resort or Airbnb host first, however it shouldn’t be an issue with larger resorts.
On our final journey we had been staying in an house in Kyoto for a month earlier than we began our two-week rail move journey.
As I wasn’t positive what would occur if we missed the supply (and we wouldn’t have the ability to learn any notices in Japanese), the agent who managed the house agreed to obtain supply for us.
Buying Direct
It was you could possibly solely purchase a move exterior Japan from an authorised agent, however Japan Rail now promote passes on-line (they stopped promoting them at sure stations). See the Japan Rail Pass web site for extra particulars.
The draw back of reserving direct is having to cope with a considerably clunky web site (the place it’s a must to create an account).
The upsides usually are not needing to have an alternate order mailed to you in your house nation (you gather the move in Japan) and with the ability to make seat reservations on-line (even earlier than you arrive in Japan), which could possibly be helpful at very busy occasions of 12 months like Golden Week.
How to Exchange a Japan Rail Pass
You don’t obtain the move at first however an alternate order you could then alternate in your move whenever you arrive in Japan.
A booklet with data on the place you are able to do this comes with the alternate order.
We exchanged ours on the JR Rail workplace in Shinjuku Station and it was fast and straightforward.
We needed to fill in a brief type and present our alternate order and passports (don’t overlook to convey yours). You have to decide on the beginning date for the move inside the subsequent month and this will’t be modified.
If potential, it’s finest to do that a day or so earlier than your first journey day so that you don’t have to fret about it on the day.
Otherwise, be sure you enable loads of time earlier than your prepare departs in case there are queues.
For native transport inside cities you should use the JR Rail Pass on some prepare strains however not the metro or buses.
As native transport isn’t very costly (aside from the quick airport trains), it may not be price activating your move till you allow the town. See above for the way to calculate this.
Tokyo Local Travel
In Tokyo, the Japan Rail Pass is kind of helpful. You can apply it to the JR Yamanote line, which is among the most used strains within the metropolis and connects main hubs comparable to Shinjuku, Shibuya and Tokyo Stations.
There are a lot of different JR prepare strains that crisscross the massive metropolis—the Chuo line is one other one we regularly use.
You can’t use a JR Pass on the Tokyo Metro.
The move can be utilized on the Narita Express prepare which is probably the most snug and quickest option to get from Narita Airport into the centre of Tokyo.
You can activate your move on the JR Travel Service Centre within the airport prepare station.
Kyoto Local Travel
In Kyoto, the move is of extra restricted use for native transport. You can’t use the move on the metro or buses, however there are a few prepare journeys you could possibly use it for.
You can take the JR Nara line to Inari (to see Fushimi Inari shrine—one in all our high issues to do in Kyoto).
You also can take the JR Sagano line to Saga-Arashiyama station to see the well-known bamboo grove and plenty of stunning temples on this neighbourhood.
If you might be flying into Kansai Airport close to Osaka, you’ll be able to activate your rail move on the airport prepare station and use it for the Limited Express Haruka prepare, which is one of the simplest ways to get to Osaka or Kyoto.
Osaka
Although there are just a few JR prepare strains inside Osaka, the Osaka subway is extra helpful for getting round, and this isn’t included with a rail move.
Local Transport Cards
As you’ll be able to’t use a JR Rail Pass on many types of native transport inside the cities, in case you are staying for quite a lot of days, it’s price selecting up a pay as you go IC transport card.
You add cash to those upfront after which simply faucet on and off all native transport.
In Tokyo you should buy a Suica or Pasmo card and in Kyoto and Osaka you’ll get an ICOCA card.
Whichever card you purchase you should use them in cities throughout Japan, so that you don’t want a separate card for Kyoto and Tokyo.
You used to have the ability to purchase them at ticket machines and counters in prepare and metro stations, however gross sales are at present suspended attributable to a scarcity of IC chips.
Tourists can nonetheless buy Welcome Suica and Pasmo Passport playing cards at choose stations and airports. They are solely legitimate for 28 days although.
An simpler possibility is so as to add Suica or Pasmo to Apple Wallet in your cellphone or watch (at present solely Mastercard and American Express work as cost strategies for it in Wallet although).
The previous IC playing cards included a ¥500 deposit, which you will get a refund for if you happen to return your card on the finish, however solely within the space you obtain it. You can’t get a refund for a Suica card in Osaka or an ICOCA card in Tokyo.
The vacationer playing cards don’t have a deposit.
Finding Train Times
Use Navitime to seek for prepare occasions. Remember to click on the Tourist Pass dropdown menu and choose Japan Rail Pass to have it present routes the place the rail move is legitimate.
Making Seat Reservations
You don’t must make seat reservations to journey with a move on most trains—you’ll be able to simply hop on any unreserved automobile.
The mostly used prepare that does require a seat reservation is the Narita Express from Narita Airport into Tokyo.
If you need to use your move on the airport prepare, you’ll be able to swap your alternate order for a move and get the seat reservation on the airport JR workplace.
You most likely need to make seat reservations when travelling throughout Japanese nationwide holidays—see this checklist of Japan vacation dates.
Seat reservations are free for rail move holders and will be made at any JR station ticket workplace—both on the counter or at ticket machines.
It doesn’t need to be the station you might be travelling from, so it can save you time by getting just a few seat reservations without delay. Smaller stations could have shorter queues.
You may additionally make your first few seat reservations when exchanging your alternate order for a move. We did this in Kyoto Station on our final journey, which saved time because the queues had been lengthy.
All it’s a must to do is present your move and provides them the prepare time you need the reservation for.
Staff could converse English, however I discover it useful to jot down down the date, prepare time, and route I would like reservations for. This is why it’s finest to analysis occasions on Navitime upfront.
Luggage Reservations
If you might be travelling on the Tōkaidō, San’yō, or Kyūshū Shinkansens and have outsized baggage, you’ll must make a seat reservation for the seats subsequent to the outsized baggage space on the finish of the prepare automobile.
Luggage is taken into account outsized if it has whole dimensions (A+B+C) of over 160cm.
This is pretty beneficiant as most traditional suitcases are smaller than this. Smaller suitcases, together with any that slot in airline overhead compartments (together with our Away Bigger Carry On), ought to match within the overhead compartments on shinkansens.
Even in case your bag shouldn’t be outsized, you’ll be able to e book an outsized baggage seat to have entry to the storage space behind the seat if you happen to assume you’ll have issues lifting your baggage overhead.
How to Use a Japan Rail Pass
To use the Japan Rail Pass all you could do is get on an unreserved automobile and discover an empty seat.
In 2023, the format of the move modified and it’s now a small scannable ticket that you should use within the computerized gates to entry the prepare platforms.
You can also be requested to point out the move on the prepare.
When you might be travelling on a bullet prepare you’ll be able to see which automobiles are unreserved on the screens, after which discover the corresponding quantity on the platform to see the place to attend.
The panels on the aspect of the carriage can even say whether or not it’s reserved or unreserved.
Trains are all the time on time so a 10-minute switch time is ok.
Japanese Train Etiquette
The Japanese are typically a quiet and respectful folks and it’s vital to observe these guidelines when travelling by prepare:
- Be quiet – Keep your quantity low when taking, don’t speak in your cellphone and ensure it doesn’t beep or ring. We even noticed indicators warning you to not sort too loudly in your laptop computer!
- No consuming – The exception is on bullet trains when shopping for a bento lunch field on the station is an enormous a part of the expertise. On native trains we didn’t see anybody consuming or ingesting something apart from water.
- Don’t smoke – Unless there’s a chosen smoking automobile on the bullet trains.
- Don’t sit within the precedence seating – On native trains these seats are designated for the aged, pregnant ladies, and folks with disabilities. If the prepare is quiet you’ll be able to sit right here, however be ready to surrender your seat if crucial.
- Queue – There are designated spots to attend for the prepare marked on the platform, so be a part of the orderly queue.
- Be affected person – Stand to the aspect and await folks to get off the prepare earlier than you get on.
Is a Japan Rail Pass Worth it?
On all our earlier journeys to Japan, we discovered a JR Pass saved us lots of of {dollars} and made journey a lot simpler.
While that has modified with the worth enhance, it’s nonetheless price contemplating a rail move in case you are doing lots of journey.
Even if a move prices about the identical as particular person tickets, the comfort of with the ability to hop on virtually any prepare with out shopping for a ticket is price it.
Hopefully the guidelines above will assist you work out whether or not a Japan Rail Pass is price it for you.
Let me know when you have any questions within the feedback under.
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