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Is a Japan Rail Pass Worth It? (2024 Update After Cost Increase)

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Travelling by train is one of the things we love most about Japan. There’s an extensive network, the trains are spacious and comfortable, and they always run on time (we even made a one-minute connection!).

The only downside is the price. Buying a Japan Rail Pass in advance used to save you a lot of money, but that has changed with a price increase in October 2023.

In this review, I’ll explore whether a Japan Rail Pass is worth it any longer and share useful tips for using the pass and travelling by train in Japan.

Update: Japan Rail Pass Price Increase

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The cost of the Japan Rail Pass increased significantly (around 70%) in October 2023.

Unfortunately, this means that for most visitors, the Japan Rail Pass no longer saves you money.

This is such a shame as I absolutely love the convenience of travelling with a pass. You should still consider a Japan Rail Pass if:

• You are travelling a lot – For example for a trip that includes Tokyo to Kyoto return with a day trip to Hiroshima (see the itinerary below), a pass now costs about the same as individual tickets.
• You prioritise convenience – It’s so nice being able to hop on trains without buying a ticket.

Another change with the new passes is that you can use it on the fastest shinkansen trains ( Nozomi and Mizuho ), but you have to pay a hefty supplementary fee (4960 yen/ US $33 from Tokyo to Kyoto). This isn’t worth it to reach Kyoto 20 minutes faster.

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A Japan Rail Pass is a ticket that provides unlimited travel on all Japan Rail national trains for a certain period. Passes are available for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days and you can choose between a standard and green (first class) pass.

Japan Rail Passes are only available to foreigners travelling on a tourist visa and (usually) must be bought outside Japan.

You can buy your pass online and get it delivered to your home address or even to your first Japan hotel if you’ve left it to the last minute.

This is the current cost of each of the standard Japan Rail Passes in Japanese yen with the current approximate exchange rate in US dollars and the cost per day in dollars.

JR Passes for children cost half the amounts above (i.e ¥25,000 for a 7 Day Pass).

I don’t think there’s any need to pay extra for the Green Pass (¥70,000 for a 7 Day Pass) to travel first class as we found standard class comfortable with plenty of leg room, tables, and power points.

The only time it might be worth considering is during holiday periods such as Golden Week in late April/early May when standard class trains are busy (you can make seat reservations, though).

We always buy our tickets online with official vendor JRailPass.com. They ship worldwide in two days. 

Buy your Japan Rail Pass from JRailPass.com here

The JR Rail Pass is valid on all Japan Rail trains, but it can’t be used on trains operated by private companies.

This means you can’t take the fastest Nozomi or Mizuho shinkansen (bullet trains) unless you pay an expensive supplement, but there are plenty of other bullet trains and this never caused us a problem.

For example, when travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto you can take the Hikari shinkansen which is only 20 minutes slower at 158 minutes than the Nozomi shinkansen which takes 138 minutes.

The rail pass can be used on some local trains within Tokyo and other big cities, but not on the metro or buses.

It’s mostly useful for saving money on travel between cities. See the local transport section below for more details.

Joyful Trains

The JR Pass is valid on many of Japan’s Joyful Trains which are fun, character-themed trains.

We noticed the Hello Kitty shinkansen in Okayama station and were tempted to hop on for a joy ride (the advantage of a rail pass is you can follow whims like this). 

Destinations where we couldn’t use a JR Pass

If you are only travelling to major cities, you’ll be able to use your JR Pass everywhere. For trips to some smaller towns, you may need to pay extra to take the bus or private railway. 

Even with these extra expenses, the rail pass still saved us money on our three trips. 

On our first trip we visited two places that we couldn’t access with our rail pass. For the mountain temple town Koya-san we used our pass to travel from Kyoto to Osaka and then bought a ticket for the private Nankai Railways train.

For the tiny town of Tsumago in the Kiso Valley we used our pass to get from Nagoya to Nagiso then paid for the bus to Tsumago. 

On our second trip (see our two week Japan itinerary ) we used our rail pass to get everywhere except Hakone where we bought a Hakone Free Pass from Odawara train station to explore the area by bus, train, ferry, and cable car.

The only other slight issue was having to take a slower train with one transfer to get to Nikko as you can’t use a pass for the direct train from Shinjuku to the Tobu Nikko station.

On our third trip , the only place we couldn’t get to with a JR Rail Pass was Kawaguchiko (to see Mt Fuji at Lake Kawaguchi). 

We were travelling from Okayama (on the same line as Hiroshima) and could only take the shinkansen as far as Mishima where we took a 1.5-hour bus ride to Kawaguchiko. 

From Tokyo you can get to Otsuki with a rail pass and only pay the regular fare for the final section to Kawaguchiko. 

We also visited the very cool Naoshima Art Island as a day trip from Okayama . The rail pass covered our train to Uno port but didn’t cover the 20-minute ferry (which is inexpensive anyway). 

Whether a Japan Rail Pass is worth it for you depends on your route.

If you’ll be travelling at a fast pace to lots of places, especially on the expensive bullet trains, then a rail pass may save you money.

If you are only travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto and back within a week, the pass no longer saves money.

The return trip on the shinkansen costs ¥27,300 (for a reserved seat). You’ll have to do a lot of extra travel to reach the ¥50,000 cost of a 7-day pass.

Japan Rail Pass Calculator

To work out whether the JR Pass is worth it for you, you need to come up with a potential itinerary and then calculate how much it would cost to pay for your tickets as you go.

To get a rough idea use Japan Guide’s Japan Rail Calculator. It’s not 100% accurate, but it’s quick and easy to use. 

For an accurate calculation, put each leg of your trip into Navitime to see the costs.

If it’s a close call

If the cost of the pass is just a little more than individual tickets, I recommend buying the pass. It makes travel much easier not having to buy tickets and being able to hop on and off trains as you like.

You can also use the pass for some local travel (especially in Tokyo where it can be used on the trains but not subways) and day trips. 

Our our latest more unconventional trip from Kyoto-Kinosaki Onsen-Okayama (with day trips)-Mishima (for the bus to Kawaguchiko)-Tokyo we bought a 14-day Japan Rail Pass.

As we were travelling at a fairly slow pace, this worked out roughly the same price as if we’d bought the tickets individually (at the old pass price), but the convenience made it worth it. 

For a previous two week trip to Japan we flew in and out of Tokyo and used a 7-day Japan Rail Pass to travel to Nikko, Hakone, Takayama, and Kanazawa—see our detailed Japan itinerary .

Here are the savings we made by using a Japan Rail Pass. This includes a side trip from Takayama and using the pass for local trains in Tokyo on our final day with the pass.

We saved over ¥17,000 or $115 per person with the old Japan Rail Pass.

Unfortunately, with the new Japan Rail Pass prices, we would have saved ¥4000 ($27) by buying tickets individually. In this case, I do think the pass would be worth the extra cost for the convenience.

Here’s an example for a typical 10 day trip to Japan arriving in and departing from Tokyo and visiting the highlights. 

Spend the first three days in Tokyo (pay out of pocket for the Narita Express train from the airport), and then activate your 7-day rail pass on the day you leave for Kyoto. 

Spend six days in Kyoto and take day trips to Nara and Osaka (which are inexpensive on local trains) and further afield to Hiroshima by bullet train (where you’ll really appreciate the pass). See more Kyoto day trip ideas . 

Return to Tokyo for your final day and use the pass to take the Narita Express train to Tokyo Narita Airport.

Here’s how much you would save by purchasing a JR Rail Pass for this itinerary: 

By purchasing a 7-day JR Pass for this trip, you used to save a considerable amount. After the price increase, buying a pass is about the same as individual tickets but could be worth it for the convenience.

If you are flying into Tokyo and out from Osaka (or vice versa) and only travelling to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, a rail pass will be more expensive than the one-way shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto. 

Or even if you are just travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto and back (without major day trips), buying individual shinkansen tickets is cheaper and you’ll be able to take the fastest Nozomi train.

If you are only travelling in one area of Japan, such as Kansai where Osaka and Kyoto are, paying for tickets individually will likely be cheaper than a JR pass. You might want to look into a regional rail pass instead such as the Kansai Area Pass (although those have also had price increases).

If you are on a really tight budget and are travelling at a slow pace, it could work out cheaper to take the bus. Willer offers bus passes from ¥10,200 for three days of travel within two months. 

We much prefer train travel, though, as it’s faster, more comfortable and spacious, we can work on the tables, and I don’t get travel sick (a problem on the bus on Japan’s winding mountain roads).

Japan Rail Passes are sold by some travel agents outside Japan, but the easiest way to buy a pass is online.

We bought our passes for our last two trips from JRailPass.com who are an official JR Rail Pass vendor. You will receive an exchange order that you exchange for the pass when you arrive in Japan.

Another option is Klook , which is the best option for Australians as they include free shipping within Australia (or pick up from Sydney CBD).

The exchange order must be exchanged within three months, so don’t order too far in advance.

Our purchase with JRailPass.com was very easy. For each passenger you need the full name exactly as it’s written on their passport and their nationality.

You are also asked for an approximate arrival date in Japan, but this is just so they can make sure your passes will arrive on time. You don’t need to decide the exact start date of the pass until you get to Japan.

They can ship passes worldwide and they usually arrive within two working days, although ours took three days to Indonesia. On one of our trips we were already travelling so we got the pass delivered to our hotel in Bali. 

There are extra credit card and shipping fees unless your order is over $600 when there’s free shipping to the UK and Europe.

In the US the passes are sent by UPS and worldwide they use FedEx International Priority. You are given a tracking number to track the progress of the delivery. Someone has to sign for the delivery. 

Sending a Japan Rail Pass to Japan

If you’ve left buying your pass to the last minute, you can get the exchange order sent to your first hotel in Japan.

It’s best to check with your hotel or Airbnb host first, but it shouldn’t be a problem with bigger hotels.

On our last trip we were staying in an apartment in Kyoto for a month before we started our two-week rail pass trip.

As I wasn’t sure what would happen if we missed the delivery (and we wouldn’t be able to read any notices in Japanese), the agent who managed the apartment agreed to receive delivery for us. 

Buying Direct

It used to be you could only buy a pass outside Japan from an authorised agent, but Japan Rail now sell passes online (they stopped selling them at certain stations). See the Japan Rail Pass website for more details.

The downside of booking direct is having to deal with a somewhat clunky site (where you have to create an account).

The upsides are not needing to have an exchange order mailed to you in your home country (you collect the pass in Japan) and being able to make seat reservations online (even before you arrive in Japan), which could be useful at very busy times of year like Golden Week.

You don’t receive the pass at first but an exchange order that you can then exchange for your pass when you arrive in Japan.

A booklet with information on where you can do this comes with the exchange order.

We exchanged ours at the JR Rail office in Shinjuku Station and it was quick and easy.

We had to fill in a short form and show our exchange order and passports (don’t forget to bring yours). You have to choose the start date for the pass within the next month and this can’t be changed.

If possible, it’s best to do this a day or so before your first travel day so you don’t have to worry about it on the day.

Otherwise, make sure you allow plenty of time before your train departs in case there are queues.

For local transport within cities you can use the JR Rail Pass on some train lines but not the metro or buses. 

As local transport isn’t very expensive (with the exception of the fast airport trains), it might not be worth activating your pass until you leave the city. See above for how to calculate this. 

Tokyo Local Travel

In Tokyo, the Japan Rail Pass is quite useful. You can use it on the JR Yamanote line, which is one of the most used lines in the city and connects major hubs such as Shinjuku, Shibuya and Tokyo Stations.

There are a number of other JR train lines that crisscross the huge city—the Chuo line is another one we often use.

You can’t use a JR Pass on the Tokyo Metro.

The pass can be used on the Narita Express train which is the most comfortable and quickest way to get from Narita Airport into the centre of Tokyo.

You can activate your pass at the JR Travel Service Centre in the airport train station.

Kyoto Local Travel

In Kyoto, the pass is of more limited use for local transport. You can’t use the pass on the metro or buses, but there are a couple of train journeys you could use it for.

You can take the JR Nara line to Inari (to see Fushimi Inari shrine—one of our top things to do in Kyoto ).

You can also take the JR Sagano line to Saga-Arashiyama station to see the famous bamboo grove and many beautiful temples in this neighbourhood. 

If you are flying into Kansai Airport near Osaka, you can activate your rail pass at the airport train station and use it for the Limited Express Haruka train , which is the best way to get to Osaka or Kyoto.

Although there are a few JR train lines within Osaka, the Osaka subway is more useful for getting around, and this is not included with a rail pass. 

Local Transport Cards

As you can’t use a JR Rail Pass on many forms of local transport within the cities, if you are staying for more than a few days, it’s worth picking up a prepaid IC transport card.

You add money to these in advance and then just tap on and off all local transport. 

In Tokyo you can buy a Suica or Pasmo card and in Kyoto and Osaka you’ll get an ICOCA card.

Whichever card you buy you can use them in cities all over Japan, so you don’t need a separate card for Kyoto and Tokyo. 

You used to be able to buy them at ticket machines and counters in train and metro stations, but sales are currently suspended due to a shortage of IC chips.

Tourists can still purchase Welcome Suica and Pasmo Passport cards at select stations and airports. They are only valid for 28 days though.

An easier option is to add  Suica or Pasmo to Apple Wallet  on your phone or watch (currently only Mastercard and American Express work as payment methods for it in Wallet though).

The old IC cards included a ¥500 deposit, which you can get a refund for if you return your card at the end, but only in the area you bought it. You can’t get a refund for a Suica card in Osaka or an ICOCA card in Tokyo. 

The tourist cards don’t have a deposit.

Use Navitime to search for train times. Remember to click the Tourist Pass dropdown menu and select Japan Rail Pass to have it show routes where the rail pass is valid.

You don’t need to make seat reservations to travel with a pass on most trains—you can just hop on any unreserved car.

The most commonly used train that does require a seat reservation is the Narita Express from Narita Airport into Tokyo.

If you want to use your pass on the airport train, you can swap your exchange order for a pass and get the seat reservation at the airport JR office.

You probably want to make seat reservations when travelling during Japanese national holidays—see this list of Japan holiday dates .

Seat reservations are free for rail pass holders and can be made at any JR station ticket office—either at the counter or at ticket machines.

It doesn’t have to be the station you are travelling from, so you can save time by getting a few seat reservations at once. Smaller stations will have shorter queues.

You could also make your first few seat reservations when exchanging your exchange order for a pass. We did this in Kyoto Station on our last trip, which saved time as the queues were long. 

All you have to do is show your pass and give them the train time you want the reservation for.

Staff may speak English, but I find it helpful to write down the date, train time, and route I want reservations for. This is why it’s best to research times on Navitime in advance. 

Luggage Reservations

If you are travelling on the Tōkaidō, San’yō, or Kyūshū Shinkansens and have oversized luggage, you’ll need to make a seat reservation for the seats next to the oversized baggage area at the end of the train car.

Luggage is considered oversized if it has total dimensions (A+B+C) of over 160cm.

This is fairly generous as most standard suitcases are smaller than this. Smaller suitcases, including any that fit in airline overhead compartments (including our Away Bigger Carry On ), should fit in the overhead compartments on shinkansens.

Even if your bag is not oversized, you can book an oversized luggage seat to have access to the storage area behind the seat if you think you’ll have problems lifting your baggage overhead.

To use the Japan Rail Pass all you need to do is get on an unreserved car and find an empty seat.

In 2023, the format of the pass changed and it’s now a small scannable ticket that you can use in the automatic gates to access the train platforms.

You may also be asked to show the pass on the train.

When you are travelling on a bullet train you can see which cars are unreserved on the screens, and then find the corresponding number on the platform to see where to wait.

The panels on the side of the carriage will also say whether it’s reserved or unreserved.

Trains are always on time so a 10-minute transfer time is fine.

The Japanese are generally a quiet and respectful people and it’s important to follow these rules when travelling by train:

• Be quiet – Keep your volume low when taking, don’t talk on your phone and make sure it doesn’t beep or ring. We even saw signs warning you not to type too loudly on your laptop!
• No eating – The exception is on bullet trains when buying a bento lunch box at the station is a big part of the experience. On local trains we didn’t see anyone eating or drinking anything other than water. 
• Don’t smoke – Unless there’s a designated smoking car on the bullet trains.
• Don’t sit in the priority seating – On local trains these seats are designated for the elderly, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. If the train is quiet you can sit here, but be prepared to give up your seat if necessary.
• Queue – There are designated spots to wait for the train marked on the platform, so join the orderly queue.
• Be patient – Stand to the side and wait for people to get off the train before you get on.

On all our previous trips to Japan, we found a JR Pass saved us hundreds of dollars and made travel much easier.

While that has changed with the price increase, it’s still worth considering a rail pass if you are doing a lot of travel.

Even if a pass costs about the same as individual tickets, the convenience of being able to hop on almost any train without buying a ticket is worth it.

Hopefully the tips above will help you work out whether a Japan Rail Pass is worth it for you.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. 

Buy your Japan Rail Pass here.

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53 Comments

Hi, throughout your blog and on other posts I’ve seen, there are other train lines mentioned other than the JR line, depending on the location. I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the options. Is there an easy way to determine how long other train lines take and cost, based on my itinerary? Thanks in advance!

Reply ↓

The Navitime website/app is the best way to look up train times and routes: https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/area/jp/route/

You can choose Japan Rail Pass as a filter to only see JR trains, otherwise it will show them all.

Hello Erin – we travel the world and the first thing we always do when planning is look for great blogs. Yours was one of the most informative I have ever read, and so complete. And the special links to more detailed blogs was wonderful. It must have taken you hundreds of hours to write, but it’s so appreciated. So thanks so much.

Thank you, Paul! I really appreciate your kind words. Happy travels!

Ordering the pass online is very easy, collecting at a station is a bit of a pain. Seat reservations online are really easy, it saves battling with the reservation machines. Buying an upgrade for a Nozomi should be included in the website. The queues even in March lose any saving in time of going by Nozomi.

there are 14 of us (3 children and 11 adults) staying in Japan 14 days. Flying into Tokyo then bullet train to Hiroshima and regular train to Miyajima. Then back to Hiroshima and to Himeji and back to Tokyo. Then Tokyo to Nikko and back to Tokyo. Would the Regular JRP be worth it, plus we’ll be taking the train around Tokyo, Kamakura etc.

It probably wouldn’t save you money and if you don’t get a pass, you can take the fastest Nozomi train to Hiroshima (which costs extra with the pass). Your most expensive trips will be Tokyo – Hiroshima – Himeji – Tokyo. The side trips are on local trains and pretty inexpensive. Enjoy Japan!

We are going for 21 days and staying in many cities, i think after the increase of the price 70% tickets, maybe it doesn’t make sense the JR pass, just have local pass and buy the big trips. What do you think?

It really depends where you are going – it’s worth doing the calculation based on your trip. But yes, it’s unlikely to save you much money.

On our trip earlier this month, we got a Suica card on Apple wallet, which we used for city travel and local trains (Osaka to Kyoto for example) and we bought our shinkansen tickets online on the SmartEx website.

Be prepared to spend several hours waiting in line at JR office to exchange for actual JR Pass with no internet connection.

I’m sorry your wait was so long. We’ve never had that problem before.

Hi Erin. It is actually a big relief for me when I found out that you also purchased your JR passes from jrailpass.com. I have just purchased mine via the same site as well, but thereafter I found some reviews online saying that the site was a huge scam. I have received a purchase confirmation via email but have yet to receive any tracking number for the delivery. The invoice states that the company is situated in Spain, so that somehow got me panicking. I browsed for more reviews and fortunately came across your posting. Phew!

Yes, no need to worry! We’ve ordered from them twice with no problems. Have a wonderful trip to Japan!

Hi Zaidi, did you get your pass? How long did it take to arrive? Thanks so much!

Hello. If we buy a 7day pass, do we need to use it for seven consecutive days ? We are hoping to stay five days in Tokyo and Five days in Kyoto. The five days in between and at the end of our holiday we hope to travel with a rail pass.

Yes, I’m afraid it is seven consecutive days. So you’ll need to work how much travelling you’ll be doing in each 5 day period and if it’s worth getting two passes. Enjoy Japan!

Hi, I’m not sure if you’ll see this, but my boyfriend and I are wanting to travel to Japan for our 8 year anniversary. Definitely interested in using the JP rail pass, but was wondering, do they have any for couples/duo passes? Or would we need to get one each?

You need to get one each. Enjoy Japan!

me and my partner will travel to japan this feb 2023 for 7 days. We will stay in Nagoya and planning to go to osaka and kyoto for 3 days and then back to nagoya. Do you think it will be worth it to use JR pass for this trip. Thank you in advance

It probably won’t be worth it unless you are also using the pass to get from Tokyo airport to Nagoya, in which case it will save you money.

You can use the tools mentioned in the post to work things out more exactly based on your plans.

Enjoy Japan!

Thank you for your blog of knowledge :) I am taking my family to Japan, we will be there for 10 days – you mentioned that you can activate the pass later on? Could you explain that further? Thank you. I think It would be best if we waited 3 days, then activated our 7 day pass.

During your first 3 days in Japan take your passes to a JR office in a train station and you can choose your start date and activate it. You’ll then be ready to go on your third day (or whenever you choose to start it). You get more detailed instructions on where to go when the pass is mailed to you.

We are a family of four and planning to travel to Japan on June 07, 2020, for a week. Would you recommend us to purchase the JR Pass? We are two adults and 2 children (17 and 14-year-olds)

Would you also recommend where we should stay on the budget?

Thanks and Regards, Long Nguyen

It really depends where you are going. You need to plan your route first then calculate how much it would cost if you buy tickets individually (using the tools in this post).

I use Booking to find hotels and Airbnb (for apartments in the big cities) and you can sort by budget. Osaka is cheaper than Tokyo and Kyoto if you find them too expensive.

Enjoy your trip!

Hi, I’ve read so much about JR passes I’ve just totally confused myself and was wondering if I could ask some questions please? We are travelling in January 2020. We will arrive in Tokyo on a Wednesday night, and will depart after 6 days the following Tuesday to Kyoto. However while we are in Tokyo I want to go to Odaiba island and also on a trip out to Lake Kawaguchiko, as well as use the subway around Tokyo. We will be in Kyoto 4 days, but I want to travel to Nara Deer park and the Suntory Distillery. Would we do this with a JR pass or other train lines? Then we are travelling to Osaka for 3 days. On one of those days I would like to travel out to Hiroshima (and we will have to return to Osaka). We will need to get from our hotel in Osaka to the airport to depart for home.

You won’t need the rail pass while you are in Tokyo – it’s not worth it for the subway (get a Suica card and top it up with cash instead) and the rail pass doesn’t cover the entire journey to Kawaguichiko.

It would probably be worthwhile to get a 7 day pass to cover your Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima-airport section. This works out mainly because the bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima and back is so expensive (without that trip it wouldn’t be worth it). You could also use the pass to get to Nara and the distillery.

I hope that helps! You can do a more exact calculation on Hyperdia.

Wow amazing article, really really helpful! I’m planning 8 days trip Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Osaka. I don’t really know yet what’re the must-see places once I get to each city and quite concerned I’d need to go somewhere nearby say Kyoto/Osaka using the JR Pass. Based on your article, I guess the best for me would be not to buy the the JRPass since I’ll mainly need it for Tokyo -> Kyoto and then Kyoto -> Osaka short ride. I checked what I’m saving if I don’t buy it, it’s around 70 euros (77 usd), do you think I could be using it for nearby places once in Kyoto/Osaka?, can I also use it from the airport in Kyoto to town? I appreciate your response :)))

The pass probably won’t save you money as the local trains (including Kyoto to Osaka) are quite cheap.

It’s only if you decided to take a bullet train (say to Hiroshima or Himeji) on a day trip from Kyoto/Osaka that you would probably save. With 8 days you probably won’t have time though. Here are some day trip ideas: https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/day-trips-from-kyoto/

You can use the pass for the train from Kyoto to Kansai Airport.

We are in Japan at the moment and bought the Kansai-wise area pass (as that’s where we are spending most of our time on this trip). To be honest, although the JR pass has technically saved us money, we wouldn’t recommend it. It seems that with the pass, you can’t use the most convenient routes/stations/timetable. In most cases, the local subway/loading up Suica is far more convenient to get where we want to go as it seems the JR stations and routes are out of the way/ longer and have more transfers as compared to other companies. Note also Suica can be reloaded via an app on your phone. We have definitely felt it was a second class pass and would have gladly paid the few extra dollars in retrospect for the convenience of getting to our destinations quicker and with more ease. We did run the calculator before hand but what it didn’t tell us was how much longer the JR would take and the less convenient location of stations relative to our destinations. I’m sure in some cases it makes sense, just wanted to relay our experience.

It does seem the Kansai area pass is less good value that the country-wide JR Pass (which is what I discuss in this post). As the distances you are covering aren’t huge the local trains aren’t too expensive. It’s only when you are taking bullet trains on the longer routes that the rail pass really saves money (which doesn’t apply within Kansai).

The Suica card is definitely a handy way to travel locally and you can even use it in other cities (outside of Kansai) too.

hi ERIN Hope you are doing well…You and Simon are living the LIFE…I’m American but so fatigued living in TX.. How are ya’ll staying in Japan long term? Is there a specific visa you are using? What’s your favorite city/town in Japan for living? Kobe, Osaka or Tokyo? I’m not a drinker/party goer–desires a walking city with cool vibe

Hi Jeff, We’re not in Japan long term but have visited 5 times. We were last there from October to December on a tourist visa.

We haven’t been to Kobe yet but Kyoto is our favourite city for longer stays. It’s more walkable than Osaka or Tokyo and not as high rise (at least in the older parts of the city).

Does the 7 day JR pass have to be activated upon arrival when using the Narita Express

Yes, if you want to use it for the Narita Express. You can activate it at the Jr Travel Service Centre at Narita airport.

If you are spending a few days in Tokyo first it might make sense to pay for the Narita Express out of pocket and then activate the pass for the day you leave Tokyo. It depends on your itinerary.

Hi, First of all thank you for such thorough article about the JR pass. I have two questions: 1.Is klook a reputable company to buy my JR passes from?

2. I am staying in japan for 15 days. After making my calculations it behooves me to buy a 14 day pass. I need one extra day. For that extra 1 day, Do I buy that in advance from my country or buy it in japan (it’s a one way ticket to Narita airport from Tokyo)?

Thanks a million. I found your blog very useful

Hi Venuse, 1. Klook are a reputable company although we’ve never used them. We always buy our tickets from J Rail Pass

2. You can buy the ticket from Narita to Tokyo at the station from the self-service machines or counter. No need to book in advance. We always get the Narita Express train which goes direct to Shinjuku as it’s comfortable and spacious and you get a seat reservation when you buy the ticket. You can get cheaper local trains but they can be very crowded.

I need some input on wether to take the 14 days JAPAN RAIL PASS or just go with local trains/busses, etc.

From 2-22 April we will be discovering Japan, flying in on Osaka and out from Tokyo. For 21 days in total.

Our planning is as followed: Osaka 3 night (Daytrip Universal Studios) Kyoto 7 night (Daytrip Nara) Hakone 2 night Mt Fuji 1 night Tokyo 7 night (Daytrip Nikko) fly out from here)

Would you recommend to still get the 14 days pass or just travel one way tickets and use local passes?

It probably will be worth it but I recommend putting your planned trips (including side trips) into this calculator to see: https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/

If it’s close get the pass because it’s easier than buying tickets for each journey. Enjoy Japan!

I am planning to visit Japan during the Golden week ( 26th April to 6th May 2019) I am planning to visit Tokyo also surrounding places and a round trip from Tokyo-Kyoto, also nearby places near Kyoto. Do you recommend me to go for JR pass during this time (Golden week)? Would really appreciate your help here.

I’ll be going to Japan in late September for 15days. I really want to rent a car but i see a lot of sites that recommend using the rail system. We plan on driving the whole island. For this kind of trip, do you suggest we rent a car or rail trail?

The vast majority of visitors to Japan travel by train because the network is very efficient and comfortable and it’s much easier than driving. Traffic can be bad in the cities and parking is a challenge. Although in many places we like to rent a car, in Japan the trains are the way to go.

I would only recommend renting a car if your trip is only to rural areas.

Japan is made up of multiple islands and 15 days is not enough time to see the whole country. Here’s the two week itinerary we followed on our last trip for an idea of what’s possible in that time frame: https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/japan-2-week-itinerary/

Have a great trip! Erin

I will be traveling only around tokyo and possibly a few days in kyoto. I am just starting to do my research for my trip in march and will only be in tokyo for 6 days, would you say just using the subway system to get around places like Shibuya, Asakusa, and Shinjuku or would you reccomend a JR pass? thanks so much for the awesome post, it has already helped me with planning :)

You don’t need a JR Pass for just Tokyo (or even one way Tokyo-Kyoto). Pick up a Suica or Pasma card from a train/metro station and put some credit on it to get around (it’s easier than buying an individual ticket each time). We have more info on Tokyo here: https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/cool-things-to-do-in-tokyo/

Hello. Does the JR work for the Tokyo Subway?

It doesn’t work on the Tokyo subway, but it does work on the JR train lines in Tokyo such as the JR Yamanote line which is a useful one for getting around (between Shinkuku and Shibuya for example).

Thanks for all his helpful information! We are going to be in Japan for 9 days. If we get the 7-day pass, will it only last for 7 consecutive days from the time we use it, or is it just the days you use the train?

It will only last for 7 consecutive days. If you start your trip in Tokyo you could spend a few days there before activating your pass and just pay for the airport train separately. Have a great trip!

Hi. Is the 7 days JR pass worth it from Narita airport to the city center and then, to Osaka Kansai on the 6th day? Thank you very much. This website is very informative. ???

It won’t be worth it for a one way trip to Osaka so just buy your tickets separately. Have an amazing time in Japan!

Is the JRP feasible if I’m planning a trip to Tokyo, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji (Hakone), Osaka & Kobe? Also, can we use the JRP within the cities? Or do we require another train pass? What are alternate (and cheaper) modes of transportation within cities in Japan? Pls advice. P.S: Love how informed your blog is. :)

I think a rail pass would work out good value for that itinerary. You can use the pass on trains within Tokyo (there’s an extensive network) but not the metro. In other cities you can travel by bus or metro. We usually just bought tickets as we went but there are usually day passes if you’ll be travelling around a lot. Have a great trip!

Great post on the Japan rail pass never ending voyage. We’ve done a number of different trips to Japan over the years and sometimes the pass was worth it, other times it wasn’t. It really depends upon how many shinkansen trips a traveler is going to take.

For our most recent trip, we spent the month of October in the Kansai area (mostly) and we decided to NOT buy a pass. It just worked out cheaper that way.

I agree that the shinkansen trips make all the difference – they are so expensive to pay for without the pass! And yes, if you focus on just one area it probably won’t be good value to buy the pass. How lovely to spend a whole month in Kansai!

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Japan Rail Pass: Is the JR Pass Worth It After the Price Increase?

April 12, 2024

Japan , Asia

written by: Steph Kloeckener

Using the Japan Rail Pass is a fantastic way to explore Japan, but given the price increases, it has lost some of its appeal. This JR Pass review will help you determine if it is still worth it for your trip and introduces some alternatives.

Japan is a bucket list destination and many consider traveling through the country at 300 km/h (200 mph) on the Shinkansen part of the experience. Hereby, the most convenient and affordable way to do so was using the JR Pass .

It is what I did during my first trip to Japan and it made me fall in love with train travel again. Traveling by train is a fantastic way to see the country while being a convenient, reliable, fast, and sustainable option . And given the astonishing safety record of the Shinkansen, it is also safe.

As such, it is no wonder that many travelers buy the rail pass to travel from city to city in order to make the most of their trip. The rule of thumb used to be that getting the Japan Rail Pass was worth it if your itinerary included a roundtrip between Tokyo and Osaka. However, this is no longer the case due to a massive price hike .

Consequently, you now have to evaluate if it is worth getting it based on your exact travel plans and what other benefits the pass might offer you. Of course, doing so is tricky if you have never used the pass before, but thankfully this guide will help you out. 

It includes how much it costs, where to buy it, my own JR Pass itinerary, alternative options, and everything else you need to know about the Japan Rail Pass.

This post may contain affiliate links(*), which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through a link. Please see the full disclosure for further information.

Table of Contents

What is the JR Pass?

The JR Pass (Japan Rail Pass) [ Klook | JR Pass ] is a train pass that grants tourists unlimited train rides on all bullet train ‘Shinkansen’ lines and regional JR lines including the Hello Kitty Shinkansen (KODAMA 849). It does not include the JR highway buses.

Following the price hike, you can now take the NOZOMI and MIZUHO Shinkansen , but please note that there is a surcharge. The surcharge is as follows: Tokyo – Kyoto: ¥4.960; Tokyo – Hakata: ¥8.140, Kyoto – Hiroshima: ¥4.170.

Based on this, I recommend taking the slightly slower HIKARI (Tokyo – Shin-Osaka), SAKURA (Shin-Osaka – Kagoshima-Chūō), or KODAMO.

When buying the JR Pass, you can choose between passes that are valid for 7, 14, or 21 consecutive days .

Buy your Japan Rail Pass now : Klook | JR Pass

Who can use it?

The Japan Rail Pass is restricted to foreign tourists who are in the country as a ‘temporary visitor’. Therefore, you cannot use it if you are in Japan on a long-term visa (90+ days), a student visa, a working holiday visa, or a permanent residency visa.

In some circumstances, it is also possible for Japanese Nationals who have lived abroad for at least 10 years to use the pass.

Things you need to know

After buying the Japan Rail Pass online, an exchange voucher is sent to you and has to be exchanged within 90 days of the issuing date of the voucher.

The voucher and the JR Pass are not transferable.

If you do not use the pass, Shinkansen tickets consist of a base fare (price depends on the distance) and a limited express fee ticket (Shinkansen supplement).

The pass cannot be reissued if you lose it or it is stolen. You also cannot buy a new pass while the lost one is still valid, so it is crucial to keep the paper pass safe. Therefore, I recommend buying an ID card lanyard in which you can store it. You can either order one on Amazon or buy one at Daiso once you are in Japan. I got mine at Daiso for ¥200.

Japan Rail Pass Prices [2024]

After decades without bigger price adjustments, the prices of the JR Pass saw a massive price hike with increases of around 70% on October 1, 2023. Since then, you have to pay the following amount for the rail pass of your choice:

A JR Pass for children (6-11) is discounted by 50%, but there are no discounts for seniors. Children under 6 travel free of charge.

Ordinary or Green Car

In short, the difference between the ‘ordinary car’ and the premium ‘green car’ is as follows: The ordinary cars have a 3 + 2 seat configuration, while the Green Car has a 2 + 2 configuration. Therefore, the Green Car seats are wider . They also offer even more leg space .

I was more than happy with how spacious the standard seats were (especially when compared to plane seats), so I saw no reason to pay more to sit in the premium car.

Where to buy the Japan Rail Pass?

Many websites sell the Japan Rail Pass, but given the costs per pass, I highly encourage you to buy them from a reliable source . I bought mine via Klook, but JRPass is also a popular option. Hereby, you should note that the exchange rate tends to vary, so it is worth comparing the listed price in your home currency. At the time of writing, the prices and conditions were as follows:

329.65 USD | 303.55 EUR

free worldwide shipping

delivered within 4 days

343.00 USD | 315.00 EUR

delivery fee varies (7 – 32 USD)

next-day delivery to the US, Canada & European countries; up to 5 days for other countries

Is the JR Pass worth it?

Given the price hike, you might be wondering if the pass is still worth it, and the answer is no longer straightforward . When making the decision whether you should buy it, you have to consider your own travel plans, think of potential other discounts thanks to using the Japan Rail Pass, and contemplate if the convenience is worth potentially paying more.

The following example and evaluation will help you make the decision.

Example: How I used the JR Pass

With the higher prices, it can be hard to know what kind of Japan itinerary would make you break even when buying the pass, so it might help to see an example. While using the Japan Rail Pass, I traveled the following routes:

• Day 1: Tokyo – Kyoto
• Day 2: Kyoto – Arashiyama (return trip)
• Day 4: Kyoto – Hiroshima
• Day 5: Hiroshima – Miyajimaguchi (return trip) + Hiroshima – Osaka
• Day 6: Osaka – Himeji (return trip)
• Day 7: Osaka – Kobe (return trip)

Individual train ticket costs for this route: ¥47.600 (see the fare calculation here )

Would I still buy the 7 Day JR Pass at the current price (¥50.000 ) if I was to travel the same route again? In short: Yes.

However, I would use day 3 for a day trip to Kurashiki or Wakayama to make the most of it and explore Kyoto after the pass has expired. After all, it does not cost much to travel there from Osaka.

I bought mine at the old price of ¥29.650, so getting the JR Pass more than made sense, but I would still buy it at the current price as the convenience alone is worth it to me . After all, the difference for my specific route is only ¥2.400 (~15€).

I bought an individual Shinkansen ticket to Odawara two weeks before I started using the pass, and it took me around 30 minutes to buy my ticket. In part, because the ticket machine that does accept international credit cards would not accept mine, which meant I had to wait in line at the JR ticket counter. Meanwhile, the entire process of reserving a seat with the JR Pass only takes a minute and could even be skipped.

Attraction and Hotel Discounts

While your rail pass is valid, you get discounted stays at JR Hotels as well as several partner hotels. Additionally, there are attraction ticket discounts including 10% off at the Osaka Castle Museum and 20% off at Himeji Castle.

Who still benefits from using the pass and who doesn’t?

Due to the increased prices, the JR Pass is now only a good option if you travel several long distances from city to city or do long-distance day trips from a centralized location. If you do not plan to travel a lot of long distances, you are likely better off buying a regional pass.

Given that the JR Pass counts consecutive days and not travel days, it is also not particularly slow travel-friendly . However, you can plan longer stays at individual locations around using the pass. 

I spent more than a week in Tokyo before using the pass and then spent another week in Osaka once my pass had expired. Doing so was the perfect option for me, but it all depends on your travel plans.

To determine if it is worth it for you, I recommend writing down which places you would like to see and how much time you would like to spend there. Based on that information, you can then use the fare calculator to determine if getting the JR Pass makes sense for you. You can find the fare calculator here .

JR Pass Alternatives: Regional Passes

If using the fare calculator indicates that getting the Japan Rail Pass is not worth it based on your travel plans, you might assume that you will have to buy individual train tickets and will not be able to save money.

However, there are also regional train passes that are ideal if you travel at a slower pace, only want to explore a specific area of Japan, or simply do not plan to travel several long distances. Thanks to these passes, you once again have the convenience of not having to buy individual tickets and can save money .

Please note, that none of them includes a direct connection between Tokyo and Kyoto, so you should buy this specific route on a regular ticket.

There are many different regional passes available, but if it is your first trip to Japan and you want to see the most popular locations, the following regional passes are the most relevant : 

Osaka-Tokyo Hokuriku Arch Pass [ Klook | JR Pass ] — If you only want to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, you can get the Osaka-Tokyo Hokuriku Arch Pass . It costs ¥30.000 and is valid for seven days, so it is less expensive than the JR Pass.

However, you cannot travel directly on the Tokaido line and have to travel to Kyoto or Osaka via Kanazawa. From Kanazawa onwards, you travel on a regular train and not the Shinkansen.

If you want to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka as fast as possible and want to save some money, I recommend buying a regular ticket to Osaka and then getting one of the following regional passes:

JR West Kansai Area Pass [ Klook | JR Pass ] — For day trips from Osaka and Kyoto, I recommend getting the JR West Kansai Rail Pass which is available for 1 to 4 days. As such, it is ideal if you want to visit Himeji, Kobe, and other nearby destinations.

Kansai Hiroshima Rail Pass [ Klook | JR Pass ] — If you not only want to do a day trip from Osaka and Kyoto but also want to head to Hiroshima (and Miyajima), this regional pass which is valid for up to 5 days is ideal for you.

There are also regional train passes limited to Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Thanks to this, chances are high that you will be able to save money by buying a regional pass even if your Japan itinerary does not include the classic destinations. You can see all available regional passes and which areas they include by using the dropdown menu here .

Using the Rail Pass

Nowadays, you have to buy the pass online and cannot buy it at the ticket office. Hereby, you can either have the JR Pass exchange voucher [ Klook | JR Pass ] delivered to your international home address or to your hotel in Japan .

If you order it to your home address, I recommend ordering the pass at least two weeks ahead of your trip to Japan . This way, you have a buffer if there are any expected delivery delays.

I ended up ordering my JR Pass via Klook to my hotel in Tokyo, and aside from it being delayed by one day, everything worked out without problems. If you opt to have your pass shipped within Japan, you should place your order at least 5 days before you need it.

Ensure that you enter the phone number of the hotel reception in the order form (as my not doing so caused the delay) and write the recipient as ‘{your name} c/o {the name of the hotel}’. I furthermore recommend notifying the hotel that your JR Pass exchange voucher will be sent to them.

2. Exchange the Voucher

Once you have the voucher and are in Japan, you can exchange it for your JR Pass at any JR office or in some locations a JR counter. You will find one at all major train stations and airports .

If you are starting your trip in Tokyo and do not need your Japan Rail Pass, I recommend exchanging your voucher at Tokyo Station instead of at Haneda. The waiting line at the airport offices tends to belong and given that you have a plane journey behind you, you likely want to get to your hotel quickly.

Your rail pass is linked to your passport, so you have to bring it when you exchange the voucher. After handing over the voucher, you have to fill in a form before you receive your Japan Rail Pass.

When exchanging the voucher, you can select a starting date up to 30 days in the future . Note that the day the ticket starts is day 1. If you first use it on October 10, the final day is October 16 (for the 7 day pass).

3. Reserve Seats

The seat reservation is free of charge if you have the JR Pass. It is mandatory on the Tohoku, Hokkaido, and Hokuriku Shinkansen, but not required on all other Shinkansen .

I recommend reserving a seat even if it is not required for your route – especially, if you travel in the early morning or between 5 PM and 8 PM. And of course, doing so is crucial if you travel during the Golden Week.

It is possible to r eserve a seat at a JR office or at one of the ticket machines .

If the circumference of your suitcase is larger than 160 cm, it is considered ‘oversized luggage’. This means you have to reserve a dedicated seat with extra storage on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu, and Nishikyushi lines.

Here’s how to do it at the ticket machine : Change the language to English > click ‘Japan Rail Pass’ (bottom left corner) > enter your passport number > enter the date and route > select a train > select a car type > select a standard or oversized luggage seat > select the seat. During the final step, you can either select a seat from a map or click ‘any seat’.

4. Take the Shinkansen

Once you have your Japan Rail Pass, you can take any Shinkansen (NOZOMI & MIZUHO restrictions apply). Simply put your pass into the ticket barrier to access the Shinkansen tracks and you are good to go. You only have to put your JR Pass into the machine (and then remember to take it with you).

Once at the track, signs on the floor and at the barrier will tell you where you can board your car. Please note, that you can only sit in the ‘reserved car’ if you have the respective seat reservation . You will be asked to move if you do not have a reservation.

If you have some time to spare ahead of your journey, I recommend buying an ekiben [‘eki’ train station and ‘bento’ lunchbox] so you get the full Shinkansen experience. There is usually a small shop that sells them right at the Shinkansen tracks. If you want to buy something to drink, you will also find vending machines at the tracks.

Once on the Shinkansen, you should only use the ‘oversized luggage’ areas at the beginning and end of the carts if you have reserved the corresponding seat. Otherwise, you will be asked to move your luggage. There is plenty of space for your luggage in the overhead rack . 

If you only have a backpack you could also just place it at your feet. There is more than sufficient leg space even if you have your bag in front of you.

It is customary to be quiet while on the Shinkansen , so do not talk loudly and go to the area between wagons if you have to make a call.

Should you buy the Japan Rail Pass after the Price Increase?

As you can see, there no longer is a generic answer when it comes to determining if getting the Japan Rail Pass is worth it. Since the prices increased in 2023, it fully depends on your travel plans .

If you intend to travel several long distances and plan to use it extensively , it still is a worthwhile purchase that can help you save money . In this case, I therefore encourage you to purchase the JR Pass  [ Klook | JR Pass ].

Should your travel plans include three long distances and a series of shorter Shinkansen roundtrips like my own itinerary, you are likely to reach a point where the individual train fare is roughly as much as the cost of the train pass . In this case, the convenience alone makes it worth your while.

However, there is now a higher chance that the JR Pass will not be worth it: In these cases, you should certainly combine individual tickets with regional passes , as doing so will be of higher value for you.

More about Japan

If you are planning a trip to Japan, you might also be interested in these articles:

Using the Airalo eSim in Japan .

Is there anything else you want to know about the JR Pass?

Let me know in the comments!

Are you not yet ready to make the decision? Then Pin this Japan Rail Pass Review for later!

about Steph

I am the founder of A Nomad's Passport and a semi-nomadic photographer and writer. Originally from Germany, I have lived in several countries including Australia, Mexico, and Malta.

As an outdoor lover and culture enthusiast, I love writing about all forms of adventure travel ranging from outdoor activities like scuba diving and hiking to cultural experiences, alongside road trips and itineraries that combine these elements.

A Nomad's Passport is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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The Japan Rail Pass: Is It Worth The Cost? (Updated 2024)

Just as Europe has its famous Eurail Pass, so too does Japan have its own version: the Japan Rail (JR) Pass . Now, you don't need a pass in order to ride JR trains around Japan, but many foreigners enjoy the convenience of an all-you-can-ride pass to easily travel the country. But does the JR Pass  actually save you money when travelling Japan?

IMPORTANT: JR Pass prices will be significantly increasing starting October 2023 (as much as 77%!). You can still get the cheaper prices if you purchase your pass before September 30, 2023, physically exchange the pass in Japan by December 28, 2023, and activate it within the following 30 days. So if you're going to Japan soon, buy your pass ASAP !

Need a breakdown of all the JR passes available? Check out  Japan Rail (JR) Passes: The Ultimate Guide .

Will a Japan Rail Pass Save You Money?

A  JR pass must be used on consecutive days within its allotted timeframe . That means a 7-day pass must be used in 7 days – after that, it will no longer be valid .

Considering this, you should divide a JR pass cost by the # of travel days to get a daily average. A 7-day JR pass costs ¥29,110 (~$265 USD), or ~¥4,158 (~$37 USD) per day. Compare this against what you'd spend on transit per day in 7 days (there's lots of options!), and you will determine if the pass is cheaper to use. Hint : it's probably not. Here's why.

1. The JR pass only works on JR lines

A JR pass may get you from one city to the next, but will not work on anything else. Local buses, subways, and non-JR trains must be paid for out of pocket and you should factor in those additional costs. Trying to stick to just JR trains within a city will require a lot of co-ordination, and in some places like Osaka and Kyoto, the JR trains are limited. Meanwhile, there are other  ways to cover such costs and get around Japan – with and without JR trains – which leads me to my next point…

2. There are cheaper, more flexible tourist passes throughout the country

Throughout Japan, regional passes can be used on inter-city and public transit. This is the case for the Kansai area, arguably Japan's most popular region after Tokyo, as it includes Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Hyogo, Wakayama and Shiga. A multi-day Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass or a Kansai Thru Pass  (price breakdown below) can be used in and between  all of these cities – some of which are hours apart. Better yet, it includes unlimited use of inter-city trains, subways, and buses and  can be used on  non-consecutive days . Finally, you also get discounted entry to multiple attractions . How thrifty is that?!

Mt. Fuji, another popular area of Japan, has the Mt. Fuji Pass . Not only do you get unlimited bus and train access within the area, but it also gives you free or discounted access to many attractions. As most of the attractions here are only accessible by car or bus, a JR pass would only save you on the train trip to Fuji from Tokyo (about ¥2,770 / ~25.20 USD, still cheaper than the average daily cost of ~¥4,158 / ~$37 USD for a JR pass).

Going to Hakone? Check out the Hakone Free Pass . If you will only be spending time in a few areas, JR also has regional versions of their passes as well. We break these down in Japan Rail (JR) Passes: The Ultimate Guide .

Overall, regional passes tend to allow more flexible planning. Get an idea of where you want to go and start searching your city names on Klook.com , which sells most of the regional passes (and you'll get cashback points on each purchase). Unlike the JR pass, m any regional passes can also be purchased at Tourist Information Centres, which are common in airports and rail or bus stations. 

3. It’s often cheaper to buy train tickets as you go

Simple as it seems to flash a JR pass every time you board a train, it’s really not that hard nor is it expensive to buy train tickets as you go. This is especially true on short distance routes , including some of the most popular tourist destinations, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. Kyoto to Osaka for example, costs just ¥410 (~$3.60 USD) and takes a little over an hour by regular train (JR takes just as long). Needless to say, the average ¥4,158 ($37 USD) daily cost of a 7-day JR pass would not pay itself off for that day's trip!

If you want t o work out whether buying tickets as you go will be cheaper, put in your desired destinations on Google Maps   and crunch the numbers. Put in your start and end destinations, hit search, select transit, and the options, costs, and time will be visible , including for JR and non-JR trains.

The JR pass truly shows its value over long distances . Nothing beats the speed and convenience of the Shinkansen bullet train. For example, the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka is currently  ¥14,250 (~$129.63 USD). This is just under half the price of a 7-day JR pass. However, if you need to return to Tokyo (e.g. for your flight home), or if you want to go another long distance such as Hiroshima, then buying individual bullet train tickets costs the same or more than a JR pass . Remember, you can also buy slower local train tickets for much cheaper, but your travel time will be much longer.

4. Budget buses are plentiful and efficient

While Japan is famous for its high speed bullet trains, sometimes routes by bus can take nearly the same amount of time, or less. Most of the time they're the cheapest method too!

Willer Express  is Japan's biggest budget bus company. It sells 3, 5, and 7-day Japan Bus Pass passes and offers 20+ routes around Japan. Best of all, the 3-7 days allotted in the passes can be used anytime, non-consecutively within 2 months . If you want to be  really thrifty, you can even use the bus pass on overnight routes to save on a night's accommodation.

A great example of its cost effectiveness is the fact that you could visit 5 major cities across the country (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima) with a 3-day or 5-day pass for one third to half the cost of the JR pass (see further below). Bus passes and reservations can be made on the  Willer Express  website. 

Even without a pass, individual buses are affordable and plentiful. An easy-to-use English website where you can browse for bus tickets is  Kosokubus.com . Many buses also allow you to simply display your ticket from your smartphone.

5. JR Trains are NOT everywhere

It’s easy to assume that the JR pass would take you to just about any city in Japan, however, this is not the case –  nor is it always the fastest or cheapest, either.

Most recently we discovered a lack of JR coverage when looking to do the Koyasan temple pilgrimage trail, a ~3-hour journey from Osaka. This would be included in the Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass or Kansai Thru Pass  via a train and bus combo, yet the JR trains do not even run there, rendering a JR pass useless in this scenario. B e sure to consider any journeys not covered by JR that you' d need to cover out of pocket, even within major cities like Tokyo and Osaka.

Japan Travel Options: A Quick Look

If you're still not sure whether the JR pass is right for you, consider these options and how they may work in your itinerary. Remember, you can always buy transit as you go, or do so in combination of that with any of these options.

JR 7-day Pass

• Standard pass: ¥29,610 ($223 USD) for 7 days , ¥47,250 ($356 USD) for 14 days , ¥60,450 ($456 USD) for 21 days
• Green pass (first class): ¥39,600 ($298 USD) for 7 days , ¥64,120 ($483 USD) for 14 days , ¥83,390 ($629 USD) for 21 days
• Benefits : Works nationwide. Grants unlimited access to the insanely fast bullet trains. Ideal for limited, fast-paced travel.
• Downfalls : Only works on JR lines – does not work on local transit or non-JR trains. Some destinations not reached by JR. Not the cheapest option.  Must be bought before arrival in Japan .
• Must be used consecutive days?   Yes – must use back-to-back within the 7 days of purchase for 7-day pass, 14 days for 14-day pass, etc.
• Where to buy : Online at Klook
• Must be purchased before arrival in Japan .

Willer Express 3, 5, or 7-day Pass

• Monday to Thursday pass: ¥10,200 (~$77 USD) for 3-day pass, ¥12,800 (~$97 USD) for 5-day pass, ¥15,300 for 7-day pass (~$116 USD)
• All day pass: ¥12,800 (~$97 USD) for 3-day pass, ¥15,300 (~$116 USD) for 5-day pass
• Benefits : The cheapest option, nationwide coverage, 20+ routes including most popularly visited cities. Overnight bus routes can save $ on accommodation. Can be bought on arrival in Japan. Can be used on any individual days you want across 2 months. Ideal for longer trips and strict budgets.
• Downfalls : Often slower, somewhat less comfort compared to train travel.
• Must be used consecutive days?  No. a 3-day or 5-day pass can be used any days in a 2-month window.
• Where to buy : Online on Willer Express website . There is no physical pass, you just make online bookings with your account.

Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass

• Cost : Only ¥15,000 (~$113 USD) on Klook  for 5 days. Regular price ¥16,000 purchased at a JR West Station
• Benefits : Affordably covers the popular Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Wakayama, Shiga, Hyogo). Works on JR trains and buses, including the insanely fast shinkansen bullet train – even the Hello Kitty train! Can be picked up on arrival in Japan using a pre-purchased e-ticket.
• Downfalls : Only works in Kansai region, and only on JR buses and trains, which aren't always the most convenient for every attraction.
• Must be used consecutive days? Yes.
• Where to buy : Buy online at Klook , then show your mobile or printed voucher in exchange for the pass at a participating train station. You can purchase in-person at a JR West station, but this is more expensive.

Kansai Thru-Pass

• Cost : ¥4380 (~$33 USD) for 2 days, ¥5400 (~$41 USD) for 3 days on Klook (Up to ¥200 cheaper than purchasing in Japan)
• Benefits : Affordably covers the popular Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Wakayama, Shiga, Hyogo). Works on public and intercity transit. Can be picked up on arrival in Japan, pre-purchased at Klook.com (earn points), or purchased in person.
• Downfalls : Only works in Kansai region.
• Must be used consecutive days? No.

Get $10 USD off your first Klook purchase with coupon code THRIFTY10 (minimum spend $120 USD, new users only)

Mt. Fuji Pass

• Cost : ¥5,346 (~$48 USD) for 1 day, ¥7,776 (~$70 USD) for 2 days, ¥9,720 (~88 USD) for 3 days. (These are discounted prices available at Klook.com )
• Benefits : Unlimited bus and train rides in the Mt. Fuji area. Free or discounted access to many attractions including amusement parks, museums, and cableways ( details here ). Pre-purchase at Klook.com  at a discount (and earn points) then picked up in Japan, or purchased in person (more expensive).
• Downfalls : Only works in Fuji area, only worth it if you are interested in the attractions.

Note : Japan's budget airlines  Vanilla Air ,  Peach Air , and Jetstar (Australian) offer competitive prices which at times can be cheaper than trains or buses, so is worth considering for long distances. However, arriving early and traveling to and from the airport will still take longer than a bullet train.

So, is the JR pass worth the cost?

• You are on a short trip (~7-10 days) and want to move as fast as possible.
• You are travelling long distances and/or many destinations. For example, Tokyo, Osaka/Kyoto, and Hiroshima are all spread apart, so a JR pass could save both money and time, especially if you also need a return trip (e.g. for your return flight home). Buses on these routes are still cheaper, but much slower.
• You aren't on a backpacker's budget (since buses are almost always cheaper, and overnight buses save on accommodation).

In these cases, the JR pass  might be the best solution for you. You'll need to purchase ahead of time , and the website with some of the best prices is Klook . They'll have your pass mailed to you with worldwide within 10 days.

The JR pass might  not be worth it if…

• You are backpacking or have a lot of time in Japan (10+ days), as the JR pass must be used on consecutive days. You can choose any 3 to 7 individual days within 2 whole months with a  Willer Express bus pass , or just buy individual tickets at Kosokubus.com .
• Your main areas of travel include only Tokyo, Fuji, and/or Osaka/Kyoto/Nara. Regional passes like the  Kansai Thru Pass  (Osaka/Kyoto/Nara) and the Mt. Fuji Pass give transit access as well as discounts on attractions at a much better value.

If you have time to see Japan more thoroughly, we find it cheaper to alternate between buying bus and train tickets as we go (including JR lines), and/or using regional passes (especially the Kansai Thru Pass  for the most popular areas around Osaka and Kyoto). The pay-as-you-go approach seems the best way to stretch travel dollars and explore at a reasonable pace!

More Thrifty Tips for Japan

• For a full guide to all the JR passes available, check out  Japan Rail (JR) Passes: The Ultimate Guide .
• Need some itinerary ideas? We have a guide on  Japan itineraries  for 7, 10, and 14 day trips.
• Find the cheapest accommodation in each city with HotelsCombined , which compares both hostels and hotels across many different booking sites. Don't forget to check Airbnb too.
• Find the cheapest flights into Japan and around the country with Skyscanner . Search by “entire month” to see the cheapest date to fly.
• Check out our other guides: “ 6 Tips to Travel Japan on the Cheap ” and “ How to be a Frugal Foodie in Japan “

Have you used the Japan Rail (JR) pass? Did you find it cheaper or convenient for your trip? Share your experience below!

Found this really helpful, thanks! Going to Japan in a week and wasn’t to sure about the pass

Thank You for this. Every detailed and helpful!

Thank you for the nice write-up! You mentioned Klook everywhere and that they ship worldwide. That is unofortunately incorrect, I’m in the EU and they don’t ship here (+ the website is geoblocked for EU).

Hey just want to say thanks for posting this (and updating for 2023)! Great info and just what I wanted to know for our upcoming trip.

I think you need to update this or you were not aware of it but the JRailpass doesn’t only cover shinkansen but a lot of local buses in different cities as well as regional trains

Thanks for a well thought out article. The easy answer so many give to this question is that yes, it is worth it. But it may not actually be worth it depending on your itinerary. I plan on a Japan trip soon but I know it won’t be worth it to buy in my case as I’m staying in Tokyo only. There’s no way I’d come close to the cost of a JR pass for a week just paying everyday on my own.

If I am travelling from Hiroshima to Tokyo and this may be the only time I use the JR Pass and spend 2 days in Tokyo before leaving for Korea. Is the JR Pass worth it? I am assuming no considering your article states it may not work for city travel. Can you provide some guidance please.

We arrive at Handel airport. I believe not too expensive in a taxi to Tokyo. Only in Tokyo for 4 nights. We want to visit Osaka or Kyoto(can’t decide which at the minute) for a day return on the bullet train. Not sure if a JR pass is worth it. The other 3 days will probably be spent in Tokyo sight seeing. Can you advise please which pass or just pay for the bullet train without a pass.

Thank you, this info was really helpful

Great info!!! However I am still very confused on what to select for our trip. We are doing 5 days Tokyo, 1 day Mt Fuji, 4 days Kyoto, 1 day Nara and 3 days Osaka. Long trip! Thinking of doing everything individually other than the city passes for multiple days in the big 3. What do you suggest??

Did you had the trip? Was is worth paying for the transport individually?

I am planning for a quite similar trip to yours and was wondering the same thing – if JR pass is worth it or not.

Thank you! Really helpful . So if I am staying in Tokyo for 3 days then going to Osaka/Kyoto for 3 days then back to Tokyo to fly out.. what kind of pass fo you recommend?

Thank you again!

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Is the JR Pass worth it?

The Japan Rail Pass offers unlimited travel, but will it actually save you money?

Written by Michael Turtle

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle. A journalist for more than 20 years, he's been travelling the world since 2011.

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle and has been travelling full time for a decade.

Updated: September 17, 2024

The idea of unlimited travel on Japan's bullet trains sounds like a great deal - but the Japan Rail Pass is actually quite expensive (and confusing).

I recommend doing some calculations before buying the JR Pass to see if it's good value or not. To help you decide if the JR Pass is worth it, I've got a whole heap of information about how it works here:

What is the Japan Rail Pass?

What does the jr rail pass not cover.

• The different types of Japan Rail Passes

How much does the JR Rail Pass cost?

A cost comparison of the jr pass, tips for using the japan rail pass, how to buy the jr rail pass.

They say it’s often about the journey, not the destination – and that’s certainly true when it comes to riding the trains in Japan.

Japanese trains, particularly the shinkansen (bullet train), are more than just a way to get somewhere. They are a cultural experience in themselves – and something the JR Rail Pass has made an affordable option for travellers for years.

One of my favourite things to do in Japan is to grab the lunch box known as an ‘ekiben’ from the train station, plus perhaps a coffee (or a beer later in the day) from the convenience store, and then settle into the comfortable seat of a shinkansen.

Smooth as a cloud, the train glides along at high speed, and I just stare out the window, watching the Japanese countryside go past. People always get excited about seeing Mount Fuji from the shinkansen, but I also love seeing the outskirts of the cities and the changing landscapes.

Beyond just the enjoyment of the Japanese trains, buying a JR Pass also made financial sense for many visitors to Japan.

These long-distance shinkansen trips are expensive (about 14,000 yen/US$95 one-way between Tokyo and Osaka, for example) which is why getting a JR Rail Pass has long been a popular way to save money.

That’s because once you’ve bought it, the JR Pass gives you unlimited train travel for a set period of time (7, 14, or 21 days), meaning you can travel to a bunch of places in Japan without spending a fortune.

And even that flexibility can sometimes be worth the cost of a Japan Rail Pass. There was one time I had the pass that I just randomly jumped on a bullet train every day from Tokyo station and did day trips to wherever it was heading!

An important note about the JR Pass. You need to buy it before you arrive in Japan so a voucher can be sent to you! I recommend getting it in advance here .

A large price increase in October 2023 means the Japan Rail Pass doesn’t offer as good value as it once did – and it is reasonable to now ask if the JR Pass is worth it.

For many visitors to Japan, it will be – but don’t just assume anymore that you should get it. You may be able to have the cultural experience of riding the shinkansen and actually save money by just doing individual tickets.

To see if you should buy the JR Rail Pass, I’m going to go through all the important information now.

Be warned – it can be quite confusing because there’s a complicated series of train networks in Japan that all have their own rules. But I’ve also got some tips for using the JR Pass that will help, if you do decide to buy it.

At its simplest, the Japan Rail Pass is a transport ticket that allows unlimited travel on the JR network for a chosen period of time.

You buy it for a set amount of money based on duration (the options are 7, 14, or 21 consecutive days), and then you can use the network as much as you like during that time.

OK, so that’s the simple answer. But it’s more complicated when you look at the details.

Before I go on, a couple of important points to clarify.

Firstly, ‘JR’ stands for ‘Japan Rail’ and is the name of a group of companies that run many of the trains in the country. You may see people (including me in this article) refer to the JR Pass, the Japan Rail Pass, or even the JR Rail Pass. These are just different names for exactly the same thing.

Also, JR (Japan Rail) is actually now made up of six companies, each representing a different part of the country (eg. JR East, JR West).

The JR Pass is a joint product sold collectively by all six companies, so I will mostly just refer to ‘JR’ in general terms, except for when there are particular differences between the companies.

Now, although JR is the biggest train company in Japan, it’s not the only one, and there are quite a few private operators that run different routes around the country.

The JR Pass is not some kind of ‘national train pass’ – it is a pass for use only on the routes that are run by the JR company (with a few exceptions)!

Although it covers most of Japan, this is something important to remember when you’re thinking about whether it’s worth buying the JR Pass.

The things the JR Pass includes are:

• All the shinkansen (bullet train) routes and stops around the country, stretching from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south. Just note, though, there is a surcharge to get the super-express trains (Nozomi and Mizuho) but you don’t have to use them – they just have fewer stops.
• All the JR train routes between cities and towns not on the shinkansen routes (including places like Nara, Kinosaki Onsen, Kamakura, and Takayama).
• The Narita Express from Narita Airport to Tokyo (because it is owned by JR).
• Any train lines within cities that are run by JR, such as the Yamanote Line in Tokyo, or the Osaka Loop Line.
• All JR buses, which tend to be used between towns in less-populated areas that don’t have train lines, like on Shikoku and Kyushu.
• The JR Miyajima Ferry, which goes to the island near Hiroshima that has the famous Itsukushima Shrine.
• And these exceptions where special deals have been arranged: The Tokyo Monorail from Haneda Airport; the Aomori Railway direct between Aomori and Hachinohe; the IR Ishikawa Railway direct between Kanazawa and Tsubata; and the Ainokaze Toyama Railway direct between Toyama and Takaoka.

So, that’s a lot of Japan that is covered, including most of the main tourist spots that you might go to on a general trip to the country.

But it doesn’t let you use every train in Japan.

So, now you know what the JR Rail Pass does cover, let’s have a look at what it DOESN’T cover, because it can certainly be confusing.

In most cases, if the transport line doesn’t have JR in the name and has a different company in the name instead, it’s probably not covered.

These are some of the things NOT included in the Japan Rail Pass:

• The super-express Nozomi and Mizuho trains on the shinkansen. Although, you can now pay a surcharge to use them with your JR Pass (The Tokyo to Osaka surcharge is ¥4960 (US$33) for example.)
• Any route run by one of the other 16 main private train companies. This includes companies like Tobu (which goes to Nikko), Kintetsu (around Osaka region), Keisei (including to Narita Airport), and Odakyu (to Hakone). Often there are JR alternatives to these routes, though.
• Most of the transportation within a city, such as the Tokyo Metro, Osaka Metro, and Kyoto Subway. (Those cities do have JR lines that go to some parts of the city, though).
• Any buses that aren’t run by JR

The rules about what is and isn’t included are the most confusing in the big cities, where there are often multiple companies using the same stations. (But using the JR Pass just for cities is bad value anyway, so this may not be such a big issue.)

The most important things to look out for are whether you want to go somewhere obscure that maybe doesn’t have a JR train line (which may factor into whether it’s worth buying the JR Pass in the first place).

Or if there are multiple options, make sure you get the JR route. For instance, Tokyo to Nikko is serviced by both Tobu and JR, so you can get there for free using the Japan Rail Pass on the JR route, but you would need to pay about ¥3900 (US$26) each way on Tobu otherwise.

Different types of Japan Rail Passes?

When it comes to choosing a Japan Rail Pass, there are a few different options (which you’ll see here when you go to buy the pass ).

And, there are also some alternatives that I’m going to mention further down.

The first choice you have to make is the duration of your JR Pass (and this is something you can’t change after you’ve bought it).

There are three possible JR Pass durations to choose from:

I’ll discuss the exact prices in the next section, but basically, the per-day cost of the pass gets cheaper the longer the duration.

So a 7-day pass is about ¥7100 (US$48) a day, while a 21-day pass is about ¥4700 (US$32) a day. (Remember, though, the duration of the pass is for consecutive days.)

The second choice you have to make is between a JR Pass for the Ordinary Car or the Green Car.

The ‘Green Car’ is essentially the ‘first class’ of the train and is available on all of the Shinkansen and some of the ‘tokkyu’ (limited express) routes on other lines.

The Green Car has fewer seats and each seat has more space. They tend to be less crowded, and there are small advantages like your own powerpoint in the seat.

On some routes, you’ll also get a refresher towel and free tea and coffee.

For the most part, though, the Ordinary Car is perfectly comfortable and there’s no real need to spend more to get a Green Car JR Pass. But, having said that, it may be a fun treat (I’ve certainly enjoyed travelling in them!)

Regional JR Passes

I mentioned earlier that JR (Japan Rail) is actually made up of six companies that each cover a different part of the country (JR East and JR West, for example).

And although the main JR Pass we’ve been talking about covers the whole country, you can also buy some other regional JR Passes that just give you travel in a certain area.

These are usually much cheaper and may make more sense if you’re just concentrating your travel on one part of Japan.

For instance, JR East has several passes, including one that covers from Tokyo to the west, including Nagano and Niigata (great for skiers) for ¥27,000 (US$179.55) for 5 days, which is about half the price of the 7-day JR Pass.

And JR West has several passes, including one that covers the Osaka region like Nara and Kyoto, plus all the way down to Hiroshima and Miyajima, for ¥26,000 (US$172.90) for 7 days (less than half the cost of the 7-day JR Pass).

You can’t use these passes to do some of the popular Shinkansen trips like between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto, because those cities are in different regions, but they will definitely be a good value for some visitors.

Other transport passes

And I’m also just going to briefly mention that quite a few cities or regions have their own travel deals that cover a range of modes of transport in their area.

These are obviously a very different product from the JR Pass, which is about saving money if you’re doing lots of long-distance trips on the Shinkansen.

The city or small regional transport passes are mainly useful if you’re going to be doing a lot of small trips around that area over a day or a few days.

I’m talking about the Hakone FreePass which covers the train from Tokyo and then three days around Hakone, for instance. Or the Kansai Thru Pass , which gives you three non-consecutive days around the Kansai area to places like Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, or Koyasan.

You may want to consider using one of these passes for your time around that region, and then saving the JR Pass for the days when you’re going to do some big trips.

OK, now it’s time to talk money, which is obviously the biggest factor on whether it’s worth buying the JR Pass .

It used to be a bit of a no-brainer for most people travelling to Japan who were going to visit a few different cities in a short time.

But, with an increase in price in October 2023, the JR Rail Pass is now a lot more expensive.

The new price for the different types of JR Pass are:

So the cheapest option is the 7-day pass for the Ordinary Car, which costs ¥50,000 – or about US$332. That works out to be about ¥7100 (US$48) a day.

If you were to get the 21-day pass for the Ordinary Car, that would work out to be about ¥4700 (US$32) a day.

It’s interesting to note that the 21-day pass is the same price as two 7-day passes, which means there’s probably no reason to split your trip into two separate passes to try to save money.

When it comes to the Green Car, the 7-day pass costs about an extra ¥2800 (US$19) a day to have the nicer carriages. For the 21-day pass, it’s about ¥1900 (US$13) a day extra – which is probably good value if you were doing a Shinkansen trip every day.

It should also be noted that what I’m quoting here are the official prices.

However, there are lots of authorised resellers of the Japan Rail Pass, and you’ll find a range of slightly different prices if you look at these various retailers (online and on-ground).

That’s usually because they are marking it up slightly to cover the postage of the voucher, or perhaps discounting it slightly to be a bit more competitive. But there’s generally no more than about a 5 per cent difference.

I mention it just so you don’t get concerned if the price doesn’t match exactly.

Now we have all this information, let’s crunch the numbers to see if it’s worth buying the JR Pass.

You certainly can save a lot of money, but it depends on how much travel you’re planning to do, and in what period of time.

A common trip for visitors is to go from Tokyo to Kyoto and then back again, all on the Shinkansen. This return trip would cost you about ¥26,000 (much less than the ¥50,000 for the 7-day JR Pass). So it would not be worth getting the JR Pass.

Even if you used the pass for the Narita Express (¥6000 return), a couple of days in Tokyo (where an all-day pass for suburban JR lines is just ¥760) and you did a side trip from Kyoto to Osaka on the shinkansen (¥2800 return), you’re only spending about ¥34,000 – so the JR Pass is still not worth it.

On the other hand, let’s look at the calculations if you want to spend the 7 days doing a lot of travel (maybe after you’ve spent some days in Tokyo).

You might do a day trip to Nikko from Tokyo (¥11,000), then go down to Hiroshima (¥18,000) and spend a couple of nights there with a visit to Miyajima on the ferry (¥400), then go to Kyoto for a couple of nights (¥11,000), and then come back to Tokyo (¥13,000).

All of that travel is going to cost about ¥53,000. It’s only slightly more than the 7-day pass costs, but you’ll probably find a few other ways to use the pass during that time, and it saves you the hassle of buying tickets each time. So in this case, it is worth it.

14-day Pass

If you haven’t worked this out already, I’m going to share the main way to get good value from the Japan Rail Pass – use it for longer and do a fair amount of travel in that time.

Looking at the 14-day JR Pass, for instance, here’s a reasonable way to spend your time in Japan:

Tokyo to Nagasaki for a couple of days, then Hiroshima for a couple of days, across to Matsuyama to see Shikoku for a few days, over to Kyoto for a few days (with side trips to Osaka and Nara), up to Kanazawa for a day, down to Nagoya for a day, and then back to Tokyo.

All of that travel is going to cost you about ¥90,000 (not taking into account the smaller side trips you’ll do as part of that). So that’s a minimum saving of about ¥10,000 (US$70) as well as not having the hassle of buying tickets all the time.

21-day Pass

If you had an even longer trip in Japan, you might do everything I just suggested in the 14-day itinerary, and then head north for the other week, going to Sapporo for a couple of days, and then stopping at maybe Aizu-Wakamatsu and Nikko on the way back.

All of that would cost about ¥160,000. Compared to the ¥100,000 price of the 21-day Pass, it’s clearly a HUGE saving of ¥60,000 (US$400).

Now, it’s a lot of travel, and it’s perhaps faster than I would normally recommend going. But it’s a fun way to see lots of Japan and, in a situation like that, you definitely will make the most of a JR Pass.

If you’re more of a slow traveller and don’t want to visit as many places, you may find it’s not worth getting the JR Pass now with the cost increase.

To check some train prices yourself to do some calculations, you can use a tool like Japan Transit Planner .

Regardless of where you buy the Japan Rail Pass before you arrive, you’ll need to go to one of the main train stations to exchange your voucher for your pass.

In Tokyo, places where you can pick up the pass include Narita and Haneda Airports, as well as JR stations at Tokyo, Ueno, Shinjuku, and Shinagawa.

You can see the full list here of about 65 pick-up locations across Japan.

When you exchange the voucher for your JR Pass, you have to nominate the start date. That doesn’t have to be the same day that you do the exchange.

Once the start date begins, the pass is only valid for consecutive days (ie, the next 7 days for a 7-day pass). So even if you don’t use it at all on some of those days, they will count as part of the pass duration.

If you’ve used a Japan Rail Pass back in the day, you may remember it as a large piece of cardboard that you had to show the guard at the gate each time.

Now, though, it’s just the normal small ticket with a magnetic strip. You’ll just put it through the ticket reader at the automatic gates like everyone else, and it will let you through.

Most of the carriages on the shinkansen require you to reserve a seat before you board (although there are usually a few unreserved carriages that you can just jump onto if you’ve forgotten).

Reserving a seat is free with the JR Pass and you can now do it at the kiosks at the station. (Or you can still do it at the counter at a JR station.)

The reservation comes as a similar-looking ticket to the JR Pass – be careful not to accidentally throw out your pass at the end of the trip, because you can’t get it replaced for free!

When it comes to whether the JR Pass is worth buying, I wanted to share a few more tips to consider when you’re doing calculations – which may help you save money and find more value.

• The JR Pass does include the Narita Express, which is normally about ¥4000 return. But because the JR Pass is for consecutive days, it may not make sense to begin using the pass to get from the airport if you’re then just going to hang out in Tokyo for a few days.
• On that note, using the JR Pass just to get around Tokyo (or Osaka) is a terrible value. The Tokyo Metro is much more convenient than the JR lines, and a 24-hour unlimited Metro pass for Tokyo is only ¥600 (compared to the ¥7100 a day that a 7-day JR Pass averages out to be).
• The best use of a JR Pass is for the Shinkansen – and the more trips, and the longer the trips, the more value the pass offers. So, if you’re planning to visit a few cities, think about which 7 days (or 14/21 days) you want to use the JR Pass to maximise the travel you’ll do during that duration. You may even consider moving a Shinkansen trip a day earlier or later to fit into that 7-day duration.
• One interesting ‘hack’ that people use is to base themselves for the 7 days in a city on the Shinkansen line that has easy access to all the places they want to visit, and then do day trips each day using the JR Pass. For instance, staying in Hamamatsu gives you easy access to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, and Mount Fuji. With generally cheaper hotel rates than Tokyo, you can save even more money this way.
• If you are only going to be spending time in one part of Japan (the Kansai region around Osaka, for instance), it’s definitely worth looking at the regional JR Passes instead, because they are much cheaper but still allow you to use all the same transport within that region.
• Although you can now pay a surcharge to use the super-express Nozomi and Mizuho trains (¥4960 between Tokyo and Osaka, for example), I don’t think it’s worth it at all, as you only save about 30 minutes.
• For really long-distance trips like Tokyo north to Sapporo or south to Fukuoka, tourists would often do a flight instead of the train. So if you’re calculating value, using the cost of flying can often be a more accurate way of comparing.

Ultimately, the best way to use the Japan Rail Pass is going to depend on your own itinerary and interests. But because it’s quite an expensive pass now, it’s definitely worth doing some planning and considering any changes to your plans to make the most of having it.

Buying the JR Pass does involve a little planning because it has to be done in advance.

First of all, just a reminder that the JR Rail Pass can only be bought by foreigners coming to Japan as temporary visitors.

When you pick up your physical pass, they will check your passport to compare the name with your booking, and even look for your entry stamp from immigration.

Something that’s often confusing to people getting the JR Pass is that, until recently, the official train company, JR, didn’t sell the JR Pass directly.

Even now, it’s not the primary seller of its own pass. Instead, it uses a range of distributors around the world – and many of them try to sound like they are the only official ones. (You may have noticed this if you tried to search for where to buy the JR Pass!)

Of all the different vendors, I recommend buying your JR Pass through GetYourGuide .

Why? Well, because they are a large international company that has years of experience selling travel products to countries all around the world. In fact, they are the company I use for most of my tour recommendations.

They have excellent customer service in multiple languages, can handle multiple currencies, and have all the logistics in place to get you your voucher as quickly as possible.

In short, I think GetYourGuide is more trustworthy than some of the smaller online retailers you may find by searching, and they’ll be able to help you if something goes wrong.

To finish up, just a reminder. You have to buy the JR Rail Pass in advance. And the voucher for the pass has to be mailed to you before you arrive.

So leave enough time to arrange that – I recommend buying it about a month in advance (you don’t have to nominate the start date for the pass duration until you exchange the voucher in Japan).

If you get stuck, though, there’s recently been a change which means there is one way to buy it online without needing to get a voucher. It costs a bit more but may be a good option if you won’t be able to receive your voucher at home. (You’ll still need to pick up a physical pass in Japan.)

Whatever you decide, though, you will certainly enjoy the Japanese train experience. Make sure you grab an ekiben from the station, enjoy the view out the window, and make the most of exploring this fascinating country!

More stories about Japan

• The best places to visit in Japan
• Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it?
• A 3-day itinerary for Tokyo
• Tips to save money in Japan
• How do to a Kamakura day trip
• The best things to do in Osaka
• Exploring the World Heritage of Kyoto
• Things to see in Kanazawa
• What to do in Sapporo
• Seeing snow monkeys in the hot springs

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Japan Rail Pass: The Ultimate Guide (2024 Edition)

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Selecting a start date for the Pass

When you exchange your voucher for the actual pass, you can select any start date provided it is within one month from the day you exchange . Note: once the actual pass is issued, the start date cannot be changed. 

If you purchase passes through the official JR website you will need to select the start date of the passes at the time of purchase, and again, the start date cannot be changed later.

Where can I activate my Japan Rail Pass?

For Japan Rail Passes purchased in advance outside of Japan, you need to activate them at an exchange office after arriving in Japan . Exchange offices can be found in several major train stations and airports.

The official JR Pass website has a complete list of exchange offices here: https://japanrailpass.net/en/exchange.html .

How to make seat reservations

Seat reservations are free with the Japan Rail Pass . After exchanging your voucher for the actual pass, you can make seat reservations for JR trains for free at ticket machines or ticket offices across Japan. Note: reservations cannot be made on board trains.

The official Japan Rail Pass website includes a list of all of the exchange offices: https://japanrailpass.net/en/exchange.html .

Mar 28, 2024 • 11 min read

Find your way in Japan with our ultimate guide to rail travel © Chay_Tee / Shutterstock

You will fall passionately in love with trains in Japan .

Japanese people didn’t invent rail travel, but they arguably perfected it. Whether you’re on the newest shinkansen (bullet train) zooming across the country at 320km/h (199mph) or an elderly regional railcar, you can count on your train being scrupulously clean, safely operated, highly reliable, famously punctual and generally a joy to ride.

You can see almost the entire country by train, and with a wide variety of rail passes — including the iconic Japan Rail Pass — you can travel across Japan for less than US$50 per day, including the shinkansen.

Signs are in English even at the smallest stations, translation apps and devices are widely used for complicated questions, and staff are genuinely happy to help travelers.

Japan has an enormous number of train lines and kinds of train, but don’t be put off by the sheer volume: it’s surprisingly easy to navigate , even on your first trip, with your phone’s maps app and a sense of adventure.

There are different services on the Japanese train network

Trains run almost everywhere in Japan. The main backbone of the network, and the fastest, is the shinkansen. These bullet trains run from Hokkaidō in the far north all the way to Tokyo Station , where you have to change for the shinkansen going to Nagoya , Kyoto , Osaka , Hiroshima and on to Kyushu. For travelers visiting Japan’s main sights , this will be the kind of train you take the most.

The next fastest are Limited Expess trains — “limited” as in “limited stops” — that run between cities and to rural areas on pre-shinkansen conventional lines (the non-high-speed ones). Many run through beautiful parts of Japan, so don’t count them out.

Local trains are the slowest and may even be as small as one single car. “Rapid” trains are fairly rare, and are essentially local trains that skip a few of the smaller stops.

Urban rail, commuter trains and subway lines are widespread in cities. These usually work very similarly to what you might be used to in your home country, although do watch out for limited-stop semi-expresses. The big picture transit maps can look a little intimidating, but most major cities now have a system of colors and station codes in place to help you navigate, and your phone's maps app is great for a quick idea of how to get from A to B.

Confident visitors outside major cities will love Joyful Trains, which are special tourist trains operated largely on weekends and holidays in rural areas. These might be renovated steam trains, or specially themed — JR East’s Koshino Shu’Kura is all about sake, including tastings, while the JR Kyushu A Train is jazz-themed.

Japan’s train stations are destinations by themselves, with larger and newer stations offering a huge range of restaurants for every appetite and budget, and shops ranging from high-quality handmade artisanal local goods to Japanese malls to 100-yen stores. Convenience stores and pharmacies are also often on hand.

Do look out for special local snacks in the omiyage souvenir shops (these are intended for Japanese travelers to take back to friends and colleagues as presents) and for ekiben, local specialty boxed bentō lunches.

Travel short distances with a prepaid travel card

Coming from overseas, traveling short distances on Japanese railways often feels very inexpensive, while traveling longer distances without a rail pass can feel more costly. Let’s start with shorter distances.

Taking subways and urban rail is simple if you get an IC card – one of the many prepaid stored-value contactless cards – that works in a similar way to Oyster in London or Clipper in San Francisco: just tap on and tap off. Most rail operators across Japan will sell you their version, which are almost all interchangeable when it comes to loading and spending them — you can use an ICOCA card from the Osaka region in Tokyo , or a Pasmo from Tokyo in Sapporo . You can also use iPhones to get a virtual Suica card (JR East's version of a prepaid card) via the Wallet app and load it with money using Apple Pay. If you're using an international Visa card, be aware that JR East has had issues processing those payments in the past, so you may need to use a different credit card.

Travel long distances with the JR Pass

Over longer distances, the Japan Rail Pass (¥50,000 or about US$335 for seven days – less than US$50 a day!) is generally a good deal if you are planning anything more than simply Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima–Tokyo, and the flexibility it gives you to take an earlier or later train is an added bonus.

You can either buy the ticket online or from an overseas travel agent. Note that you don’t actually buy the pass itself from overseas — you buy a voucher called an Exchange Order, which you then exchange at a major station (including all international airports) for the pass itself.

If you don’t have a pass, tickets cost the same no matter what time of day you travel, where you book, or how busy it will be — it’s not like airline tickets where that can change wildly. Most overseas travelers still use paper tickets for everything outside urban travel.

Long-distance travel fares are based on two elements:

Ticket price, essentially the distance you travel

Whether you want to reserve a seat or not, and in which class, if that’s available: Limited Express and Shinkansen trains will offer non-reserved seat tickets, a reserved seat in standard class, a reserved seat in the Green Car business class, or in some regions a reserved seat in Gran Class (first class).

Tickets can be bought at stations or at JR Travel Service Centers

Use Google Maps or the Japan Transit Planner from Jorudan to find fares, or for JR trains visit your local JR station (look for the “green window” ticket booking office or a JR Travel Service Center), where you can also reserve a seat. At major airports and in Tokyo, you can expect some basic train-related English to be spoken by "green window" ticket agents. JR Travel Service Center staff tend to be more multilingual. Elsewhere, if you speak no Japanese you may well get lucky with someone who speaks English, and you can always lean on your phone's translation apps. Write down (on a printout or even just on your phone's notes app) the dates, times, destinations and details of the train you want, for example: "12 April, Tokyo–Osaka, 12:00, window seat, Mt Fuji side please."

Unless you’re visiting during a major Japanese holiday or want to take a specific Joyful Train, there’s little need to book before arriving in Japan. You can in some cases book online, but it’s pretty complicated and I wouldn’t recommend it to first-time visitors. If you’re confused and want English-speaking advice, head to one of the stations that specializes in Japan Rail Passes . Only a few trains outside the JR network allow prebooking.

There are many rail passes to choose from

Japan has a wide variety of rail passes available to overseas visitors, from the JR Pass valid across the JR network (with a few exceptions like the very fastest trains west of Tokyo) to regional and commuter passes.

The most useful is the Japan Rail Pass in its six variants: 7/14/21 days and standard car or Green Car business-class versions. This is probably what you should get your first time in Japan if traveling outside Tokyo.

Adventurous travelers and long-term visitors, or anyone wanting to go deep in a particular region, could also consider:

The various regional passes from JR East , including the very useful Hokuriku Arch Pass for traveling the slower way between Tokyo and Osaka via Kyoto and Kanazawa

The many JR West Passes , including the All Area Pass for most of western Honshu

The four JR Kyushu passes

The three JR Hokkaido passes

The JR Shikoku ALL SHIKOKU pass

You’ll usually need to be visiting with the “temporary visitor” stamp in your passport, and there may be a small discount (a couple of thousand yen or US$5–10) for buying it online or outside Japan. Otherwise, check out the details online or visit a large station, including those at airports: the bigger, the better, and the more likely to have English-speaking assistance.

Train etiquette means not disturbing fellow travelers

Japanese urban trains can be famously crowded during rush-hour, but by and large even Tokyo is no worse than any major global city.

Even if crowded, the etiquette on a Japanese train is to be as quiet as possible and disturb others as little as possible: headphones on quiet, very little chatting, backpack on your front, give up your seat to anyone who needs it more than you.

There is something of a stereotype of loutish tourists yapping away to their traveling companions on long-distance trains. Try not to contribute to it. Separate your trash according to the recycling bins, and always leave the seat as clean and tidy as you found it.

Eating and drinking is fine (even encouraged!) on longer distance trains. General rule: if the seats are subway-style along the sides of the car facing inwards then don’t, but feel free if the seats are airline-style facing forwards. If in doubt, follow the lead of the nearest senior Japanese person.

On-board facilities vary depending on the service

With the exception of the Joyful Train tourist excursion services, Japanese trains don’t have buffet cars any more, although you can see what they used to look like at several of Japan’s excellent railway museums. A shrinking number of trains still have a trolley service offering snacks, sometimes bentō and a variety of drinks.

Good news, though: any station smaller than the tiniest rural halt will have a convenience store inside or nearby, which will offer bentō , hot meals, snacks, drinks and essentials. Many larger stations have restaurant complexes, while some smaller ones will have delightful smaller options like a soba or ramen shop.

Long-distance trains will usually have toilet facilities, with newer ones (including all shinkansen and some Limited Expresses) having excellent facilities for disabled passengers, people with reduced mobility and often ostomy facilities too.

Shinkansen and newer Limited Expresses offer two-pin US-style 110V charging ports, while wi-fi is also increasingly available and easy to use.

Most Japanese trains are not set up for luggage bigger than a small carry-on — and “small” here does not include a US-sized rollaboard or anything like a bicycle. On some trains you have to pre-reserve anything bigger. Take advantage of the nationwide luggage shipping services like Yamato – known as Kuroneko Yamato for its black (kuro) cat (neko) logo – that ships larger bags for US$10–20.

These are the best seats for great views

Always take a window seat, whether you’re gazing out on Japan’s sprawling megalopolises from an urban train, watching the country fly by at 320km/h (199mph) from a shinkansen, or enjoying picturesque views from a slow rural train.

On the shinkansen, if you want the best mountain views — including the iconic Mt Fuji between Tokyo and Shizuoka — select a window E seat in standard class and a D seat in the Green Car.

Limited Expresses are wonderful for countryside views, with the Hida from Nagoya to Toyama through the Japanese Alps and the Inaho from Niigata to Akita just two great examples.

Ask for help when navigating busy city networks

Urban trains, commuter rail and subways may have a set of complicated and confusing names with different stopping patterns, especially during rush hour, but this is no worse than figuring out what a “Watford Semi-Fast” is on London’s Tube or how skip-stop works on the subway in New York. As a visitor, just ask station staff or, in a pinch, a fellow passenger — and be prepared to get on the wrong train with a confident smile and a sense of affable adventure.

The majority of trains are wheelchair accessible

A significant majority of intercity, urban rail and subway stations in most major cities (80–90% in Tokyo according to official numbers ) are accessible for wheelchair users, with elevators, stair-climber lifts, and ramps widespread.

Older stations, such as the main Tokyo Station, may be complex and accessible only from certain entrances. Tactile strips to assist blind people or those with reduced visual acuity are almost everywhere.

Accessible Japan is an excellent resource for information, while the very detailed For Safe and Convenient Accessibility website offers route and station search as well as contact details for further assistance. Station staff are keen to help wherever they can.

Many trains offer wheelchair positions, level boarding, with ramps available if you need them. Urban rail and subways have priority seating, and Japan developed the Help Mark badge system for people with invisible disabilities to easily signal their needs. The badge is free from a number of locations in Tokyo , under US$10 from Amazon Japan (consider having it delivered to your first night hotel), or you can DIY your own before leaving home.

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Is the JR Pass worth it? Our Japan Rail Pass Review and tips to use it

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!

Planning a trip to Japan and wondering if the JR Pass is worth it? We are here to help!

Japan is a paradise when it comes to public transport. Whether it’s the metro or the national rail trains, they are all amazing, clean and on time.

Japan is also the land of bullet trains, some of the fastest trains in the world. If you are visiting, taking the train is particularly convenient and a much easier thing to do than renting a car.

For this reason, a lot of visitors opt for the Japan Rail Pass.

WHERE TO BUY THE JR PASS?

You can buy the JR Pass Online here.

It will be mailed to you by the post within a few days

The Japan Rail Pass is a special pass that gives holders the right to take unlimited trains on the National Japan Rail network.

Depending on your itinerary, it can save you a lot of money as well as being very convenient.

But is the Japan Rail Pass really worth it? It’s time to figure it out!

In this JR Pass review, you will find everything you need to know about the pass, how it works and whether it’s worth getting one for yourself or not.

🔎 Table of Contents

What is the JR Pass?

The JR Pass , or Japan Rail Pass, is a special train pass sold by Japan Rail and available exclusively to foreign visitors.

It allows unlimited travel on most JR (Japan Railways) trains, including shinkansen (bullet trains), for a set number of days.

The pass can be used on all JR-operated railways across Japan which means you can visit cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima Hokkaido, and more, with it.

The pass is available in 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day. Obviously, each pass has a different price and the more days you get the more expensive (though proportionally, it works out cheaper per day).

With the JR Pass, you can travel on most trains with a reserved or non-reserved seat.

How to buy a JR Pass?

You can buy it online from various authorized providers like Klook or Get Your Guide .

The price of the pass varies depending on how many days but each provider will sell it at the same price.

Click here to see the prices.

Pros of buying a JR Pass

Trains in Japan are very effective but can be very expensive as well and if you are planning on exploring the country, having unlimited travel on trains is a huge advantage.

Here are the pros of buying a JR Pass.

1. Cost-effective: it will save you money

If you plan to travel to multiple cities in Japan, the JR Pass can be a cost-effective option, as it allows unlimited travel on most JR trains for a set number of days.

The Shinkansens (bullet trains) are a great way to go from one city to another. It’s practical and fast. But it can also be expensive.

The cost of individual train tickets can add up quickly, so the JR Pass can save you money in the long run if you are planning to take a few trains.

2. It’s very convenient

With a JR Pass, you don’t have to worry about buying tickets for each individual train ride. It saves both time and hassle since you don’t have to queue at a JR office or a machine to buy each ticket.

You can simply use Google Maps to see which train to get and show up to the station.

Once you get there, you can pass your ticket at the gate and then go to board the train.

If you want to make sure you get to take a specific train, you can book it in advance but you are also free to take a non-reserved seat.

3. Flexibility

The JR Pass allows you to travel on any JR train, including the shinkansen (except the Nozomi and Mizuho).

This means that as long as there is a JR station, you can take a train there.

It doesn’t matter if you made a reservation or not, you can just take the train.

Of course, if you haven’t booked, there is a possibility you wouldn’t be able to take your wished train but since you never have to take a specific train, you have the option of taking the next one (or an early train or if you get there earlier).

The flexibility it gives is very handy. When we travel, plans can change.

No matter how well you organised your itinerary, you may change your mind or something might happen (like rain) that makes you want to take an earlier or later train.

With the JR Pass, no matter what happens, you will be able to take your train.

4. It will save you time

Taking bullet trains is the best thing to do to get around Japan since they are much quicker than driving. This alone will save you time but having a JR Pass will save you even more time.

Since you don’t have to go get your individual ticket and can just walk up to the gate whenever you want to, you don’t have to waste time with the logistics.

5. You will save money on local transport as well

The JR Pass can only be used on Japan Rail lines which means you can not use it in the metro or buses however, there are certain lines that are included.

In every city, you will also find JR stations and some of the lines are very convenient such as the Nara line in Kyoto or the Yamanote Line that goes all around Tokyo.

You can also use it on the JR bus lines.

If you plan your transfers carefully, you can avoid having to take the local metros and save even more money by using the JR lines.

6. It includes some ferries and sightseeing buses

A lot of people don’t know this but the JR Pass also gives you access to some ferries and sightseeing buses.

Let’s take Hiroshima as an example.

If you visit Hiroshima, chances are that you will want to go to Miyajima island.

Well, the ferry to get to the island is included in your JR Pass, which is again very handy since you don’t need to book or queue to get a ticket and will save you money.

Another thing that most people don’t know is that some sightseeing buses are also included in the JR Pass.

In Hiroshima again, all the sightseeing bus lines (you can take them from Hiroshima station) are included in the JR Pass.

These buses are very cool because you get onboard commentary and/or can simply use them to get around.

Once again, that will save you money but will also give you a chance to learn more about history.

7. You can pick it up at the airport and use it from Tokyo airports

If you arrive in Japan via one of Tokyo airports, Haneda or Narita airport, you can easily pick up your JR Pass from the JR office there.

In order to do that, make sure you ordered your JR Pass online in advance and show up to the office with your voucher.

Once you’ve exchanged your voucher for your pass, you can take the included lines to get into Tokyo.

From Haneda, you can take the Tokyo monorail. From Narita, you can take the Narita express.

8. It’s perfect if you travel a lot in a short amount of time

If you have a limited amount of time to spend in Japan like 1 or 2 weeks, then you will want to pack as many things as possible and in that case, the Japan Rail pass comes in handy and saves a lot of money.

9. Cultural experience

This one is not really an advantage of the JR Pass specifically but more of taking trains in Japan altogether.

Taking the train is a quintessential part of Japanese culture.

It is an experience in so many ways. Firstly, Japanese trains are so punctual and clean. They have everything.

Secondly, you can enjoy the scenery, try some local snacks from the train station and even go on some themed trains.

Cons of buying a JR Pass

Now that we looked at all the advantages of getting a JR Pass , it’s time to talk about the cons because like for everything in life, there are some as well.

1. JR Pass Cost

The JR Pass is not the cheapest of things to buy. Prices start at 29,000 Yens (£178 / $220).

While this amount is actually worth it if you use your pass a few times, it is undeniable that it can can be a significant expense

The most important thing when considering buying a JR Pass is to plan your itinerary and see how much it would cost you to buy individual tickets.

For example, if you just want to stay in Tokyo and go to Kyoto for a couple of days, then the cost of a return ticket with the Shinkansen to Kyoto will be much under the cost of a JR Pass.

In this case, it wouldn’t be worth buying a pass.

The JR Pass will only save you money if you use it.

2. Some regional passes can be cheaper

Once again, whether the JR Pass is worth it or not depends on your itinerary, the places you visit and how long your trip is.

In some cases, you may not actually need a JR Pass but a regional pass would be enough.

A popular one for example is the Kansai JR Pass . It lasts 5 days and includes JR trains to and from Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima, Himeji, Kobe and more.

Depending on how you worked your itinerary out, taking this one could be a better option. It’s much cheaper than the JR Pass and if you are flying to Osaka and staying in this area, it’s definitely better.

If you are planning on going to Kyoto and Tokyo (or even more places), then you will need to calculate how much both options would actually work out.

3. Limited coverage

While the JR Pass covers most JR trains (and honestly it’s more than enough). It is true that it does not cover the Nozomi and Mizuho lines.

No matter what, you don’t actually need to take these trains because you will have other types of bullet trains running on the same lines but if for some reasons you really want to get onto these specific trains, the JR Pass is not for you.

Also, it will not give you access to the local metro lines so you will need to get a metro or PASMO card anyway.

4. You have to order it in advance if you buy online

If you choose to buy your pass online (which you should, it will save you time once you are in Japan), then you need to make sure you are ordering it at least a week before departure since it will be mailed to you.

If worse comes to worst, you can still buy one at the JR office though. The only thing to avoid is to order a couple of days before the trip since it won’t make it on time.

Please note that the vouchers are valid for 3 months so don’t order them before that either.

5. It’s not for slow travel

The JR Pass is meant for those who want to make the most of their time in Japan and visit as much places as possible.

If you, however, are travelling slower with more free days then it’s not worth buying a pass at all. You will save money by just getting regular tickets every once in a while.

The pass is only valid for 7, 14 or 21 days so you need to use it as much as possible in that amount of time.

Is the JR Pass worth it?

Yes, absolutely. As a general thing, the JR Pass is a great product and for many visitors, it’s so practical and saves us so much money.

But, at the end of the day, it all depends on your itinerary and how much time you plan to spend in Japan.

The JR Pass is definitely worth it if you plan on using it a few times during your stay or and are planning on taking long train rides (Tokyo to Osaka for example).

It’s also worth it for people who decide to pack as much as they can in a short amount of time.

Since it’s only valid for 1, 2 or 3 weeks, it wouldn’t be adapted to slow travel.

You need to review your own trip and see if it will be worth it for you personally.

We can always tell you that it’s worth it as a general thing, but it’s not necessarily relevant since it really depends on your own travels.

How to know if the JR Pass is worth it for my trip?

It’s simple. You need to calculate the cost of all your train rides and compare it with the total cost of the JR Pass.

This is very easy to do with the JR Pass fare calculator .

In this tool, you can add all the places you want to visit and it will calculate the cost of individual trains and compare it to the JR Pass.

You will be able to see if the Japan Rail Pass is worth it and also how much money it will save you.

How to use the JR Pass Fare Calculator

The JR Pass Fare Calculator is a very simple and straightforward tool to use. Here is exactly how to do it.

Step 1: Go to the JR Pass Fare Calculator website

Go on the website here .

Step 2: Add the cities you want to visit

Enter your starting point (where you are coming from) and destination (where you are going).

You can add as many places as you want and the calculator will adjust.

Step 3: Scroll down to see the results

If you scroll down, you will see the results.

Here is how it works. It will show you the total cost of individual tickets.

By default, the 7-day pass will be selected but you can change it to 14 or 21 days and see what difference it makes.

The bottom line indicates your savings.

If the number is black that means that you will save money with the JR Pass that was selected.

If the number is orange, then that means that the JR Pass will cost you more than booking individual tickets.

Step 4: Adapt your itinerary

Depending on the results, you may find that a shorter JR Pass will save you money. If that’s the case, try to think about how you could adapt your itinerary to make it work.

Don’t forget, you always have the option of buying a JR Pass and an extra ticket for your last journey.

Examples of itineraries with a 7-day JR Pass

We know that all these calculations can be confusing so here are a few itineraries that we know will save you money with a JR Pass.

Itinerary 1:

• Day 1 to 3: Tokyo
• Day 4 to 6: Kyoto (activate your pass on day 4)
• Day 7: Osaka
• Day 8: Nara
• Day 9: Himeji – Kobe
• Day 10: Back to Tokyo

Itinerary 2:

• Day 1: Tokyo
• Day 2 to 6: Kyoto (activate the pass on day 4)
• Day 7: Hiroshima
• Day 8: Himeji – Kobe – Osaka
• Day 9: Nara

How to use the JR Pass

There are 4 steps to buy and use a JR Pass which are:

• Order your pass online here
• Exchange your voucher at a JR Office
• Reserve your seats and trains (optional)
• Use your pass at the station

Here is the exact breakdown of how to do each one of these steps.

How to order your JR Pass

First, you need to order your JR Pass online. You can do so here.

Simply select the type of pass (number of days and class) you want, add it to the cart, enter your details and proceed with payment. You can pay in your own currency, it doesn’t have to be in Yens.

Once the purchase is completed, you will receive your actual pass in the post within 2 weeks.

How to exchange a JR Pass

Once you have your JR Pass in the post, make sure to pack it safely and take it all the way to Japan.

When you arrive in Japan, you will need to exchange it at an official JR office. You can find a full list of such offices here .

The most convenient thing to do is to exchange it at the airport.

That way you are good to go and don’t need to worry about it but if you can’t do it at the airport, you will also be able to do it in any JR office on the list.

GOOD TO KNOW: Your JR Pass doesn’t have to start the day you exchange it. You will give the starting date to the member of staff and it will only start on the day you asked. This means that you can do it at the airport even if you are not planning on using it for another few days.

Once you get to the JR Office, make sure to come with your passport since you will need both the voucher and your ID.

The person at the desk will then exchange the voucher for an actual JR Pass ticket that you can use in stations.

How to reserve seats with a JR Pass

It is not necessary to reserve seats in advance with a JR pass but if you want, you can do it.

Most of the time, you will be able to board a train in the non-reserved section but if you are a big group or travelling during sakura season, it is recommended to book your seats.

It is quite easy and it doesn’t cost anything extra.

The easiest way is to do it at the JR Office when you exchange your voucher. You might as well do everything at once.

Please note that they only let you book one train during peak season though.

Alternatively, you can book your trains from any JR office or from the machines in the stations.

The machines are available in English and quite straightforward, you can take all the time you need.

The only fastidious thing about using the machines is that you need to enter your passport number but it’s not that much of an issue.

How to use your JR Pass in stations

Once you have your ticket and reservations, it is time to use the JR Pass. This is the easiest part!

Basically, look at the signs to identify your platform and where to take your train.

Before you reach the platforms, you will find automatic gates where you can slide your ticket in.

Insert your ticket, walk through and take it back.

After that, you are good to go!

Please note that you need to insert the actual JR Pass ticket and not the voucher nor the seat reservation.

Also, make sure you take your ticket back since you will need it.

If, for some reason, the gate doesn’t give you back the ticket, go to the help desk next to the gates and ask for help. The staff will get it back for you.

Tips for using and saving money with the JR Pass

By now, you should know whether the Japan Rail Pass is worth it or not but there are also some more ways you can save money with it.

Here are some tips and recommendations to help you use your JR Pass in the most efficient way.

1. Always check the route you are taking

Sometimes faster and more comfortable routes aren’t included in the JR Pass. Local metros and Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansens are not included so you can’t take those.

You can easily check the type of train on Google Maps (click on the route and it will tell you what type of train it is).

2. Look for JR lines instead of metro lines

If you are visiting cities like Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka, you will probably want to take the metro a lot however, there are also a lot of lines that are covered by the JR Pass.

This is the case of the Nara line or Yamanote Line in Tokyo.

So, if the JR line is available, always take it instead of the metro and you will save money.

If you are not sure whether a line is included in the JR Pass, you can check the official website, ask the staff at train stations or look for JR stations.

PRO TIP: Another thing (more DIY) that you can do is to try to make your own itinerary. When you use Google Maps, it will tell you what route is the best but you can also look for JR stations near you and set these as your departure point. If you do that, it will change the way Google Maps calculates the itinerary and often recommend JR lines instead.

This tip can save you a lot of money with your JR Pass.

3. Reserve seats in advance to save time and avoid long queues

As mentioned before, you can reserve your seats in advance and it doesn’t cost anything extra. This is particularly useful during peak season but also when there are a lot of people travelling together.

Reserving your seat is quite easy and will save you time since you won’t have to queue up for tickets or wait until the next train.

4. Don’t forget that the JR Pass comes with discounts on other things

The Japan Rail Pass also comes with discounts on things like hotels from the Japan Railways Hotel Group.

It also includes some ferries like the one to Miyajima island and some sightseeing buses like the ones in Hiroshima.

You might as well take full advantage of all these inclusions and discounts.

FAQs about the JR Pass

Now that we are done with our review of the Japan Rail Pass, it’s time to answer some frequently asked questions.

Can I use JR Pass from Tokyo to Kyoto?

Yes, the JR Pass will cover all JR routes from Tokyo to Kyoto and vice versa. You can take any Shinkansen as long as it’s not a Nozomi or Mizuho.

Is JR Pass valid on Metro?

No, you cannot use the JR Pass in metro lines. It is only valid for JR trains however, there are also some local JR lines in cities like Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka.

Can I use JR Pass from Tokyo to Osaka?

Yes, you can use your JR Pass from Tokyo to Osaka and vice versa. Again, you can take any Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka except the Nozomi and Mizuho.

Are trains expensive in Japan?

Yes, trains are quite expensive in Japan for long-haul transfers however, the service is also exceptional. It’s clean and on time.

If you use a JR Pass, it can make your train travel quite affordable though.

Is the bullet train expensive in Japan?

Yes, the bullet train, also known as Shinkansen is quite expensive in Japan without a JR Pass but it’s also the best way to get from one place to another. They are fast, clean and on time.

How much does a bullet train ticket cost in Japan?

The price of a bullet train ticket in Japan depends on your destination and the distance. To give you an idea, a bullet train ticket from Tokyo to Osaka is around 15,000 Yens.

Can I travel first class with a JR Pass?

The first class in Japanese trains is known as Green Class.

If you wish to travel first class, you will need to buy the JR Green Pass. It is slightly more expensive but that way you can use the green class carriages everywhere.

Standard JR Pass holders can’t travel in the green class carriages but have the option to buy it on certain journeys at an extra cost.

Which is better SUICA or JR Pass?

A SUICA (or PASMO) card can be used on local lines such as the metro and buses. You can also use it on the JR lines but then you’ll pay the price on an individual ticket.

No matter what, you will need a SUICA or PASMO but a JR Pass works out cheaper when you have big train journeys.

You may also be interested in:

• The Ultimate Kyoto 3-day Itinerary: Exactly how to spend 3 days in Kyoto, Japan
• 11+ Best Food Tours in Kyoto to go on in 2023

Founder of Beeloved City, I am originally from France and have been living in the UK since 2016. I've travelled to 25 countries as a backpacker, travel coordinator and for holidays. I spent a year in Australia before eventually settling down in Manchester, England

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• Best of Japan

JRailPass.com » Japan Travel Blog » 15 best apps for traveling around Japan in 2024

15 best apps for traveling around Japan in 2024

August 23, 2024

This article is dedicated to the most useful apps to check while traveling in Japan . If you are scared of the fact that you simply can’t cope with Japanese writing and will get lost either in translation or the extensive Tokyo Metro system – worry no more. Our app selection is here to save the day.

Below you’ll find a detailed list of the best apps for traveling in Japan, the type of service they provide, and how to use them when visiting the country with a Japan Rail Pass !

Table of Contents

• 1 Navitime (Japan Travel by Navitime)
• 2 Japan Transit Planner (Jorudan)
• 3 Tokyo Metro Subway Map & Route
• 4 Google Maps
• 6 Google Translate
• 8 Tripadvisor
• 9 Ecbo Cloak
• 11 OMOTENASHI GUIDE
• 12 Gourmet Navigator (GuruNavi)
• 14 Sushi Dictionary
• 15 Ramen Beast

Navitime (Japan Travel by Navitime)

Navitime for Japan is a popular app that makes navigating around the Japanese capital and the rest of the country stress-free. Apart from providing detailed information about the world’s most complex metropolis ( Tokyo ), it also generates:

• Door-to-door route search
• Voice navigation
• New offline search for free WiFi spots
• A train stop list that will help you confirm you are headed in the correct direction
• Train delay information
• Platform details for each service
• Recent routes saved for offline searches

It can be downloaded for both iOS and Android and also features guides to events, art & culture, shopping , nightlife, and food & drink across Japan.

However, you should make sure you have an internet connection to be able to get the most out of it. If you’re looking for some great connectivity options for your stay in Japan, there’s nothing better than a Pocket Wi-Fi device, which can connect to a total of 10 devices simultaneously.

Japan Transit Planner (Jorudan)

Jorudan Co., LTD. is a Japanese company, which has developed an easy-to-use English transport app called Japan Transit Planner . Below you can see a screenshot of the PC version and the type of information it provides.

As you can see, this Rail Planner app tells you the distance, fare, type of seat on the train (reserved, non-reserved), including any surcharges that may apply. You’re given information about the duration of the trip and the total price, and you can also filter out services that aren’t covered by the Japan Rail Pass .

Japan Transit Planner is available for both iOS and Android systems.  The app is free to download , but there is also a paid option that is ad-free and allows you to access route search/timetable history, customize search criteria, and other premium services.

Buy your JR Pass

Tokyo Metro Subway Map & Route

If you’re planning to make Tokyo your primary destination in Japan and spend a few days exploring the metropolis, then this app is essential!

Incredibly simple and easy to use, this app provides a full interactive map of the city’s Metro, Toei, and Yamanote lines . So you don’t need to waste time looking around for wall-mounted or paper route guides.

It also lets you navigate around the city through the route planner function and helps you find the quickest route to your destination (even if you aren’t connected to the internet).

It’s free to download for both iOS and Android systems.

Google Maps

Google Maps is one of the oldest and best-known transportation apps. Similar to the apps we’ve seen so far, the new Maps will guide you through any city, town, village or area in Japan , by showing all the optimal routes available at the moment of your inquiry.

By clicking Details you can see the name of your train (in this example Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen is the bullet train line) and the time it will take you to get to your selected final destination.

The displayed cost is only valid for those who do not hold a Japan Rail Pass. The biggest advantage of this app is that it is more visual regarding location. Apart from your destination station, you can easily see nearby restaurants, parks, bars and more. 

Available for both Android and iOS .

Available in more than 15 languages, this interactive map is similar to Google Maps, but can be used without an internet connection. SImply download the map of Japan when you’re connected to Wi-Fi and you can use it even when in internet dead zones!

Maps.Me also lets you import bookmarks from Google My Maps and use them alongside the built-in points of interest and custom pins within the app you create, even when offline. Also, it has a GPS function that can be used when you’re connected to the Internet.

Maps.me is free to download and use for both iOS and Android . However, if you want to remove the in-app ads, you can choose between 3 subscription options; weekly, monthly, and yearly.

Google Translate

If you don’t understand a lick of Japanese and want to make your trip through the country as hassle-free as possible, then downloading the Google Translate app is a must.

This app makes it easy to overcome the language barrier with functionalities such as: 

• Instant text translation
• Voice translation
• Conversation mode that allows to translate back-and-forth speech in real time
• Voice playback that aids pronunciation
• Handwriting analysis and translation
• Translation of text in images through camera mode

The Google Translate app is also great because it allows you to download many different languages for offline translation from Japanese.It can be easily accessed from your computer, tablet, or Android or iOS phone .

This Japanese dictionary app is ideal for travelers who want to engage with the local language . Incredibly accurate in its translation, it not only provides you with Japanese words and phrases but also teaches you how to pronounce them correctly!

What’s more, the app is available in many different languages , including:

Imiwa? is an offline app, meaning you don’t need an internet connection to use it. Also, it’s free to download, but only available for iOS .

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is a top-rated app, used by millions of people all over the world. If you’re used to using to it in your own country, you can easily in Japan as well. It’s available for both Android and iOS .

Tripadvisor gives you personalised options about:

• Places near you
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Holiday rentals
• Destination guides

Having all of this information at the tip of your fingers will surely make a difference. Select your preferred food, price limit, personal interests and start discovering. The app is completely free of charge.

This easy-to-use app is a lifesaver for travelers in Japan needing temporary storage for their luggage.

It allows you to locate nearby storage facilities, securely store your bags, and pick them up at your convenience .

With a vast network of storage options , ecbo cloak lets you find a convenient spot near tourist attractions and stations. It permits you to free yourself from the burden of hauling luggage around, making your travel experience more enjoyable.

The app is not only budget-friendly but also boasts a straightforward payment system that allows for quick transactions . You can download it on both iOS and Android .

OMOTENASHI GUIDE

OMOTENASHI GUIDE makes it easier to understand Japanese by providing instant transcription of public announcements in various locations , including train stations and tourist spots.

When an announcement is playing in Japanese, simply open the app and press the on-screen button. The app will then display the translation instantly in the language you select .

By offering real-time translations, OMOTENASHI GUIDE ensures that all travelers have access to vital information , enhancing safety and convenience. It’s available for both iOS and Android .

Gourmet Navigator (GuruNavi)

Gurunavi is a great and easy to use restaurant-finder app for both iOS and Android . It lets you select your prefecture (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, etc.) and the area where you are.

Once you have selected where you want to eat, the app shows you restaurant search results by cuisine such as:

• Sushi/Seafood
• Okonomiyaki/Takoyaki
• Yakiniku (BBQ)
• Izakaya (Typical Japanese pub)
• Dining bars / beer halls

Furthermore, there are some quite useful filters such as:

• Places with English-speaking staff
• All you can eat/drink offers
• Places with free Wi-Fi access
• Family-recommended
• Non-smoking restaurants

As the app tends to display a huge number of results and the search filters are limited, you might feel a little overwhelmed by all the restaurant options GuruNavi offers you. Still, it’s very useful if you want to find an option to eat out close by in the surrounding area!

While Gururnai is often considered the “Yelp of Japan”, good old Yelp is also incredibly useful in the country too! This top-rated app, used by millions of people all over the world, is relatively new in Japan, but is still a reliable resource for finding high-quality restaurants in the country.

Yelp not only offers reviews and ratings of restaurants so you can make an informed choice for where to eat out, but you can also use it to search for other businesses such as hairdressers and beauty salons.

You can also use it to make reservations and order take-out food . It’s available for both Android and iOS .

The Yelp app is completely free of charge. However, you’ll need an internet connection to access it. Apart from the amazing Pocket Wi-Fi option, you can also order a Data SIM card (internet only) that will give you direct access to the fastest internet connection available in Japan.

Sushi Dictionary

Navigating the world of sushi in Japan is made easy with the Sushi Dictionary app. This app is a must-have for sushi enthusiasts and travelers alike, offering a comprehensive guide to sushi terminology and fish types.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Comprehensive Content: Includes a complete glossary of fish and seafood, covering common sushi items and preparation styles.
• Visual Aid: The Image Searcher feature helps you visualize each type of fish, both fresh and as sushi.
• Audio Feature: Learn the correct pronunciation of sushi terms in Japanese, enhancing your dining experience.
• Sharing and Saving: Share your newfound knowledge with friends or save definitions for easy reference.
• Search Functionality: Easily search for terms in English, Japanese, or romanized Japanese.
• Additional Features: Access specialized sake terminology and a guide to yakitori menus.

Available for free on the Google Play Store , the Sushi Dictionary is an invaluable tool if you’re looking to deepen your understanding and enjoyment of sushi in Japan .

Ramen Beast

Ramen Beast is the ultimate app for enthusiasts of authentic Japanese ramen , guiding you to the best ramen experiences in Japan.

The app’s curated selection features over 700 top-rated ramen shops in Tokyo , carefully selected to avoid tourist traps and chain restaurants.

It provides detailed reviews, including information about the chef’s history , specialty ingredients, and unique aspects of each ramen shop.

Ramen Beast also offers English recommendations on what to order, making it accessible to non-Japanese speakers. It’s available to download for iOS only .

Tabelog is the go-to app for locals to discover the best dining experiences across Japan, offering an extensive range of restaurant reviews. It boasts:

• In-Depth Ratings : Known for its thorough rating system, Tabelog app provides reliable guidance on restaurant quality. Ratings above 3 stars indicate excellent choices.
• Extensive Database : With over 800,000 restaurants reviewed and more than 50 million reviews, Tabelog offers unparalleled insights into Japan’s dining scene.
• User-Driven Content : The app’s content is largely user-generated, ensuring authentic and up-to-date information.

While the app is only currently provided in Japanese, you can easily translate the content using Google Chrome , making it accessible to non-Japanese speakers. Tabelog is available for iOS users.

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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Japan Rail Pass is really a great and…

Japan Rail Pass is really a great and useful tool to spend the perfect Journey in Japan. I have been able to discover nor less than 13 cities from Tokyo to Kyoto, Mont Fuji sama, From Hiroshima to Myajima and more ... I also fulfilled my dream by entering the international manga museum as an Algerian Mangaka. Great customer experience with good prices.

Date of experience : 02 July 2024

Reply from Japan Rail Pass

Hi there Said! We are absolutely thrilled to receive your 5-star rating and read your wonderful comment. It's really motivating for the team to see such remarks and pushes us to keep working hard to deliver exceptional service. Thank you for placing your trust in Jrailpass.com as your chosen companion to explore this remarkable country. We are delighted to have been a part of your journey and to have contributed to your unforgettable time in Japan. Sending you the warmest regards, we hope to serve you again in the future! Best wishes, Natti Team Jrailpass.com

Worst experience in my life

Worst experience in my life! My husband paid 2000 usd for two passes for 14 days. For 2000 usd you would expect some level of service, instead we got more headache! First you have to queue to get them at the airport. Second when you get toTokyo station, you queue again to exchange them to actual ticket. Customer support rep did not even bother checking we are first class. Next available train was in 7h….no explanation, all signed in Japanese, good luck finding the place you are looking for. My suggestion - save your money and queue once!

Date of experience : 03 May 2024

Dear valued customer, We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced with your physical JR pass ticket. We understand how frustrating this situation would have been. We appreciate your suggestions on how to improve our system. We take every feedback into consideration as we continue to better our service. In the meantime, please contact us through our Customer Support line so we can assist you properly: [email protected] Thank you for choosing Jrailpass.com for your Japan travel needs. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future. Best regards, Lola Team Jrailpass.com

An order just a night before leaving my country for Japan

Just a night before leaving my country, I bought a Japan RailPass for 1 week by jrailpass.com. I left a note for shipping it to an hotel in Tokyo. At the beginning I was a bit insecure for doing it that way, because addresses in japan might be a a bit challenging to read. My local reseller didn't pick up the phone, so I had to buy it by jrailpass. My trip to Japan was so spontaneous, I bought my flight literally for the next week! Afterwards I was in contact with Wakaru and he did a great job - he wrote back within hours, just to let all of you know, we had 7-9 hours difference!! and he did even more! Jrailpass sent my order so fast, I received it within 3 day (weekenddays not included) in Tokyo!

Date of experience : 04 April 2024

Hi there! We are absolutely thrilled to receive your 5-star rating and read your wonderful comment. It's really motivating for the team to see such remarks and pushes us to keep working hard to deliver exceptional service. Thank you for placing your trust in Jrailpass.com as your chosen companion to explore this remarkable country. We are delighted to have been a part of your journey and to have contributed to your unforgettable time in Japan. Sending you the warmest regards, we hope to serve you again in the future! Best wishes, Lelie Team Jrailpass.com

Its great but be aware.

The bullet trains/Shinkasen are wonderful and a huge positive for the country. We brought 3 week Green pass. It was worthwhile. Just note; - you must reserve seats - despite what is said many trains are reserved seats only. -you cannot reserve seats online (frustrating as a direct ticket purchase can) only reserve seats at a station ticket machine or JR travel office (where the staff were amazing - excellent English and so helpful). - luggage space is not easy for larger bags - behind the seats storage is very limited and oversize luggage storage sells out quickly. Lifting any luggage straight up to the overhead rail is not so easy if 15kg or up, so plan accordingly. A large case will fit into your seat area but it become cramped. - there are no complimentary gifts in Green as there used to be and the onboard food/beverage is limited, buy food/drink before you get on the train. - overall we travelled a lot in three weeks and made decent savings over regular ticket prices. - staff on and off the train and excellent and trains run on time, covering hundreds of km in quick order.

Date of experience : 05 April 2024

Hey! We want to express our gratitude for your kind words and, most importantly, for choosing Jrailpass.com as your trusted companion to explore this wonderful country. Your feedback is really valuable to us as it allows us to continuously grow and improve our product to better serve valued customers like yourself. Thank you once again for your kind words and for being a part of the Japan Rail Pass community. We wish you all the best and hope you have many more incredible adventures in the future. Best regards, Lelie Team Jrailpass.com

Go to the official site instead if you want to pay $100 less and reserve seats online

I purchased passes for my family and realized when I received the invoice that this company is based in Spain. This is not the official JR pass site, which allows you to reserve seats online. Within 16 minutes of my online purchase, I requested a refund. They charged a nonrefundable handling fee of $85.46, which I figured I wouldn't get back, but they only refunded 85% of the total amount charged, because I didn't purchase the trip cancellation insurance. 16 minutes after my purchase and they decided to keep 15% of the total amount charged.

Dear valued customer, We really regret any inconvenience or frustration you encountered with our service. Your feedback is invaluable to us, as it helps us identify areas for improvement and ensure a positive experience for all our customers. We'd like to take this opportunity to clarify that our company, jrailpass.com, is an authorized distributor of the Japan Rail Pass. If you would like to find out further information, we encourage you to check out our FAQ section: https://www.jrailpass.com/faq We would really appreciate the chance to discuss your specific concerns in detail and address them directly. For us to be able to do this, please reach out to us via [email protected] We await your message and hope we can turn your negative experience into a positive one. Best regards, Lola Team Jrailpass.com

You don't need a car in Japan as a tourist

The train system is Japan allows you to get anywhere you want without a hassle of driving through congested roads, dealing with traffic, navigate bad weather, etc. The trains are always on time, unless some unexpected events outside of the system purview happen. Everyone is polite and does not take more space than really needed. Nobody speaks loudly on their phones or among themselves. Absolutely amazing experience

Date of experience : 10 April 2023

Hi! We are delighted to receive your 5 stars and your comment, it motivates us to keep working hard. Thank you for trusting Japan Rail Pass to know every corner of this wonderful country. We hope to see you again very soon! Kind regards, -JapanRailPass

Tokyo, Osaka, Nakasendo Trail Trip

Japan Rail Pass in our hands and we got right to it, from Narita airport to Tokyo. We had 3 days of Riding trains, sightseeing and eating our heart out. Jumped into the Shinkasen Rail from Tokyo to Osaka and got to see the illusive sight of Mt. Fuji 😍what a treat! Osaka was exciting, lots of lights and colorful and tons of great food. We took the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Kyoto to Nagoya (35 minutes) and transfer to the JR Shinano limited express train for access into the Kiso Valley. We walked part of the Nakasendo Trail and experienced the historical past of samurais and shoguns walking this road. The whole experience was ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🤩 fantastic ❤️.

Date of experience : 26 April 2023

Hi there! We are absolutely thrilled to receive your 5-star rating and read your wonderful comment. It's really motivating for the team to see such remarks and pushes us to keep working hard to deliver exceptional service. Thank you for placing your trust in Jrailpass.com as your chosen companion to explore this remarkable country. We are delighted to have been a part of your journey and to have contributed to your unforgettable time in Japan. Sending you the warmest regards, we hope to serve you again in the future! Best wishes, Team JapanRailPass

Very useful if you need to move a lot, specially between cities

- Simple rules. Every JR transportation is included, except some very specific ones. - Affordable prices. But I'm not sure after the raise in prices it's worth the price for most travellers - One thing that could be better is the process of retrieval of the ticket. In the main stations, the line is very big! Luckly, I had time to retrieve it in another day, another station.

Date of experience : 28 March 2023

Japan rail pass was great! Well worth the cost!

I found the Japan Rail Pass to be excellent overall. Made it much easier and more affordable as a tourist visiting several Japanese cities. Trains were amazing - smooth, fast, comfortable, on time. Also highly recommend the Japan Epic guide I got through them. Highlighted top sites well with directions, loved access via my devices rather than carrying a heavy guide book. Only thing I wish was that the JR pass covered every local train. It doesn't and I needed to use a Suica card to get on those. Wish it included all trains and would pay more for that.

Date of experience : 24 March 2023

Hey! Thank you very much for your words, it makes us very excited to read them. Our mission is that users feel safe and can see that we act with total transparency, so this feedback is a good sign that we are doing things right. We hope to see you again traveling through Japan with us! Best regards, -JapanRailPass

The JR Pass is worth every penny

The JR pass was absolutely incredible to use. It really made our trip seamless and flexible, by allowing us the freedom to choose trains whenever and wherever we wanted. Ordering the pass in advance was super simple, the pass arrived within a few days, and it came with complete instructions on where and how to redeem the voucher, where and how to use the actual JR pass, and included some helpful facts and a checklist for travel. Will never travel to Japan without a JR Pass

Date of experience : 23 April 2023

enjoyed the most the freedom for going…

enjoyed the most the freedom for going places without a lot of worries on buying tickets, and the overall saving is great.

Date of experience : 15 May 2024

Hi there! We are absolutely thrilled to receive your 5-star rating and read your wonderful comment. It's really motivating for the team to see such remarks and pushes us to keep working hard to deliver exceptional service. Thank you for placing your trust in Jrailpass.com as your chosen companion to explore this remarkable country. We are delighted to have been a part of your journey and to have contributed to your unforgettable time in Japan. Sending you the warmest regards, we hope to serve you again in the future! Best wishes, Leyre Team Jrailpass.com

Trains done correctly!

Trains are clean, quite and on time. They run frequently so you won't be waiting long. On the train, Japanese folks are kind and respectful of the public spaces. If you get lost or need help train staff is always so kind and helpful. Stations are clean and conveniently have lockers, convenient stores and sometimes restaurants. It's pleasure to ride the trains in Japan.

Date of experience : 19 April 2023

Issue needs to be corrected.

the trains with reserved seats were great. However, the local commuter trains were probably my worst experiences of train travel in the world caused by there being no culture or expectation of allowing for seats for the aged/disabled! No seats clearly marked. And it wasn't as if we only travelled in peak times. Changed my opinion of the Japanese people.

Date of experience : 20 April 2023

Hi! Thank you very much for your feedback, it motivates us to give our best in our daily work. We will send your comment to the corresponding department to optimize what is necessary so that next time your experience will be 5 stars. We hope to see you again in Japan! Kind regards, -JapanRailPass

US service dogs> 10 kg not allowed on trains in japan

The only issue is the US service dogs greater than 10 kg are not allowed on train. Traveling from Copenhagen where all size dogs are allowed at a cost it makes traveling by train impossible, one has to rent a car . Changing this policy would be helpful. Loved the trains, otherwise

Date of experience : 24 April 2023

Hi! Thank you for sharing your experience and choosing us to visit Japan; we can tell by your energy that you have been able to take advantage of it. We look forward to seeing you again soon to continue living new adventures. Best regards, -JapanRailPass

Japan Rail Pass is the ONLY way to go!!!

Japan Rail Pass is the ONLY way to go! We were in country 24 days and purchased the 21 day pass. We traveled the Blossom Festival Itinerary and were able to see nearly the entire country at our leisure. We used the shinkansen, local railway, buses, trollies, and some subway lines. We truly put it to the test! The only disappointment was we never received our SIM cards purchased at the same time nor was there any communication when we requested a refund for the non existent cards. While we won't ever buy a SIM plan again, we will definitely purchase the rail pass for each trip we make there. We have shared our experience with many friends and family and have recommended the rail pass to everyone thinking of going.

Date of experience : 17 March 2023

Happy travels

Trains were always on time and clean and totally comfortable. Reserving tickets and seats were easy and efficient. Some times the wait for the ticket reservations were long but not unbearable. We used the ticket machines for the reservations too, and JR personnel was there to help us with the process. We were in Japan 3 weeks and all train trips were very good.

Date of experience : 03 April 2023

Easy to order and great value

The rail pass was easy to order, and the exchange from the voucher to the pass was more straightforward than I would have thought. The staff were helpful and the station offices well sign posted. I would suggest leaving plenty of time to exchange your Japan Rail pass and reserve your tickets, because the offices can be very busy with long queues at main stations.

Easy order, easy deliver, easy price.

Easy to order online. Sent them to our hotel in Japan without any issues. Relatively good price at the time we travelled although I’ve heard their cost is increasing in October. Probably worth it if you can visit as many places as we did in Japan.

Date of experience : 22 March 2023

Worked great! Minor issues.

The Japan rail pass worked great! The only problem I encountered was on the 13th or 14th day of my trip my pass stopped working. I was still able to go through the terminals, but now I had to go through the customer service booth every time. The employees says the magnetic strip on the rail pass stops working after awhile. Maybe create a more durable or resilient pass for multiple uses would be nice.

Date of experience : 27 April 2023

My family had an amazing time traveling…

My family had an amazing time traveling in Japan thanks to the Japan Rail Pass. The customer support were always helpful and courteous, always caring. It was easy to receive at home and transform at the Tokyo Station. We always could get easily tickets and quickly too. It was extremely easy to use for travel. I highly recommend.

Hi! We are absolutely thrilled to receive your 5-star rating and your wonderful comment. Your feedback serves as a tremendous motivation for us to continue working hard and providing excellent service. Thank you for placing your trust in Jrailpass.com to discover every enchanting corner of this remarkable country. We are honored to have been a part of your journey and to have contributed to your memorable experience. If you decide to travel in Japan again in the future, we'd be delighted to be your travel companion again! Kind regards, Team JRailPass

Jmtravelandtours   Reviews

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Over the years

Over the years, we have booked multiple flights /trips by JM travels and tours to different locations. They have been extremely supportive and helpful and always ensuring to meet their clients needs. We were guided throughout by Sayed who booked the tickets for us and helped us to arrange the perfect package from start to finish. He was reassuring and ensuring everything was fine, was extremely helpful and flexible to our needs. Sayed had first hand knowledge of all the destinations so that he can bespoke the perfect trip for us.

Date of experience : September 23, 2024

Fantastic customer service

Fantastic customer service! JM Travel and Tours had the best deals and everything was able to be tailored to suit our needs. The whole process was so easy and Aimal was super responsive to all of my enquiries. Highly recommend:)

Date of experience : July 01, 2024

Great customer service

Great customer service. Trust worthy agency.I always book my flights also they help me to find great holiday packages. If I face any problem abroad, call them and they sort it out. My contact person at the agency is Sayed Aqib who is very supportive. Keep up your good work and wish you all the best.

Date of experience : September 21, 2024

It’s very amazing nice people always on…

It’s very amazing nice people always on job I recommend to the people who wants fly go get your tickets ✈️

Great service

I just wanted to thank you for your service you provided to us. Five star service your staff help me and booked tickets for my family. When I couldn't find anywhere else. THANK YOU EVERY MUCH

The best travel company out there

The best travel company out there Very easy to deal with and very polite staff Aimal Zazai has helped me in very difficult times Thanks

I like this travel agancy

Most of people like this travel agancy because they are working nice

Date of experience : September 20, 2024

Excellent service and great staff

Date of experience : July 27, 2024

One the best travel agency and…

One of the best travel agency and exchanger in UK

Very good customer service

Date of experience : August 12, 2024

Amazing Customer Service

Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

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Home » Prices and Trans-Siberian Tickets » Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

Ticket prices for the Trans-Siberian Railway also depend on the current ruble exchange rate.

Is the Trans-Siberian Railway expensive?

Before starting on your Trans-Siberian Railway adventure you naturally want to know what the entire trip will cost. Although this sounds like a simple question, it is pretty difficult to answer. The Trans-Siberian Railway price of travel depends on the following factors:

• Which travel class do I want to use? The price for a first class ticket is about three times the price of a 3rd class ticket
• Am I willing to buy the tickets myself and assume responsibility for the organisation of the trip?
• How many stopovers do I want to make? The more breaks, the higher the total price.
• What sort of accommodation do I want? Will it be a luxury hotel or will a hostel dormitory be sufficient?
• What tours and excursions would I like to go on?
• What is the current exchange rate for rubles?

Basically, everything from a luxury to a budget holiday is available. If you buy yourself a 3rd Class nonstop ticket at the counter, a few hundred Euros will cover the price. All you will experience is a week on the Trans-Siberian train and will see nothing of the cities on the way. There is, however, any amount of room for upward expansion. Everyone makes different choices about which aspects they are willing to spend money on. I personally prefer to save money on accommodation and railcar class, visit as many cities and do as many trips as possible. To enable better classification of your travel expenses I have contrasted two typical traveler types. In the third column you can calculate the total cost of your own journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimations and not exact prices.

The all-in costs seem fairly high at first. However, they cover everything and it is quite a long journey taking four weeks. Many people forget to consider that when looking at the list. We should also deduct the running costs for food and leisure at home. I think most visitors to this page will classify themselves somewhere between the two categories, that is around the € 2,000 – € 2,500 range. When comparing these prices with other travel packages, you get the impression that it is hardly worthwhile travelling individually on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that most packages last no more than 14 days and you are herded like cattle through the most beautiful locations.

If you spend less time on the Trans-Siberian Railway you will, of course, pay less. I chose this particular travel length because I prefer not to do things by halves. If you fulfill your dream of travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, enjoy it and don’t rush things. But it’s up to you, of course. Try playing around with the form a bit to find the appropriate price for your trip.

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