In addition to the regional JR EAST trains, the pass can also be used for the Tokyo Monorail, the Izu-Kyuko Line, the Fujikyu Railway, the Rinkai Line, the Joshin Dentetsu Line, and some other lines. Whenever you use these links to buy something, we earn a commission to help support our work at Voyapon. Is it really worth it? JR response to this was that I call UPS. And, depending on where youre going on the Shinkansen bullet train, it can cost you a couple of hundred dollars. You can probably get away with an empty cart or a few empty seats then too. Fuji) and Nikko. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to submit the form. Simply redeem your ticket at the JR Ueno Station by scanning your QR code and passport through the vending machine inside JR EAST Travel Service Center. Since trains can get quite expensive in Japan, its a perfect solution for visitors who are planning to visit multiple cities or want to cover longer distances on their trips. Required fields are marked *. Have travel to Hokkaido from tokyo with this pass before. I have been waiting now for 4 days to receive our vouchers from JR Pass. Fuji. The cultural diversity amongst Japan's regions is a big reason why traveling in the country so fascinating. Since discounts differ per hotel, its best to contact them directly and mention youll be using a JR Pass during your trip. That means you can use it for smaller journeys inside the cities, too. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). 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 (about2,770 / ~25.20 USD, still cheaper than the average daily cost of~4,158 / ~$37 USD for a JR pass). Now, compare that to the cost of a regular 7-day JR Pass which is at 29,110 ($255, P13,000). Adult 10,180 JPY. 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Depending on what you plan to do the rest of your arrival day and the two days after, you might want to use the pass starting the day you arrive. Check here before booking an award fare. You can also visit the Nagano area by taking the Nagano Shinkansen or the Jono Kogen by taking the Joetsu Shinkansen. Saving money is the main reason why people buy a Japan Rail Pass. The JR EAST PASS and JR TOKYO Wide Pass are special discounted passes available to all foreign passport holders including residents of Japan! All you need is a Suica/Pasmo/Icoco Card. If you didn't bring any along with you, there were a variety of food and beverage options available on Shinkansen trains from a cart attendants pushed through the aisle. However, that doesnt include all the metro lines. If you are only in downtown Tokyo or want to go to Yokohama, it is not really worth it, as, for example, a single ride from Shibuya to Yokohama Station costs just 400 yen. Individual tickets for bullet trains can be more than 100 USD depending on your route. One thing that would make the experience even better would be to have Wi-Fi available on more trains than just the Narita Express. Besides using them to travel, the card also functions as a little electronic wallet. This would be included in the. As you can read in my Japan budget breakdown, we spent around 2,000 per person in total, but it wouldve been way more without the JR Pass. Youll have to use this line to get the pass validated on your first use, then again each time you enter or exit a station while using your pass for rides. Thepay-as-you-go approachseems the best way to stretch travel dollarsand explore at a reasonable pace! Youll have to show your JR Pass at the ticket gate. When in Japan, do as the Japanese do and take the train, especially if you are considering any inter-city or long-distance travel. According to the company that sells the national JR pass, yes, it is totally worth the buy. You can choose any 3 to 7 individual days within 2 whole months with a, Your main areas of travel include only Tokyo, Fuji, and/or Osaka/Kyoto/Nara. Ask Question. Thanks for a well thought out article. Learn from over 15945 questions about the Japan Rail Pass, or ask our Japan Rail travel experts. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. You can buy the JR TOKYO Wide Pass at major JR stations, including Yamanote Line stations (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Tokyo, and Shinagawa), as well as Yokohama Station, Narita Airport, and Haneda Airport. All rights reserved. Going to Japan in a week and wasnt to sure about the pass. On those especially on long journeys, consider getting a seat reservation, which is also included in the JR Tokyo Wide Pass. Thank you! Most recently we discovered a lack of JR coverage when looking to do the Koyasan temple pilgrimage trail, a ~3-hour journey from Osaka. Pricing. If you want to work out whetherbuying tickets as you go will be cheaper, put in your desired destinations on Google Mapsand crunch the numbers. If you will only be spending time in a few areas, JR also has regional versions of their passes as well. Excellent information on JR passes. Unlike many other Japan Railway Company train passes, this one is valid for all foreign residents, not just for foreign tourists. They'll have your pass mailed to you with worldwide within 10 days. Make sure you bring your passport! Restrictions of JR Pass validity What Are the Exact Days My JR Pass is Valid for? There arecheaper, more flexible tourist passes throughout the country, Overall, regional passes tend to allow more flexible planning. Thank you for the nice write-up! East of Tokyo Prefecture, you can explore Chiba Prefecture with the impressive temple complex in Narita and the beaches of the Boso Peninsula. Here you should pay particular attention to the appropriate season if you want to see the special blossoms and flower fields. Visiting Japan and trying to figure out how to cut back on expenses? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Some of our articles contain affiliate links. You can find the list of hotels here. Receive insider tips, special discounts and travel stories. Thank you for sharing your experience and your advice. I am looking forward to share my experiences with you! Budget buses are plentiful and efficient, 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, Most recently we discovered a lack of JR coverage when looking to do the Koyasan temple pilgrimage trail, a ~3-hour journey from Osaka. If you're traveling during a busy season, we'd recommend trying to get reserved seats unfortunately, though, the reserved seats will likely sell out on busy days. The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) is a cost-effective rail pass that allows you to enjoy unlimited train travel around Japan. The JR Pass is only available for tourists who are visiting Japan on holiday, and you can get them for one, two, or three weeks. Even if you are travelling with your JR Pass, you will sometimes not be able to use it. We share all interesting stories about Japan; travel guide, food, shopping, and many trivial stories. Here, too, you must present your passport to purchase the pass. While its obviously slightly more comfortable and spacious, I dont think the Green Pass is worth the extra money. If you calculate that your traveling costs would be cheaper if you bought individual tickets for each journey, then it is not worth buying a JR Pass. Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) may be a little more popular train pass than Tokyo Subway Ticket. Overall, regional passes tend to allow more flexible planning. But since its quite an important (and, lets be honest, expensive) purchase, you want to make sure you buy it from a reputable website. How to Book the Cheapest Flight Possible to Anywhere, How To Access Airport Lounges for Cheap (or FREE) (Updated 2023), Round the World Tickets: The Ultimate Guide (Updated 2023), Japan Rail (JR) Passes: The Ultimate Guide. However, there are more advantages. And as mentioned previously, if your Japan itinerary doesnt need a whole Japan rail pass, you can also buy cheaper regional passes for dedicated regional travel. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. During our first trip to Japan, we spent 16 days in the country and used the 7-day Japan Rail Pass. The government, therefore, promoted trains as an efficient mode of transport since the late 19th century. Since all ticket checking (with the exception of the Narita Express) was done at these gates upon entry, you won't need to show the pass to a conductor once you're on board. Simply add your planned train journeys into the tool, and itll automatically tell you which pass will pay off. For example, take an express train from Narita- or Haneda Airport to the heart of Tokyo and . 1. Next time I visit Im am for sure getting this and saving the money on the train tickets. I plan on a Japan trip soon but I know it wont be worth it to buy in my case as Im staying in Tokyo only. Almost all seats were forward-facing, with the rare exception of a few pairs of seats that were arranged to face each other, which were in high-demand from families and friends traveling together. Regular and regional passes also save you a lot of money when you are traveling between cities or going on long-distance journeys by allowing you unlimited access to so many JR stations across the country. How long is the Japan Rail Pass valid for? Each pass allows unlimited rides on all JR East train lines in the designated area*. Children under 6 may travel for free with an accompanying adult who has a JR pass. While it depends on your itinerary, its usually cheaper to use the JR Pass if you plan accordingly. At the mostly-automated ticket gates in each train station we visited, theres always going to be a manned ticket window. For most of the time, people are confused whether they should purchase the JR PASS or JR TOKYO Wide Pass when visiting Japan for the first time. The Basics What Is the JR Pass? If you are travelling to Japan later this year, its important to note that you can buy the JR Pass at its current price until September 25. Fuji, Izu, Karuizawa, and GALA Yuzaw Meanwhile, there are otherways to cover such costs and get around Japan with and without JR trains which leads me to my next point. We used this pass during my spring break and I would like to introduce the pass to you and show you some of the destinations you can visit with it. Please read our disclosure for more info. On the other hand,Vrbooffers a wide variety of rooms and apartments at affordable prices. ), then this page will help. This is the only JR train line where there was an on-board conductor checking tickets, and only those of people who were standing or seated in a non-reserved seat. To quickly figure out whether its worth it, use the Japan Rail Pass calculator. Make sure to go to your inbox to confirm your newsletter subscription for your free Japan travel guide. Once there, use your pass to get discounts on lift pass packages, equipment rentals (10% off) and ski lessons (10% off). But in most cases, if youre visiting more than two cities, youll save some money. Thank you! Perfect for day trips from Tokyo to nearby attractions like Mt. 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 answer is: it depends on where you are planning to go and how many days you want to travel. With this pass, youll get privilege to hop on the incredible Shinkansen (bullet train), all local JR commuter trains, all JR buses, and even JR ferries. Tokyo. A JR pass must be used on consecutive days within its allotted timeframe. Avec le JR TOKYO Wide Pass, vous pouvez raliser ce trajet et descendre aux arrts de votre choix de faon illimite pour 10 180 yens ! Now the JR PASS can be purchased in Japan until March 2020, but the price is more expensive than when you purchase it after your arrival, so it is still better to purchase your JR PASS before you start your trip. As well as all other JR lines within Tokyo. Note: Japan's budget airlinesVanilla Air,Peach Air, and Jetstar (Australian) offercompetitive prices which at times can be cheaper than trains or buses, so is worth considering for long distances. There's no restaurant/cafe car like you might find on some European and American trains. We haven't looked back since! They're also 18.5 inches wide with 17 inches between the armrests. The JR Tokyo Wide Pass is a rail pass for exclusive use by non-Japanese passport holders, providing unlimited travel on JR trains (including shinkansen and limited express trains) and selected non-JR trains in the Kanto Region around Tokyo on three consecutive days. Foreigners living in japan can use this pass. This access includes admission to these services offered by the group: Its also worth mentioning that there are regional passes for those who would like to focus on traveling to smaller regions of Japan.
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