Beyond the brochure: The beginner’s guide to the Japan Rail Pass

So you’ve decided to plan your first trip to Japan—you’ve set aside your budget, marked out the dates on your calendar, and have already begun diving deep into the planning of the actual trip itself. Through the overwhelming bounty of information available through the internet, and perhaps with some first hand advice from friends, family, and the helpful Travel Communicators of JAPAN RAIL CAFE, you would’ve most definitely come across information on a most curious Japan travel aid: The Japan Rail Pass .

But what exactly is the Japan Rail Pass? Sometimes referred to as the Nationwide Rail Pass, this almost unassuming piece of paper is the key to having access to virtually all of Japan at your fingertips. Japan is home to one of the most extensive and reliable train systems in the world, so let this article be your guide to exploring as much of that network as possible—without breaking the bank!

A brief summary

The Japan Rail Pass is a magical ticket which allows you to board and ride JR trains for the duration of the pass’s validity at a fixed price. And seeing how a majority of local train networks and nearly every shinkansen is run by JR, you can go anywhere your heart desires in Japan without having to worry about the rush of buying tickets or the steep price of long distance hauls. There are two classes of rail passes available—Green-type and Ordinary-type—and each come in 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day denominations. The only difference between these two is that Green-type rail passes give you access to the Green Car cabins in shinkansen, which offer wider and more comfortable seats than those in the ordinary cabins, but otherwise not much else.

*Prices shown are accurate as of April 2020 and are subject to change. Prices will also differ at JR-designated sales offices and agents overseas.

The sticker price of an ordinary 7-day Japan Rail Pass is ¥33,610, which at first may sound like a hefty amount of money for a train ticket. It is a cost that will, however, sound more and more reasonable the further you get into the nitty-gritty of your itinerary planning. Let’s take a sample “Golden Route” itinerary as an example, otherwise known as a trip that involves travelling to all three major cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

Travelling between Osaka and Kyoto by bullet train may seem excessive, but it’s nothing JR Pass holders need to fret about. (Image credit: photoAC )

Let’s assume a 7-day holiday where you plan on spending three days in Tokyo, three days in Osaka and a one-day trip to Kyoto. Flying in and out of Narita International Airport in Chiba, the minimum cost of necessary travel for this trip would look as follows:

Total cost: ¥40,640

– Japan Rail Pass (7 days) price: ¥33,610

= Savings: ¥7,030!

Even without factoring in the finer details of travel in the trip, such as transportation to hotels and places of interest, you can already save a significant amount of money by purchasing a Japan Rail Pass for use on the bare essentials of this trip! Now imagine including day trips to far-flung locales like Mount Fuji (富士山 Fujisan ) in Central Japan, Nikko (日光) of Tochigi Prefecture or Hyogo’s Himeji Castle (姫路城 Himeji-jō ) in this trip. that’s a lot of yen you could potentially save!

More than just a train ticket

Miyajima Island is one of many unexpected places accessible with the Japan Rail Pass. (Image credit: Joan Tran )

Despite its name, the Japan Rail Pass is capable of so much more than just plain and simple free train rides. The pass can also be used to ride local buses run by the JR group at no additional cost, such as the ones available in Kyoto, Kanazawa, and Sapporo. These buses tend to cover a fairly small area that are good for local sightseeing, and not so much for multi-city travelling. You can also use this pass to ride the JR-WEST Miyajima Ferry in Hiroshima and visit Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社 Itsukushima-jinja ), one of the most prominent locales in West Japan!

The benefits don’t end there, however. Did you know that holders of the Japan Rail Pass are also entitled to discounted prices at hotels under the JR Hotels Group? By presenting your Japan Rail Pass at the check-in counter upon arrival, you may also enjoy some special services (depending on the hotel) such as discounts on lodgings, restaurant deals or member benefits! With over 60 accommodations to choose from across the country, there’s sure to be a JR Hotel near a major train station regardless of prefecture, so take a look at the full list of hotels here and be sure to contact them beforehand to ask about their Japan Rail Pass benefits!

What trains can the Japan Rail Pass be used on?

The Nozomi shinkansen are not necessarily travelling at a higher speed, they simply save time by skipping several minor stations along the main route. (Image Credit: photoAC )

Honestly, the better question to ask would be what trains are NOT covered by the Japan Rail Pass? Most official guides and the TOC of the pass itself state that the “NOZOMI” and “MIZUHO” bullet trains cannot be ridden using the Japan Rail Pass. The NOZOMI is the fastest train on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen Lines, capable of travelling between Tokyo and Osaka in as short a time as 2 hours and 24 minutes, while the MIZUHO can be found on the Kyushu Shinkansen Line, travelling from Hakata to Kagoshima-chuo in 1 hour and 16 minutes. While this may reduce the overall frequency of trains which you can board, there are plenty of other JR Pass-valid trains which service both shinkansen lines so you don’t have to worry about being locked out from travelling on these lines.

The JR Pass is generally not valid on trains which are run or owned by private railway companies outside of the Japan Railways Group. This includes city subway networks such as Tokyo Metro, or the privately-owned commuter networks in places like the area around Mount Fuji, which is only serviced by the Fujikyuko Line (富士急行線 Fuji-Kyūkō-sen ). This however may not be the case for ALL private railway lines, as there are a few exceptions to the rule including the often-used Tokyo Monorail which services Haneda Airport. You can check out the full details of eligibility here on the official page here , and always double check your routes online beforehand on route planner websites such as Hyperdia .

The JR Pass also tends to not be valid on “premium” trains such as the Shinkansen Gran Class or the Seven Stars in Kyushu. So when planning for your next big railway adventure, you should always err on the side of caution and read the fine print of any specialty or out-of-the-way trains you intend on riding for your trip before committing to a Japan Rail Pass purchase.

So how do I purchase a Japan Rail Pass?

The service counters in JR train Stations are known as Midori no Madoguchi, or Green Ticket Windows. (Image credit: Shutterstock )

In the past, the only way most people would’ve been able to get their hands on a Japan Rail Pass would’ve been to purchase an Exchange Voucher from their local affiliated travel agency, before flying off to Japan and having said voucher exchanged for the actual pass at a travel service counter. However, thanks to the many updates and changes the system has undergone through the years, there are now other ways to purchase the pass.

1. Purchase it directly at a travel service counter (1 June 2020–31 March 2022)

For a limited time period, you can now skip the entire first step of the original process and simply buy the Japan Rail Pass directly from the travel service counters in Japan! Known as the “Domestic sales version”, all you need with you is your passport with a “Temporary Visitor” stamp, and you will be able to immediately receive your Rail Pass upon payment at the counter, AND reserve the seats of all your planned train rides for your trip in advance.

2. Purchase it online via the official reservation website

Complete the process of securing your Japan Rail Pass with peace of mind from the comfort of your home by purchasing it digitally over at the official website . Simply create an account, and you’ll be able to select the type of pass you’d like to purchase along with the start and end dates for validity. Payment can be made via credit card, and you will be given instructions to collect your physical rail pass from an eligible travel service counter in Japan.

An additional benefit of buying your rail pass this way is that at the same time, you’ll also be able to reserve shinkansen seats online before arriving in Japan, up to 1 month in advance! Under the “reserve seat option” in your account menu, you can book up to six reservations in advance, and even select the exact seat on the train you would like to occupy. Reservations for your large or oversized baggage can also be made at the same time.

3) Purchase an Exchange Voucher from your local travel agent

The original method of procuring a pass from a JR-designated sales office or agent in your local area continues to be valid as well, you can refer to the official list of providers in your country here . Purchasing the Exchange Order from overseas agents is also slightly cheaper than doing so online or directly from the service counters. I highly recommend calling up in advance to check if they still provide the service, however, as many travel industry providers have had to readjust their services over the past pandemic period, so a number of them may not sell exchange orders anymore.

I hope this article has helped to provide some further insight into the details of the ever useful Japan Rail Pass. With the right amount of planning and prudent management of your time spent travelling, you’ll be able to save money like a pro!