Do I need a rail pass?
 

Hello,

it seems like it's half a dozen one way...but do I need a 7 day rail pass ($234) for the following situation. I am staying at the Hotel Granvia for 4 nights. If I have a rail pass, it is $20 less a night: a saving of $80. I would use the rail pass to go round-trip from (1) Tokyo to Kamakura, (2) one-way Tokyo to Kyoto, (3) a short day-trip from Kyoto, and (4) from Kyoto Station to Osaka Airport. I am trying to do the math, and it seems like it will be about even altogether. To make things even more confusing, I am going with my wife and only one of us would be buying a rail pass (as it would be a waste to buy two passes). Maybe I am answering my own question. Anyone think I should buy a rail pass?

Approximate prices for ticket purchase...varies a bit depending on your exact routing and seat reservation (about 500 yen for a reseration).

Shinjuku - Kamakura 1720 nonstop. Cheaper options exist but involve multiple changes

Kyoto - Tokyo 13,000

Kyoto - KIX (I assume by Osaka Airport you mean the international one. 3490 on Haruka. Cheaper options exist but involve time, less comfort, and no luggage space.

So, that's about 19,000 yen for those 3 trips. Add in a few short trips, and the $80.00 savings on the Granvia...I'd get a pass to avoid standing on line to buy tickets every time you want to go somewhere. When you arrive in Japan, you can reserve your shinkansen the same day you activate your pass. You could use the pass to get into Tokyo as well from Narita (assume you are flying into Narita).

I just remembered, you are on a stopover to Thailand...flying out of Narita as well? In that case you may be going from Kyoto to Osaka airport domestic...in which case you'd take a train to Shin Osaka then a bus to the airport. Cost of about 1400 yen for both train and bus.

You are right, it is close. Hard to tell though without more info on your itinerary. How many days is your trip from arrival day to departure day? How are you getting to Tokyo? You may be able to use the JR Pass for that. Are you flying out of Osaka Itama airport (ITM) or Osaka Kansai (KIX)? Where is your sidetrip to?

Have you looked into getting a better rate that the JR discount provides? If not, then you could say that the pass will cost you $154 because of the lodging discount. That makes the pass look like the better option.

But, using the Odakyu train to Kamakura might be a good way to get to Kamakura. kuranosuke, I think, used one of their passes for that trip. Not getting the pass means also that you could take the Nozomi shinkansen to Kyoto (so I wouldn't say that if it as close to just buy the pass. It would cost only 200 yen more for the other traveller to upgrade their purchased tickets to the Nozomi train).

You might want to check the jtb-usa website to check out excursion fares from Tokyo to Kyoto. I think they offer packages with a one-way Nozomi ride and one or two night lodging in Kyoto (the Granvia might be one of the lodging options).

All good points.

Not sure of your days of stay at the Granvia, but I'm finding rates as low as 12,000 yen per night around Christmas. The JR Passholder rate on the same days is 24,000 - 26,000 yen.

The rates I'm seeing at the Granvia are direct booking via internet in Japanese as well as in English.

Thanks, everyone.

Kim, what is the website where you saw those reduced prices for Hotel Granvia? I was on utell.com last night and the price was still the equivalent of $150 US with the pass, $170 without.

Hi Kim,

I see it now. On the Granvia's website. The thing is they will only let me reserve the first two nights of my stay (12/21 to 12/23). Still the rate is 16,000 yen, which is cheaper than my utell.com rate. Maybe I can amend my reservation with utell.com and use two nights with them and two nights booked directly through the hotel.

Oh, my dates of travel are as follows:
12/16: arrive in Tokyo, not via train
12/21: go to kyoto
12:25: kyoto to osaka
(if I bought a rail pass I would take the first day trip to kamakura on 12/18. I don't know where I would go on the other day trip.)

Thanks.

The JR Pass discount for me was good when I walked into the Hiroshima Granvia without a reservation. Got quoted a rate, showed my Pass, and got a 20% or 25% discount. Great that KimJapan found you the place to go for a great book-in-advance rate.

If you activate your Pass to start on the 18th, to go to Kamakura, then you won't be able to use it on the 25th as it would expire the previous day.