JR Rail Pass Question (yes another,ha)
 

Greetings..
Sorry to beat a dead horse here but we are Japan first timers...
Some backround info:
Heading to Japan March 27th for 10 days with my husband. We are spliting up our time between Tokyo and Kyoto. We are flying into Narita and out of Kansai.
We will take the NEX from Terminal 2 to Shinjuku Station. A lot of our travel to and from Hotel in Tokyo will be on the Yamanote line which is a JR line so we will be covered. If required to take a non JR line we will pay separately. In Kyoto Im not sure how much we will be using the train so maybe some who has been there can give some insight.
Some questions:
Being that JR offers a 7 or 14 day pass Im not sure which to buy. we will be in Japan 10 days should I buy 7 day passes and pay for train travel in Kyoto per ride the remainder of days? or do u think economically it would be wiser to get the 14 day pass and waste the 4 days i wont use.
Is train/metro use as important in Kyoto as Tokyo?
Is the train from Kyoto to Kansai a JR train?
At this point Im leaning towards a 7 day pass and paying per use for the remainder of the days. Please advise, Thanks!

also forgot to say we will be using the bullet train to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto. Thats covered with the JR pass right?

Usually a JR Pass isn't worthwhile if you fly into Narita and out of Kansai unless you are planning a number of other trips such as to Hiroshima, for example....

You can check the fares at hyperdia.com.....

From what you have described of your itinerary I would say that you don't need a JR Pass at all. Your itinerary is: you are flying into Narita, staying in Tokyo, going to Kyoto, staying in Kyoto, flying out of Osaka Kansai airport. If that is it then you would save money by paying as you go for all of it. Take a Nozomi shinkansen.

You can't use the JR Pass in Kyoto anyway.

We are in Japan for 4 months and are staying near Tokyo. We have Suica cards that we charge up at machines in train stations as necessary. It allows us to hop on & hop off any trains we like in and around Tokyo.

<i>Which trains can be used?</i>
Suica/PASMO can be used to pay the fare for virtually all trains in the Greater Tokyo region, including JR trains, subways and monorails, but excluding shinkansen. For trains, which require a supplement fee, e.g. limited express trains, the supplement has to be purchased separately. The area of validity includes places as far as Hakone, Nikko, Narita Airport and Kamakura.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_002.html

Thanks for your replies thus far. That is exactly our trip. Fly into Narita. Site see around Tokyo , take bullet train to Kyoto and see the sights there. Maybe a day trip to Osaka from there(not def though). Fly back to NYC from Kansai.

At the link that halfapair gave, be sure to scroll down and read about "Narita Express and Suica". It includes a Narita Express trip from the airport. Looks like an excellent deal. Nice thing is that you can use it on non-JR trains. And you might be able to use it between Kyoto and Osaka.

You could also consider getting one of the passes in the Kansai area described here: www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html
But you may be better off just paying as you go in that region.

There are some "shinkansen tours" available from jtbusa.com which are packages including a one-way shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto and accommodations. www.japanican.com/special/shinkansen/
The lowest priced option, if available, is only about 2500 yen more than the shinkansen ticket alone (per person for two). That would be the Karasuma Kyoto Hotel. In effect you would be paying 5,000 yen for the room which sounds like a good price but worth checking.

So, you pay 3,500 for a Suica/NEx, 13,500 for the shinkansen, maybe 1,200 for Kyoto/Osaka roundtrip, 3500 for a Limited Express train from Kyoto to Kansai Airport (this trip could also be done on JR "rapid" locals with one change of train for 1830). Let's say you would spend 600 yen on non-JR subway in Tokyo that could have been paid by the Suica. That comes out to 22,300 which is 6,000 yen less than a 7-day JR Pass.

I'd advise the pay-as-you-go option for the whole trip--i.e., with no JR pass.
BTW, I have stayed at and recommend the Kyoto Karasuma Hotel mentioned above. Normally a double room there is just under ¥10,000 per night (no breakfast), making the "shinkansen tour" a good deal.

Thanks so much for taking the time, this site is so helpful!!