What does a Japan Rail Pass really do?
Sep 1st, 2015, 07:11 PM
#1
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What does a Japan Rail Pass really do?
Hi! Soon I'll be traveling to Japan for two weeks, spending half of the time in Tokyo and the other week either in Hiroshima or Osaka then to Kyoto and back to Tokyo to fly out. I'm pretty sure a Japan Rail Pass will save me money, but I'm not really sure what the pass entails. Does it cover the full price of all of my train tickets? Is there a pretty good chance that I will get to ride a train that will accept my pass? Do I have to buy my train tickets ahead of time, even though I can't get the pass until I get to Japan (due to the voucher exchange)? Any help is appreciated!
Sep 1st, 2015, 07:29 PM
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If you haven't already seen it, here's an excellent source of info:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
As that source notes, the fastest Japanese trains -- the nozomi -- are NOT covered by a JR pass; other bullet trains are.
You can check your costs on hyperdia:
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Be sure to exclude the nozomi trains!
Do you already have your flights? If not, consider flying into Tokyo and out of Kansai or vice versa. If you do already have your flights, see if you can put all of your time in Tokyo at the end of your trip.
If you decide to go to Hiroshima, consider visiting Miyajima as well.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3401.html
Kyoto and Nara are a delight -- give yourself plenty of time for these cities!
Hope that helps!
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
As that source notes, the fastest Japanese trains -- the nozomi -- are NOT covered by a JR pass; other bullet trains are.
You can check your costs on hyperdia:
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Be sure to exclude the nozomi trains!
Do you already have your flights? If not, consider flying into Tokyo and out of Kansai or vice versa. If you do already have your flights, see if you can put all of your time in Tokyo at the end of your trip.
If you decide to go to Hiroshima, consider visiting Miyajima as well.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3401.html
Kyoto and Nara are a delight -- give yourself plenty of time for these cities!
Hope that helps!
Sep 2nd, 2015, 12:46 AM
#4
Your pass will cover all JR trains. It will not cover their fastest shinkansen, the Nozomi, and will not cover private rail systems. You can get just about everywhere in Japan using the pass, including many of the commuter trains within neighborhoods of Tokyo.
You can just hop onto trains with non-reserved sections, but if you take the time to stop at a station and make reservations, you can have assigned seats. Unless you are traveling during peak travel times (like Golden week or Bon Season) It is fairly easy to get on trains with sort notice.
Instead of finding which trains you can't ride, plug in the cities where you want to visit on Hyperdia. If you don't find the cities, then you'll need to go somewhere else, or pay for a bus or the private line trains.
The pass is best for trips that will cover a lot of ground in a relatively short period (7 days or 14 days). We've used it for wandering trips in one specific region, and also for trip where we covered a lot of ground Sapporo to Takayama then back to Tokyo. In your case, it might make good sense for your second week with all the travel beginning and ending in Tokyo.
Flights within Japan have gotten a lot cheaper in recent years though. Often you can fly long distances for less than taking a train, if you tie it into your international flight, or book early enough.
You can just hop onto trains with non-reserved sections, but if you take the time to stop at a station and make reservations, you can have assigned seats. Unless you are traveling during peak travel times (like Golden week or Bon Season) It is fairly easy to get on trains with sort notice.
Instead of finding which trains you can't ride, plug in the cities where you want to visit on Hyperdia. If you don't find the cities, then you'll need to go somewhere else, or pay for a bus or the private line trains.
The pass is best for trips that will cover a lot of ground in a relatively short period (7 days or 14 days). We've used it for wandering trips in one specific region, and also for trip where we covered a lot of ground Sapporo to Takayama then back to Tokyo. In your case, it might make good sense for your second week with all the travel beginning and ending in Tokyo.
Flights within Japan have gotten a lot cheaper in recent years though. Often you can fly long distances for less than taking a train, if you tie it into your international flight, or book early enough.
Sep 4th, 2015, 09:09 AM
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Keep in mind that A LOT of the commuter and medium-distance trains are run by private companies and NOT JR. Which means they are not covered by the pass. For example, one of the two trains that go to Narita airport is private-owned Keisei Skyliner. Or, of the 4 main train lines between Kyoto and Osaka, two are privately owned by Hankyu and Keihan. Or the Romance Car to Hakone is run by Odakyu (along with other trains in the Hakone area). So, tourists to Japan DO ride a lot of the non-JR trains.
Sep 4th, 2015, 06:28 PM
#8
magypsies, a JR pass will cover the travel to the destinations that you have listed. If you leave Tokyo on, say, November 1 then you would need to return to Tokyo on or before November 7 using a 7-day pass.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
Sep 4th, 2015, 07:12 PM
#9
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thanks for the advice everyone! if hyperdia is correct, then I will save money using the pass for traveling from tokyo to osaka to kyoto and back to tokyo. if i can only use it for my round trip from tokyo to kyoto then it will cost the same amount as the pass. either way it looks like the pass is alright by me!
if hyperdia is correct, then I will save money using the pass for traveling from tokyo to osaka to kyoto and back to tokyo. if i can only use it for my round trip from tokyo to kyoto then it will cost the same amount as the pass. either way it looks like the pass is alright by me!
Sep 4th, 2015, 11:00 PM
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If you know your itinerary in advance, you can get your seat reservations made for the various journeys at the same time you collect your pass (exchange the voucher you are sent after purchasing with the pass itself).
For the rest, you can either make seat reservations at any JR station office before travelling or just travel in the Unreserved car, of course.
When I first checked hyperdia (back when I was first planning our first trip) I couldn't see how people were coming up with the prices, then someone kindly explained that the price is divided between fare and seat price, so you have to add both to arrive at the true cost of a ticket.
For the rest, you can either make seat reservations at any JR station office before travelling or just travel in the Unreserved car, of course.
When I first checked hyperdia (back when I was first planning our first trip) I couldn't see how people were coming up with the prices, then someone kindly explained that the price is divided between fare and seat price, so you have to add both to arrive at the true cost of a ticket.
Sep 5th, 2015, 10:08 AM
#11
It is Hiroshima that makes the pass good for you. Without that destination you would want to consider a discount ticket/package.
>>tokyo to osaka to kyoto and back to tokyo
For that itinerary, the pass would cost slightly more than buying tickets. (shinkansen Tokyo-Osaka, JR Special Rapid Service or private railway Osaka-Kyoto, then shinkkansen back to Tokyo)
>>round trip from tokyo to kyoto
For that itinerary, you would just buy the tickets or get a package/discount.
See the Discount Rail and other options here:
http://www.japanican.com/en/tour
The one thing that the pass gives you is flexibility. Suppose you plan on visiting Osaka and Kyoto only and don't get a pass. In that case adding on Hiroshima would be expensive. With the pass, you could decide to go or not go and you would still be good.
>>tokyo to osaka to kyoto and back to tokyo
For that itinerary, the pass would cost slightly more than buying tickets. (shinkansen Tokyo-Osaka, JR Special Rapid Service or private railway Osaka-Kyoto, then shinkkansen back to Tokyo)
>>round trip from tokyo to kyoto
For that itinerary, you would just buy the tickets or get a package/discount.
See the Discount Rail and other options here:
http://www.japanican.com/en/tour
The one thing that the pass gives you is flexibility. Suppose you plan on visiting Osaka and Kyoto only and don't get a pass. In that case adding on Hiroshima would be expensive. With the pass, you could decide to go or not go and you would still be good.
