Japan is a bucket list destination and many consider traveling through the country at 300 km/h (200 mph) on the Shinkansen part of the experience. Hereby, the most convenient and affordable way to do so was using the JR Pass.
It is what I did during my first trip to Japan and it made me fall in love with train travel again. Traveling by train is a fantastic way to see the country while being a convenient, reliable, fast, and sustainable option. And given the astonishing safety record of the Shinkansen, it is also safe.
As such, it is no wonder that many travelers buy the rail pass to travel from city to city in order to make the most of their trip. The rule of thumb used to be that getting the Japan Rail Pass was worth it if your itinerary included a roundtrip between Tokyo and Osaka. However, this is no longer the case due to a massive price hike.
Consequently, you now have to evaluate if it is worth getting it based on your exact travel plans and what other benefits the pass might offer you. Of course, doing so is tricky if you have never used the pass before, but thankfully this guide will help you out.
It includes how much it costs, where to buy it, my own JR Pass itinerary, alternative options, and everything else you need to know about the Japan Rail Pass.
This post may contain affiliate links(*), which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through a link. Please see the full disclosure for further information.
What is the JR Pass?
The JR Pass (Japan Rail Pass) [Klook | JR Pass] is a train pass that grants tourists unlimited train rides on all bullet train ‘Shinkansen’ lines and regional JR lines including the Hello Kitty Shinkansen (KODAMA 849). It does not include the JR highway buses.
Following the price hike, you can now take the NOZOMI and MIZUHO Shinkansen, but please note that there is a surcharge. The surcharge is as follows: Tokyo – Kyoto: ¥4.960; Tokyo – Hakata: ¥8.140, Kyoto – Hiroshima: ¥4.170.
Based on this, I recommend taking the slightly slower HIKARI (Tokyo – Shin-Osaka), SAKURA (Shin-Osaka – Kagoshima-Chūō), or KODAMO.
When buying the JR Pass, you can choose between passes that are valid for 7, 14, or 21 consecutive days.
Who can use it?
The Japan Rail Pass is restricted to foreign tourists who are in the country as a ‘temporary visitor’. Therefore, you cannot use it if you are in Japan on a long-term visa (90+ days), a student visa, a working holiday visa, or a permanent residency visa.
In some circumstances, it is also possible for Japanese Nationals who have lived abroad for at least 10 years to use the pass.
Things you need to know
After buying the Japan Rail Pass online, an exchange voucher is sent to you and has to be exchanged within 90 days of the issuing date of the voucher.
The voucher and the JR Pass are not transferable.
If you do not use the pass, Shinkansen tickets consist of a base fare (price depends on the distance) and a limited express fee ticket (Shinkansen supplement).
The pass cannot be reissued if you lose it or it is stolen. You also cannot buy a new pass while the lost one is still valid, so it is crucial to keep the paper pass safe. Therefore, I recommend buying an ID card lanyard in which you can store it. You can either order one on Amazon or buy one at Daiso once you are in Japan. I got mine at Daiso for ¥200.
Japan Rail Pass Prices [2024]
After decades without bigger price adjustments, the prices of the JR Pass saw a massive price hike with increases of around 70% on October 1, 2023. Since then, you have to pay the following amount for the rail pass of your choice:
| 7 Days | 14 Days | 21 Days | |
| Adult (Ordinary) | ¥50.000 | ¥80.000 | ¥100.000 |
| Adult (Green Car) | ¥70.000 | ¥110.000 | ¥140.000 |
A JR Pass for children (6-11) is discounted by 50%, but there are no discounts for seniors. Children under 6 travel free of charge.
Ordinary or Green Car
In short, the difference between the ‘ordinary car’ and the premium ‘green car’ is as follows: The ordinary cars have a 3 + 2 seat configuration, while the Green Car has a 2 + 2 configuration. Therefore, the Green Car seats are wider. They also offer even more leg space.
I was more than happy with how spacious the standard seats were (especially when compared to plane seats), so I saw no reason to pay more to sit in the premium car.
Where to buy the Japan Rail Pass?
Many websites sell the Japan Rail Pass, but given the costs per pass, I highly encourage you to buy them from a reliable source. I bought mine via Klook, but JRPass is also a popular option. Hereby, you should note that the exchange rate tends to vary, so it is worth comparing the listed price in your home currency. At the time of writing, the prices and conditions were as follows:
JRPASS
343.00 USD | 315.00 EUR
delivery fee varies (7 – 32 USD)
next-day delivery to the US, Canada & European countries; up to 5 days for other countries
Buy it on JRPass now.Is the JR Pass worth it?
Given the price hike, you might be wondering if the pass is still worth it, and the answer is no longer straightforward. When making the decision whether you should buy it, you have to consider your own travel plans, think of potential other discounts thanks to using the Japan Rail Pass, and contemplate if the convenience is worth potentially paying more.
The following example and evaluation will help you make the decision.
Example: How I used the JR Pass
With the higher prices, it can be hard to know what kind of Japan itinerary would make you break even when buying the pass, so it might help to see an example. While using the Japan Rail Pass, I traveled the following routes:
- Day 1: Tokyo – Kyoto
- Day 2: Kyoto – Arashiyama (return trip)
- Day 4: Kyoto – Hiroshima
- Day 5: Hiroshima – Miyajimaguchi (return trip) + Hiroshima – Osaka
- Day 6: Osaka – Himeji (return trip)
- Day 7: Osaka – Kobe (return trip)
Individual train ticket costs for this route: ¥47.600 (see the fare calculation here)
Would I still buy the 7 Day JR Pass at the current price (¥50.000) if I was to travel the same route again? In short: Yes.
However, I would use day 3 for a day trip to Kurashiki or Wakayama to make the most of it and explore Kyoto after the pass has expired. After all, it does not cost much to travel there from Osaka.
I bought mine at the old price of ¥29.650, so getting the JR Pass more than made sense, but I would still buy it at the current price as the convenience alone is worth it to me. After all, the difference for my specific route is only ¥2.400 (~15€).
I bought an individual Shinkansen ticket to Odawara two weeks before I started using the pass, and it took me around 30 minutes to buy my ticket. In part, because the ticket machine that does accept international credit cards would not accept mine, which meant I had to wait in line at the JR ticket counter. Meanwhile, the entire process of reserving a seat with the JR Pass only takes a minute and could even be skipped.
Attraction and Hotel Discounts
While your rail pass is valid, you get discounted stays at JR Hotels as well as several partner hotels. Additionally, there are attraction ticket discounts including 10% off at the Osaka Castle Museum and 20% off at Himeji Castle.
Who still benefits from using the pass and who doesn’t?
Due to the increased prices, the JR Pass is now only a good option if you travel several long distances from city to city or do long-distance day trips from a centralized location. If you do not plan to travel a lot of long distances, you are likely better off buying a regional pass.
Given that the JR Pass counts consecutive days and not travel days, it is also not particularly slow travel-friendly. However, you can plan longer stays at individual locations around using the pass.
I spent more than a week in Tokyo before using the pass and then spent another week in Osaka once my pass had expired. Doing so was the perfect option for me, but it all depends on your travel plans.
To determine if it is worth it for you, I recommend writing down which places you would like to see and how much time you would like to spend there. Based on that information, you can then use the fare calculator to determine if getting the JR Pass makes sense for you. You can find the fare calculator here.
JR Pass Alternatives: Regional Passes
If using the fare calculator indicates that getting the Japan Rail Pass is not worth it based on your travel plans, you might assume that you will have to buy individual train tickets and will not be able to save money.
However, there are also regional train passes that are ideal if you travel at a slower pace, only want to explore a specific area of Japan, or simply do not plan to travel several long distances. Thanks to these passes, you once again have the convenience of not having to buy individual tickets and can save money.
Please note, that none of them includes a direct connection between Tokyo and Kyoto, so you should buy this specific route on a regular ticket.
There are many different regional passes available, but if it is your first trip to Japan and you want to see the most popular locations, the following regional passes are the most relevant:
Osaka-Tokyo Hokuriku Arch Pass [Klook | JR Pass] — If you only want to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, you can get the Osaka-Tokyo Hokuriku Arch Pass. It costs ¥30.000 and is valid for seven days, so it is less expensive than the JR Pass.
However, you cannot travel directly on the Tokaido line and have to travel to Kyoto or Osaka via Kanazawa. From Kanazawa onwards, you travel on a regular train and not the Shinkansen.
If you want to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka as fast as possible and want to save some money, I recommend buying a regular ticket to Osaka and then getting one of the following regional passes:
JR West Kansai Area Pass [Klook | JR Pass] — For day trips from Osaka and Kyoto, I recommend getting the JR West Kansai Rail Pass which is available for 1 to 4 days. As such, it is ideal if you want to visit Himeji, Kobe, and other nearby destinations.
Kansai Hiroshima Rail Pass [Klook | JR Pass] — If you not only want to do a day trip from Osaka and Kyoto but also want to head to Hiroshima (and Miyajima), this regional pass which is valid for up to 5 days is ideal for you.
There are also regional train passes limited to Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Thanks to this, chances are high that you will be able to save money by buying a regional pass even if your Japan itinerary does not include the classic destinations. You can see all available regional passes and which areas they include by using the dropdown menu here.
Using the Rail Pass
1. Buy it
Nowadays, you have to buy the pass online and cannot buy it at the ticket office. Hereby, you can either have the JR Pass exchange voucher [Klook | JR Pass] delivered to your international home address or to your hotel in Japan.
If you order it to your home address, I recommend ordering the pass at least two weeks ahead of your trip to Japan. This way, you have a buffer if there are any expected delivery delays.
I ended up ordering my JR Pass via Klook to my hotel in Tokyo, and aside from it being delayed by one day, everything worked out without problems. If you opt to have your pass shipped within Japan, you should place your order at least 5 days before you need it.
Ensure that you enter the phone number of the hotel reception in the order form (as my not doing so caused the delay) and write the recipient as ‘{your name} c/o {the name of the hotel}’. I furthermore recommend notifying the hotel that your JR Pass exchange voucher will be sent to them.
2. Exchange the Voucher
Once you have the voucher and are in Japan, you can exchange it for your JR Pass at any JR office or in some locations a JR counter. You will find one at all major train stations and airports.
If you are starting your trip in Tokyo and do not need your Japan Rail Pass, I recommend exchanging your voucher at Tokyo Station instead of at Haneda. The waiting line at the airport offices tends to belong and given that you have a plane journey behind you, you likely want to get to your hotel quickly.
Your rail pass is linked to your passport, so you have to bring it when you exchange the voucher. After handing over the voucher, you have to fill in a form before you receive your Japan Rail Pass.
When exchanging the voucher, you can select a starting date up to 30 days in the future. Note that the day the ticket starts is day 1. If you first use it on October 10, the final day is October 16 (for the 7 day pass).
3. Reserve Seats
The seat reservation is free of charge if you have the JR Pass. It is mandatory on the Tohoku, Hokkaido, and Hokuriku Shinkansen, but not required on all other Shinkansen.
I recommend reserving a seat even if it is not required for your route – especially, if you travel in the early morning or between 5 PM and 8 PM. And of course, doing so is crucial if you travel during the Golden Week.
It is possible to reserve a seat at a JR office or at one of the ticket machines.
If the circumference of your suitcase is larger than 160 cm, it is considered ‘oversized luggage’. This means you have to reserve a dedicated seat with extra storage on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu, and Nishikyushi lines.
Here’s how to do it at the ticket machine: Change the language to English > click ‘Japan Rail Pass’ (bottom left corner) > enter your passport number > enter the date and route > select a train > select a car type > select a standard or oversized luggage seat > select the seat. During the final step, you can either select a seat from a map or click ‘any seat’.
4. Take the Shinkansen
Once you have your Japan Rail Pass, you can take any Shinkansen (NOZOMI & MIZUHO restrictions apply). Simply put your pass into the ticket barrier to access the Shinkansen tracks and you are good to go. You only have to put your JR Pass into the machine (and then remember to take it with you).
Once at the track, signs on the floor and at the barrier will tell you where you can board your car. Please note, that you can only sit in the ‘reserved car’ if you have the respective seat reservation. You will be asked to move if you do not have a reservation.
If you have some time to spare ahead of your journey, I recommend buying an ekiben [‘eki’ train station and ‘bento’ lunchbox] so you get the full Shinkansen experience. There is usually a small shop that sells them right at the Shinkansen tracks. If you want to buy something to drink, you will also find vending machines at the tracks.
Once on the Shinkansen, you should only use the ‘oversized luggage’ areas at the beginning and end of the carts if you have reserved the corresponding seat. Otherwise, you will be asked to move your luggage. There is plenty of space for your luggage in the overhead rack.
If you only have a backpack you could also just place it at your feet. There is more than sufficient leg space even if you have your bag in front of you.
It is customary to be quiet while on the Shinkansen, so do not talk loudly and go to the area between wagons if you have to make a call.
Should you buy the Japan Rail Pass after the Price Increase?
As you can see, there no longer is a generic answer when it comes to determining if getting the Japan Rail Pass is worth it. Since the prices increased in 2023, it fully depends on your travel plans.
If you intend to travel several long distances and plan to use it extensively, it still is a worthwhile purchase that can help you save money. In this case, I therefore encourage you to purchase the JR Pass [Klook | JR Pass].
Should your travel plans include three long distances and a series of shorter Shinkansen roundtrips like my own itinerary, you are likely to reach a point where the individual train fare is roughly as much as the cost of the train pass. In this case, the convenience alone makes it worth your while.
However, there is now a higher chance that the JR Pass will not be worth it: In these cases, you should certainly combine individual tickets with regional passes, as doing so will be of higher value for you.
More about Japan
If you are planning a trip to Japan, you might also be interested in these articles:
Using the Airalo eSim in Japan
.
Is there anything else you want to know about the JR Pass?
Let me know in the comments!
Are you not yet ready to make the decision? Then Pin this Japan Rail Pass Review for later!
