Are you planning a trip to Japan? Do you want to see the beauty of this country all around by train? Then all you need is a Japan Rail Pass. Using JR Pass will save you a lot of time and money. But what is a JR Pass and how does it work? We will answer all of your questions in this article.
- What is a JR Pass?
- What is included
- How to get your Japan Rail Pass
- How do I activate JR Pass
- Using JR pass
What is a JR Pass?
A JR Pass is a public transport card made for tourists travelling to Japan. It allows you to save money while travelling on JR trains all over the country.
What is included
With this ticket you can travel unlimited across the whole Japan using JR trains, express trains and also high speed bullet trains – Shinkansen. Except of Nozomi and Mizuho lines, you can use every bullet train. You can also use it on Tokyo monorail and Yamamoto line in Tokyo. And what surprise us a lot, JR pass also includes ferry to Myajima island. With this card you don’t need to bother about buying single tickets everyday. You also have a free seat reservations and unlimited number of rides.
Just be aware that it doesn’t include rides on metro lines and buses. There is also another transport card in Japan which can be used for all other ways of transport which is not covered by JR pass. You can read more about it in our post linked bellow:
Travelling around Japan – How to move around the country easier and cheaper
How to get your Japan Rail Pass
JR Pass is a special ticket that you cannot buy in Japan. You need to order it online before going to Japan. It’s available to all non-Japanese nationals who wish to visit Japan for tourism and leisure purposes. Without the Tourist Visa you will not be eligible, and therefore, you will not be able to exchange your order (JR voucher) for the actual Japan Rail Pass.
The JR Pass can be ordered through this website. You can choose between 7, 14 or 21 days. The prices are $275 for one week $439 for 2 weeks and $560 for 21 days. (prices are valid at the time of releasing this article in December 2019). It seems like very expensive but trust us that you will save a lot of money and time by investing in JR Pass. Keep in mind that you can’t add any extra days to your JR pass and it needs to be consecutive period. So calculate well how many days you need before purchasing.
How do I activate JR Pass
Once the order is confirmed you will receive a JR voucher by post in a few days. Once you arrive in Japan you will need to exchange your voucher at any of the JR Pass exchange offices. They are located inside of all main airport terminals as well as many train and metro stations. We exchanged it straight away after our arrival at Narita airport. To make the exchange you will need to have this voucher, your passport with stamped visa and to fill up one form which you will get at the exchange office.
Good thing is that you can choose the first day on which you wish to start using it. So don’t hesitate changing it right after your arrival even if you want to start using it after a few days. If you plan to spend some time in Tokyo before you start exploring other places in Japan, we recommend to set a starting day on the date when you are leaving Tokyo. Because inside the capital city you’ll more likely use metro lines or buses to get from one place to another and you will not fully use JR pass as much as if you travel between cities. But as we said it’s easy to exchange it after arrival on the airport and choose a starting day.
Using JR pass
It is a very convenient and fast way of traveling. You don’t need to buy any other tickets. Only if you travel long distance with Shinkansen we recommend to reserve a seat at the station. It’s not obligatory, there are always places which don’t require a reservation but reserving a seat is free of charge, so why not use it.
Every time you pass the counter you just need to wave with the JR pass at the officer and continue to the train without stopping. In most cases they won’t check it at all.
On the first day of validity you should ask the officer to give you a stamp. After that you just need to carry it with you and present it before entering the platform.
Do you want to know more about Japan transportation, how to combine metro card with JR Pass and more useful tips for traveling in Japan? Then click on this link:
Travelling around Japan – How to move around the country easier and cheaper
Click here to see our list of top 50 things to do in Japan.
With Love,
Jelena and Luke
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