Above, a Shinkansen train at Tokyo Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.Before deciding on whether or not to buy the JR (Japan Rail) Rail Pass or the JR East (or West) Rail Pass, a traveler has to determine how much use would it get and if it would save the traveler money.
If a traveler plans to take many trips on JR trains (including commuter trains and Shinkansens), they should check the fare prices on their planned trips (remember to include round-trip fares) and total them up. If the total cost of the fares exceed the cost of the Rail Passes, then it would be worth getting a Rail Pass.
In order to buy a Rail Pass, a traveler has to go to an authorized dealer and buy the voucher in their home country. Rail Passes cannot be purchased in Japan.
Upon arrival in Japan, take the voucher to any JR office to exchange it for the Rail Pass. You can choose the date the Rail Pass goes into effect. The most commonly purchased Rail Passes are the 7-day and 14-day Rail Passes.
I am planning an excursion to Niigata next month. The average price for a one-way ticket from Tokyo to Niigata is ¥5,460. The JR Rail Pass is around $340.00 (give or take, since it is tied to the foreign exchange rate). 5,460.00 JPY = 66.1727 USD at today's exchange rate. The total round-trip would be about $132.35, which is considerably cheaper than buying a Rail Pass. So I will not be purchasing a Rail Pass for this trip.
In 2007, I took many train trips in Japan (with Tokyo to Fukuoka and back being the main trip) including Shinkanens and local commuter trains in Kyushu. Having the JR Rail Pass during that trip made those train trips bargains.
Remember, before buying a JR Rail Pass of any kind and duration, be sure to check the fare costs first and total them up and compare to the current Rail Pass prices.
The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan has detailed information on the JR Rail Pass.
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