Tokyo Cheapo: Which Japan Rail Pass To Choose?

Above, two rail passes I used during past Japan trips. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most convenient things that the Japanese tourism industry and Japan Rail devised are the JR Rail Passes.

These are only available to foreign tourists and in order to purchase a pass, a tourist has to buy a JR Rail Pass voucher (Exchange Order) in their home country. Then, after entering Japan, the voucher is exchanged for the pass at a JR ticket office.

Before buying, one must decide whether it is worth buying a JR Rail Pass (there are several types available at different prices) or not.

Generally, if a visitor is planning to make a trip up north to Sendai (as I did in 2006) or southwest to Osaka, Kyoto or even to Kyushu (as I did in 2007), then the Rail Pass will save a lot of money. But, if one is just staying in Tokyo, then getting a Rail Pass would not be cost-effective.

With some restrictions, the JR Rail Passes are valid on shinkansens and commuter trains operated by a JR company. In 2007, I used the JR Rail Pass to get to Fukuoka in Kyushu. While in Kyushu, I used it to get to other cities (such as Kumamoto, Nagasaki and Sasebo) on local JR-operated commuter trains. I even made use of it for the train ride to Mount Aso Volcano National Park.

Above, inside of the two rail passes I used. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tokyo Cheapo has posted an article detailing the kinds of Rail Passes available and will help tourists decide on what kind to get and whether it would be cost-effective to do so.

They begin their article with:

JR Passes are available to anyone visiting Japan on a short term tourist visa.  They are a fantastic discount on regular rail travel, but if you don’t have any experience with Japan’s rail transport system it’s difficult to know if you need it and which one you should get.  To add to the confusion, the various regional companies that constitute JR (JR East, JR West, JR Central, JR Hokkaido, JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu) all have their own passes.  Each is priced differently and has different conditions.  To try and put some of the confusion to rest, we’ll try to explain the exact conditions of the main JR Pass and that of the two biggest regional companies – JR East and JR West and hopefully give you enough info so you can decide which one to get.

The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan has information on the JR Rail Pass (although the prices have changed since publication) on pages 10-12.

The JR Rail Passes are a great tool for exploring around Japan. A visitor with a Rail Pass doesn't have to reach for their wallet of yen. All they have to do is just show the Rail Pass to the clerk when getting a train ticket.

To read more, go here.