Steep Price Increases For Japan Rail Passes Planned

Above, a couple of JR Rail Passes I used. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japan Rail Pass available to foreign tourists is one great benefit that I and many others visiting Japan have taken advantage of.

It allows visitors to travel around Japan on JR rail lines, including bullet trains, and other affiliated transports at lower cost.

Visitors are able to save a lot of money using the rail pass.

But all that may change this coming October if plans to greatly hike the prices of the rail passes go through. Hardly a "welcome back" for foreign tourists after three years of pandemic closures.

The price increases will greatly affect tour packages as the cost of rail passes are added into the cost of tours. 

If I should go back to Japan, I will likely pass on the Rail Pass if the prices are drastically raised.

The Japan Times reported (some snippets):

Tourists planning to take advantage of Japan’s train network could face a more expensive rail pass starting this fall.

Japan Railway Group announced on April 14 that it intends to raise the cost of its Japan Rail Pass this October.

The pass is a popular purchase for sightseers without Japanese passports and a convenient, discounted way to travel around certain parts of the country via rail, including on some bullet trains.

The change would add an almost 70% average price increase to the flat-fee ordinary and green car tickets. But, according to JR, the price hike will come with expanded services.

While an announcement detailing final changes is planned for a later date, JR has announced that pass-holders will be able to access the Nozomi and Mizuho shinkansen lines — which are currently off-limits with the pass — through the purchase of additional special tickets.

While subject to change, the price hikes for adults have been announced as follows:

• 7-day pass: From ¥29,650 to ¥50,000.
• 14-day pass: From ¥47,250 to ¥80,000.
• 21-day pass: From ¥60,450 to ¥100,000.
• 7-day Green Car pass: ¥39,600 to ¥70,000
• 14-day Green Car pass: ¥64,120 to ¥110,000
• 21-day Green Car pass: ¥83,390 to ¥140,000

To read the full article, go here.