Hey there! If you’re reading this there’s a good chance you are planning to visit Japan in the coming days. With over 25 million visitors in 2023 alone, the place has attracted first-time travellers and revisiting explorers alike. One of the items that you already must have come across while researching your trip is a travel pass. But the question is, what passes do you need for your trip?
Even among non-travellers, Japan’s JR Pass has already become a renowned name. It came into the headlines recently, when last year (2023), there was a steep price hike, with some JR Passes priced 70% higher than their original price.
Which is why, it is more important now than ever to carefully consider your options and decide whether you even need a JR Pass for your trip. If not, then what are the other options you can avail to go easy on your pockets? Fret not. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about travel passes when planning your next trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.
You can also watch my YouTube video and take a look at the different travel passes used across Japan.
JR Pass
What is a JR Pass? Is It Worth It?
Originating as far back as 2006, the Japan Rail (JR) Pass is the most popular travel pass known to visitors around the world coming to the country. It was started as an initiative to drive the booming tourism industry in Japan.
The JR Pass allows you unlimited travel on most trains, including monorails, local trains, express trains, and Shinkansen (bullet trains) on the JR line throughout the country for a specific period.
It is good to have a JR Pass if you are planning to travel extensively across different cities within Japan. It will cost you a lot less with a JR Pass than to individually purchase tickets for trains to these cities.
In the following sections, I will also tell you how you can calculate whether it is a good option to buy a JR Pass based on your itinerary.
JR Pass Types, Validity, and Cost
- Type: In terms of type, there are two types of Japan Rail Passes— the Normal JR Class and the Green Class. The only difference is that Green Class passengers are offered more comfortable seats in a separate carriage.
- Validity: There are 3 options available in terms of validity during which the JR Pass is active continuously for the entire period; 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days.
- Cost: Let us look at the cost of each ticket type based on both above factors for individuals above 12 years of age;
Adult (12 or above)
Ordinary JR Pass
Green Pass
7-days validity
329 USD
461 USD
14-days validity
526 USD
724 USD
21-days validity
658 USD
921 USD
For children between 6 to 11 years of age, the prices are;
Child (6 to 11)
Ordinary JR Pass
Green Pass
7-days validity
165 USD
230 USD
14-days validity
263 USD
362 USD
21-days validity
329 USD
461 USD
How to Buy a JR Pass?
You can purchase your JR Pass of choice from the official website or on Klook. Bear in mind that once you’ve placed your order, you will receive a voucher via Snail Mail to your home address. You will need to use this voucher to activate the JR Pass once you arrive at the JR East Service Centre in Japan. I therefore strongly recommend placing your order at least 2 to 3 weeks prior to your departure date. Also, in case you are using a Regional Pass then only activate it on the day you plan to go for intercity travel. The very friendly and helpful staff at the JR East Service Center will be happy to help you out.
Based on your itinerary, if you feel you do need a JR Pass, I can get you 10% off on your JR Pass purchase from Klook! How cool is that? Simply head over to the link below and enter the code PHATLIFEPROJECT while checking out.
Do You Need a JR Pass? How to Calculate?
Before you place an order, take a moment to consider whether you would even need a JR Pass. You will definitely not need a JR Pass in these following cases;
- If you are planning to visit only specific cities within a JR zone. For example, if you are travelling only between Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto, you would not need a JR Pass, and can instead go for a Regional JR Pass (more details below).
- If the individual tickets are adding up to a cost less than that of the JR Pass.
To calculate and compare the total individual ticket prices vs. JR Pass for your itinerary, head over to the Japan Fare Price Calculator. It is a free and easy-to-use website where you can enter the locations you are planning to visit, and it will give you a comparison of the prices.
Regional JR Pass
As mentioned above, if you are planning intercity travel but only to certain destinations, JR Pass may warrant a price higher than you need to spend. No worries, as Regional JR Passes have got you covered. These passes have limited coverage and cost considerably less than their alternatives.
For example, if you plan to go to Osaka and Kyoto from Tokyo you can buy the Osaka-Tokyo Hokuriku Arch 7-day pass which at 205 USD is considerably cheaper than the access all cities JR Pass for the same period at 343 USD.
But I would again recommend you check with the Fare Price Calculator to make an informed decision. In the end, it will save you a lot of money, so that you can spend more on your trip.
IC Cards— SUICA, PASMO, and More
You might not even need a JR Pass throughout your entire trip! If you plan to stay in only one city throughout the trip or visit another city only once, buying a JR Pass will cost you a lot more than you need. In such cases, it is better to purchase an IC Card for transportation within a particular city and purchase train tickets to the other city separately.
What is an IC Card?
An IC Card is a rechargeable e-money card that operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. It can be used in all JR East lines in the Greater Tokyo Area, private railway lines, subways, and buses. You can even use it for purchases in convenience stores and vending machines that accept IC Cards for transactions.
Suica and Pasmo are the most well-known IC Cards that operate within the Greater Tokyo Area. If you plan to reside only within this region, go for either of these two. But other IC Cards are also available for other areas;
- Icoca and Pitapa for Greater Osaka.
- Toica and Manaca for Greater Nagoya area.
- Kitaca for Greater Sapporo.
- Sugoca, Nimoca, and Hayakaken for Greater Fukuoka.
If you are planning to stay within any of these areas, do get one of the above IC cards. An interesting thing about the Suica and Pasmo cards is that both are compatible with a network of interoperable cards such as the Icoca and Itaka cards in Japan, which means you can use either for public transportation within other cities of Japan as well. In the following section, I will elaborate on these two IC cards.
Suica & Pasmo— Types, Cost, and Validity
The Suica Card is available in two types; the Welcome Suica and the Normal Suica. Similarly, the Pasmo Card is of two types; the Pasmo Passport and the Normal Pasmo. Below, I’ve laid out their differences, costs, and validity in detail;
Suica IC Cards | Cost | Validity | Additional |
Welcome Suica | 1000 Yen | 28 days from date of activation | For one-time visitors. No deposit fee is deducted. However, unused balances will be lost after validity is over. |
Normal Suica | 1000 Yen | 10 years from date of last use | For frequent visitors. 500 Yen is kept as deposit money, and the difference is the use balance. |
Pasmo IC Cards | Cost | Validity | Additional |
Pasmo Passport | 1500 Yen | 28 days from date of activation | For one-time visitors. No deposit fee is deducted. However, unused balances will be lost after validity is over. |
Normal Suica | 2000 Yen | 10 years from date of last use | For frequent visitors. 500 Yen is kept as deposit money, and the difference is the use balance. |
How to Buy an IC Card?
Suica and Pasmo IC cards are available in both Narita and Haneda airports, as well as in shops and convenience stores. You can recharge them in portable vending machines available across the city.
However, due to the recent chip shortages in Japan, you may find IC cards are unavailable when you arrive. No need to worry, as you can activate a Digital IC card on your Apple Wallet. Simply look for Suica or Pasmo, top-up with Apple Pay and you’re good to go!
Combination of JR Pass and IC Card
In certain cases, travellers end up using both the Japan Rail Pass as well as the IC card to save in the longer run. Here’s how.
Let’s say you are planning a trip to Kyoto and Osaka over a week of your 3-week stay in Japan and would otherwise be in Tokyo. As you’re only doing intercity travel for 7 days out of the 21-day stay, a 21-day JR pass is going to be expensive.
It would rather be cheaper for you to purchase a 7-day JR Pass or even a Regional Pass and then to just use a SUICA or PASMO for the rest of your time in Tokyo!
Parting Word
That’s it! Now you have a comprehensive guide to all the passes that you’ll need for your trip to Japan. I hope this will save you hours and hours of research so that you can plan your itinerary without breaking a sweat.
Tokyo Japan Travel Passes FAQs
You should place your order for JR Pass at least 2 to 3 weeks before the departure date. This is to ensure that you receive the voucher through Snail Mail, which you will need to activate the JR Pass once you land in Japan.
A Welcome Suica costs 1000 Yen. No deposit fee is deducted. A Normal Suica costs 1000 Yen. However, 500 Yen is deducted as deposit fee and the remaining difference is displayed as its balance. Both cards can be recharged as many times as required.
A welcome Suica is valid for 28 days from the day of activation. Any remaining balance at the end of 28 days is lost. A Normal Suica is valid for 10 years from the date of last use.
Both passes serve different purposes. While a JR Pass covers more of intercity travelling, which includes trains, bullet trains, buses, and some monorails, IC cards, such as Suica and Pasmo are designed for transportation within a particular city. This includes subways, trains, buses, and even small payments in convenient stores.
If you plan to stay only in one city during your trip, you do not need a JR Pass. JR Passes are only required for intercity travelling, i.e. when you are travelling in more than one city.
If you are planning to visit only selected cities within Japan, buying a JR Pass might cost you more than you need. Buying a Regional JR Pass is a good alternative in such cases, as they have limited coverage and cost comparatively less than normal JR Passes. For more details, check the Regional JR Pass section above.
Also, make sure to use the Japan Fare Price Calculator to calculate whether it is cheaper to buy a JR Pass or go for individual tickets.
Both Icoca and Suica are IC cards. While Icoca is used in the Greater Osaka area, Suica is used in the Greater Tokyo area. However, Suica is compatible with a network of interoperable cards such as the Icoca, which means you can use Suica cards in areas where Icoca cards are accepted.
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