JAPAN RAIL PASS REVIEW: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

This post is a Japan Rail (JR) Pass review. Learn more about what this pass offers, a sample itinerary and a personal JR Pass experience.

Japan Rail Pass is a convenient way to enjoy your rail travel around Japan. The pass offers unlimited travel. The Japan-wide JR Pass offers 7, 14 and 21 days duration of Standard or Green (First-Class) travel. It also offers Regional JR Passes if you are only exploring a certain area or route.

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What is Japan Rail (JR) Pass?

Japan Rail Pass or best known as the JR Pass allows unlimited travel on the bullet train/Shinkansen (except for Nozomi and Mizuho trains) and JR Express and all rapid and local trains along the JR Line. It can also be used for JR local buses, JR Miyajima Ferry and in airport transfers like the Narita Express or the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda airport.

The JR Pass day duration is consecutive days. Also, the validity of the JR Pass is based on calendar days. This means if you purchase a 7-day pass and activated it at 4:00 pm on Day 1, it will expire at midnight at the end of Day 7.

How much does JR Pass cost?

The cost of the JR Pass depends on the type and the duration of the pass you purchase. From October 2023, the price has increased.

For the Japan-wide JR Pass, the Standard price for a 7-day duration is 50,000 JPY. The 14-day pass is 80,000 JPY and the 21-day pass is 100,000 JPY. The Green or First Class cost 70,000 JPY for 7-day duration, 110,000 JPY for the 14-day pass and 140,000 JPY for the 21-day pass.

For both Standard and Green classes, you can do a FREE seat reservation. With the Green class though, you will have extra width seats and more foot and luggage space. It is also less crowded in the Green class. Some trains also offer FREE drinks for Green class tickets.

As the Regional JR Pass is limited to a certain area, it cost way cheaper than the Japan-wide JR Pass. The Regional JR Pass offers 1, 3, 5 and 7-day duration depending on the region.

Where to buy the JR Pass?

You can buy the Japan Rail Pass online, through a travel agent or at Narita, Haneda and Kansai airports. It would be cheaper and more convenient for you to buy it online.

👉 To get a Japan-wide JR Pass, purchase the pass here
👉 To get a Regional JR Pass, purchase the pass here

When you purchase the JR Pass online, you will have to select a starting date and then you will be sent an exchange voucher. This means if you order a JR Pass online, give it enough time for you to receive the exchange voucher before you travel to Japan.

You will have to use the pass within 3 months of purchase and within one month of your selected starting date.

When you arrive in Japan, present the exchange voucher along with your passport at a designated JR Ticket Counter to pick up your actual JR Pass. JR Ticket Counters are found in JR stations and at Narita, Haneda and Kansai airports.

How to use the JR Pass?

The JR Pass serves as your ticket to bullet trains/Shinkansen, JR trains, JR ferry and JR buses. You can enter through the automatic ticket gates with the pass or present your JR Pass to the station staff.

Seat reservation is optional for Shinkansen. However, it is recommended to make sure you have a seat on the bullet or long-distance trains especially if you travel during the rush hour.

There are no seat reservations for local, rapid and express JR trains. It is easier to get a seat on these trains than on the Shinkansen or long-distance trains.

You will have to do the seat reservation before you board the train. You can make a seat reservation at ticket machines or JR ticket offices. I recommend doing all your seat reservations when you collect your JR Pass.

In the unlikely event that you miss the train, you will need to cancel your seat reservation at a ticket office. If you are unable to make any seat reservations, you will have to go to the non-reserved section of the train.

Is it worth it to buy the JR Pass?

Although the cost of the JR Pass has significantly increased, you can still get your money’s worth if you plan your trip like using the bullet train (Shinkansen) or covering long-distance travel.

There are sightseeing and city day passes if you are only going to stay in Japan for a short trip.

Read more about Japan Public Transport Pass: How to Save on Trips here

If your trip includes going around Japan, like travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto or visiting Hiroshima from Tokyo during your visit, then this pass is definitely worth it!

Japan Rail Pass Review: Personal Experience

I used the Japan Rail Pass during my first visit to Japan. I bought the JR Pass online a month before I travelled to Japan. At that time, the pass cost roughly around 29,000 JPY. I received the exchange voucher at my home address about a week after I purchased it.

👉 To get a Japan-wide JR Pass, purchase the pass here
👉 To get a Regional JR Pass, purchase the pass here

When I arrived in Japan, I collected my JR Pass at the Travel Service Centre at Haneda International Airport. I showed them my exchange voucher and passport.

Before they gave me the actual JR Pass, they asked for a start date. The lady at the counter said the start date does not have to be the day I collected the pass. I chose the start date on the day I start using the JR Pass.

When I received the pass, I forgot to make a seat reservation. So, I booked the seat reservations at the JR ticket office in Shin-Yokohama station later that day. I had a planned itinerary so it was easy for me to make seat reservations in advance.

Here are the places I visited and also the public transportation I used for FREE with the JR Pass.

Day 1 of Japan Rail Pass

On Day 1 of using my JR Pass, I rode the Shinkansen from Shin-Yokohama to Kyoto station.

During the whole 2-hour train ride, the section of the train I was on was never full and I had no one sitting beside me the whole trip.

Day 2 of Japan Rail Pass

On Day 2, I used the pass to travel on the Shinkansen to Hiroshima from Kyoto. While in Hiroshima, I got to use the pass for the Hiroshima Sightseeing Bus and the JR Ferry to Miyajima Island.

After getting around Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, I took the Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Osaka. In Osaka, I also used the JR Pass to use the train on the JR Line.

I caught the Shinkansen to get to Kyoto from Osaka on my way back to the hotel.

Day 3 of Japan Rail Pass

On Day 3 of my JR Pass, I used the pass on the Shinkansen to get to Kobe from Kyoto. After touring around Kobe, I used the pass again to travel to Osaka from Kobe.

I also used the pass on the Osaka Loop to get around Osaka. On my way back to Kyoto, I took the Shinkansen from Osaka.

Day 4 of Japan Rail Pass

On Day 4, I took the JR train from Kyoto to Nara. After touring around Nara, I took the JR train again to get back to Kyoto.

From Kyoto, I used the Shinkansen to get to Yokohama and then took the local JR train to get to Atsugi to meet up with my cousin for the fireworks show.

Day 5 of Japan Rail Pass

On Day 5 of my JR Pass, I was with my cousin and she toured me around Roppongi Hills and Odaiba. My cousin is a resident of Japan, therefore, she is unable to purchase the JR Pass.

Since it would be too expensive for her to use the bullet train, we used the local JR train to get to Tokyo from Yokohama instead.

On our way back home, we took the local JR train again to get to Yokohama from Tokyo.

Day 6 of Japan Rail Pass

On Day 6 of using the JR Pass, I visited Tokyo DisneySea. I used the Shinkansen to get to Tokyo from Yokohama. From Tokyo, I took the local JR train to Maihama. The JR Pass does not cover my train fare from Maihama to Tokyo DisneySea.

To get to Tokyo DisneySea from Maihama, I had to catch the Disney Resort Line, which only cost around 260 JPY.

I used the same route going back to Yokohama. I took the Disney Resort Line to Maihama from Tokyo DisneySea, rode the local JR train to Tokyo and then used the Shinkansen to get to Yokohama.

Day 7 of Japan Rail Pass

On the last day of using my JR Pass, I used the pass to travel on the Shinkansen from Yokohama to Nagoya.

My cousin planned to meet up with me at Minato Mirai 21 after her work. So on my way back, I took the Shinkansen from Nagoya to Yokohama.

From Yokohama, I had to catch another private railway train to get to Minato Mirai 21. The train fare cost around 190 JPY as it is not covered by the JR Pass.

For all my travel using the Shinkansen, I always made a seat reservation. With this, boarding the bullet train was very convenient and hassle-free.

Also, because I was on the reserved section of the train, it was not crowded. In all my travel on the Shinkansen, no one sat beside me.

During my Japan trip, I stayed for 2 weeks but I only purchased the 7-day JR Pass. I did not have to buy the 14-day JR Pass as I did not spend my whole 2 weeks going around Japan. During the other 7 days without the JR Pass, I was mostly around Yokohama and Tokyo.

Read more about my First Visit To Japan here

Japan Rail Pass Review Recap

The Japan Rail Pass is a must-have pass if you plan to travel using the bullet train/Shinkansen and have long-distance trips around Japan. You do not need to purchase the Japan-wide JR Pass if you only intend to stay in one area during your Japan visit. There are other passes suitable for that.

It is cheaper and more convenient to buy the JR Pass online. Also, with this pass, you can reserve a seat when you use the Shinkansen. It is recommended to make use of the FREE seat reservation especially if you travel during the rush hour.

I hope you find this Japan Rail Pass Review useful. Enjoy using the JR Pass on your Japan trip and have a safe travel!

Japan Rail Pass Review Links

Accommodation – Agoda, book here
Japan-wide Japan Rail Pass – Purchase the pass here
Regional Japan Rail Pass – Purchase the pass here