Japan Rail (JR) Passes. Do you need them?

JR nation-wide pass is valid for JR train travels across Japan.

​Once you start planning your trip to Japan,  you will no doubt come across the unlimited Japan Rail passes (JR passes; valid on JR branded trains, buses, and ferries only). 

Only you can decide if getting one is worth it!​ 
Although most people find that if you do a round trip (say you land in Tokyo, take the Shinkansen to Kyoto/ Osaka, hop back on the Shinkansen to Tokyo to fly out-- it should save you some bucks by getting the Nation-wide pass).

Note, JR passes does NOT work on local subways or buses so if you are not planning to travel long distance, just buy the regional IC cards/ discount passes.  More info about the difference between JR and private railways here.

Once you nail down all the places you plan to visit and you have booked your accommodation, use Hyperdia to map out all the routes and it will give you a near exact amount of how much you will spend on transportation. 

• ( I made a short tutorial on using Hyperdia and getting around in Japan).   Though you will need to separate fares of the JR trains from local subways (non-JR) manually yourself.

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HYPERDIA Example-  Kyoto Train Station to Fushimi Inari Shrine.
(JR Rail + Private Rail trains)
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Here's the exact same search using only PRIVATE owned trains (non-JR) only. 

​Sometimes, its inevitable that you may need to use both JR and Private Railways!!

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[Nation Wide JR Pass]

• ​Nation-wide JR Pass (good almost anywhere in Japan). 
  • Comes in 7, 14, or 21 days (you must use it within 90 days of the issued date stamped on the voucher).
  • There are restrictions on the Nation-wide JR pass. 
    • You can choose between Economy or Green (first-class).  
    • JTB (who owns Japanican) did an in-depth review on the price and cabin differences of the Green cars.  Read all about it and then choose the one that best fits your needs.  Overall, I find the standard economy to have more leg room than regular economy on planes. ​​​

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Example Prices for Nation-wide JR Pass from JTB

[Source] JR Rail pass prices from JTB USA. They are one of the largest tour company in Japan. You can use their site to book tour packages and accomodations (Japanican; which I personally really like). But there are tons of companies on-line that sell the JR passes as well. Do some price comparison before settling.

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[Regional JR Pass]

• Regional JR Pass (good for if you are only staying within one area).
• Comes in various day validity (1-7 days).
• Both Nation-wide + Regional JR passes has Adult + Children formats (age 6-11 years old).

Regional JR Pass Example-- Kansai

[SOURCE]: JR West.

​Either way, if you do decide to buy a JR rail pass, you have to purchase it way before you land in Japan as you have to show that you are visiting temporarily (or if you are a Japanese national living abroad).  Many websites online sell them and they will ship the exchange voucher to your home. 

• Once you land, find a Japan Rail Pass Exchange Station that will take the voucher and issue the actual pass for you (you must show your passport).

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[TIP]--  JR has free downloadable itineraries to get the most of your JR nation-wide or regional passes!

EXAMPLES:

[SOURCE]: Japan Rail East.

[SOURCE]: JR Shikoku.

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• JR HOKKAIDO
• JR EAST (Tokyo -- Aomori) 
• ​JR CENTRAL (Tokyo -- Nagoya -- Osaka)
• ​JR WEST  (Osaka -- Hiroshima -- Fukuoka )
• ​JR Shikoku (Kagawa -- Tokushima -- Kochi -- Ehime )
• ​JR Kyushu (Fukuoka -- Kagoshima -- Nagasaki)
• ​You can pre-buy any of these JR passes (vouchers) through JTB online.
• ​Other ways of getting around in Japan (my blog).

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​Will you be getting a JR pass for your Japan Trip?
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