The Japan Rail Pass

The Japan Rail Pass offers visitors an economical, flexible and simple-to-use advantage over regular fares. It entitles the bearer unlimited travel for a period of 7, 14 or 21 days on a vast network of Japanese Railways (JR) rail, bus and ferry services. The pass offers you the flexibility to explore the length and breadth of Japan on an open schedule at a fraction of the usual price. A Japan Rail Pass cannot be purchased inside Japan. You must purchase an Exchange Order from an authorized sales office or travel agent before you come to Japan. After you arrive in Japan, you turn in the Exchange Order to receive your Japan Rail Pass at an applicable JR Station that has a Japan Rail Pass exchange office. The JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR PASS) cannot be purchased inside Japan.

Eligibility

The Japan Rail Pass is available only to travelers visiting Japan from foreign countries for sightseeing. To be eligible to purchase a Japan Rail Pass you must meet one of the following two conditions.

1. You are a foreign tourist visiting Japan from abroad for sightseeing, under the entry status of "temporary visitor." "Temporary visitor" entry status, according to Japanese Immigration Law, allows a stay of 15 days or 90 days for "sightseeing, etc." If you apply for a "stay for sightseeing" when you enter Japan, entry personnel will stamp your passport as "temporary visitor." Only persons who have a passport bearing this stamp can use a Japan Rail Pass.

Using the Japan Rail Pass Once you have arrived in Japan, your Exchange Order must be exchanged for the actual Rail Pass (within three months of purchase) before it can be used. You can do this at any Japan Rail Pass Exchange Office, located in major JR Stations throughout the country, including those at Narita Airport (Tokyo) and Kansai International Airport (Osaka). You will need to show your passport when collecting your JR Pass. The name given on the Exchange Order must be exactly the same as in the passport & no amendment is allowed.

At the point of exchange you can usually request an English version of the Japan Railway's Shinkansen Timetable (seen on the right). After you have validated your pass you can use it freely. For non-reserved seating simply show your Japan Rail Pass when walking through the manned ticket barrier before you board the train. You can make an advance reservation by showing your pass at the green ticket window of any JR Station. Cost There are two types of Japan Rail Pass, Green - for travel in superior class carriages and Ordinary - for travel in standard class carriages.

The rates below are yen for a JAPAN RAIL PASS Exchange Order; the actual cost in local currency is calculated at the time the Exchange Order is issued. Note that the purchase exchange rate may differ from the exchange rate in effect when you actually visit Japan.

ORDINARY GREEN ADULT CHILD ADULT CHILD 7 Days JPY 28,300 JPY 14,150 JPY 37,800 JPY 18,900 14 Days JPY 45,100 JPY 22,550 JPY 61,200 JPY 30,600 21 Days JPY 57,700 JPY 28,850 JPY 79,600 JPY 39,800 * Child: 6-11 years of age.

The JR Pass represents exceptional value for money if you are planning to take a number of longer journeys during your stay. The table below will help you to compare the price of the JR Pass with the cost of some ordinary class, single fares on the Shinkansen or 'bullet train' (excluding the 'Nozomi' bullet train).

Where to buy the Japan Rail Pass

The Japan Rail pass cannot be purchased inside Japan. The pass can only be purchased in your country of origin from select accredited travel agents. You will find the JET affiliated agent for each respective country by selecting from the list below:

United Kingdom | Australia | New Zealand | United States | Canada