Is the Japan Rail Pass Worth it?

So you’re going to Japan, and you’re thinking about the Japan Rail (JR) pass, and you’re probably thinking this is REALLY expensive, is it worth it?

We get that. We thought the same. This post is going to break down the costs of the JR pass vs. paying for the shinkansen (bullet train) on its own. Whether or not the JR pass is worth it will really depend on your trip and your travel plans in Japan!

Okay, here we go.

JR Pass Prices:

*All prices are in Yen ($1 USD is about 100 Yen)

As you can see, prices are pretty expensive, with one week of the JR pass costing close to $300 USD. For perspective, here is how much the individual trains cost:

Tokyo to Kyoto:

13,000-14,000 Yen ($130-$140 USD)

A return trip from Tokyo to Kyoto will cost upwards of $280, which is almost as much as the 1 week JR Pass! Madness.

Tokyo to Osaka:

13,620 Yen ($136 USD)

Tokyo to Hiroshima:

18,000-19,000 Yen ($180-$190 USD)

Kyoto to Osaka:

~1400 Yen for the Shinkansen, although there is a slower train option that is more affordable! Kyoto and Osaka are only about 30 minutes from each other, so this one is less relevant in the decision-making process.

Kyoto to Hiroshima:

10,500-11,500 Yen ($105-$115 USD)

What we did:

We purchased the ordinary 21 day JR Pass and activated it on our 2nd day in Tokyo, which meant we had our pass for our entire trip.

We used our pass for JR trains when possible in Tokyo, and use our pass to get from Tokyo to Mount Fuji (~2,700 Yen). Then, we took the shinkansen the rest of the way to Kyoto (~11,100). We took small trips to get to and from Osaka and Universal Studios, which added up to about 1,000 Yen.

We took the shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima for 9,700 Yen, and used our passes to get to and from Miyajima outside of Hiroshima (the ferry costs about 180 Yen). We took the shinkansen back to Tokyo from Hiroshima, which cost 19,000 Yen.

We also took a day trip to Niigata on the coast, which was 10,270 Yen each direction, for a total of 20,540 Yen for each of us.

We spent 59,350 Yen on our passes, and the total of the tickets that we used was about 65,000 Yen.

Of course, it is important to do your research and decide how many days you need the pass for, the cost of the trains you will be taking, and whether or not it will be worth it for YOU! For us, it was worth it and we saved money with all of our travels. It also made it a lot easier to just hop on a train and not stress about how much it was going to cost. It is a big purchase though, and worth doing the research, and calculating the cost of the trains that you will be taking.

Note: We spent a week in Kyoto, which is why we purchased the 21 day pass.

The JR Pass website can be a little bit confusing, but to learn more click here!

Need to Know:

1.The JR Pass is ONLY available if you are entering Japan on a tourist visa. Unfortunately, if you are going to work or live, you are not eligible for the JR Pass.

2. You MUST purchase your JR Pass before entering Japan. Once you are in Japan, you cannot purchase the pass! You have 3 months to activate it, so if you are planning your trip from home, we would highly recommend purchasing and paying off the pass in advance!

3. If you are like us and you travel the world, there are Japan Travel Bureau’s (JTB’s) in a number of different countries around the world. We purchased our JR Pass in Kuala Lumpur very easily.

4. Once you arrive in Japan, you need to choose what day you want to activate your pass, and activate it at a specific JR office location. You MUST have your passport on you to activate your pass.

5. Your pass is good for all Shinkansen trains, except for the “Nozomi” and “Mizuho” trains. These trains tend to be a bit quicker, but let’s face it – 300 km/h is pretty damn quick even with an extra stop or two in there. We had a challenging time planning out our routes using Google Maps because they tended to always give us the “Nozomi” or “Mizuho” trains, but don’t worry, the other trains run very regularly and we never had a problem getting a train.

6. We visited during cherry blossom (ie. busy) season, and we never had a problem just showing up to the station to get a train. A lot of websites will suggest booking in advance, but unless you are on a super tight schedule, it’s not really necessary.

7. The train may seem like an unnecessary expense, and you may find yourself considering taking buses instead (we certainly considered this!), but taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) is a must-do in Japan! It’s an experience like no other, and an opportunity you won’t get anywhere else in the world. We’re on a pretty tight budget, and we would advocate that it was worth it!

Have a JR pass related question? Feel free to contact us personally here – we’re always happy to help!

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