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Travelling by practice is likely one of the issues we love most about Japan. There’s an intensive community, the trains are spacious and comfy, they usually at all times run on time (we even made a one-minute connection!).
The one draw back is the worth. Shopping for a Japan Rail Go prematurely used to save lots of you some huge cash, however that has modified with a worth enhance in October 2023.
On this evaluate, I’ll discover whether or not a Japan Rail Go is price it any longer and share helpful ideas for utilizing the move and travelling by practice in Japan.
Contents
Replace: Japan Rail Go Worth Improve
The price of the Japan Rail Go elevated considerably (round 70%) in October 2023.
Sadly, which means for many guests, the Japan Rail Go now not saves you cash.
That is such a disgrace as I completely love the comfort of travelling with a move. It is best to nonetheless contemplate a Japan Rail Go if:
- You might be travelling so much – For instance for a visit that features Tokyo to Kyoto return with a day journey to Hiroshima (see the itinerary under), a move now prices about the identical as particular person tickets.
- You prioritise comfort – It’s so good with the ability to hop on trains with out shopping for a ticket.
One other change with the brand new passes is that you should use it on the quickest shinkansen trains (Nozomi and Mizuho), however you must pay a hefty supplementary price (4960 yen/ US $33 from Tokyo to Kyoto). This isn’t price it to succeed in Kyoto 20 minutes quicker.
What’s a Japan Rail Go?
A Japan Rail Go is a ticket that gives limitless journey on all Japan Rail nationwide trains for a sure interval. Passes can be found for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days and you may select between a regular and inexperienced (top quality) move.
Japan Rail Passes are solely accessible to foreigners travelling on a vacationer visa and (normally) should be purchased outdoors Japan.
You should purchase your move on-line and get it delivered to your private home tackle and even to your first Japan lodge in case you’ve left it to the final minute.
Japan Rail Go Worth (New Costs)
That is the present price of every of the usual Japan Rail Passes in Japanese yen with the present approximate trade charge in US {dollars} and the price per day in {dollars}.
Japan Rail Go | Price in Yen | Price in $ | Price per Day in $ |
---|---|---|---|
7 Day JR Rail Go | ¥50,000 | $336 | $48 |
14 Day JR Rail Go | ¥80,000 | $538 | $38 |
21 Day JR Rail Go | ¥100,000 | $672 | $32 |
JR Passes for youngsters price half the quantities above (i.e ¥25,000 for a 7 Day Go).
I don’t assume there’s any must pay additional for the Inexperienced Go (¥70,000 for a 7 Day Go) to journey top quality as we discovered customary class comfy with loads of leg room, tables, and energy factors.
The one time it could be price contemplating is throughout vacation durations corresponding to Golden Week in late April/early Could when customary class trains are busy (you can also make seat reservations, although).
We at all times purchase our tickets on-line with official vendor JRailPass.com. They ship worldwide in two days.
Purchase your Japan Rail Go from JRailPass.com right here
Which Trains are the Japan Rail Go Legitimate On?
The JR Rail Go is legitimate on all Japan Rail trains, however it might probably’t be used on trains operated by personal firms.
This implies you’ll be able to’t take the quickest Nozomi or Mizuho shinkansen (bullet trains) except you pay an costly complement, however there are many different bullet trains and this by no means brought on us an issue.
For instance, when travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto you’ll be able to take the Hikari shinkansen which is just 20 minutes slower at 158 minutes than the Nozomi shinkansen which takes 138 minutes.
The rail move can be utilized on some native trains inside Tokyo and different huge cities, however not on the metro or buses.
It’s largely helpful for saving cash on journey between cities. See the native transport part under for extra particulars.
Joyful Trains
The JR Go is legitimate on a lot of Japan’s Joyful Trains that are enjoyable, character-themed trains.
We seen the Howdy Kitty shinkansen in Okayama station and had been tempted to hop on for a pleasure journey (the benefit of a rail move is you’ll be able to comply with whims like this).
Locations the place we couldn’t use a JR Go
If you’re solely travelling to main cities, you’ll be capable to use your JR Go all over the place. For journeys to some smaller cities, chances are you’ll must pay additional to take the bus or personal railway.
Even with these additional bills, the rail move nonetheless saved us cash on our three journeys.
On our first journey we visited two locations that we couldn’t entry with our rail move. For the mountain temple city Koya-san we used our move to journey from Kyoto to Osaka after which purchased a ticket for the personal Nankai Railways practice.
For the tiny city of Tsumago within the Kiso Valley we used our move to get from Nagoya to Nagiso then paid for the bus to Tsumago.
On our second journey (see our two week Japan itinerary) we used our rail move to get all over the place besides Hakone the place we purchased a Hakone Free Go from Odawara practice station to discover the realm by bus, practice, ferry, and cable automotive.
The one different slight subject was having to take a slower practice with one switch to get to Nikko as you’ll be able to’t use a move for the direct practice from Shinjuku to the Tobu Nikko station.
On our third journey, the one place we couldn’t get to with a JR Rail Go was Kawaguchiko (to see Mt Fuji at Lake Kawaguchi).
We had been travelling from Okayama (on the identical line as Hiroshima) and will solely take the shinkansen so far as Mishima the place we took a 1.5-hour bus journey to Kawaguchiko.
From Tokyo you may get to Otsuki with a rail move and solely pay the common fare for the ultimate part to Kawaguchiko.
We additionally visited the very cool Naoshima Artwork Island as a day journey from Okayama. The rail move lined our practice to Uno port however didn’t cowl the 20-minute ferry (which is cheap anyway).
Is a Japan Rail Go Price It?
Whether or not a Japan Rail Go is price it for you is determined by your route.
In the event you’ll be travelling at a quick tempo to plenty of locations, particularly on the costly bullet trains, then a rail move might prevent cash.
If you’re solely travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto and again inside every week, the move now not saves cash.
The return journey on the shinkansen prices ¥27,300 (for a reserved seat). You’ll should do lots of additional journey to succeed in the ¥50,000 price of a 7-day move.
Japan Rail Go Calculator
To work out whether or not the JR Go is price it for you, that you must give you a possible itinerary after which calculate how a lot it might price to pay to your tickets as you go.
To get a tough thought use Japan Information’s Japan Rail Calculator. It’s not 100% correct, nevertheless it’s fast and simple to make use of.
For an correct calculation, put every leg of your journey into Navitime to see the prices.
If it’s an in depth name
If the price of the move is just a bit greater than particular person tickets, I like to recommend shopping for the move. It makes journey a lot simpler not having to purchase tickets and with the ability to hop on and off trains as you want.
You can even use the move for some native journey (particularly in Tokyo the place it may be used on the trains however not subways) and day journeys.
Our our newest extra unconventional journey from Kyoto-Kinosaki Onsen-Okayama (with day journeys)-Mishima (for the bus to Kawaguchiko)-Tokyo we purchased a 14-day Japan Rail Go.
As we had been travelling at a reasonably sluggish tempo, this labored out roughly the identical worth as if we’d purchased the tickets individually (on the outdated move worth), however the comfort made it price it.
Our Financial savings with a Japan Rail Go
For a earlier two week journey to Japan we flew out and in of Tokyo and used a 7-day Japan Rail Go to journey to Nikko, Hakone, Takayama, and Kanazawa—see our detailed Japan itinerary.
Listed below are the financial savings we made through the use of a Japan Rail Go. This features a aspect journey from Takayama and utilizing the move for native trains in Tokyo on our remaining day with the move.
From | To | Price in Yen |
---|---|---|
Tokyo Shinjuku | Nikko | 5,380 |
Nikko | Odawara (for Hakone) | 8,200 |
Odawara | Takayama | 12,000 |
Takayama | Hida-Furukawa (aspect journey) | 240 |
Hida-Furukawa | Takayama | 240 |
Takayama | Kanazawa | 5,610 |
Kanazawa | Tokyo Station | 13,920 |
Tokyo Station | Shibuya (inside Tokyo) | 200 |
Shibuya | Takadanobaba (inside Tokyo) | 170 |
Takadanobaba | Shibuya (inside Tokyo) | 170 |
Complete Price of Particular person Tickets | JP¥46,130 | |
Price of Previous 7 Day Japan Rail Go | JP¥29,110 | |
Earlier Saving | JP¥17,020 | |
Price of New 7 Day Japan Rail Go | JP¥50,000 |
We saved over ¥17,000 or $115 per individual with the outdated Japan Rail Go.
Sadly, with the brand new Japan Rail Go costs, we’d have saved ¥4000 ($27) by shopping for tickets individually. On this case, I do assume the move can be price the additional price for the comfort.
Right here’s an instance for a typical 10 day journey to Japan arriving in and departing from Tokyo and visiting the highlights.
Spend the primary three days in Tokyo (pay out of pocket for the Narita Categorical practice from the airport), after which activate your 7-day rail move on the day you allow for Kyoto.
Spend six days in Kyoto and take day journeys to Nara and Osaka (that are cheap on native trains) and additional afield to Hiroshima by bullet practice (the place you’ll actually respect the move). See extra Kyoto day journey concepts.
Return to Tokyo to your remaining day and use the move to take the Narita Categorical practice to Tokyo Narita Airport.
Right here’s how a lot you’d save by buying a JR Rail Go for this itinerary:
By buying a 7-day JR Go for this journey, you used to save lots of a substantial quantity. After the worth enhance, shopping for a move is about the identical as particular person tickets however may very well be price it for the comfort.
When To not Use a Japan Rail Go
If you’re flying into Tokyo and out from Osaka (or vice versa) and solely travelling to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, a rail move will likely be dearer than the one-way shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto.
And even if you’re simply travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto and again (with out main day journeys), shopping for particular person shinkansen tickets is cheaper and also you’ll be capable to take the quickest Nozomi practice.
If you’re solely travelling in a single space of Japan, corresponding to Kansai the place Osaka and Kyoto are, paying for tickets individually will seemingly be cheaper than a JR move. You would possibly wish to look right into a regional rail move as a substitute such because the Kansai Space Go (though these have additionally had worth will increase).
If you’re on a very tight finances and are travelling at a sluggish tempo, it may work out cheaper to take the bus. Willer gives bus passes from ¥10,200 for 3 days of journey inside two months.
We a lot choose practice journey, although, because it’s quicker, extra comfy and spacious, we are able to work on the tables, and I don’t get journey sick (an issue on the bus on Japan’s winding mountain roads).
The place to Purchase a Japan Rail Go
Japan Rail Passes are offered by some journey brokers outdoors Japan, however the easiest method to purchase a move is on-line.
We purchased our passes for our final two journeys from JRailPass.com who’re an official JR Rail Go vendor. You’ll obtain an trade order that you just trade for the move if you arrive in Japan.
Another choice is Klook, which is the most suitable choice for Australians as they embrace free delivery inside Australia (or decide up from Sydney CBD).
The trade order should be exchanged inside three months, so don’t order too far prematurely.
Our buy with JRailPass.com was very straightforward. For every passenger you want the total title precisely because it’s written on their passport and their nationality.
You might be additionally requested for an approximate arrival date in Japan, however that is simply to allow them to make certain your passes will arrive on time. You don’t must resolve the precise begin date of the move till you get to Japan.
They will ship passes worldwide they usually normally arrive inside two working days, though ours took three days to Indonesia. On one in all our journeys we had been already travelling so we obtained the move delivered to our lodge in Bali.
There are additional bank card and delivery charges except your order is over $600 when there’s free delivery to the UK and Europe.
Within the US the passes are despatched by UPS and worldwide they use FedEx Worldwide Precedence. You might be given a monitoring quantity to trace the progress of the supply. Somebody has to signal for the supply.
Sending a Japan Rail Go to Japan
In the event you’ve left shopping for your move to the final minute, you may get the trade order despatched to your first lodge in Japan.
It’s greatest to test along with your lodge or Airbnb host first, nevertheless it shouldn’t be an issue with greater inns.
On our final journey we had been staying in an house in Kyoto for a month earlier than we began our two-week rail move journey.
As I wasn’t positive what would occur if we missed the supply (and we wouldn’t be capable to learn any notices in Japanese), the agent who managed the house agreed to obtain supply for us.
Shopping for Direct
It was you could possibly solely purchase a move outdoors Japan from an authorised agent, however Japan Rail now promote passes on-line (they stopped promoting them at sure stations). See the Japan Rail Go web site for extra particulars.
The draw back of reserving direct is having to cope with a considerably clunky web site (the place you must create an account).
The upsides usually are not needing to have an trade order mailed to you in your house nation (you accumulate the move in Japan) and with the ability to make seat reservations on-line (even earlier than you arrive in Japan), which may very well be helpful at very busy instances of 12 months like Golden Week.
The way to Alternate a Japan Rail Go
You don’t obtain the move at first however an trade order you can then trade to your move if you arrive in Japan.
A booklet with data on the place you are able to do this comes with the trade order.
We exchanged ours on the JR Rail workplace in Shinjuku Station and it was fast and simple.
We needed to fill in a brief kind and present our trade order and passports (don’t neglect to convey yours). You need to select the beginning date for the move inside the subsequent month and this could’t be modified.
If doable, it’s greatest to do that a day or so earlier than your first journey day so that you don’t have to fret about it on the day.
In any other case, be sure you enable loads of time earlier than your practice departs in case there are queues.
For native transport inside cities you should use the JR Rail Go on some practice strains however not the metro or buses.
As native transport isn’t very costly (excluding the quick airport trains), it may not be price activating your move till you allow the town. See above for methods to calculate this.
Tokyo Native Journey
In Tokyo, the Japan Rail Go is sort of helpful. You should utilize it on the JR Yamanote line, which is likely one of the most used strains within the metropolis and connects main hubs corresponding to Shinjuku, Shibuya and Tokyo Stations.
There are a selection of different JR practice strains that crisscross the massive metropolis—the Chuo line is one other one we regularly use.
You’ll be able to’t use a JR Go on the Tokyo Metro.
The move can be utilized on the Narita Categorical practice which is probably the most comfy and quickest technique to get from Narita Airport into the centre of Tokyo.
You’ll be able to activate your move on the JR Journey Service Centre within the airport practice station.
Kyoto Native Journey
In Kyoto, the move is of extra restricted use for native transport. You’ll be able to’t use the move on the metro or buses, however there are a few practice journeys you could possibly use it for.
You’ll be able to take the JR Nara line to Inari (to see Fushimi Inari shrine—one in all our prime issues to do in Kyoto).
You can even take the JR Sagano line to Saga-Arashiyama station to see the well-known bamboo grove and plenty of lovely temples on this neighbourhood.
If you’re flying into Kansai Airport close to Osaka, you’ll be able to activate your rail move on the airport practice station and use it for the Restricted Categorical Haruka practice, which is one of the simplest ways to get to Osaka or Kyoto.
Osaka
Though there are a number of JR practice strains inside Osaka, the Osaka subway is extra helpful for getting round, and this isn’t included with a rail move.
Native Transport Playing cards
As you’ll be able to’t use a JR Rail Go on many types of native transport inside the cities, if you’re staying for various days, it’s price selecting up a pay as you go IC transport card.
You add cash to those prematurely after which simply faucet on and off all native transport.
In Tokyo you should purchase a Suica or Pasmo card and in Kyoto and Osaka you’ll get an ICOCA card.
Whichever card you purchase you should use them in cities throughout Japan, so that you don’t want a separate card for Kyoto and Tokyo.
You used to have the ability to purchase them at ticket machines and counters in practice and metro stations, however gross sales are at present suspended as a consequence of a scarcity of IC chips.
Vacationers can nonetheless buy Welcome Suica and Pasmo Passport playing cards at choose stations and airports. They’re solely legitimate for 28 days although.
A better possibility is so as to add Suica or Pasmo to Apple Pockets in your cellphone or watch (at present solely Mastercard and American Categorical work as fee strategies for it in Pockets although).
The outdated IC playing cards included a ¥500 deposit, which you may get a refund for in case you return your card on the finish, however solely within the space to procure it. You’ll be able to’t get a refund for a Suica card in Osaka or an ICOCA card in Tokyo.
The vacationer playing cards don’t have a deposit.
Discovering Practice Occasions
Use Navitime to seek for practice instances. Bear in mind to click on the Vacationer Go dropdown menu and choose Japan Rail Go to have it present routes the place the rail move is legitimate.
Making Seat Reservations
You don’t must make seat reservations to journey with a move on most trains—you’ll be able to simply hop on any unreserved automotive.
Probably the most generally used practice that does require a seat reservation is the Narita Categorical from Narita Airport into Tokyo.
If you wish to use your move on the airport practice, you’ll be able to swap your trade order for a move and get the seat reservation on the airport JR workplace.
You most likely wish to make seat reservations when travelling throughout Japanese nationwide holidays—see this record of Japan vacation dates.
Seat reservations are free for rail move holders and could be made at any JR station ticket workplace—both on the counter or at ticket machines.
It doesn’t should be the station you might be travelling from, so it can save you time by getting a number of seat reservations without delay. Smaller stations can have shorter queues.
You can additionally make your first few seat reservations when exchanging your trade order for a move. We did this in Kyoto Station on our final journey, which saved time because the queues had been lengthy.
All you must do is present your move and provides them the practice time you need the reservation for.
Workers might communicate English, however I discover it useful to put in writing down the date, practice time, and route I need reservations for. That is why it’s greatest to analysis instances on Navitime prematurely.
Baggage Reservations
If you’re travelling on the Tōkaidō, San’yō, or Kyūshū Shinkansens and have outsized baggage, you’ll must make a seat reservation for the seats subsequent to the outsized baggage space on the finish of the practice automotive.
Baggage is taken into account outsized if it has whole dimensions (A+B+C) of over 160cm.
That is pretty beneficiant as most traditional suitcases are smaller than this. Smaller suitcases, together with any that slot in airline overhead compartments (together with our Away Greater Carry On), ought to match within the overhead compartments on shinkansens.
Even when your bag will not be outsized, you’ll be able to ebook an outsized baggage seat to have entry to the storage space behind the seat in case you assume you’ll have issues lifting your baggage overhead.
The way to Use a Japan Rail Go
To make use of the Japan Rail Go all that you must do is get on an unreserved automotive and discover an empty seat.
In 2023, the format of the move modified and it’s now a small scannable ticket that you should use within the computerized gates to entry the practice platforms.
You might also be requested to indicate the move on the practice.
If you find yourself travelling on a bullet practice you’ll be able to see which vehicles are unreserved on the screens, after which discover the corresponding quantity on the platform to see the place to attend.
The panels on the aspect of the carriage can even say whether or not it’s reserved or unreserved.
Trains are at all times on time so a 10-minute switch time is okay.
Japanese Practice Etiquette
The Japanese are usually a quiet and respectful folks and it’s vital to comply with these guidelines when travelling by practice:
- Be quiet – Preserve your quantity low when taking, don’t speak in your cellphone and ensure it doesn’t beep or ring. We even noticed indicators warning you to not kind too loudly in your laptop computer!
- No consuming – The exception is on bullet trains when shopping for a bento lunch field on the station is a giant a part of the expertise. On native trains we didn’t see anybody consuming or consuming something aside from water.
- Don’t smoke – Except there’s a chosen smoking automotive on the bullet trains.
- Don’t sit within the precedence seating – On native trains these seats are designated for the aged, pregnant ladies, and folks with disabilities. If the practice is quiet you’ll be able to sit right here, however be ready to surrender your seat if mandatory.
- Queue – There are designated spots to attend for the practice marked on the platform, so be part of the orderly queue.
- Be affected person – Stand to the aspect and await folks to get off the practice earlier than you get on.
Is a Japan Rail Go Price it?
On all our earlier journeys to Japan, we discovered a JR Go saved us lots of of {dollars} and made journey a lot simpler.
Whereas that has modified with the worth enhance, it’s nonetheless price contemplating a rail move if you’re doing lots of journey.
Even when a move prices about the identical as particular person tickets, the comfort of with the ability to hop on nearly any practice with out shopping for a ticket is price it.
Hopefully the information above will allow you to work out whether or not a Japan Rail Go is price it for you.
Let me know when you have any questions within the feedback under.
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