How to buy

Japan Rail Pass is sold at the authorized agent only. You will find the agent list at Japan Rail Pass official site. If you are in U.S. or Japan, you can order the pass online at MY JR Pass.com (by NTA America).

Basically you cannot buy Japan Rail Pass in Japan. But some of the agent can mail to you by Courier or Express post service. So if you have already arrived in Japan as temporary visitor, try to contact the agent in your country and make sure that they can mail it or not. If you don’t mind the currency exchange rate, you can contact to the agent in other countries too.

How to exchange

You can get “Exchange Order” at the time of purchasing. It is not an actual pass but a voucher. You have to exchange for an actual pass after you arrive in Japan. The validity of exchange order is three month from the date of issue. The pass is never sold out. So don’t buy it too early.

Exchange Order can be exchanged at the designated station. Narita airport, Kansai airport, Tokyo, Shinagawa, Osaka, Kyoto and more than 40 major stations throughout Japan are on the list. You can find the station list at Japan Rail Pass official site.

When you turn in, go to the station where I mentioned above, and show your passport and exchange order. You will get the application form and fill in. It is easy form to fill in. But I recommend you to download this form and fill in it before you depart. You can save your time at the time of exchange. You can download this form at Japan Rail Pass official site:Application for Japan Rail Pass Exchange (PDF file).

When you turn in the pass, you can choose the first day of use within one month from this day. And you will receive the actual pass with stamped that shows the start and finish dates. So technically the earliest day to purchase the exchange order is four month prior to your first day of use.

By the way, the definition of “1 day” is 00:00 to 23:59. If you start to use 7 days pass on April 1, your pass is expired at 23:59 on April 7.

How to refund

You can refund within one year from issue date before you turn in for the actual pass. Simply bring or send your exchange order to the agent where you bought it. They will subtract a handling fee and refund to you. The handling fee is usually 10% of the amount. Contact to your agent and make sure it before you refund.
You can NEVER refund after turned in the actual pass.

Lost or Stolen

Once you lost it, it’s over. Either an exchage order or an actual pass cannot be reissued. Be carefule to use!

28 Comments to “How to buy and exchange”

1. REX LEE says:

   March 21, 2012 at 10:08 pm

   Dear SIr,

   Does the Shinkansen support indepent capacity to stay big luggage ? Since I take the Sakura of Shinkansen in FEB , I could not see this place .would you please share me the relative information , it will be helpful for us to plan our next itinerary ,thanks.

   REX LEE

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     March 22, 2012 at 7:02 am

     Hi Rex,
     Basically most of trains do not have baggage space. But some of trains in Kyushu and Hokkaido, and airport access trains have a space for baggage.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
2. Mike says:

   March 21, 2012 at 5:29 am

   Hello, i will be going to Japan on the 28st of Match with 2 others, i would like to buy 3 7 day passes to use in our Second week to travel to locations around Tokyo ( i will be staying in Tokyo for the whole vacation of 3 weeks).

   I find many websites who sell these tickets online buy mainly when your are from america. Can you point me to a trusted site where i can buy these tickets from within Europe….

   With kind regards,

   Mike

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     March 21, 2012 at 7:07 am

     Hi Mike,
     I think ACP Rail is the best in Europe. JR East recommend this.
     And JTB, Nippon Travel Agency and Kintetsu are major travel agent in Japan. They are the trusted companies.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
3. Lee Kok How says:

   March 7, 2012 at 6:57 am

   Dear Sir/Mdm,

   Please advice me how to go Kyoto from Kansai Airport ? i arrive kanasai at following :

   Date : 9/3/2010 Time : 21:25pm
   Arrival : Kansai international Airport

   thank you

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     March 7, 2012 at 7:15 am

     Hi Lee Kok How,
     Please see the link below:
     http://jprail.com/destinations/how-to-access-from-kansai-airport-to-downtown-osaka-kyoto-and-kobe.html
     And you can get the timetable at Hyperdia. Please see the link below how to use Hyperdia:
     http://jprail.com/travel-informations/japan-railways-timetables.html
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
4. Mel says:

   March 6, 2012 at 7:20 pm

   Hi, I am wondering, is it possible to travel from Hakodate to Tokyo by night train. We will arrive in Hakodate on April 22, 2012

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     March 6, 2012 at 9:58 pm

     Hi Mel,
     Yes, you can. See the link below:
     http://jprail.com/destinations/overnight-express-train-hokutosei.html
     But it is very hard to book this train.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply