Guide to plan your trip. Fare Calculation

dentaku calculatorFare table
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This website shows you a lot of the train passes. But some of you plan to buy a regular ticket. Even if you will use the rail pass, you may have to compare the price of the pass and the regular fare to make sure that you can get the worth of it or not.

In this post, I would like to share the information about the fare calculation with you.

Hyperdia

You can get a fare very easily. (click to view larger image)
You can get a fare very easily. (click to view larger image)

This is the easiest way to get the fare and the timetable of most trains in Japan. Please refer the link below to learn more:

Google map

Google map can show you the train and the public bus routes. It also shows you the fare.

JR’s rule on passenger’s ticket

JR companies have the biggest train network in Japan. If you travel between major cities, you will take JR train in most cases.

The fare rule is so difficult to understand for the tourists from overseas. Even some travel agents in Japan do not understand the rule completely.

I wrote about this rule as simple as possible in the post below. You can learn the rule of purchasing and using a regular ticket.

JR company’s official site

Some JR companies have the timetable and fare search engine in their official sites.

JR Hokkaido official website

This website offers you the fare and timetable search of most JR trains.

JR West English website

This website offers you the fare and timetable search of most JR trains.

JR Shikoku English website

This website shows you the fare table of most of JR Shikoku lines.

Comments

  1. Derek says:

    HI Takeshi san,

    We will be traveling to Kagoshima in Kyushu next month. We will end our cycling holiday at Nagasaki.

    So how do I get to Fukuoka airport from Nagasaki via JP Rail, on 15 November 2014? We need to reach the airport by 3.30pm.

    Can we buy and confirm the train tickets online?

  2. Iris says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    Can you please advise which pass is suitable for the below itinerary.

    Day 1 (Tokyo)
    1. Narita airport to Tokyo Station (Express train)
    2. Ginza
    3. Ueno station – Ameya-Yokocho Market
    4. Asakusa – Sensoji Temple
    5. Odaiba (Entertaiment Island)

    Day 2
    1. Shibuya
    2. Shinjuku
    3. Tokyo Tower

    Day 3
    1. Disneyland

    Day 4
    1. Tsukiji Market
    2. Tokyo to Kawaguchiko Station (Mt Fuji)
    3. Fuji Visitor Centre
    4. Mt Fuji 5th Station
    5. Cable car ride > mt komagateke ropeway

    Day 5
    1. Mt Fuji to Shin-Osaka
    2. Osakananba station – Ebisu bridge, Dotonbori, Minami street
    3. Shinsaiboshi Station

    Day 6 (Shin-osaka to Kyoto)
    1. Gion District
    2. Bamboo Grove
    3. Fushimi Inari Shrine
    4. Kyoto Tower

    Day 7
    1. Nara Park

    Day 8
    1. Yodobashi Umeda
    2. Tenma Station – Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street

    Day 9
    Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport

    Thank You

    Best Regards
    Iris

  3. Rachael says:

    hi – i want to visit mount fuji/hakone national park from Nagoya the weekend of november 1st-3rd but i can’t find any information on how to get there! which is the best way? Help!

  4. Semmy says:

    Hi Mr. Takeshi,

    My wife and i as first timer travel to Japan alone, not with group. We will be in Japan from the 20 December 2014 until the 1 January 2015. My itinerary is as follow and we are planning to buy a JR pass. Our itinerary is below :

    20/12 Tokyo (Narita) in the afternoon – Kyoto (if possible we going with a shinkansen/JR?)

    21/12 Kyoto (explore kyoto)

    22/12 Kyoto – Osaka

    23/12 Osaka (explore osaka)

    24/12 Osaka – Sapporo (by Plane)

    25/12 Sapporo

    26/12 Sapporo

    27/12 Sapporo – Tokyo (is it possible if we travel to tokyo from sapporo with a train/bullet train by JR? or by plane?)

    28/12 Tokyo

    29/12 Tokyo

    30/12 Tokyo – Yokohama – Tokyo

    31/12 Tokyo – Mt. Fuji – Tokyo

    1/1 Tokyo – NARITA by train

    We need your advice for the JR pass.

    Thanks and regards,
    Semmy

  5. kakc says:

    Dear JP Rail/ Takeshi,

    please advise for this itinerary:

    I will come to Japan through Kansai arriving at 22.25 is it possible to go out from airport with trains to OSAKA?
    I will stay in HYOGO for 3 days and will try to have day trip to OSAKA, NARA, KYOTO ( should I buy JRPass or just buy single ticket)

    day 4 I will go to Mt Fuji and lake kawaguchiko can I take the train from SHIN FUJI ? Will I be able to use JR PASS? or just buy single ticket ?

    Day 5-7 go to TOKYO by train, what train? the one with the sign JR Pass?

    I have booked all my stay in Kawaguchiko ( will use the retro bus to go around the lake), and Tokyo i hope I can go around in Tokyo by train and walk

    Can you please give suggestion?

    Thank you

  6. Jie says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    Now I have bought the air ticket to Kansai Airport on 13September. We suppose to arrive at Kansai around 12:00.

    I still can not give up the idea of taking the train trip to Hakodate, hehe. As you suggested earlier, we will tavel as far as we can and then take the next date train to Hakodate. Is it easy to find the accommodation at Akita by the way?

    Also we need to buy a 7 days Japan rail pass soon. I am hesitating between the normal pass and green seat pass. I heard that not all the trains in Japan has green seats. How about the trains from Kansai to Hakodate? We will also take a few trains in Hokkaido. What do you suggest?

    Best regards,

    Jie

    • Hi Jie,

      You can find an accommodation in Akita easily. But Akita is a step away on the way to Hokkaido. You may need extra 1.5 hours to get Akita. Have you checked the trip to Akita by Hyperdia? You will get there around 23:00.
      Sendai, Morioka or Aomori are located on the way. If you really want to visit Akita, that’s fine. But I think it’s too much.

      Green Pass is recommended. Most of trains have Green seat on the way to Hokkaido and in Hokkaido. Please see the following:
      https://jprail.com/travel-informations/tips-for-japan-rail-pass/worthwhile-buying-green-pass.html

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

      • Jie says:

        Dear Takeshi,

        Thank you for your answers. You are so great! I have now read the information about the green seat from your site, it is really cool and I am going to get ourselves Japan rail pass with green seat:-)

        We will travel from Kansai Airport on 13September at around 13-14. Do you think it will be better for us to make an overnight stop in Tokyo instead of Akita? We really just want to have an overnight at some where on the way to Hakodate as it is not possible for us to get the overnight train such as Hokudosei/twilight. We hope that we can get to Hakodate as early as possible on 14September:-) I checked Hyperdia several times that the most faraway place that we can get from Kansai Airport the same day is either Akita or Morioka.

        What do you think?

        Thanks,

        Jie

        • Jie says:

          Sorry, I was being stupid!! Now I just realised that we can use JR pass on Hayabusa as well so we should be able to arrive at Aomori around 2200 at the same day!!!

          I have an irrelevant question. Is there any cheap accommodation at the Aomori station? Can we book it at the same day when we arrive at Kansai Airport? Best regards,Jie

    • Jie says:

      Dear Takeshi,

      I have now come back from Japan and would like to thank you so much for your kind advice and wonderful website.

      Our trip went really great! We had luck as well, all our trains arrived and departed on time. We travelled with trains almost every day and it is very easy to reserve the seats-)

      I can not wait going back to Japan travelling with those nice and comfortable trains again:-)

      Best regards,
      Jie

  7. Athena says:

    Hello Takeshi

    My friend and I are travelling Japan in 8 to 24 Dec this year. My itinerary is as follow:

    8-arrival in HND, JR pass activation
    9-Tokyo
    10-Tokyo
    11-train from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori to Hakodate, overnight in Hakodate
    12-train from Hakodate to Sapporo
    13-day trip to Otaru
    14-day trip to Furano or Ashikawa
    15-train back to Tokyo, train from Shinagawa to Shin-Osaka
    16-Osaka
    17-USJ
    18-day trip to Kyoto
    19-day trip to Kyoto
    20-day trip to Nara
    21-train back to Tokyo, JR pass expiration
    22-Tokyo
    23-Tokyo
    24-Departure at HND

    My worries are
    1) My return ride to Tokyo from Sapporo will bring me to Tokyo station in the late evening. The last time I checked hyperdia, the ride connects from Sapporo-Hakodate-Shin-Aomori-Akita-Tokyo which takes more than 12 hours. Can I assume that’s because JR hasn’t updated the trains schedule for Sept onwards hence the return ride is different? Which brings on to my next question…

    2) Judging how late I will return to Tokyo on the 15th, should I continue to my journey to Osaka (considering my butt doesn’t mind), or stay in Aomori or Akita before going to Osaka the the next day? I regard 15th as the ‘transport’ day so I do not mind spending a day just travelling in the trains but timing wise I am afraid especially during Winter where delays are not uncommon

    Of course, If I could get to reserve Hamanasu, I would check out the hostel on the 14th and spend the night in the train instead. Then on the 15th it’d be easier for me as well. If I try to reserve on the 8th (as soon as I arrive in Haneda), do you think its possible? Dream car cabin is good enough!

    Last for not least, is it better to purchase flights + individual train rides than to use JR pass? With the JR pass, transportation costs would be 46390 yen not including subway/metro trains in the cities. If I take the flying route, total air fare is around 29000yen not including all the train rides. I did a rough calculation but I am unsure of the amount I will spend in the cities so I am a bit lost on that. I figured that I would be using JR trains a lot so I might as well just buy the pass.

    Sorry for the lengthy comment! I try to be in control of the train schedules for interregional travel because my arrangement of the accommodation heavily depends on it!

    • Hi Athena,

      1) JR will make an annual timetable revise in October. But trip time is mostly same. You can make a plan by hyperdia now. You may need to make a small adjustment. But it will not be different so much.

      2) 12 hours trip is quite tough. I recommend you to stay somewhere on the way or taking Hamanasu. Dec 15 is before peak season. I think you will be able to book Dream seat of Hamanasu. In worst case, you can take non reserved seat because you will take this train at departure station, Sapporo. You will be able to secure the seat easily.

      3) I would like to make sure which flight route you can book at 29000 yen. If you can book the flight for Tokyo-Sapporo, Sapporo-Osaka and Osaka-Tokyo at 29000 yen, that’s a good deal. Otherwise JR Pass is better. Even though you can’t take subway in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, you can use JR Pass partially. And JR Pass is much easier and more handy to travel in Japan.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

      • Athena says:

        Takeshi, thanks a lot!

        Hmmm all right I think I will book a room in Aomori or Akita that allows free cancellation up to 8 Dec at least so when I know I cannot reserve Hamanasu I still have a back up plan, or when I do get to reserve I can cancel the room free of charge

        Yup 29000 yen is for Tokyo-Sapporo, Sapporo-Osaka and Osaka-Tokyo with LCC, not including baggage charges. And my friends who visited Japan with JR pass say that JR is only good for long distance travel, so the JR pass might not pay off and in fact it might be more expensive than taking planes. But then again I am taking day trips in Hokkaido – to Otaru and to Furano, and from Tokyo to Matsumoto, Enoshima, Takeyama so I am afraid the single trips might add up to a huge amount too.

        • Hi Athena,

          You need to add lots of extra. And also, airport is located out side of downtown. You needs to take a train or bus whenever you arrive/depart airport, Kansai, Shin-Chitose, Narita.

          Do you mean you intend to visit Takayama (not Takeyama)? Takayama is not very close to Tokyo. You have choices to take a bus or trains.
          http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/tokyo.html

          Matsumoto is on the way to Takayama. You can drop by there on the way to Takayama. But you will spend at least 25000 yen. So if you use LCC and bus/train, your total fares will be more than 50000 yen. I think JR Pass is better choice.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JP Rail

  8. Thuy says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    My husband and I will be in Japan from the 22 December 2014 until the 6 January 2015. I understand that this is a busy time for travel in Japan so we are thinking of getting a green JR pass to ensure that we have a seat on the train. Our itinerary is below. Can you please let me know if buying a JR pass will pay off or will it be cheaper to buy individual tickets and passes when we are there? As we are in Japan for more than 14 days I have been looking at your posts on the Tokyo Metro passes and am unsure of which one to get. Will the Tokunai Pass suffice for our first couple of days or should we buy individual tickets?

    Dec 22 – Arrive in Tokyo. Staying at a hotel close to Shinjuku Station.
    NEX ticket from Narita to Shinjuku. Then exploring Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku area, Shibuya and Harajuku.

    Dec 23 – Shinjuku Goen, Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Edo Tokyo Museum and Odaiba

    Dec 24 – Studio Ghibli then Tokyo Skytree

    Dec 25 – Tokyo

    Dec 26 – Day trip to Yokohama and Kamakura if there is time

    Dec 27 – Travel to Matsumoto

    Dec 28 – Travel to Takayama

    Dec 29 – Jan 2 – Kyoto, Nara, Kobe

    Jan 3 – Jan 5 Osaka

    Jan 6 – Leave Japan

    Will getting a JR pass even pay off for the amount of travel that we are doing?

    Thank you in advance,

    Thuy

    • Hi Thuy,

      First of all, JR pass does not pay off. You seem to leave Japan from Osaka. As long as only one way trip will be made from Tokyo to Osaka, JR pass does not work even though you drop by Takayama and Matsumoto. Even if you leave from Tokyo, you need 14 days pass to cover from travel to Matsumoto to come back to Tokyo. It will be more than 7 days. 14 days pass is too expensive for these trips.

      So single ticket will be your choice.

      And I think Dec 27 and 28 will be the busiest day. This will be the last weekend before New Years holidays. Everybody will get out from Tokyo to go back to hometown. The train to Matsumoto may be packed. So right after you arrive in Japan, try to secure the seat for this train. This is the most important and the first thing that you must do in Japan.

      Next, you can take Nohi bus to get Takayama from Matsumoto.
      http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/matsumoto.html
      Reservation is not required for taking this bus. That means first come first serve. I have no idea how early you have to show up at bus terminal. So after you arrive in Matsumoto, go to bus terminal (near Matsumoto station) and check how busy there are. If possible, purchase the ticket in advance and ask the staff how busy it is.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

      • Thuy says:

        Thanks for the advice Takeshi!

        We have actually changed our itinerary. Would you be able to look at it again?

        Dec 25 – Arrive at 7:20 am in Tokyo. Take NEX train to Shinjuku (1500 yen?)

        Dec 26 – Tokyo

        Dec 27 – Travel to Matsumoto. Round Trip from Tokyo.
        Is this possible? We want to see Matsumoto Castle and this is the last day it is open before the New Year break. Activate JR pass

        Dec 28 – Tokyo

        Dec 29 – Day trip Yokohama and if time permits go to Kamakura to see bronze Buddha

        Dec 30 – Day trip to Nikko

        Dec 31 – Tokyo

        Jan 1 – Travel to Takayama

        Jan 2 – 5 – Kyoto

        Jan 6 – Travel to Osaka

        Jan 7 – Osaka. Kobe for dinner

        Jan 8 – Nara day trip

        Jan 9 – Himeiji day trip. Last day of JR pass

        Jan 10 – Osaka

        Jan 11 – Leave Japan from Osaka

        Will a JR pass pay off?
        Are we able to book our tickets to Matsumoto at the airport?
        I understand that we have one day in Osaka after our pass has expired. What is the best way to get from JR Namba to Kansai Airport?

        Thank you again Takeshi! 🙂

        • Hi Thuy,

          Your itinerary is a good to go! Only concern is trip to Matsumoto as you think.
          You can book all trains at Narita. You can exchange the pass at Narita. You will start to use JR Pass on Dec 27. But you can exchange it in advance.
          And also you can book the train to Matsumoto online.
          http://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/common/Menu/Menu.aspx

          If you book it online, you have to collect a ticket by 9:00 p.m. (21:00, Japan Standard Time) on the day before departure. But you will be Narita two days ahead of trip to Matsumto. You have no problem with collecting a ticket at Narita. You can also book a ticket to Utsunomiya by Shinkansen on the way to Nikko.

          In this site, you can book only these two trips. You can book it at Narita for other trains. I recommend you to complete all bookings at Narita when you exchange JR pass.

          At last, you can use Kanku Chikatoku ticket or Rapi:t Tokuwari ticket to get KIX from Osaka. See the details at the link below:
          http://www.howto-osaka.com.e.iv.hp.transer.com/top/ticket/railway/

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JP Rail

  9. Amin says:

    Hi again Takeshi,
    Here is my plan. I will be arriving in Nagoya (Chubu airport) on 5th Sept 2014. I am planning to go to Toyama from Nagoya. I will be back in Nagoya on 9th Sept 2014. How do I go about? How much is the fare? please advise me. Thank you.

  10. Carrie says:

    I am trying to take an overnight train from Tokyo to anywhere near Hikone (maybe Kyoto) on August 30. However, I won’t have a Seishun 18 Kippu. Can I still use the Moonlight Nagara? How much do tickets cost if I don’t have the 18 Kippu?

    Is there another option besides the Moonlight Nagara? Since I can’t reserve tickets online, the earliest I could get tickets in Japan (for a ride on the 30th) would be the 20th of August, and that might be too late.

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