Guide to plan your trip. Fare Calculation

dentaku calculatorFare table
2010.08.29
a0002_003051

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:

Hyperdia perfect guide, train timetable and route search engine
If you want to build your itinerary by yourself, Hyperdia will help you a lot. This site is transportation search engine. You can search the timetables and routes of all trains, flights and airport shuttle bus. But this site is a bit tricky and too many functions and options to you. This guide will help you to find the way to use this site.
jprail.com
2013.11.26

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.

For non JR pass travellers. Guide to use JR single ticket, basic rules, validity and stopover
The train ticket rule is very complicated in Japan. But you may have to use the regular fare ticket because it is cheaper than the rail pass. This post explains you the basic ticket rule as easy as possible.
jprail.com
2013.07.04

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. Jeff Lim says:
    May 9, 2016 at 3:06 am

    I will be traveling with my wife from July 23 to 31 in Hokkaido, Japan.
    July 23- arrive in New Chitose Airport
    July 24- travel from New Chitose Airport to Lake Toya
    July 25 travel from Lake Toya to Noribetsu
    July 26 travel from Noribetsu to Ashikawa
    July 27 travel from Ashikawa to Furano and back
    July 28 travel from Ashikawa to Sapporo
    July 31 travel from Sapporo back to New Chitose Airport

    Please let me know the cost of taking the JR lines.
    Thanks.

  2. Su Mei San says:
    May 5, 2016 at 3:48 am

    Hi Takeshi San,

    I am doing some planning for my Dec 2016 Ski trip, and am so happy to come across your website. Thank you for creating such a comprehensive and informative website for travellers! I am a rough Itinerary in mind, and would like to seek your opinion on the best way to travel:

    Day 1: Arrive Osaka
    Day 2: Osaka
    Day 3: Osaka
    Day 4: Leave Osaka for Kanazawa. Transfer to Nohi Bus to Shirakawago. Overnight.
    Day 5: Shirakawago to Tanayama, then back to Kanazawa by Train
    Day 6: Kanazawa
    Day 7: Leave Kanazawa to Iiyama/ Nozawa Onsen
    Day 8-day 13: Ski Nozawa/ Madarao
    Day 14: Leave for Tokyo
    Day 15: Tokyo to Narita

    I think I can use the Takayama-Hokuriku TOURIST Pass for the first 5 days? And single trips after that?

    Or is there another pass that is better for my travel? Appreciate your advice please. Thank you!

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      May 5, 2016 at 6:43 am

      Hi Su san,

      You are right. There are other rail passes but it will not work because you will stay in Nozawa for 6 days. As you think, Takayama Hokuriku Area Pass and single fare are the best choice.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  3. Chloe says:
    April 25, 2016 at 9:47 pm

    Hi, do I need a 7 day JR pass if my itinerary are as follow:

    day1. arrive Tokyo (Haneda)
    Day 2: tokyo Shirakawago – tokyo
    day 3: tokyo – Kyoto -tokyo
    Day 4 -5 : tokyo
    Day 6: Return home

  4. Linh Ho says:
    April 25, 2016 at 4:51 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    This will be our first trip to Japan and I was hoping you can help guide us on our itinerary. We really do not want to purchase a 14 day JR pass and wanted a better effective cost option.

    May 21-24 Tokyo
    May 24-26 Kyoto
    May 26-29 Osaka
    May 29-31 Tokyo
    (May 30th – Day trip to Mount Fuji – perhaps taking the bus?)

    I was thinking we can purchase a 7 day JR Pass starting May 24th (departing from Tokyo to get to Kyoto then going back to Tokyo on May 29th from Osaka) I calculated the 7 days and the JR pass will expire on May 30th. As for Mount Fuji, perhaps taking a bus for a day trip.

    Transportation from Narita Airport – we were thinking to take the skyline to go to Tokyo as well as going back to the airport.

    Does this sound like one of the better ideas? I know we will have to purchase like a pasmo pass for local transportation within the city. It’s just that the 14 day pass was a bit high.

    Thank you for your help in advance. I hope that wasn’t too confusing.

    Sincerely,
    Linh

  5. Brendan says:
    April 25, 2016 at 3:44 pm

    Hi Takeshi San
    I shall be Travelling from Sept 13 to 28 . My itinerary is as follows:

    13-14 Tokyo
    16-18 Kyoto
    19-20 Osaka
    21-22 Kobe
    23-24 Hakone
    25-28 Tokyo
    Pls advise the most cost effective option for us. Thanks!

  6. Carol Woon says:
    April 25, 2016 at 9:23 am

    Hi Takeshi San
    I shall be Travelling with my husband from 2 to 16 May. My itinerary is as follows:
    2 may arrive Osaka Itami airport
    2-4 May in Osaka
    5-7 May in wakayama
    8-10 May in Nara
    11-12 May in Kyoto
    13-14 May in Kobe
    15 May in Osaka
    16 May depart Osaka for home

    Pls advise the most cost effective option for us . All our hotels are within walking distance from the train stations. Also will rail pass also allows us to travel on the local buses and trains too.

  7. Kate says:
    April 24, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I’m planning to arrive in Tokyo on July 14th .
    Then travel to Kyoto on July 19th.
    Then travel to Osaka on July 21st or 22nd.
    After Osaka, I will take the plane from Osaka airport to go to Seoul.
    What would be the most cost effective option for me – the 7 day JR pass?

    Thanks in advance!
    Kate

  8. Eileen says:
    April 19, 2016 at 7:14 pm

    Dear Takeshi San,
    My itinerary as follows:
    Arrive Osaka – 13 May,
    Osaka to Takayama – stay night of 13 & 14 May in Takayama
    Takayama to Shirakawago – Stay night of 15 May in Shirakawago
    Shirakawago to kanazawa – Stay night of 16 May in Kanazawa
    Kanazawa – Toyama-Alpine Route- stay night of 17 May in Shinano Omachi.
    Shinano Omachi to Nagoya (maybe via Matsumoto & Kiso Valley) – and stay night of 18 May in Nagoya
    Nagoya to Osaka – stay night of 19, 20 and 21 May

    I only have to be in Osaka on the 20th. I would have like to stay one more night in central Honshu but was trying to maximise the JR 7 day pass which means i have to be back in Osaka by 19. Could you advise if there is any other passes that would suit me better and i can save money? Thank you very much Takeshi-san

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      April 19, 2016 at 11:03 pm

      Hi Eileen san,

      JR pass 7 days if only choice for your trip. There is no other better deals available unfortunately. If you stay in other places on 19 May and come back to Osaka on 20 May, even 7 days JR pass may not be paid off. And of course you have to pay extra for the trip to Osaka.

      If you want to save your cost, you have to be Osaka by the end of May 19.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  9. Alice says:
    April 9, 2016 at 4:46 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    Thank you very much for your advice. One last question, would you think it is better that i get a return trip from Nagoya to Gifu & Gifu to Nagoya at the Airport machine? I will be on my way to Gifu on 18 April and back to Nagoya on 20 April.

  10. Julie says:
    March 23, 2016 at 8:42 am

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I will be travelling with my husband to Japan from 2 May to 15 May. Our itinerary is as follows:
    2 May: Arrive at Kansai Airport
    3 May: Osaka >> Kyoto
    4 May: Kyoto >> Nara >> Kyoto
    5 May: Kyoto >> Hiroshima
    6 May: Hiroshima ferry to Miyajima
    7 May: Miyajima >> Kyoto
    10 May: Kyoto >> Hakone
    11 May: Hakone >> Tokyo
    15 May: Depart from Narita Airport

    What would be the most cost effective option for us- the 14 day JR pass? We are also aware we will be travelling a lot during Golden Week so will try to reserve our seats when we arrive in Japan!

    Thank you!

    Julie

1…2223242526…33
Copied title and URL