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
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
Hi Takeshi,
thanks for providing very useful information on your website.
I’m planning to visit Japan with my family in May, and I’m considering whether it’d be more economical to use JR Pass. I tried Hyperdia but I’m still confused as to which are covered in JR Pass, and which are not.
Hope you can help me to clear things up.
Here are my planned route:
Day 1 – NAGOYA – OSAKA
Day 2 – OSAKA – NARA CITY TOUR – KYOTO
Day 3 – KYOTO – BIWA – TAKAYAMA
Day 4 – TAKAYAMA – SHIRAKAWAGO – KANAZAWA
Day 5 – KANAZAWA – KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE – MATSUMOTO
Day 6 – MATSUMOTO – MT FUJI – GOTEMBA – HAKONE
Day 7 – HAKONE – TOKYO
Day 8 – TOKYO – NAGOYA
Based on the above route, which pass(es) should I buy to be more economical ?
and which train should I take ?
Thank you so much in advance. 🙂
Hi Lilyana,
JR pass 7 days is the best choice. But as you guess, some part of your trip will not be covered by JR Pass. And also you have 8 days itinerary. One day will not covered by the pass.
First of all, use single fare on 1st day. And the rest of 7 days will be covered by JR Pass.
In your itinerary, these areas will not be covered by JR Pass.
Takayama – Shirakawago – Kanazawa
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/tips-for-japan-rail-pass/how-to-get-shirakawa-go-%E7%99%BD%E5%B7%9D%E9%83%B7.html
Toyama – Kurobe route – Shinano Omachi
https://jprail.com/destinations/chubu-area/tateyama-kurobe-alpine-route-one-of-most-spectacular-sightseeing-route-in-northern-japan-alps.html
Otuski – Lake Kawaguchi (Mt. FUji) – Gotemba – Hakone
https://jprail.com/destinations/chubu-area/how-to-use-japan-rail-pass-to-go-to-mt-fuji.html
Hakone – Odawara
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/tips-for-japan-rail-pass/how-to-get-hakone-from-tokyo-compare-japan-railway-and-odakyu-lines.html
And also when you travel in Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo and Nagoya, subway and non JR companies are not covered.
I recommend you to read the following posts:
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/tips-for-japan-rail-pass/how-to-access-to-takayama-by-trains-and-buses.html
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/tips-for-japan-rail-pass/guide-for-train-access-to-nagano-matsumoto-and-other-places-in-shinshu-and-surrounding-area.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hello Takeshi san.
Thank you for such an informative website.
My husband and I have a planned 3 weeks trip to Japan early next month. I
have booked all our accommodation. However I have not bought our Japan Rail Pass as yet because I am not quite sure which one to get. Looking at my itinerary below, can you advise me what is feasible? Is the JR pass the way to go? I realise there will be places where we have to take buses and non JR trains. We enjoy train travel and walking.
09/05 arriving Sydney/Osaka 8pm
10/05 Yamatoji Rapid service to Nara
11/05 Miyakoji Rapid service to Kyoto ( 3 nights )
14/05 Limited Express Thunderbird to Kanazawa (2 nights )
16/05 Limited Express Thunderbird to Toyama
Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route ( overnight stay at Midagahara Hotel )
17/05 JR Oito from Shinano-Omachi to Matsumoto ( 2 nights )
19/05 Matsumoto Electric train & bus to Kamikochi ( 1 night )
20/05 Nohi Bus to Takayama ( 2 nights )
22/05 JR Takayama Ltd Exp Hida /JR Taita/Ltd Exp Shinano & local bus to Tsumago (1 night)
23/05 Walk to Magome (1 night )
24/05 Bus to Nakatsugawa, Shinano Ltd Exp to Nagoya ( 1 night )
25/05 Super Exp Tokaido Shinkansen to Tokyo ( 1 week stay in Asakusa )
01/06 Asakusa to Narita Airport.
I would appreciate any suggestion re train journey and JR pass. I have not checked any timetable as yet. As most of the train journeys are not too long, I will most probably get the ordinary pass instead of the green.
Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope you can clear the cobwebs for me.
Kind regards,
Khairon
Hi Khairon,
Actually JR pass does not work for your trip. In my estimation, total fares and surcharge from KIX to Tokyo is roughly 35000 yen. It’s way cheaper than 14 days pass. Mostly your choice is single ticket. But you can use several deals in Kansai and trip to Kanazawa.
ICOCA and Haruka
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/icoca-and-haruka-ticket-very-flexible-and-good-deal-for-tourist-who-stay-in-kansai.html
It covers trip to Osaka from KIX and trip to Nara by ICOCA.
Kansai Wide Area Pass and Hokuriku Pass
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/the-newest-jr-west-rail-pass-for-kansai-and-okayama-kurashiki-kinosakai-and-shingu-area-kansai-wide-area-pass.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_hokuriku.html
These deals cover the trips from Nara to Kyoto and Kyoto to Kanazawa. Kansai Wide Area Pass is valid for 4 days. That’s why you can’t start to use it on arrival day.
And Hokuriku pass is the newest deal. The coverage area and price are very nice. However it’s very inconvenient to purchase this deal. You can’t purchase is in Kansai Area. You have to get off at Tsuruga on the way to Kanazawa for just purchasing this deal. 🙁
For the rest part of your trip, single ticket is your option.
Your itinerary is very organized. It’s good to go. But if you want to use JR Pass, you have to move a bit quicker.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi,
I was wondering if you know a fare calculator for osaka subway. I can’t seem to make hyperdia calculate the fare from shin-osaka to honmachi and honmachi to bentencho.
Thank you so much!
Hi Dianne,
Try to input Hommachi not Honmachi. I could find it.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi,
Firstly, great website!
I’m only planning to take a one way train from osaka to tokyo so for this i dont think JR pass is needed.
Is there a way of buying this one way ticket before arriving in Japan? If not, will there be availability if i was to book a ticket in Japan 2 days before travel? Is there an agent you recommend that could book this ticket and send to the hotel i stay at?
Kind regards
Masoom
Hi Masoom,
Thanks for your comment about my website! 🙂
As you think, single ticket is your choice.
Unfortunately there is no way to purchase or booking from outside of Japan. But as long as you don’t travel in peak season, such as new years/x’mas, mid August, you will be okay. You will get Shinkansen to Osaka from Tokyo. It is very frequent and easy to book. You can see the timetable at the following link:
http://english.jr-central.co.jp/info/timetable/_pdf/westbound.pdf
You don’t need to use any travel agent. Don’t waste your money. Just go to the station and purchase and book. That’s all you have to do.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/basic-informations/timetable-and-reservation/how-to-reserve-seat.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
We are flying into Haneda April 12 and need to get a train to Misawa – can you please advise as to the line we take, the route, and how we go about booking the reservations?
Hi Julie,
The easiest route is the following:
Haneda (Monorail) Hamamatsucho (JR Yamanote line) Tokyo (Tohoku Shinkansen) Hachinohe (Aoimori Railway local train) Misawa.
You can get the timetable at Hyperdia.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/basic-informations/timetable-and-reservation/hyperdia-perfect-guide-train-timetable-and-route-search-engine.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi-san!
Your website seems very helpful! However I can’t seem to get the Hyperdia fare calculation to work.
Will be going to Japan end of April, entering thru Nagoya. What route do you propose we use to go to Kyoto? If we plan to stay and tour in the areas of Kyoto and Nara only, is it still advisable to get a JR Pass?
Thanks
– J –
Hi Justine,
I recommend you the following:
Chubu airport (Meitetsu train) Nagoya (Shinkansen) Kyoto.
This is the fastest and easiest way.
But if you care about cost, Kintetsu Rail Pass Wide. It covers all part of your trip.
http://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/useful/ticket/rpw1-2.html
However when you get Kyoto from Nagoya, you have to transfer somewhere between Nagoya and Kyoto, at Yamato-Yagi or Ise-Nakagawa.
Actually this pass is most suitable for your trip. You can use this pass to go to Nara too. All you have to add is some deals in Kyoto. Because this pass does not deal any transportation in Kyoto city. You may add the deals at the link below:
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/transport.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi,
Just happen to drop by and saw a lot of useful information here.
I will be travelling to Japan in end of March and japan transport system really confusing me so i would like to check if there’s fastest and cheapest way from Hakone to haneda airport (domestic section)?
Many thanks for your help
Hi Sher Ee,
I think bus is the easiest, fastest and cheapest.
http://hnd-bus.com/route/hakoneyumoto.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi again Takeshi San,
Thank you for you useful information
After reading information which you kindly provide on website. I decide not to buy jr pass. I will buy only Shinkansen one way ticket. In that case, if I travel from Nagoya to ikebukoro taking two line jr and Shinkansen,do I need to pay a fare seperately ? Because hyperdia show a fare include in the same blanket, it make me confuse.
Thank you so much
Got
Hi Got,
You may purchase one base fare ticket and limited express surcharge. Please read the following link to get the details about single ticket:
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/for-non-jr-pass-travellers-guide-to-use-jr-single-ticket-basic-rules-validity-and-stopover.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi San,
I am confused with hyperdia. As a picture you have shown above, if i travel from tokyo to osaka, I have to catch 2 train shinkansen and jr kyoto right?
my question is, shinkansen and jr is different train line, do i need to buy ticket separately between shinkansen and jr or one ticket will cover all( because hyperdia fare was cover in the same blanket)
if i need to buy to buy ticket separately, where do i need to buy my second ticket? at transit station?
looking forward to hear from you soon
thank you very much
got
Hi got,
Shinakansen is a different train line but it’s owned by JR too. So it covers by JR pass too. The only train which is not covered by JR pass is Nozomi and Mizuho. Please see the details at the following link:
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/japan-rail-pass-user-guide-how-to-use-jr-pass-to-its-maximum.html
So basically you don’t need to purchase any extra ticket on JR Pass.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
I will be visiting friends in Totsuka, so need to take Narita Express from the airport. Then I will travel by train to see another friend in Kyoto. Do you recommend me to buy a JR Pass, or would it be cheaper to buy single tickets? Thank you for your help.
Hi Kendra,
If you meet the following, JR Pass will work:
1. You will come back Tokyo from Kyoto.
2. You will complete Narita-Totsuka-Kyoto-Tokyo in 7 days.
Otherwise single ticket is cheaper.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail