For non JR pass travellers. Guide to use JR single ticket, basic rules, validity and stopover

Fare table
2013.07.04
This is not a regular JR ticket but a typical JR train ticket looks like this.

I have received many inquiries about Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka one way trip. I always recommend to use a regular ticket for this one way long distance train ride, such as from Tokyo to Kyoto, from Osaka to Tokyo. Because this one way trip is not enough to get the worth of JR Pass 7-day. I have written the post about the fare calculation before.

Guide to plan your trip. Fare Calculation
This post explains you the information about the fare calculation of the trains in Japan.
jprail.com
2010.08.29

But I think this post was not enough to explain the fare rule. JR single ticket rule is very complicated for the tourists from oversea. But you do not need to know everything. If you understand some basic rules, single ticket is more useful and it gives you a trip at more affordable rate.

In this post, I will show you some basic rules of the regular ticket for the long distance train ride and how to use and purchase it.

How to purchase it

Simply you can purchase it at the station. If you make a short distance trip in the city or city to just outside city, you can purchase a ticket at the vending machine.

e.g.
Ueno to Tokyo (inside city)
Tokyo to Yokohama (city to just outside place)
Osaka to Universal City (inside city)
Osaka to Kyoto (city to outside place)

If you make a long distance trip, you still can buy a ticket at the vending machine. But the ticket window may be easier to purchase a long distance ticket for the foreign travelers. Especially if you intend to make a stopover on the way, you have to buy a ticket at the ticket window. Because you have to explain your trip plan.

If you want to take a limited express train, you have to purchase a limited express surcharge ticket too. Even if you want to take a non reserved seat on a limited express train, you have to purchase it. You can purchase both a reserved and a non reserved ticket for a limited express (the Shinkansen as well) at “Midori no Madoguchi”. Midori no Madoguchi is the name of JR reservation ticket window. You can purchase a base fare ticket at Midori no Madoguchi too. Please get the detail about reservation at the post below.

How to reserve a seat of Japan Railway trains at the station and online
Japanese train seat reservation is a bit tricky. The online reservation is very limited and you have to book it in most cases. This post explains you how to manage the booking.
jprail.com
2009.12.30

In the case of purchasing both base fare ticket and limited express surcharge ticket, you can purchase it in advance. An express surcharge ticket is on sale one month prior to a departure date.

e.g.
Tokyo to Kyoto travel on Dec 1
You can purchase the tickets after Nov 1.

You also can purchase the tickets at any JR stations if you buy both base fare and limited express surcharge at same time. For example, if you start to travel from Tokyo station, you can purchase it at Narita airport station on the day of arrival.

Base fare ticket can be purchased at any JR stations where station staff is on duty. There are many station without station staffs in remote area. In major cities and major stations, there are station staff. Even if you take a train at the station without station staff, you can purchase it from the conductor in the train.

How to get a fare

You can use Hyperdia to get the fare quite easily.

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
Click to enlarge.
Click to enlarge.

As you see above capture image of Hyperdia, you can get base fare and seat fare (includes surcharge). In this image, total fare is the following:

Base fare – 9560 yen
Shinkansen Nozomi (Tokyo – Shin-Osaka) – 5740 yen (reserved seat)
Ltd Exp Haruka (Shin-Osaka – Kansai airport) – 820 yen (reserved seat)
Total – 16120 yen

*The above image was captured in 2013. The fare was raised in April l, 2014 because of consumer tax was increased to 8% from 5%. The actual fare is different from the fare in the image above.

The price of Japan Rail Pass 7 days ordinary is 28300 yen. (New price is 29110 yen.) Total single fare is more than 10000 yen cheaper than 7 days pass price. This is the reason why I recommend to use single fare for Tokyo – Osaka one way transfer.

Validity

Please see the above capture image of Hyperdia again. You also can find a distance at Hyperdia. This is a key to use single ticket. Actually long distance ticket can be used in multiple days.

DistanceValid days
101 – 200 km2 days
201 – 400 km3 days
401 – 600 km4 days
601 – 800 km5 days
801 – 1000 km6 days
  • From 1001 km and up, add 1 day every 200 km.
  • If you travel more than 101 km but it is in Tokyo or Osaka zone only, ticket valid in one day only.

So in above capture image, distance is 613.4km. This ticket valid in 5 days.

Stopover

You can stopover as many as you want. Of course you cannot go back. Once you start to travel, you have to go forward. You have to care only one thing. When you depart/arrive to travel at the following areas, you cannot stopover in same areas.

  • Sapporo
  • Sendai
  • Tokyo 23 wards
  • Tokyo Yamanote line
  • Yokohana
  • Nagoya
  • Kyoto
  • Osaka
  • Kobe
  • Hiroshima
  • Kitakyushu
  • Fukuoka

These areas are same as city limit. I show you some examples.

1. Above ticket (Tokyo – Kansai Airport)
You can NOT – Stopover at anywhere in Tokyo 23 wards. For example, after you start to travel from Tokyo, you cannot stopover at Shinagawa.
You can – Stopover at Kyoto, Osaka and anywhere outside of Tokyo 23 wards.
By the way, you can start to travel from anywhere in Tokyo 23 wards.

2. Ticket from Narita airport to Osaka
You can NOT – Stopover at anywhere in Osaka city. For example, you cannot stopover at Shin-Osaka. Once you exit at any stations in Osaka city, your ticket will be expired right away.
You can – Stopover at Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya and anywhere outside of Osaka city.
By the way, when you travel through Tokyo downtown core, ticket will be calculated by the shortest route. For example, most typical route from Narita to Osaka via Tokyo, via Tokyo station and Shinagawa station. But if you want to go to Osaka via Akihabara and Shinjuku, you can take this route and stopover.

But in case of using limited express, you have to purchase limited express surcharge ticket for each segments.
ex) Tokyo – Osaka trip, stopover at Nagoya.
You have to purchase two Shinkansen tickets, Tokyo – Nagoya Shinkansen surcharge ticket and Ngoya – Shin-Osaka surcharge ticket.

Sample ideas

Please see above capture image of Hyperdia again. If you use this ticket, you can do the following itinerary.

Day 1 Tokyo – Kyoto (Stopover at Kyoto)
Day 2 Kyoto (no use single ticket)
Day 3 Kyoto – Osaka (Stopover at Osaka)
Day 4 One day trip to Kobe (purchase another single ticket.)
Day 5 Osaka – Kansai airport

When you arrive in Tokyo, you can use other deals, such as Suica & N’ex. And you have 5 days after you finish to see Tokyo. If you add Suica & N’ex one way ticket, total amount is 19620 yen. It is about 9000 yen cheaper than JR Pass 7 days.

I believe this is the perfect solution for Tokyo – Osaka one way travellers.

Comments

  1. Lee says:
    January 3, 2016 at 4:06 pm

    I appreciate the help. Do you recommend the JR pass or the single ticket?

    March 26 – Fly into Osaka (KIX). Stay at Hyatt Regency Osaka or a hotel by the Shin-Osaka station.
    March 27 – Leave to Kyoto.
    March 29 – Leave for Kawaguchiko Station.
    March 30 – Leave for Tokyo.
    April 5 – Leave Tokyo at HND.

    Can I make use of the stopovers and buy just 1 ticket from KIX to Tokyo, stopping over at Shin-Osaka, Kyoto, and Kawaguchiko Station before ending up in Tokyo?

    Thanks!

  2. Kim says:
    December 27, 2015 at 8:03 am

    Hi Takeshi San,

    I’ll be going Japan from 11-23jan 2016 and I am thinking if I should get a 7-days JR pass. My itinerary is as follows:

    11-15: Tokyo
    15-16: Hakone
    16-18: Kyoto
    18-19: Nara
    19-22: Osaka

    Based on the validity of the ticket, is it possible I purchase a single ticket on 16jan at Odawara station with end destination at Nara. Which means I can use the ticket to stopover at Kyoto and then Nara? Please advise me.

    Thanks,
    Kim

  3. Zunaira says:
    December 24, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    Couple of things I needed help with as JR pass seems very expensive specially when I am not traveling too much around Japan. We are in Japan from 12th January to 19th January. Hotel booked around Disney at Hilton Tokyo Bay. I have one day which I haven’t booked anything but would love to go to Mount Fuji before we head for Osaka. Since I have young children doesn’t want to travel that far but wants to go for couple of hours rather than a whole day trip. Any recommendations for that as to where to go for a Mount Fuji view & which train to get? Also, is it possible to buy a one way ticket online for bullet train from Tokyo Station to Osaka? We have a booking at one of the Universal Studios hotels please recommend which station to get off and what kind of ticket would be required for 2 adults, 2 children & an infant.

  4. Kayun says:
    December 11, 2015 at 6:17 am

    Hello!

    I will be arriving in Haneda airport on 16/12/15 and plan to go straight to Osaka until 25/12/15 where I will go back to Tokyo. Do you think i can purchase the ticket to Osaka on the day I arrive? Will there be seats?

  5. Sue says:
    November 28, 2015 at 7:02 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    I tried going to HyperDia to check the cost of my trip, but I couldn’t find the station for Kyoto. Would you mind giving me an advice on what sort of pass I should use if I were to travel from

    Kansai Airport -> Kyoto -> Osaka -> Tokyo -> Haneda Aiport

    It would be great if you could help me out. The information online on the different passes are really overwhelming.

  6. Jeannette says:
    November 26, 2015 at 9:46 am

    Hi Takeshi San,
    Your advice is great. But can I ask for your help? My husband and I will be in Japan 12/24/15-1/1/1016.

    12/24 arrive NRT
    12/25 Tokyo Disneyland
    12/26 leave for Kyoto

    I think we will stay a day or two.
    Then we also want to check out Osaka for a day. A friend suggested normal JR or Hankyu line to Osaka, then go back to Kyoto for the night. We still haven’t booked rooms, so we can either go back to Kyoto or stay in Osaka. Either one is fine, but I’m leaning towards staying in Osaka.

    12/28 or 12/29 go back to Tokyo
    1/1 leave Tokyo via NRT airport

    I was looking at the 7day JR pass, but do you suggest single tickets? Is it more cost effective? And how would you travel by single ticket?

    Thank you so much!
    Jeannette

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      November 26, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      Hi Jeannette san,

      I recommend JR pass. You may use the first 7 days or the last 7 days. But I think the last 7 days is better. Because there are lots of deals available for incoming passengers at Narita. But there is no deals to go to Narita.
      https://jprail.com/sample-itineraries/airport-access/narita/the-list-of-deals-for-access-to-downtown-tokyo-from-narita-airport.html

      If you use the pass for the last 7 days, you may take Narita Express by JR pass. Single fare is okay to get Disney.

      By the way, Tokyo Disneyland on Dec 25 will be super busy because of Christmas event. I strongly recommend you to purchase a ticket online in advance. They sometimes close the gate when too many visitors are there. But if you purchase the ticket in advance, you may get in even if they close the gate.

      I recommend you to book a hotel either in Kyoto or Osaka right away. It’s very busy and hard to book in these days. I think the rate is not very attractive in this season. But you may not have many choices.

      December 29th will be the busiest day because everybody go back to hometown to spend New Years holidays with family or friends. 28th is better to travel.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  7. Jovelyn Estrope says:
    November 22, 2015 at 3:24 am

    Hi Takeshi san,
    I would like to ask recommendation for my next year trip to japan. I was thinking to buy 7days jr pass but after reading your post i am thinking to get single ticket. Once i reach in Nagoya Airport around 4pm and transfer to nagoya station, can i buy JR single ticket going to osaka the same day? Below are my itinerary.

    Nagoya Airport to Osaka (March 30 – Same Day)

    Osaka and day trip to Nara & Kobe (March 30 to April 4)

    Osaka to Kyoto (April 4 to 7)

    Kyoto to Nagoya Airport (April 7)

    Thank you very much!

    Jovelyn

  8. Esther says:
    November 21, 2015 at 3:09 am

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I have read your article on JR single ticket with stopover.
    I would like to ask what is the advantage of buying the single ticket with stopover. For example,
    a) Tokyo, 7:20 –> Shinosaka, 10:15–> Kansai airport.
    The total reserved fare = Y15,930.
    You can stopover at different stations.

    If i buy a single fare ticket separately for,
    bi)Tokyo, 7:20 —> Shinosaka, 10:15 (Y14,250)
    bii) Shinosaka, 10:15 —> Kansai airport. (Y2,650)
    Total fare = Y16,900

    Option a) is only Y970 cheaper that option b). But, there is a limitation on the no. of days stopover base on the travel distance.

    Appreciate your guidance.

  9. Jimmy says:
    November 19, 2015 at 4:40 pm

    Hi Takeshi San, We are visiting Japan as a family of 5 from Dec 22 2015 – Jan 17 2016. I have 2 plans for your advise:-
    Osaka: We plan to spend 2 weeks in Osaka and visit Kobe (day trip), Kyoto (one over night trip), Nara (day trip from Kyoto) and Tenuji (day trip from Kyoto) and the rest of the time spent around Osaka, Would you recommend buying the 5 days Kansai Wide Rail Pass?
    Tokyo: We plan to spend 7 days in Tokyo travelling from Osaka to Tokyo and while in Tokyo visit Mt Fuji, Disney Sea and the rest of the time around Tokyo and Shinjuku. Would you recommend the 7 days JR rail (mainly for Osaka to Tokyo one way, Mt Fuji day trip and Disney Day trip)?

    Many Thanks
    Jimmy

  10. Tan says:
    November 16, 2015 at 5:57 am

    Hi Takeshi-san,

    I’m traveling from 25 Dec’15 to 4 Jan’16 and below is my draft itinerary: Day 1-5 – Osaka, Day 6 – Kyoto, Day 7-11 – Tokyo

    Based on my JR single ticket rule understanding, I can purchase the ticket on 28 Dec, making a stopover at Kyoto on 29 Dec, and carry on my journey to Tokyo on 30 Dec? Do you think it’s required for an advance booking based on the date?

    Thanks,
    Tan

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      November 16, 2015 at 12:37 pm

      Hi Tan san,

      It will not be the busiest day but reservation is recommended. No online reservation is available so you have to book it at the station after arrive in Japan. You don’t need to show your passport. In most of JR stations, there is reservation window that is called “Midori no Madoguchi”. You can purchase it there.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

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