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,
Im glad that i came across your site as i have been having confusions on which pass i should get, the 7 days pass or the 14 days pass.
Here’s my itinerary:
Day 1 – arrive in Tokyo
Day 2 Tokyo
Day 3 – 5 Sapporo
Day 6– Tokyo
Day 7 – Kyoto
Day 8- Osaka
Day 9 – Tokyo
Day 10 – Mt Fuji
Day 11. – Yokohama
Day 12- Tokyo
Day 13- Tokyo
Can i use JR pass in Sapporo?
Need for your advise,thanks
Regards,
Ayus
Hi Ayus,
Yes. You can use the pass in Sapporo. I think 7 days pass is for Day 3 to Day 9 is the best way to save your budget.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi,
Next month I will spending 2 weeks in Tokyo except to travel to Kanazawa and return 4 days later. I may take another short trip to Kamakura but it will be outside the 7 day time limit. I will get a Suica card on arrival at Narita and for all my other travel within Tokyo. I’ve checked the fares on Hyperdia and would like to know if I am correct in saying a 7 day JR Rail Pass would be around the same price as buying a return ticket to Kanazawa when I arrive? Am I right or should I get a the 7 day pass?
Many thanks, Colin
Hi Colin,
If you use JR Pass 7 days for just return trip to Kanazawa from Tokyo, single fare is about 2000 yen cheaper. Especially the fastest route to get Kanazawa is Joetsu Shinkansen and Limited Express Hakutaka combination. But Hakutata goes through non JR line partly. You need to pay extra. Please see the following post to get details:
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/tips-for-japan-rail-pass/how-to-get-kanazawa.html
If you pay single fare, this extra charge for Hakutaka is included. So if you use JR pass for other than trip to Kanazawa, JR pass may be cheaper than your total cost. It depends on how much you use the pass other than Kanazawa trip.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hello … I will be taking golf clubs with me, so I can take them on ANY trains ?
Hyperdia – they OK with golf clubs on trains ?
Will be traveling from Osaka to Omitsu …
Thanks
Mark
Hi Mark,
You can take it but space is very limited in most of trains.
See the following post:
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/travel-tips/baggage/managing-luggage-how-to-carry-your-baggage-on-board-and-how-to-store-your-baggage-at-the-station.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
[…] gentleman who is only too happy to answer in English your questions about the rail system: https://jprail.com/travel-informations/fare-calculation.html The Landscape of Saikai National Park, en route to Nagasaki Bio […]
Hi jprail,
Im glad that i came across your site as i have been having confusions on which pass i should get. Its gonna be my first time in japan and im planning to go there with my bf for my birthday. Ive been thinking about the passes for two weeks already and i still cant decide. I also want to ask for advise on where to stay based on my itinerary. Osaka or kyoto? Heres my itinerary:
Day 1 – arrive in osaka, go straight to kyoto (visit 5 temples and shrines) gion, fushimi inari
Day 2 – go to nara (am), explore osaka (pm), flight to tokyo
Day 3 – mt fuji
Day 4 – disneysea
Day 5 – explore tokyo
Thanks and more power to your site!
Hi Kat,
For first 2 days, use JR West Kansai Area Pass 2 days. You can go Kyoto, Nara and Osaka by this pass. You still may need to purchase Kyoto city pass for excursion in Kyoto because JR West Kansai area pass do not cover subway and city bus.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/how-to-choose-discount-railway-ticket-and-pass-in-kansai-area.html
For the last 3 days, I think JR East Kanto Area Pass is the best choice.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/jr-east-kanto-area-pass-perfect-choice-for-tourist-who-want-to-go-to-fuji-izu-nikko-for-a-day-trip.html
OR If you arrive/depart at Narita, you may use Mt. Fuji round trip ticket.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/fuji/index.html
You have to pay for the fare to Disney sea. But it cost less than 1000 yen from Tokyo.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
If we purchase a 14 day JR pass, what does it mean? Does the 14 days begin from the first time I use it, or does it mean I can use it any time for example in a month for 14 days on and off?
Hi Faith and John,
Please read the following:
https://jprail.com/how-to-buy-and-exchange-japan-rail-pass
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hello,
I am Heraa and I live in Beppu but I am a foreigner and cannot speak Japanese..
I want to go to t.Fuji so I am thinking to go to the Kawaguchiko Base. Can you please help me how reach the station from Beppu? By the way if you dont know Beppu is in Oita prefecture 🙂
I am planning to travel on 24th August. It would be awesome if you could email me the answer
Thank You.
Hi Heraa,
Don’t worry. I know Beppu. It is one of the most famous hot springs resort!
If you take a train, your route is the following:
Beppu -> (Limited Express Sonic) -> Kokura -> (Shinkansen) -> Tokyo -> (Local train or Limited Express Kaiji/Azusa) -> Otsuki -> (Fuji Kyuko railway) -> Kawaguchiko
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/sonic.html
https://jprail.com/trains/what-is-shinkansen-bullet-train.html
https://jprail.com/destinations/how-to-use-japan-rail-pass-to-go-to-mt-fuji.html
It is going to be long long trip. I estimate it takes more than 8 hours. If you are traveller and have Japan Rail Pass, train trip may be your choice. But you live in Japan. I think you should fly to Haneda from Oita. And then trip to Kawaguchiko. This is much faster and may be cheaper.
Check the timetable at Hyperdia. You may be able to compare several routes.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Just wanted to say thanks for your comments. I priced up an 8 day trip while over for Fuji rock using your technique but found a JR Pass was not worth it for me holiday.
Appreciate you trying to help foreign visitors spend wisely!
Hi Graeme,
Thanks for the comment. I’m very happy to heat that!
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi,
We are heading to Japan and want to know how if it will be cheaper to buy train tickets as we go or get the JR pass?
Our itinerary is Tokyo 2 days-Kyoto 4 days- Matsue 4 days- Osaka 3days-Koch i4 days-Osaka 1 day. We are there for 24 days with 4 of this days in china. the 3week JR pass is very expensive.
Many thanks
Jocelyn
Hi Jocelyn,
JR pass is not the best choice. You cannot get your money worth. Simply purchase single ticket for long distance transfer.
You can buy city pass for staying Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
https://jprail.com/destinations/how-to-choose-discount-railway-ticket-and-pass-in-kansai-area.html
https://jprail.com/destinations/subway-in-tokyo.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi 🙂
My boyfriend and I have booked an unplanned holiday to Japan.
we have booked it spontaneously so a lot of it has not been planned and neither
of us know japan.
We arrive at narita on the 20th of June… so in a few days…
So far all we really want to do is go to tokyo then kyoto and Osaka and then back to tokyo.
We aren’t sure if we should just pay normal rates for maybe over night bus or a night train
or even just a normal train fare to these places or buy a JR pass… although we are in Japan for 3 weeks…
Would it just be cheaper to pay for the ticket on the spot?
Hi Sonja,
If you stay in Osaka and Kyoto in 7 days and trip to Kyoto/Osaka by Shikansen, you can use Japan Rail Pass 7 days for this trip.
As I mentioned in the following post, Japan Rail Pass is not perfect choice in Tokyo.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/best-way-efficient-how-much-can-we-use-japan-rail-pass-in-downtown-tokyo.html
So you don’t need to use JR pass in Tokyo anyway. You can use subway line for exploring Tokyo.
If you want to take Overnight train/bus to Tokyo/Osaka, just simply pay regular fare. It is cheaper than Japan Rail Pass.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail