Peach Kita Hokkaido Free Pass user guide

peach airRail pass for residents
Cape Soya is northernmost point in Japan. (C) By Rsa [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

In this post, I will show you very similar deal which is Peach Kita Hokkaido Free Pass. This is designed for the trip to northern part of Hokkaido such as Wakkanai, Asahikawa, Furano and Biei. If you are under 25 years old, you can get this pass at U25 discount rate.

I would like to show you how you use this pass.

Overview

Peach Kita Hokkaido Free Pass is available exclusively for Peach Air arrival passengers in New Chitose airport. It is valid for 4 days which includes unlimited ride of any trains in the coverage area. This deal covers central and northern part of Hokkaido, such as New Chitose airport, Sapporo, Otaru, Asahikawa, Furano, and Wakkanai.

You cannot travel to eastern and southern Hokkaido by this pass, such as Noborbetsu, Lake Toya, Hakodate, Abashiri, Obihiro and Kushiro. You may use Peach Higashi Hokkaido Free Pass if you plan to travel to eastern Hokkaido:

Prices and valid period

This ticket is valid for any 4 consecutive days until April 4, 2021. But the last day of sales is March 31, 2021. Because you must complete your travel by April 4, 2021. However this ticket has been selling for the last few years. I expect this ticket will go on sale after April, 1, 2021.

The number of travelers has dropped sharply as a result of the spread of Covid-19. Therefore, in order to stimulate demand, JR Hokkaido has significantly reduced the charges after October 30, 2020.

Price (until October 29th, 2020)

DurationAdultU25Child
4-day13,15010,5206,570

Price (from October 30th, 2020 to March 31st, 2021)

DurationAdultChild
4-day9,8004,900
U25 price is not available for this duration.

Child rate is applied to 6 to 11 years old. Child who is 5 years old and younger is free of charge. U25 rate is applied to 12 to 25 years old. You have to prove the age by official documents, such as passport, driver’s license.

One day means midnight to midnight, technically 0:00 to 23:59. Even if you start using the pass at 23:00. you will spend one full day for just one hour. So try to start in the morning. It does not make sense to start to use in late evening.

You can start using the pass on the day of arrival or next day of arrival. You cannot choose later days.

Valid train and railway lines

Please see the coverage area map below:

Coverage area map (click to view large)

You can take any train’s non reserved seat in the coverage area. All limited express trains, rapid trains and local trains have non reserved seat. This pass does not cover any local bus services, street car and subway. Only JR trains are covered by this pass.

Common interior of non reserved seat of limited express trains (C) Rsa [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

If you want to take reserved seat or Green seat (1st class seat), you have to pay full charge of reserved seat limited express fee or Green seat fee. The extra fee is not the difference between reserved and non reserved. In this case, the pass covers only base fare ticket:

e.g.
Trip from Sapporo to Asahikawa
Green seat fee 4,550 yen
Reserved seat fee 2,320 yen
Non reserved seat fee 1,800 yen
Base fare 2,490 yen

The pass covers base fare 2,490 yen and non reserved seat fee 1,800 yen. If you take reserved seat, you have to pay 2,320 yen. The extra fare is not 520 yen (2,320 yen – 1,800 yen). If you take Green seat, extra fare is 4,550 yen. Again it is not the difference between non reserved and Green which is 2,750 yen (4,550 yen – 1,800 yen).

You may find some more information in regards to non reserved seat and reserved seat in the link below:

How to purchase Peach Kita Hokkaido Free Pass

This pass is available for Peach Air passenger only. There are some restrictions. Please see the following conditions. You must know these conditions before you use this pass.

  • This pass is sold at New Chitose Airport station only. You cannot purchase it at any other stations.
  • When you purchase this pass, you have to show Peach Air boarding pass.
  • The pass is sold on arrival day only. You cannot purchase it in advance. You cannot use the boarding pass of previous date. That means you have to buy this pass and start using it right after you arrive.
  • You can purchase one pass per one boarding pass. There is other deals, Peach Higashi Hokkaido Pass. But you cannot purchase both by one boarding pass even those are different kind pass.

You cannot get a pass until you arrive in New Chitose airport. You must start using it right after you purchase. Even if you arrive in late night, you will spend 1 of 4 days for several hours.

This pass is sold until March 31, 2020. The last day of using this ticket is October 3, 2018 and it is valid for 5 days. This pass is not available in winter period.

The route of Peach Air

Peach Air is most popular Japanese LCC (Low Cost Carrier). As of October, 2019, Peach Air operates the following route:

  • Tokyo (Narita) – Sapporo (New Chitose)
  • Osaka (Kansai) – Sapporo (New Chitose)
  • Sendai – Sapporo (New Chitose)
  • Fukuoka – Sapporo (New Chitose)
  • Taipei (Taoyuan) – Sapporo

Service routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Please confirm the updated timetable in the official sites: Please confirm the updated timetable in the official sites:

Peach Air

Eligibility

You must get New Chitose airport by Peach Air. Nationality and travel status do not matter. All you have to do is showing your boarding pass when you purchase it. If you live in Japan, you can purchase it. Of course Japanese can purchase this.

Compare regular fare and Peach Kita Hokkaido Pass

It is very easy to get the worth of this ticket. Please see the fare table on major segments.

SegmentTransportationFare
(one way)
JPN Yen
Sapporo – AsahikawaLimited Express
Kamui or Lilac
4,290
Sapporo – FuranoLimited Express
Furano Lavender
Express
4,290
Sapporo – New ChitoseRapid train1,070
Sapporo – WakkanaiLimited Express
Soya or Sarobetsu
9,930
Asahikawa – WakkanaiLimited Express
Soya or Sarobetsu
7,780
Asahikawa – BieiLocal train540
Asahikawa – FuranoLocal train1,070
Furano – BieiLocal train640

These above fare table is shown by the segment. If you purchase a regular fare, you may purchase just one ticket for several segments because you can make a stopover. Actual cost may be cheaper than these above fares. However you may use this table for rough calculation.

Anyway you may get the worth by only round trip to Wakkanai.

Sample trip plan by Peach Kita Hokkaido Free Pass

Summer scenery in Farm Tomita

If I use this pass, my trip plan is the following:

Day 1
Arrive at New Chitose in the morning.
Leave New Chitose for Asahikawa.
Stay in Asahikawa

Day 2
Sightseeing in Asahikawa.
Catch the last train to Wakkanai.
Stay in Wakkanai

Day 3
Sightseeing in Wakkanai.
Leave Wakkanai for Asahikawa.
Stay in Asahikawa

Day 4
Leave Asahikawa for Furano and Biei.
After sightseeing, go back to New Chitose or Sapporo.
*If you can stay more, you stay in Sapporo. I do not include Sapporo and Otaru on purpose even though those places are covered by the pass. Because Sapporo is very closed to New Chitose. It is not a good idea to spend one of four days coverage period. Otaru is very closed to Sapporo too.

This above plan is just one of the idea. You can use the pass as you like!

Assessment

If you fly in Hokkaido, this is a very good deal to explore Furano, Asahikawa and Wakkanai. Even for overseas tourist, this is an attractive deal. It is much cheaper than Hokkaido Rail Pass. Especially if you are eligible to have U25 discount, this pass offers a great saving.

Enjoy visiting Hokkaido at affordable cost by Peach Kita Hokkaido Free Pass!

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