Is The JR Pass Worth It?

Andrew Jung
Dec 30, 2018
4 min read

There are many questions about the JR Pass that people ask me all the time.

Here's five of the most common questions and answers about the JR Pass!

(TL;DR will be provided under each question!)

Question: What is the JR Pass?

japan rail pass photo of japan rail pass — JR Pass

TL;DR: A ticket that gives you unlimited access to JR trains in Japan.

The JR Pass is a ticket that gives you unlimited access on JR trains across the nation. Basically, this pass allows you to have free access to transportation on anything JR (with some minor restrictions).

Here are some of the basic rules:

The pass is restricted to Japanese Nationals
The Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen Trains are off limits
The Hakata - Busan Ferry is off limits

Basically, if it doesn't say JR, then you can't use the pass.

There are regional passes at a cheaper price as well. But, these can only be used within the region you purchased the pass for.

So, if you purchased a Hokkaido Pass (Sapporo) you would not be able to travel in the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe).

Simple enough, right?

So, let's say your traveling to just Tokyo on your trip to Japan. Then the Tokyo Wide Pass would be the best option for you. However, if you are traveling throughout the entirety of the country, you would need to purchase the National Pass.

Question: Where Can I Buy One?

TL;DR: Online (Jrpass.com) or in person at official sales offices (iace-usa.com)

There are actually many, and I mean MANY different ways to purchase these passes. A quick google search will flood you with options, but the best website that I've found is jrpass.com Here you can pick up your Pass and add on a sim card for your trip all at the same time.

Neat!

This site usually has the best price, and has quick delivery to your house! Keep in mind, what gets delivered to your house is a voucher NOT the pass itself. At the airport, all you need to do is present your voucher to the service desk for the real pass and you're on your way!

Now, if you're like me and don't like waiting there's actually another way. Some travel agencies like JTB, have offices around the United States that you can walk into, pay money and walk out with a voucher all in one day. However, some of these travel agencies can charge exorbitant fees on shipping (even if you're picking it up in office).

My recommendation would be IACE Travel. I love going to the office in D.C. because the people who work there are super friendly, and offer great travel advice and guides for free!

Question: How Much Does It Cost?

TL;DR: 7 Days is usually around $260 USD, 14 Days $412 USD and 21 Days $530 USD

The JR Pass actually has different lengths of time you can purchase it for. 7, 14 and 21 Days to be exact. These passes have different price ranges as well.

7 Days: $260 USD
14 Days: $412 USD
21 Days: $530 USD

These prices usually stay around the same, but sometimes they can fluctuate up and down depending on the current relationship between the USD and JPY.

The regional pass prices also vary greatly, but I'll list some of the more commonly purchased passes below.

Osaka-Tokyo Arch (7 Days): $219 USD
Kansai Wide Area (5 Days): $82 USD
JR East Pass (5 Days): $185 USD

Question: How Much Money Will I Save?

shinkansen ticket osaka japan to tokyo japan — Shinkansen Ticket

TL;DR: I saved roughly $500 USD with the JR Pass, but your mileage may vary

Now this question is hard to answer, but I'll do my best to paint the best image for you possible.

For my first trip to Japan, I went to two regions Kansai and Kanto. Super basic, yeah I know. But in order to travel between the two, I needed something fast and reliable. In comes the Shinkansen. The bullet train in Japan is a must try, because of its high speed and amazing comfort but also because of how fast it can get you from point A to point B.

For the math here, I'm going to do myself a favor and round up and down when appropriate. So, keep that in mind!

A one way ticket on the shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo costs roughly ¥14,000 or around $130 USD. That is more than half of the ticket cost alone! Furthermore, in the Kansai region I visited Kyoto and Kobe which would have required me to spend an additional ¥6,000 leading up to a total of ¥20,000 if not for the JR Pass. Also, in order to get around from place to place within each area I had to take JR trains. Which, isn't much in the long run but it really does add up! Each ride on a JR train is around a conservative ¥200 so on any given day at a minimum it would be ¥400 x 7 days = ¥2,800. Thus leading us to a grand total of ¥28,000 or about $260 USD.

So by just traveling bare minimum, it equals the amount you paid for it. That's a lot of money that can be spent on more important things... like Ramen.... mmmmm ramen.

ichiran ramen tokyo japan — Ichiran Ramen

Question: Is It Worth It?

TL;DR: Absolutely, unequivocally, yes!

No matter what your travel plans are, the JR Pass is a worth investment. Even if you aren't going to different regions within the country, there are multitudes of region specific options that you can choose from. If you want to get the best bang for your buck, I fully recommended you purchase a JR pass for your trip to Japan!

Save that money. Eat more ramen. Live happily.

OOF! That was an intense post. I'm glad that my fingers can rest easy. Hope you all find this information informative and sufficient enough to put your apprehension at ease. Let me know in the comments how much money you saved on transportation! Or, if you think that the JR Pass isn't worth it let me know why!

Until next time,

Andrew

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