Japan Railpass Information
Please take a moment to read our Terms & Conditions.
Click here to view and buy tickets
.gif)
(Welcome)
Wonderful Japan...what about touring Japan using a rail pass? The Japan Railways Group offers you the flexibility and the choice of four different pass types, for unlimited rail travel in Japan.
To purchase your Japan railpass, scroll down to the price panel at the foot of this page and click buy on the pass you want.
Whether you have just enough time to enjoy a little of the country, or enough time to take in the entire Japanese nation - with all the beautiful cities and islands of this great country, we believe that the Japan railpass is right for you!
Everyone has heard of the famous bullet train but did you know there are at least seven shinkansen routes. Your railpass can cover most of them (excluding any 'Nozomi' service): the Akita Shinkansen (Komachi), the Tohoku Shinkansen (Yamabiko), the Yamagata Shinkansen (Tsubasa), the Joetsu Shinkansen (Asahi and Tanigawa), the Nagano Shinkansen (Asama), the Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi) and the San'yo Shinkansen (Hikari and Kodama).
The Japan Rail Pass is available to adult tourists with 'temporary visitor' visa status (people with working, student, trainee, entertainer, cultural or government visas are not eligible), and to children between six and eleven years inclusive.
The Japan Rail East Pass is also available to Young persons aged between twelve and twenty five years inclusive.
Japanese nationals currently residing in a foreign country, married to a foreigner and living abroad can apply for the Japan National Railpass only (they cannot apply for any of the regional passes).
Classes Of Travel
The pass is issued in Ordinary and Green classes.
Rules & Conditions
The Japan Railpass is valid for travel on all Japan Railways Group network, including the Shinkansen Super Express (also known as 'Bullet Train') - except Nozomi services. The pass is valid on services out of Tokyo Narita airport.
The Japan Railpass is valid on limited express trains (Tokkyu), express trains (Kyuko) and rapid trains (Kaisoku), and also on Japan Rail bus services as well as Japan Rail ferry services between Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi.
The Japan Rail Eastpass is valid on all 72 lines of East Japan Rail Co., including Shinkansen Super Express and local services - please note however that the JR Eastpass is NOT valid on the 'Tokaido' and 'Sanyo' Shinkansen services. The pass is valid on services out of Tokyo Narita airport.
The Sanyo Area Pass is valid for travel in the Sanyo area, i.e. Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, and on all Japan Railways trains in the area including 'Nozomi' and Haruka (to and from Kansai Airport).
The Kansai Area Pass is ideal if you are travelling in Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara and Himeji area including to and from Kansai International Airport.
The Kyushu Rail Pass is the railpass you need for the island of Kyushu in West Japan. It is ideal for travelling to places like Nagasaki, Suizenji Park, Kagoshima, and Obi Castle including travel on the new Kyushu Shinkansen train.
The Hokkaido Rail Pass is the railpass for the island of Hokkaido in North Japan. It is ideal if you only travel around Hokkaido, in places like Sapporo, Kushiro and Asahikawa. This pass is also valid on the bus lines of JR Hokkaido Bus Co.
You will be issued an 'Exchange Order' document which MUST be exchanged in Japan for the Japan Rail Pass at any Japanese Rail station. Please be aware that ALL vouchers must be exchanged prior to boarding the train.
When you book you must state the date you wish to start the pass, which MUST be within 3 months of the issue of the 'Exchange Order'.
Passes/Exchange Orders lost, stolen or validated/exchanged cannot be refunded. Refunds are only accepted on 'Exchange Orders' returned to RailChoice before the start of their validity. A 15% cancellation fee is charged on each 'Exchange Order' returned.
Refunds are not allowed on part-used passes.
Useful words
The following words might be useful once you are in Japan!
- Subway = Chikatetsu
- Station = Eki
- Platform = Platt-homu
- Ticket = Kippu
- Fare Adjustment Office = Ryokin seisanjo
- Dining car = Shokudosha
- Refund = Haraimodoshi
- Reservation = Yoyaku
- Travel Service Centre = Ryoko Center
- Reservation Office = Midori-no-madoguchi
- Super express (Bullet train) = Shinkansen
- Limited express = Tokkyu
- Express = Kyuko
- Rapid train = Kaisoku
- Local train = Kakuekiteisha
- Ordinary car/coach = Futsusha
- Green car/coach = Green-sha
- Dining car = Shokudosha
- Reserved seat = Shiteiseki
- Non reserved seat = Jiyuseki
(Thank you)
Japan National Rail Pass| 07 Days Ordinary - Adult | £143.00 | Buy | | 07 Days Green - Adult | £191.00 | Buy | | 14 Days Ordinary - Adult | £228.00 | Buy | | 14 Days Green - Adult | £309.00 | Buy | | 21 Days Ordinary - Adult | £291.00 | Buy | | 21 Days Green - Adult | £402.00 | Buy | | 07 Days Ordinary - Child | £72.00 | Buy | | 07 Days Green - Child | £96.00 | Buy | | 14 Days Ordinary - Child | £114.00 | Buy | | 14 Days Green - Child | £155.00 | Buy | | 21 Days Ordinary - Child | £146.00 | Buy | | 21 Days Green - Child | £201.00 | Buy |
Japan Rail East Pass| 4 Days Ordinary (Flexible) - Adult | £101.00 | Buy | | 4 Days Green (Flexible) - Adult | £142.00 | Buy | | 4 Days Ordinary (Flexible) - Youth 12-25 years | £81.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Ordinary - Adult | £101.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Green - Adult | £142.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Ordinary - Youth 12-25 years | £81.00 | Buy | | 10 Days Ordinary - Adult | £162.00 | Buy | | 10 Days Green - Adult | £226.00 | Buy | | 10 Days Ordinary - Youth12-25 years | £126.00 | Buy |
Japan Rail West (Kansai Area Pass)| 1 Day Ordinary - Adult | £11.00 | Buy | | 2 Days Ordinary - Adult | £19.00 | Buy | | 3 Days Ordinary - Adult | £26.00 | Buy | | 4 Days Ordinary - Adult | £31.00 | Buy | | 1 Day Ordinary - Child | £6.00 | Buy | | 2 Days Ordinary - Child | £10.00 | Buy | | 3 Days Ordinary - Child | £13.00 | Buy | | 4 Days Ordinary - Child | £16.00 | Buy |
Japan Rail West (Sanyo Area Pass)| 4 Days Ordinary - Adult | £101.00 | Buy | | 8 Days Ordinary - Adult | £152.00 | Buy | | 4 Days Ordinary - Child | £51.00 | Buy | | 8 Days Ordinary - Child | £76.00 | Buy |
Japan Rail West - Kyushu Island| 5 Days Ordinary - Adult | £81.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Ordinary - Child | £41.00 | Buy |
Japan Rail - Hokkaido Island| 3 Days Ordinary - Adult | £71.00 | Buy | | 3 Days Green - Adult | £101.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Ordinary - Adult | £91.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Green - Adult | £127.00 | Buy | | 3 Days Ordinary - Child | £36.00 | Buy | | 3 Days Green - Child | £51.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Ordinary - Child | £46.00 | Buy | | 5 Days Green - Child | £64.00 | Buy |
Enjoy!
|
