The Japan Rail Pass is one only on the routes of the state railway companies JR valid ticket that can only be used by bona fide Tourists, with the status “temporary visitor,”[1] is sold and entitles to free travel in the selected class during its validity. In terms of price, the booklet is one of the few bargains in an otherwise very expensive travel destination.
Generally
The just Passports obtainable abroad will initially be issued in the form of a 90-day voucher (exchange order) sold. This must be exchanged after arrival at certain train stations. The passport is checked to see whether the holder actually entered the country with the status of “tourist”. The validity begins on the day of the exchange. It should be borne in mind that in and around large Japanese cities a substantial part of the rail traffic is operated by private companies on whose routes the pass is not valid. Transport associations and transfer cards between companies are also unknown. It is therefore useful, e.g. when arriving in Tokyo Narita (NRT), do not exchange the voucher for the trip to the city yet, but only when you leave Tokyo by long-distance train, possibly after a stay of several days.
species
The English-language brochures from JR provide detailed and easily understandable information about the restrictions and conditions of use. There are basically two classes in Japan: “green car” is 1st class. The “gran class” of some Shinkansen may not be used with passports for 1st class either.
- Prices
(in yen, valid until March 2019; € 1 = ￥ 128, 6/16/2018)
- 7 days: I: 44000, II: 33000
- 14 days: I: 71000, II: 52000
- 21 days: I: 90000, II: 65000
Passes for 6-11 year olds cost half as much.
particularities
Shinkansen are subject to reservation. Such a reservation is similar to that in France for the TGV, possible without any problems at the train station until shortly before departure. The machines that are common today can all be switched to English.
Use of the Miyajima ferry operated by JR-WEST between Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi is included. The regional buses (without express buses) of the JR companies can also be used, as long as they are not special excursion bus routes. The ticket is also valid on some regional, privately operated routes. A complete list of this can be found in the brochure.
The ticket is not valid in the Shinkansen-High-speed trains of the very fastest category, such as Mizuho and Nozomi. Just as little on parts of the old line parallel to the one that opened in 2015 HokurikoLine between Kanazawa and Nagano. A Shin, “New” in the name of a train station indicates a special high-speed station that can be several kilometers away from the “usual” one. (The high-speed and regular rail networks are completely separate in Japan.)
In the event of an earthquake, all trains are automatically brought to a standstill from a certain strength. Normally, the journey continues after 90 minutes at the earliest. Even during the autumn typhoon season, rail traffic is prophylactically shut down in affected regions.
See also
Route maps in Japan for regional offers.
Web links
- www.japanrailpass.net (de.)
- Route network maps: ordinary trains and Shinkansen
- List of authorized sales outlets in Europe
- A similar offer for the private railways of the touristic interesting ones Kansai-Region (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara) is valid for 2 or 3 calendar days (including non-contiguous) Kansai Thru Pass.
- In Hokkaido there is the one valid for one week Hookaido Rail Pass only for foreign tourists 3-7 days ￥ 16500-24000, Japanese (or residents) receive the one-week Hokkaido Free Pass (北海道 フ リ ー パ ス; 2015: ¥ 26230), which is not available during peak hours of the Golden Week in May, Obon Available in mid-August and from the end of October and the first week of January.
Notes and individual references
- ↑If you use an automatic block on entry, you will not get a stamp in your passport. Either use a permanently manned automatic lock or ask an officer for a stamp.