Japan Rail Pass

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Japan Rail Pass (ジャパンレールパス) is sold by the Japan Railways Group, and is good for travel on all major forms of transportation provided by the JR Group, with a few exceptions. The Rail Pass is designed to stimulate travel and tourism throughout the country.

Contents

[edit] Rail Pass

The Rail Pass comes in two varieties, one for each class of service, Standard Car (普通車, Futsūsha), and the first class car, Green Car (グリーン車, Guriin-sha). Furthermore, the pass is time limited based on the length of pass purchased. Three time periods are available: seven day, fourteen day and twenty-one day passes, which provide the user unlimited use of JR transportation services. The table below summarizes the prices for each pass. The amounts are listed in Japanese Yen. When purchasing the Exchange Order (see below), the purchaser will pay the appropriate amount in the purchaser's home country currency based on the current exchange rate.

Class 　　 7 Day 14 Day 21 Day
Green Car Adult ¥37,800 ¥61,200 ¥79,600
Child ¥18,900 ¥30,600 ¥39,800
Standard Car Adult ¥28,300 ¥45,100 ¥57,700
Child ¥14,150 ¥22,550 ¥28,850

[edit] Exchange Order

Example of an Exchange Order
Example of an Exchange Order

While the Rail Pass is sold by the JR Group, it is obtained by purchasing an Exchange Order from a travel agency located outside of Japan. The exchange order can also be purchased from Japan based airlines such as Japan Airlines (JAL, 日本航空) or All Nippon Airways (ANA, 全日空). You cannot obtain an Exchange Order in Japan.

The Exchange Order, itself, cannot be used for travel. Once obtained outside of Japan, the order is exchanged at a JR ticket office, usually at the Midori no Madoguchi (みどりの窓口). The exchange can be performed at designated major JR train stations (see below).

[edit] List of Exchange Locations

[edit] Valid Transportation

The pass is valid for travel on Japan Railways Group (JR) transportation throughout the country in the class of service indicated on the pass on the following lines:

[edit] Train

[edit] Bus

The pass is valid on the local routes of the following bus companies:

  • JR Hokkaidō Bus (JR北海道バス)
  • JR Tōhoku Bus (JRバス東北)
  • JR Kantō Bus (JRバス関東)
  • JR Tōkai Bus (JR東海バス)
  • West Japan JR Bus (西日本JRバス)
  • Chūgoku JR Bus (中国JRバス)
  • JR Shikoku Bus (JR四国バス)
  • JR Kyūshū Bus (JR九州バス)

[edit] Highway Bus

The pass is valid on the following Highway Bus routes:

[edit] Ferry

The pass is also valid for travel on JR Ferry service on the following route:

[edit] Conditions of Exchange

The Rail Pass is designed for tourist use, and therefore has conditions for its purchase and exchange.

[edit] Eligibility

The user must meet one of the following two conditions:

  • A foreign tourist visiting Japan, who has a passport bearing the Temporary Visitor (短期滞在, Tankitaizai) entry status stamped at immigration, and who can present the actual passport at the time of exchange. A photocopy of the passport is not acceptable.
  • A Japanese national living in a foreign country,
    • who is qualified to live permanently in that country, or
    • who is married to a non-Japanese residing in a country other than Japan.

[edit] Validity Period of the Exchange Order

The Exchange Order must be exchanged for a Japan Rail Pass within three months from the date the order was issued.

[edit] Exchange Procedure

  1. The person designated on the Exchange Order must apply for the Rail Pass at an exchange office, and there,
  2. Present the order, along with passport,
  3. Fill in the application form provided at the office, and then,
  4. Specify the desired first day of use, which must be within one month from the date of issue. For example, if the exchange is made on January 1st, then the date of first travel must be selected before February 1st.

[edit] Conditions of Use

The Rail Pass is good for almost all forms of transportation (train, bus and ferry) operated by the companies of the JR Group. However, there are exceptions and conditions of use of the Rail Pass.

  • The Rail Pass is non-transferable and can only be used by the person designated on the pass.
  • The user must present his/her passport upon request.
  • Seat reservations can be made without additional payment. Seat reservations can be made at all JR Ticket Offices, Midori no Madoguchi (みどりの窓口).
    • Use of a private compartment is not covered by the Rail Pass and requires an additional charge.
    • Use of a sleeping compartment on overnight trains (寝台列車) is not covered by the Rail Pass and requires an additional charge.
    • Use of the Nozomi (のぞみ) Super Express service is not covered by the Rail Pass and requires an additional charge.
    • Use of the Fukuoka to Busan hydrofoil ferry service is normally not covered by the Rail Pass and requires an additional charge. There however are exceptions as travel agencies in Korea sell special types of Kyushu Rail Pass (vaild within JR Kyushu network) which includes a round trip ticket on the hydrofoil from Busan.

[edit] Other Information

  • Normally the Rail Pass can only be purchased outside of Japan, but one exception was made during 2002 FIFA World Cup when the JR group sold the Rail Pass locally in Japan.

[edit] References