Does the JR pass REALLY save money on Japan bullet train tickets? Is it worth it?! Japan travel tips

First a quick note! There was a major price increase in late 2023.

In the past, it was generally worth it to get a JR pass if you planned on doing 2 long distance train trips. But with this major price increase, this is no longer the case!

Below will give you an idea on how you can calculate your train trips to figure out on your own whether the JR pass is worth it for YOU. (In order to do this, you’ll need a basic idea of your Japan itinerary!)

You need to check the current price of a JR pass and calculate the cost of individual train trips as noted how below.
 

 

So you’ve booked your flight to Japan!

Now you’ve started to do the real research into your first trip to Japan.

And you’re starting to hear a lot about this “JR pass” aka Japan rail pass.

This tourist pass is ultimately designed for foreigners to be able to get around quickly and efficiently and save some money over buying individual train tickets.

If you’re trying to cover a lot of ground in Japan on the classic Japan golden route over a short period of time, that’s when you’ll really want to start looking into whether or not the JR pass is worth it for you.

It’s most ideal for people who are interested in taking the super fast trains in Japan – the shinkansen bullet trains.

The shinkansen train tickets cost more than local train tickets, but you’re basically trading money for time and comfort.

 

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The bullet trains will get you to your next destination quicker than other options, leaving you with more time to settle in to your new city or more time to get out and explore!

 

How do you know if a JR pass is worth it?

At what point is the JR pass worth the cost?!

If you plan on doing a lot of long distance train trips, a JR pass might be worth it.

A long-distance train includes routes like Tokyo to Kyoto or Tokyo to Hiroshima.

 

 

Not all shinkansen train routes are the same price, since the price is more or less based on the distance traveled. Some train routes are longer, and some are shorter.

JR passes are not just for long distance travel, but can be used on local train travel within a city too… sometimes! (If it’s a local JR train!)

Although when you’re making your calculation of if a JR pass is worth it, the most important consideration is the shinkansen train routes.

It’s more that if you happen to have a JR pass, at that point, you can look into which local trains you can use your JR pass on. So in making your decision in whether or not you want a JR pass, you can focus on the shinkansen tickets and long distance train trips.

 

 

What can you do with a JR pass?

Can you use the JR pass for local train travel?

The primary reason for getting a JR pass is to save money on the super fast bullet trains, aka shinkansen.

But you have the JR pass, so of course you want to maximize it when you have it!

The JR pass is not valid on ALL railway lines. It is valid on “JR” lines.

Local trains are run by different companies, one of which runs the JR trains.

There are also local JR trains.

So you can use the pass to take JR trains locally. For example, in Tokyo you may consider doing most of your sightseeing by taking trains on the JR Yamanote line. In Kyoto, there are some places that are convenient to get to by taking the JR train in Kyoto.

 

 

There may be some JR buses (not all) that you can use the pass for too. For example, there is a JR bus route in Kyoto.

 

 

But sometimes, a JR train is not always the most convenient way to get to a destination.

That said, sometimes the most convenient way to get around may not always be with your JR pass, so you may opt for other ways to get around locally.

For those situations, you’ll want to highly consider getting an IC card.

These are basically recharge cash cards and make it so you don’t have to bother with buying individual train tickets or paying for the bus fare with coins. You can just swipe through with your card.

 

 

If you’re flying into Narita airport or Haneda airport and Tokyo is your first stop, the IC card that you’ll want to get will be called suica cards or pasmo cards. It’s easy to get a suica card at Haneda airport for example. If you’re flying into Kansai airport and Kyoto or Osaka is your first stop, the IC card that you’ll get will be called an icoca card.

So to be clear, the purposes of getting a JR pass and IC card like a suica card or icoca card are different.

The purpose of a JR pass is to save you money for long-distance train travel on the shinkansen.

The purpose of an IC card like a suica, pasmo, or icoca, is to make it convenient to pay for local train tickets and local bus tickets. It won’t save you money.

 

More below on how to calculate whether the Japan rail pass it worth it specifically for YOUR trip to Japan!

 

 

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How to calculate whether or not the JR pass is worth it

1. See the current price of the JR pass
2. Check the shinkansen train ticket prices without a JR pass for your itinerary
3. Compare the prices!

 

So…

How much does a JR pass cost?!

 

Check the current price of a JR pass from an official JR pass vendor! (partner website)

 

Note the price in Japanese yen. (Because the train ticket prices you’ll look up will be in Japanese yen.)

If the price is not showing up in Japanese currency, there’s an option for you to change the currency.

Otherwise, you can google it.

For example, you can type into google “200 usd to yen” and it’ll give you the equivalent at the current exchange rate. It’ll work in the opposite direction too, for example if you type “20,000 yen to usd.”

In general, for easy calculation when you’re in Japan, you can think of 100 yen as being US$1.

 

 

How much do shinkansen train tickets cost for travel without a JR pass

 

One of the most convenient ways to check bullet train ticket prices on your own is by downloading the app called Japan Travel Navitime.

This is a GREAT app to have if you will be traveling Japan with a JR pass.

It is basically a public transportation app, and what makes it great is that you can filter it so that it will show you the best way to get around with a JR pass.

Another one of the most convenient ways to check shinkansen train ticket prices to calculate whether a JR pass is worth it is… google maps!

Images below are from the Japan Travel Navitime app, but you can basically do the same thing with google maps. You can’t differentiate by JR pass, but for research purposes it can work out well. It will tell you the estimated price of the train ticket, which is ultimately what you want to know. It can be great for quick and easy research purposes too.

One thing to keep in mind about google maps is that it defaults to the next available train. If you’re searching google maps when it’s night time, it might not give you the best results. In that case, just change the departure time to some time that is during the day!

 

 

But for the purposes of this exercise (to help you decide whether or not the JR pass is worth it), you don’t need to use that filter.

Instead, you can just keep it on the default and search your routes.

Then, it will tell you how much it costs to get from one place to another!

 

 

 

So…

What are some of the most popular routes for foreigners to take the shinkansen train?

The below screenshots were taken in early 2019. But things can change, so it’s always best to verify! USD prices are approximate.

But this can give you an idea of how close you may be to whether or not the JR pass will save you money and be worth it for your Japan trip itinerary.

Also keep in mind that these are ticket prices for a comparable train journey using the JR pass.

There could be cheaper options available for any given route if you don’t mind sacrificing some convenience, time, and comfort in the name of saving money.

For example, local trains will always be cheaper than the bullet trains, and there are also long distance buses.

 

 

Now…

How much does it cost to travel in Japan WITHOUT a JR pass?

These are some of the most popular routes to use a JR pass. aka some of the best places to visit for your first time in Japan!

 

Tokyo to Kyoto train

Cost without JR pass: US$125

 

Search the Tokyo to Kyoto train route on google maps: map

Tokyo has 2 shinkansen train stations: Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station. Which station is best just depends on where you’re coming from or where you’re going to.

Kyoto has just 1 shinkansen train station: Kyoto Station

 

 

Tokyo to Hiroshima train

Cost without JR pass: US$175

 

Search the Tokyo to Hiroshima train route on google maps: map

Hiroshima has just 1 shinkansen train station: Hiroshima Station

 

 

Kyoto to Hiroshima train

Cost without JR pass: US$105

 

Search the Kyoto to Hiroshima train route on google maps: map

 

Osaka to Hiroshima train

Cost without JR pass: US$95

 

Search the Osaka to Hiroshima train route on google maps: map

Osaka has 1 shinkansen train station: Shin-Osaka Station

 

 

Narita airport to Tokyo train

Cost without JR pass: US$30

 

There is no shinkansen train station at Narita airport.

Search the Narita airport to Tokyo train route on google maps: map

 

 

Kansai airport to Kyoto train

Cost without JR pass: US$20

 

There is no shinkansen train station at Kansai airport. There is a JR train between Kyoto and Kansai airport.

Search the Kansai airport to Kyoto train route on google maps: map

 

 

Kansai airport to Osaka train

Cost without JR pass: US$10

 

Search the Kansai airport to Osaka train route on google maps: map

 

If you’ll be going to other places, you can look those up using the app too!

 

HAPPY BULLET TRAIN TRAVEL IN JAPAN!