JR Pass- Is It Worth It?

       I’ve tested the JR Ordinary Pass over a period of 7 days trying out various modes of transportations nationwide. During my travels, my new Japanese friends all looked at my pass with awe follow with a sigh,

"only foreigners get all these great discounts". 

I was like HOW is this possible!? Then I found out that Japan citizens are only eligible to buy these passes if only they are living abroad for more than 10 years.

       So, if you are a foreigner visiting Japan for a vacation, consider taking up the offer! Now, let’s discuss a frequently asked question:

Does the Japan Rail Pass pay off under any circumstances?

       Honestly, the answer is no. Not always, but it is a valuable purchase if you plan your itinerary accordingly. I’ll break things down for you:

It WILL pay off if: 

✅You are a fan of train travels. 
It's an excellent way to see vast areas of the country

✅You are going to cover long distances in a short period
This is what I call the backpacker’s way: Going from cities to cities in a short period of time, staying only a night or two in each.
Situation: 
You are landing in Osaka, working your way up to Kyoto, Nara, Hakone, Tokyo, and then flying out from Tokyo.

✅You want to experience a Shinkansen round trip.
The 7-day pass costs about the same as a Tokyo-Kyoto shinkansen roundtrip ticket.
Situation:
If you’re going to travel by the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto, do some day trips out from Kyoto (eg: Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima), and then return to Tokyo in 7 days, this pass will bring you the best value.

✅You are basing yourself in a city, doing as much day trips as possible.
Shinkansen (bullet train) make previously impossible day-trips possible. This way, you won’t have to move your luggage every other day to a new location.
Situation: 
You can easily reach Kyoto from Tokyo in 3 hours with Hikari bullet train, so if you start your day early, you can arrive at 9.16 am, spend 10+ hours exploring the sights and then get on the 8.53 pm Hikari train back to Tokyo.

It WILL NOT pay off if: 

❌You are only doing urban travel
Most cities aren’t well served by the JR lines, but there are also cities that do, for example: the loop trains in Tokyo and Osaka. However, in my opinion, the Tokyo Subway pass and Osaka Amazing Pass bring much more value than the JR pass.

❌You prefer slow travel
You are interested to see everything in a place, immersing in the culture, joining a cooking class, taking a long stroll in the park… If you fall into this category, maybe a regional pass or city pass with flexible travel dates would benefit you instead of a wide country pass.

❌You are only visiting nearby cities. 
A regional pass is more useful.
Situation: 
You are basing yourself in Tokyo, visiting Kawagoe, Nikko, Kamakura, Kawaguchiko and Hakone.

❌You are traveling on a shoe-string budget. 
You are only visiting major cities and you have time to spare.
If you’re on a very tight budget, JR pass may not be for you since it is not exactly “cheap” in the first place.
First and foremost, you have to understand your own priorities. Are you willing to trade off time and comfort? If the answer is yes, Highway buses is a much cheaper way to go that distance. Not to mention getting to save a night accommodation!

How to check if you need a rail pass or not? 

Step 1: List out your key destinations 
- Your bucket list! what do you want to see on this trip?
Step 2: Plan out your route 
- You can search Japan Experience for ideas. or Click here for suggestions!

Step 3: write down the train journeys you are taking.
Step 4: Go to the Hyperdia website
- Find out the travel time needed, transfers and regular ticket prices of each journey.
- Always refer to the total price from the top ( which usually comprise of the train fare and seat price.)
Step 5: Add them up and compare the cost with the JR pass.

The advantage of having a JR wide country pass:  

🚄Wide coverage 
- With more than 20,000 kilometers of track, the majority of the country's most iconic landmarks are easily accessible via rails.

🚄Travel long distances within a short time
- on Shinkansen, saving you a heap of time.  

🚄Cost efficient 
- if you are taking a lot of train journeys.
- Flat-fee!

🚄hassle free 
- You won't need to buy tickets separately.

🚄Be as spontaneous as you want
- make side trips anytime at no extra cost.

🚄You can make seat reservations for free, staying away from the crowd.
- normally this is an additional cost but it’s an included service with the pass.

The disadvantage of having a JR wide country pass:  

Honestly, I can’t think of any.

How many days do you need it for? 

       Visiting Japan for 3 weeks doesn't mean you should buy a 21-day rail pass.
       When I was on a 3 weeks trip to Japan, I only needed a 7-day rail pass for the most expensive leg of journeys (I grouped them together to maximize the pass). So other days, I could travel slowly, visit 1 or 2 theme parks, explore the cities throughout and breathe in the culture.
       However, if travel exhaustion is not something you would worry about and you would like to see as much as you could in a faster pace, a 2 or even 3 weeks pass would make sense for the incremental cost get cheaper for each additional week.
       Remember, there is no right or wrong way of traveling. So don’t get pressured into doing what everyone else is doing.

The verdict: 

       For most of the time, the pass is worth having.

       Now that you've decided to get one, take a look at Japan Experience and choose your desired pass: There are ordinary (standard) and Green (premium) car to choose from, as well as the valid period (7/14/21 days)!

To learn more about the pass, read: Everything you have to know about JR Pass

To get itineraries, read: 

-----------------------

Follow me on Instagram if you would like to see more photos! 

📌For more travel tips, like Eat Love Travel Breathe with Miss HappyFeet. 

📌Subscribe to the monthly newsletter for exclusive travel deals, tips, free E-books, monthly giveaway and travel coupons! 

                                                                                     ----------------------

Thank You for Reading! 

This post is made possible by Japan Experience. 

As always, it is based solely on my honest opinion or personal experience.