Skip to content
Katana AtlaseSIM

Type at least two letters. You can search in Spanish, Japanese or rōmaji.

JR Pass and rail passes

What the Japan Rail Pass is, when it pays off and which regional or city pass suits your route, with official prices and where to book.

Japan Rail Pass · all of Japan

Unlimited travel on almost all JR trains, shinkansen included, for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days. For foreign tourists only.

From ¥53,000 (7 days, adult)

See the JR Pass on 12Go(opens in a new tab)All Japan rail passes on 12Go

Is the JR Pass worth it?

Since the price rises, the all-Japan pass only pays off if you make several long journeys in a few days. The maths is simple: add up what single tickets for your long journeys would cost and compare it with the price of the pass.

  • Usually worth it

    Several long journeys in a week

    For example Tokyo → Kyoto → Hiroshima → back to Tokyo, or if you also head up to Hokkaido or down to Kyushu.

  • Usually not worth it

    Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, there and back

    A Tokyo–Kyoto shinkansen return costs roughly half the 7-day pass. If you make no other long journeys, single tickets work out cheaper.

  • Often the best option

    A regional pass

    If you stay within one area (Kansai, Hokkaido, Kyushu, around Tokyo…), a regional pass costs much less and covers what you need. The main ones are below.

Every city guide has train tickets to that city on 12Go: check their prices, add them up and compare.

Official JR Pass price

Ordinary
DurationAdultChild (6–11)
7 days¥53,000¥27,000
14 days¥84,000¥42,000
21 days¥105,000¥53,000
Green Car (1st class)
DurationAdultChild (6–11)
7 days¥74,000¥37,000
14 days¥116,000¥58,000
21 days¥147,000¥74,000

Official JR prices for purchases from 1 October 2026 through agencies such as 12Go, which charge them in your currency at the day's rate. The official JR booking website keeps the previous price for a limited time. Children under 6 travel free if they don't take their own seat. Prices checked on October 28, 2026.

How to buy and use it

  1. Buy it before you go

    Choose the duration and class and pay online. The all-Japan JR Pass is for foreign tourists entering Japan as a “Temporary Visitor”.

  2. Get the voucher or QR code

    For the all-Japan JR Pass you receive an Exchange Order by courier: keep it safe, without it there's no pass. Many regional passes arrive as a QR code or e-ticket.

  3. Exchange it on arrival

    In Japan you swap it for the pass with your passport at JR offices or machines in airports and major stations. The voucher must be exchanged within 3 months of being issued.

  4. Reserve seats and ride

    When you exchange it you choose the start date, and the days run consecutively. Seat reservations are free at JR machines and offices, and you go through the automatic gates with the pass.

Good to know

  • The fastest shinkansen, Nozomi and Mizuho, aren't included: take Hikari or Kodama, or buy a separate ticket for them in Japan (Tokyo–Kyoto or Osaka: ¥4,960).
  • It isn't valid on the subway or on private lines (Odakyu, Kintetsu, Tobu, Keihan…): that's what the city and company passes further down are for.
  • Start using it on the day of your first long journey, not when you land if you're spending a few days in Tokyo: that way you make the most of every day.
  • Around New Year, Golden Week (late April to early May) and Obon (mid-August) the shinkansen are packed: reserve your seats as early as you can.

JR regional passes

For getting around one area for a few days. Much cheaper than the all-Japan JR Pass.

Tokyo and around

Central Japan and Hokuriku

Kansai

Okayama, Hiroshima and Shikoku

Hokkaido

Kyushu

City and company passes

Subways, buses and private railways in one city or area; some include boats, ropeways or admission.

Tokyo and around

Kansai

Keep planning your trip

Sources: JR Central · Japan Rail Pass price revision (2026) · JR Central · NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket · Japan Rail Pass