Japan Itinerary, need help with transport

Question

Hello, myself and my partner are doing a 35 day trip around Japan in a few days! We have been trying to research all online the best way to get around and have planned our route around the easy train system. We just aren’t sure if it’s worth paying the money for the JR train pass and was confused as the most days is 21 days…

Our itinerary is:

Narita Airport - Tokyo, Tokyo - Nikko, Nikko - Tokyo, Tokyo - Hakone, Hakone - Nagoya, Nagoya - Kyoto, Kyoto - Nara, Nara - Osaka, Osaka - Kobe, Kobe - Himeji, Himeji - Okayama, Okayama - Hiroshima, Hiroshima - Osaka, Osaka - Kansas Airport.

Would appreciate any help! We booked this trip sort of last minute as our plans had to change, so just trying to get as much info as we can before we go!

Thanks :)

mamajelli · Accepted Answer

You can do the calculation here. https://www.jrpass.com/farecalculator

The maximum you can get is for 21 days.

https://www.jrpass.com

With your schedule, I seriously doubt you will be spending ¥100,000 on trains within 21 days. You need to be going to Kyushu and Hokkaido and traveling all over the place to make it worthwhile. But DO use the fare calculator to figure it out.

mamajelli · Answer

Note that Hakone will be "Odawara" if you use the fare calculator and take the Shinkansen. You can also take the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku, and take the Limited Express Romance Car (reserved, express train) directly to Hakone Yumoto Station at the base of Hakone mountain.

You can purchase the Hakone Free Pass from Odawara, if you're planning to go to Nagoya afterwards.

https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/

I played with your itinerary and the JR Pass fare. NO, it's not worth it. Get an IC transportation card like SUICA or Pasmo. Since you are staying longer than 28 days, the regular card will be worth it. You can also download it onto your phone.

https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/pass/suica.html

https://www.japanlivingguide.com/living-in-japan/transportation/mobile-suica/

Edited: 1:14 am, May 11, 2024

DLi_hk · Answer

The national JR pass is unlikely to offer savings in your itin after the drastic price increase from last Oct. The 21-day JR pass costs JPY100K. Note that all JR rail passes do NOT cover any city subways in Japan.

Use this to evaluate on high level.

http://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/

OTOH, consider these rail passes for savings -

1. Tobu Nikko Pass

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_002.html

2. Odakyu Hakone Free pass

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html

3. JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Area pass - offers at least 15% for a round trip from Osaka to Hiroshima in 5 days.

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/kansai_hiroshima/

After landing in Tokyo airports, buy either SUICA/PASMO card for daily commutes on city subways, commuter trains and grocery shopping in Japan.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

Lauren N · Answer

Thank you SO much!

I had also done the calculator and seen it wasn’t worth it for the amount of time we’re there.

Thats’s such good advice about the suica cards etc I had planned on getting one of then.

Will research more into that from your links, thanks very much

Japan Itinerary, need help with transport - Japan Forum

Japan Itinerary, need help with transport

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