not everything can last forever 🥲🥲 let me know what you think about these changes and if you have any advice for fellow travelers in the comments!!

@galespressos

3 ай бұрын

get a camel?! just kidding. hard to know what is best. i think paying regular Shinkansen and avoiding killer travel is better.

@Chuck8541

3 ай бұрын

Not changing the price since the 80s? Didn't know that. This is a fair price hike. People that want the 'shinkansen experience' will still pay for it. Other travelers will find another way - like air travel. Factor in how weak the Japanese Yen is right now...more than fair price hike. Heck, this past year they were pinching pennies to print IC cards - and ultimately stopped. lol Nothing lasts forever, but the soul of Japan - and the things tourists want to do - are still there.

@luiscastillo451

2 ай бұрын

Does the jr pass include train bus and ferry???

@zaphod4245

2 ай бұрын

JR pass can still work on some trips, so not completely dead, but it's very situational and you need to do the maths to see if it's worth it. If you aren't buying a JR pass you should still buy tickets in advance, you can do this through JR Central's Smart-Ex (for the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu shinkansen only), JR East Ekinet, which you can book any JR East train (shinkansen and non-shinkansen), JR West booking service, which is the most versatile for most travellers, allowing you to book any JR West, Central, Kyushu or Shikoku train, and JR East trains in the Kanto area (again can be used for shinkansen and regular trains).

@croftholder

2 ай бұрын

I was told that the 2 main reasons for this price hike were: 1. the obvious inflation vs no price rise in 40 years issue 2. the overcrowding on the main lines like Tokyo to Osaka which is only exacerbated by the tourists riding so cheap. The government decided to look after its own citizens a little better. It all sounds fair to me, but it's a bummer for us Nihon-ophiles 😢

The calculator on the JR site allows you to plan out each trip/stop in your itinerary. The site also allows you to calculate the fares of each leg and they take a lot to add up to the 70k/110k/140k marks Allison mentions in the video. I have been planning a trip this year and the JR pass price marks are much better to simply pay per fare. It is unfortunate that the pass is so expensive now but as mentioned in the video, see if it is the answer for you, don't just buy it.

@sabinamller

2 ай бұрын

I did use that website a month ago to compare the options and unfortunately, the JR PASS is more expensive than getting single train faires for my travel. So I will not get the JR pass since it's not worthy in my case.

@trekkergal460

2 ай бұрын

Where is the calculator?

@Enshin1006

2 ай бұрын

​@@trekkergal460just Google JR pass calculator

@halbailman

2 ай бұрын

Allison mentioned the best calculator. It used to pay itself solely with return trip Tokyo to Osaka (or Kyoto), so two big trips. After that, all travel becomes free, including JR airport trains and local lines. Now you really need four big trips in a week for the pass to matter. Noting that while the trains are fast, you still commit much of the day to travel once you add transfer from hotel. So 3 hours Tokyo to Osaka is up to 6 hours door to door. I can't see any tourist travelling four days in a 7 day period.

@halbailman

2 ай бұрын

​@trekkergal460 Calculator doesn't matter. Unless you do four big trips in 7 days, the pass saves nothing. Most tourists typically do two big trips, Tokyo to Osaka and return, and that used to pay for the pass alone. Now it only pays only just over half.

Based on the web forums, they had interviewed a rail conductor in the JR Hokkaido region and he said they primarily raised the prices because of the overcrowding of the Tokkaido shinkansen line. Many tourists arriving into Japan typically only travel the Golden Route (Tokyo > Kyoto/Nara/Osaka > Tokyo). They don't travel anywhere else. Because of this, the Hikari and the Kodoma lines on the Tokkaido line are often overcrowded and many Japanese passengers were heavily complaining. These folks pay full priced fares especially all of the business folks traveling on that line. However, jacking up the JR Pass 70% fold is A LOT. What they could have possibly done was to reasonably raise the rates of the pass (maybe 30-35%) and then limit the times on when you can travel on the Tokkaido line during heavy congestion(say block travel between first train and say 1-2pm, and the block it again from 6pm to 9pm or of that sort). What JR also could have done was to sell the JR Pass at a lower cost (still raise the prices resonably) WITHOUT allowing travel on the Tokkaido line period. Trust me, there are no crowding issues on the Joetsu, Tohoku, Yamagata, Hokuriku, and Akita lines. JR has mentioned the increase of price of 70% is also a test to see if demand wanes. If it does, they mentioned they can still adjust the prices to try to hit a sweet spot. If is does not, don't be surprised if they raise the prices even higher.

@VanillaCoke1956

3 ай бұрын

I was lucky enough to be able to spend my sabbatical in Japan from June 2022 to May 2023, so I experienced a few months without "regular" tourists and then saw it ramp back up during my stay. I can absolutely understand their reasoning with the Tokkaido Shinkansen line. Since I counted as a resident for the time being, I couldn't buy a JR Pass so I usually travelled on Nozomi trains and once borders opened back up and my friends/mom visited me, I was "forced" to ride on Kodama and Hikari again and made my decision right then and there to never buy the JR Pass again. It's not just that the trains that are available with the JR Pass are crowded to hell, the behaviour some people show on those shinkansen is ridiculous. From being loud to putting their luggage behind the last row that is reserved specifically for the people that booked those seats and disregarding the AUDIO announcements regarding this exact thing, I've seen all the ugly that comes with the cheap JR Pass possibilities. The increase is steep and unreasonable still but to be quite honest - even for a 2 week trip to Japan that covered Tokyo -> Kyoto/Nara/Osaka -> Tokyo, the JR Pass wasn't 100% worth it even before this change. Now it's flat out garbage unless you pack in a whole lot of travel across the country within a 2 week timeframe (think Sapporo -> Hakodate -> Tokyo -> Kyoto/Osaka/Nara -> Kobe -> Hiroshima -> Tokyo).

@TheMangazixy

2 ай бұрын

They made the worst decision ever, because now that the JR Pass costs so much. People will ONLY go to Tokyo - Kyoto (cheaper without JR Pass). They would just not go to other places that they WOULD have visited if they had an unlimited Pass.

@user-kc1tf7zm3b

2 ай бұрын

@@TheMangazixy Worst decision for the foreign tourist, for sure, as the value proposition of the old JR Pass has vanished. But, it was the best corporate decision for the JR group as foreign tourists will still take the shinkansen for their trips, as for many, the bullet train is a main draw of travelling to Japan anyway. My guess is that the JR group will not lose foreign tourist revenue. Moreover, revenues would increase as the tourists still going to be shinkansen patrons anyway and just purchase individual tickets, or the JR Pass as the higher price. Plus, the JR group wins more domestic support from the local population as they know they are not paying less than the locals.

@tonisimeunic7717

2 ай бұрын

To be honest it sounds like collective punishment of Tourists in majority 😢 Well I understand their issues but those prices are ridiculous…and as you said it they could do way differently and achieve same or better results then rn. I am going in November to Japan and I will be whole month going through whole country so for me even the green 700€ pass still makes sense although I would pay last year for same pass almost 300€ less for 21 days. I did calculations and it would cost me perhaps 60€ less if I would take separate passes/ trips and for that hassle I am prepared to sacrifice 60€ just to have more convenient one ticket in all go:)

@user-kc1tf7zm3b

2 ай бұрын

@@tonisimeunic7717 “Collective punishment”? Get real. Business is business. JR Group is free to set their train fares to whatever the market can bear. Airline fares being inflated during peak travel seasons is an obvious example of this.

Really good information.thank you for sharing 🥰👍

This was very informative. Thank you!

Thank you for always making update videos! A lot of my friends ask me about Japan travel as I've gone a couple of times so I've just been linking these changes videos as all my knowledge was JR train pass based RIP ! Cheers!

@AllisoninTokyo

3 ай бұрын

rip to the 40 years of knowledge from the old jr pass 😞

@user-kc1tf7zm3b

2 ай бұрын

@@AllisoninTokyo Worst decision for the foreign tourist, for sure, as the value proposition of the old JR Pass has vanished. But, it was the best corporate decision for the JR group as foreign tourists will still take the shinkansen for their trips, as for many, the bullet train is a main draw of travelling to Japan anyway. My guess is that the JR group will not lose foreign tourist revenue. Moreover, revenues would increase as the tourists still going to be shinkansen patrons anyway and just purchase individual tickets, or the JR Pass as the higher price. Plus, the JR group wins more domestic support from the local population as they know they are not paying less than the locals.

i just want tot say thanks for all the videos, me and my mom are planning a trip to japan and they're very helpful! :)

Thanks for the update!

Thank you for the update!! What day trips would you recommend from Tokyo? ☺️

Arrigato Gozaimasu Allison!! Special thanks for the JR rail pass updates!! Your content is very beneficial for our family Japan trip upcoming November 2024!!

Super useful! Thank you Allison :) I really enjoy all your content.

you rock Allison! thanks for giving us info and options in post covid JR

Helpful vlog especially with our upcoming Japan trip! Thank you. 😊

Very helpful vid. Thanks for explaining

Thank you so much for this video! You saved me some precious Yen. I agree that the price update was necessary, but did it have to happen when I'm planning to go? 😅

Thank you for this video!

This is extremely informative and also humorous. Thank you very much!

Thanks for the information 🤔

thanks Allison! Very helpful. I am now looking at purchasing tickets for my family and our trip to Japan. Do you have any suggestions for doing this in advance and being able to select seats? I seem to make progress on certain sites but then I cant get to the next city. For instance we are looking at Tokyo - Nagano - Kanazowa - Kyoto - Tokyo actually, i just found Klook. Is that what you would suggest?

Hi Allison! Thank you for your video as I’m trying to do some research for my Japan trip later this year as far as train pass options go. Can I ask what you would recommend for a 18 day trip (7 in Tokyo, 4 in Kyoto and 7 in Osaka), with travel being confined to within those cities whilst there?

tks, that is very informative!!!

Very useful exactly what I needed rn ❤

Thanks Alison I needed this as I'm travelling in May. Any tips if I'm travelling from Tokyo to Nagoya. Return. I also got to use the pass in September before price went up.

Wow! A lot of great information. A bit confusing for sure 🧐 but definitely need to know for tourists 👏

This was the most EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE KZread video on one subject I have seen & heard. I absolutely love it !!! Thank you for no Baloney Sasuage. Lot's of edit stops and starts but done well...completely understandable. Just can't say enough. Current info for 2024 even better...WOW Blown away...it will take me awhile to land from this overwhelming delight. Seriously!

Thanks for making this video. We are planning to come from SFO via red-eye flight to Hanedo airport and then take the Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka station. Should I be worried about getting delayed when arriving in Tokyo station on reserved seats?

Thank you for your video. Do you know anything about luggage limits for the busses? I'm going to be transferring to a different region soon, so I have to basically fit everything I want to keep into the two suitcases I arrived with. They are airplane-friendly size.

Hello, Thank you, Allison😀: thanks to you and your videos I purchased the JR Pass in August and used it in November ( of 2023 ).

Good vid, ty.

I had no idea how complicated trains are in Japan. This is eye opening, thank you for being so informative!

Thank you, Allison. This is so informative. How about trains going to Hokkaido? How much would that be from Tokyo?

Thanks for sharing this info! I m planning a trip in nov and was thinking of making this Tokyo to Kyoto route, now knowing this, not going to happen any more😢

Thanks! Are the regional JR passes interesting if I want to stay at least 2 nights ( or even more) at one destination?

I wish they hadnt raised the price so much. Next time I will buy a normal return ticket when I go to Kyoto from Tokyo. I was in Japan in November last year and we luckily found out about the new prices just a week before they changed them, so we managed to get our JR passes at the old price. Love your videos 🙂

Went to Japan in November (bought the pass before the price increase) and we definitely managed to use it beyond it's value because we went to Hokkaido and Hiroshima. Booking seats on the bullet train in advance as a life and time saver!! You can do it at kiosks in most major train stations, and they have it in multiple languages so we just chose it in English and was good to go. The catch is you can only make seat reservations a few days in advance. If you need to make a seat reservation change, that's when you need to go see a ticket agent. Overall though, my partner and I don't think the JR passes are worth it anymore.We would most likely be getting regional passes moving forward

This video was so thorough, thank you! JR Pass has always confused me

@allisonintokyo can you tell me what is the best transportation we can use if we are coming from Fukuoka to Osaka? Our itinerary includes also Nagoya, Kanazawa, Yokohama and Tokyo. We'll be in Japan for 2 weeks and we are starting our journey from Fukuoka. I'd really appreciate it. Thank you.

Using the JR at present, it’s been great, the price did go up a lot end of last year, but for this trip, two weeks it’s been worth it as we traveled all over, the little local trips that are not included have been very cheap

Ótimo vídeo. obrigado pelas dicas.

Hi Allison, thank you for this video. I will be arriving in Tokyo on 3/22 in the afternoon from California and leaving on 3/31. My plan is to go to Kyoto and Osaka using the bullet train. Without the JR Pass, can I buy the bullet train 🚄 tickets (is that also the regional train?) and still can hop on or hop off the train just in case I missed the one I booked originally? What would you recommend given the places I want to go to? Thank for any suggestions.

We have opted to do both individual tickets and flights when we come over in June for 3 weeks from Australia. It didn't work out for us to use JR pass anymore. Going all over Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Kanazawa, and Koya-san. Flights were super cheap but factor in the cost of the train from and to the airport.

Hey! So I'm new to your channel and just wanna start by saying I love your videos! But I have a question, if you haven't already, could you make a video on how to become an English teacher for Japan? I currently live in arkansas in the US and am gonna be going to live in japan but I wanna become an English teacher over there just not sure on the progress 😢😅

Thanks for making this video; if I hadn’t seen it I would have probably purchased the JR pass. Is there any kind of app that calculates train prices for routes?

I just got mine and it’s really only worth it if you are taking a lot of Shinkansen in a short amount of time. If you are mostly staying local to Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka probably not.

So i have to pre reserve luggage space for the Narita express ti city when arriving in Tokyo?

Great info. I hope to visit Kumamoto & Yamaguchi someday.

Thanks for your video and information! We're going to visit Japan at the end of may and stay for two weeks at Tokyo. So visiting Studio Ghibli Park at Nagakute would cost already around 100€ one way, I guess. So for two person it would be already 400€ for traveling, making the JR pass more appealing since its just 200€ more and we could visit kyoto, osaka or the universal studio park aswell. What are your thoughts? thanks for your help!

Alison, I missed your videos! Also, my cousin and her mom are visiting in March (never once visited, don't speak japanese) and asked me for some advice, and can I just say, I love how you did the adding up with difference in regular tickets vs JR pass's new price. That's exactly what I did. They were like why do you have so much advice? Cause you're asking me damnit. People should *REALLY* watch these vlogs, even if you think you know everything, there's always some new stuff!

Hi, what would be our best option if we will be traveling from our accomodation near Narita airport going to JR Tokyo Station Marunouchi? We need to be there before 8AM for our day tour meet up.

Thank you very much for the information. We intend to visit Japan in November for about 2 weeks and do the "regular" trip that you mentioned - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka with an emphasis on fall colors - Japanese maple comes to mind. Would you recommend the JR pass in this case? We don't intend to changes cities every day, and hoping to do no more than 3 hotels locations.

Nice summary. One thing I would add is that there are only one or two Hikari trains per hour between Tokyo and western Japan whereas Nozomi trains run several times an hour. Back when the JR Pass started, Nozomi trains were the exception rather than the rule. Domestic flights can be booked using miles from United (ANA) or American (JAL). It may only cost 7500 miles one-way. It has become almost impossible to use miles to book flights between the U.S. and Japan at reasonable rates.

Here's a tip, if you send you luggage with Yamato for example from Tokyo to Nagano, you can even send it let's say 4 days before you leave Tokyo, offcourse you'll need to have to separate the needed amount of clothes for the remaining days in a separate backpack, but either way you'll travel with the essential. Once you arrive at Nagano, your luggage will be waiting for you in your hotel room like it happen with me when I did this.

Can you recommend what app on phone we can use to reserve your seat for the JR pass? or can you only do it physically

I'm wondering would it be worth to fly from tokyo (narita/haneda) to osaka, tickets are like 30 usd

Thank you

I'm leaving Japan after being there for a month and it is truly a super affordable vacation. Food is more than half off than the US and hotels are affordable too

Hi there, I have a question regarding the Yen. I know that the Yen is currently low right now, I'm just curious if the prices of goods and services increased in Japan?

So if you dont buy the JR pass or regional pass... do you recconnend using like a reloadabke card or just buying tickets that the station? Im still struggling to number crunch to swe if jr is even worth it (since im doing a few off shoots, and unsure how many legs are covered by jr) but well get there 🙃

Hello! Can i use the suica pass to travel long distance?

Well done Allison, Your maps very informative'. I was last there just before the price adjustment. My big trip was Tokyo to Kagoshima, Hired a car to drive to the James Bond monument at Bonotsucho Akime. Next one will be to Nagasaki.

I've been thinking of the JR Pass as we are going to be in Japan for 21 days. This is our second trip (we also went 20 years ago) but we also have teens this time. Planning to do Southern Japan (Tokyo, Kytoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and maybe Nagoya), Sendai, and Fukuoka (we're also planning to take the Jet Ferry to Korea). The numbers are close, but it sounds like I'm going to have to deal with the counter every time anyway for luggage/seat reservation, so it isn't really all that convenient. Is there any other reason that we should consider the JR pass? Is there anything we couldn't do because of it?

so im staying 4 weeks in japan, a week in tokyo then going to kyoto then osaka and back to tokyo . some day trips to disney worlds and USJ and idk what might be availaable. is it still cheaper to buy individual tickets ? I still didn't set a plan for the trip yet but i wont be traveling too far outside those cities. i dont mind a 2 - 3 hours train rides but nothing more than that

I am SO glad you posted this. Everyone was raving about the JR pass - "you can't go wrong they said". Yet I crunched the numbers for each trip, short and long and found no way to make the JR pass pay off. The only pass that works is two five day regional JR West passes. Other than that, it will be individual tickets. Much appreciated!

Hi! you still have a Code for VPN? thanks

The last time I went to Japan was in 2019 and I did buy the 7 day JR Pass. At the time it paid for itself with a round trip from Tokyo to Osaka and a day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima but at the current price I would not be able to justify it. Besides I’m a slower traveler and prefer to spend more time in a place and letting my whims set where I want to spend more time. When I go back in May I’ll do point to point travel

Great info update. I appreciate you taking time to get the word out. Side note: Your complexion looks really good with the green jewel tone shirt.

Thank you Allison for the super helpful information! Do you know which regional JR pass I should buy for these 3 trips: 1. Tokyo to Kyoto round trip and 2. Tokyo to Kanazawa round trip 3. Tokyo to Yokohama round trip? Thank you !!

@BlueSkyeDays.

3 ай бұрын

Don’t bother with the regional passes. Just buy the train tickets. The only one that covers those areas is the Osaka-Tokyo Hokuriku Arch Pass but it has a weird route that you have to follow.

@mcha226

2 ай бұрын

regional JR passes are for regions, so you usually plan your trip to be within the region. Your first two trips are across regions

Thank you so much for clearing this up! I was very confused about the difference between JR pass and normal fare. I was just wondering as a tourist, is it still recommended to get a Suica card to travel to different places? From my understanding you can load up money into it and use it freely from place to place?

@Mandooku

3 ай бұрын

Yes, suica is a must. It saves so much hassle when using public transit and can be used at vending machines and even many restaurants/stores

@kai-lele3328

3 ай бұрын

@@Mandooku Oh, that's handier than I thought! Thanks! So it's pretty much a universal card then in Tokyo? Don't you need a different card now in Kyoto/Osaka/Sapporo?

@AllisoninTokyo

3 ай бұрын

Definitely need a suica! They also have a visitor Suica too now you can get at major stations and airports 👍 Ditto to what jamamanaify said! You can use it most places in the country but some rural lines don’t accept and IC cards and some regional places only take their local brand of IC, but getting it will be super useful for 99% of trips 👯

I am arriving in Tokyo in the second half of April but haven't decided where to stay or what to do. I kinda want to see everything, but I also want to enjoy everything. I want to go to Hiroshima and Nara for sure, plus some of the smaller village places for hiking. Will be in Japan for 14 days. Pass or no pass?

JR pass was a godsend for us when we visited in 2016. The staff were super helpful and really nice. This reminds me of stuff that happens in the UK, especially where I live. The bus pass for a small town would increase every April, now since COVID its been February and April!

It was sometime after Japan opened the country back open for regular movement again. I remember reading that "they" were feeling overwhelmed with the influx of people. The price hikes for the JR was to discourage the massive wave of people exploring the villages that couldn't support that many tourist.

Most of tourist buy JR Pass typically only travel between Tokyo>Kyoto/Osaka and this make tokaido-sanyo shinkansen overcrowed. Thats why Japan increase the price of JR pass and introduce Hokoriku Arch Pass. With less cost than JR pass (around US$250) tourist can still travel between Tokyo>Kyoto/Osaka. The disadvantage using this pass is it would take longer route and time to reach osaka than JR Pass. Hokuriku shinkansen from tokyo the train ends in tsuruga station and you have to change using rapid train to osaka The advantage is you can visit new cities between tokyo and kyoto/osaka like nagano, kanazawa, tsuruga, etc

That sweater 👏 JR colours

The JR Green Pass is good stuff for cheap. The last week on a 3-week pass is basically the cost of 1 regular fare round trip anywhere and you can go the whole week in first class. Also, for those with a small budget, the Hokuriku Arch pass will get you to Kanazawa or Nagano on your way to Kyoto or Osaka (which you indirectly mentioned).

Luckly I was able to use the JR Pass when I went early last year. For my next time, I’ll probably look into the regional ones, if they don’t get a price hike, like the JR Pass.

I've used Shinkansen paper ticket non reserved many times with my large fabric suitcase just having it right in front of my seat with my knees right up against it. In the past with the JR pass I always used non reserved seating. My fabric suitcase was too big for the overhead shelving. All my 5 Japan trips were in winter within December to February.

How do you reserve the seats? For the luggage trains

Ahhh so many details! Taking like 13 teenagers from Aichi to Gifu in June... Sounds like we're reserving seats.

this was helpful, but I thought I read somewhere that the JR pass would also cover more lines locally? I'm there for roughly 20 days and im going coast to coast basically and a friend had said the JR pass might be better since it'll cover some regular trains in the tokyo area.

Hi Allison, I used the JR Pass this summer and very much got my money’s worth. Loved it. Great deal for the confused tourist. If I went back now I would just buy one way passes the day of the trip. Just to keep things flexible. Thanks for your help, I used you to research my trip 🇯🇵 🇺🇸

hey do you know where and if i can buy Shinkansen tickets in advance? 🙂

I was lucky enough to get a green JR pass last spring (2023). Even then, I think I remember hearing that a price hike was coming. It sucks, but your explanation made it make sense...can't believe I was taking advantage of 1980's travel prices! Next time I go, I plan on getting a regional pass. I want to see more of the Tohoku region, and Hokkaido.

I lived in Japan from 1999 to 2002. I am now, many years later, planning to return with kids. I was really (REALLY!) hoping to get this JR Pass. I could not get it when I was living there and I had to spend way more to travel around with friends. And now, just as I'm planning to return, the prices go up. Way up! Ugh. But I get it. You explained the history and all the alternatives very well.

I'm currently researching going to Kyushu for Cherry Blossom season, and I looked at trains, buses and planes. It turns out the domestic planes were the best option for me after quite a bit of study. I'm currently looking at the JR Kyushu regional pass versus buses to get around the island. You're right about the need to preplan the itinerary making this less of a holiday, and more stressful. Sounds like focusing on one region per trip will be better for travelers moving forward... Your video was the best on the subject of the JR Pass yet, so I do appreciate your explanation! ❤

@darrellmdrake

2 ай бұрын

As someone who has traveled around in Kyushu, agree heartily with the domestic flight option to get you there and back. Beyond that, unless you’re hopping around multiple prefectures and staying confined to the few big cities out there the whole time, you probably want to look into renting a car rather than relying on a rail pass or even public transit in general for such a trip. Especially if you’re traveling as a family or small group of friends. Times are changing and my experience could be dated but my guess is Uber and other ride or whole car sharing services are extremely sparse out that way. Of course for a couple day trips to popular spots like Beppu onsen regular fare on local trains and or buses should work out just fine too. If you’re a westerner and don’t visit Asia much be prepared to walk a bunch more than your average trip.

@flutingaround

2 ай бұрын

​@@darrellmdrake Oh my goodness, I just saw this comment! Thank you for the extra details. I will certainly consider a car rental for a few days at least based on your information.

I planned to travel to Japan in September for 21 days. 10 days tokyo, 6 days kyoto and 5 in osaka. Does somebody have a good advice for best spending on transportation?

I tried to reserve online 2 seats for a Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka (i land in toyko with a plane and i have my hotel in osaka) but i cant find a side that is not a "agency" that books the tickets for me. So i tried JR East side but i cant book a train to Osaka on their page... And i only book/buy tickets directly on the train companys and not some externals. Now i wonder if i can get 2 seats on the same day i arrive from tokyo to osaka x.x

If I skip JR pass, what is the best way to book individual rides? And how far in advance can or should I do it? Thanks

Overnight buses from Kansai, Hiroshima and Okayama area usually arrive between 6 and 8am, from Sendai and NAgoya 5-7am. If there is a delay,it's usually within 30minutes. I've used them regularly! Greetings from Tokyo, living here since 2014

where can I check out prices for regular bullet train tickets? I only found 1 site which showed very inflated prices, I dont think that was the right one

thank you for the travel tips i will stand with jr pass 21 days even it is expensive i will go to kyushu in the futur kansai and kanto for a month it is worrth !shinkansen sukidesu

Good thing they make it more expansive.

I am planning trip to Tokyo next year, I was looking at the JR pass as I planned trip to Furukawa and also Mount Fuji. Guess it’s now cheaper to just buy individual journeys. The price increase is crazy😱

For highway bus, you would need to be heavy sleeper I tired one to sendai and the driver wouldn't stop talking for 1 hour after the boarding and it's a bit tight I would recommend 3 seat layout never ever go for more and opt for toilet or you will be miserable

@AllisoninTokyo

3 ай бұрын

So true, they stop these buses all the time and make announcements and turn the lights on so they are impossible to sleep on if you aren’t a really heavy sleeper 🤧 tried once and never again

@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS

3 ай бұрын

Very helpful information, thank you very much for it.

My 2nd trip to Japan in a couple of weeks - got a 7 day JR Pass despite the crazy hike as it just about works out better for me (Tokyo-Fukuoka return via Hiroshima but will use the ferry and random trips all over). Also, it's actually slightly cheaper to buy it abroad from resellers - the ¥50000 is discounted slightly I believe (I got mine from Klook). Also, I found it easy to get seat reservation tickets via the machines with a JR Pass (did this loads last year) no need to visit manned booths...the hike is annoying though as it was so much cheaper last year!

Is there an app a tourist can download that they can scan to pay for trains, buses, and/or taxis in the Tokyo area?

I was in Japan for two weeks this past December. We visited 6 different cities and used public transportation the entire time. Our JR passes were absolutely worth it.

@mazinalansari88

2 ай бұрын

What do you suggest if I wanna travel for all districts except Shikoko and I wanna stay at least 2 days in each city?

@riffgroove

2 ай бұрын

@@mazinalansari88 You didn't say how many cities you were visiting.

I might take a day trip from Tsukuba to Osaka and back on a saturday during next business trip. looks like on google maps it would take 4 hours (includes time to get to bullet train in tokyo from tsukuba) and cost about 15,000 yen each way so no need for JR pass at the new price point. thanks for the info

Allison-have you ever used ferries to travel around Japan? Thoughts on them?

@AllisoninTokyo

3 ай бұрын

Yes, it’s a must to get to some islands! They are good, but note they are much more likely to not be able to operate in case of bad weather…but they are usually pretty good as long as you don’t get seasick 🤠

Thanks! I knew the JRP price went up, but I didn't realize it is so pricy now, so it's useless besically

Would you recommend single passes for Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima or JR pass for all??