Thus, when choosing between a Green Car and ordinary Japan Rail Pass, your decision comes down to this: ordinary passes are cheaper and allow greater flexibility; Green Car passes are more expensive and less flexible, but the seats and cars are significantly more comfortable and luxurious.
The Japan Rail Pass (also commonly called JR Pass) is a very cost effective rail pass for long distance train travel in Japan. The pass can be used only by foreign tourists and offers unlimited rides on JR trains for one, two or three weeks at a cost that residents of Japan can only dream of.
The most comfortable way of travel between Narita Airport and Tokyo Station is the JR Narita Express (NEX). The one way journey takes roughly one hour, costs around 3000 yen and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR Tokyo Wide Area Pass and some other JR passes. There are departures every 30 to 60 minutes.
This pass allows unlimited rides using reserved seats on the ordinary cars of the limited express trains (including Shinkansen), express trains, and local trains on JR East train lines, all the Izu Kyuko lines, all the Tokyo Monorail lines, all the Hokuetsu Express lines, the Echigo TOKImeki Railway line (between
The Japan Rail Pass covers JR local buses. You will see the JR logo on the bus and bus stops. Sadly JR highway buses can no longer be used with the Japan Rail Pass.
According to a study by the Los Angeles Times, the most current projected fare for the train, $86 a ride, would still be one of the most inexpensive high-speed rail trips on a per-mile basis. When funding for the project was first approved, however, tickets were projected to be closer to the $50 range.
Note that the cost of a normal one-way shinkansen (bullet train) ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto is Y13,080 and the roundtrip fare is Y26,160. An ordinary one-week pass is Y29,110. A one-way trip on the JR N'EX (Narita Express from Narita International Airport into Tokyo) costs Y3020.
Construction on the Tokyo-Nagoya line will begin next year and the train line will cost over $50 billion to put in place. The train will run at speeds of over 300 miles an hour and will cut the journey time to Nagoya to 40 minutes, down from 1.4 hours currently.
Most local trains carry only ordinary cars. On most local, rapid and express trains all seats are non-reserved. Seat reservations cost roughly 300 to 700 yen, but are free with the Japan Rail Pass.
These trains allow you to travel quickly overland, arriving at your destination by the following morning. Also, you will be able to sleep while you travel, more comfortably than on an airplane or an overnight bus.
You cannot take this train without a seat reservation. When you take the Shinkansen or the limited express train, you may have to book a seat because some trains require you a seat reservation. Though some limited express trains have some non-reserved cars, you should book a reserved seat if you can.
After purchasing a JAPAN RAIL PASS on the dedicated website, it is possible to reserve seats on the same website for Shinkansen and limited express trains.
The Shanghai Maglev Train, opened in 2004, is the fastest commercial passenger maglev in operation, at 430 km/h. In 2007, the Euroduplex TGV trains broke a record of 574.8 km/h, making it the fastest conventional-wheeled train.
The JR Pass affords access to five main Tokyo railway lines.You can reach Tokyo via many of Japan's Shinkansen lines. Within the city, the Tokaido Shinkansen makes stops at Shinagawa, Ueno, and Tokyo Stations.
JR Pass is valid on JR line trains. Tokyo Metro / Toei Subway is not JR (formerly Japan National Railway, divided and privatised in 1980s), so JR Pass cannot be used on those trains.
Shinjuku Station, Japan
With an average of 3.5 million passing through its doors every day, Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan, is the world's busiest train station in terms of passenger throughput.Rail is the primary mode of transport in Tokyo. Greater Tokyo has the most extensive urban railway network and the most used in the world with 40 million passengers (transfers between networks tallied twice) in the metro area daily, out of a metro population of 36 million.
The train and subway are the major public transport system used to travel around in Tokyo. Tourists opt to use the train or the subway for its convenience and inexpensive price. If you want to get somewhere farther that cannot be reached by walking or too expensive to take the taxis, taking the train is the way to go.
An IC card, or smartcard, is a rechargeable plastic prepaid card used in Japan to pay train, subway, bus and monorail fares, and for e-payment at convenience and other stores, vending machines, station coinlockers, parking lots, and more. Purchasing an IC card requires a 500 yen deposit, which is refundable.
JR Trains in TokyoJR Yamanote Line: Commonly known as the "JR Loop Line" or just "Loop Line," this line runs right around central Tokyo and connects most of the major hubs (the main exceptions are Roppongi and Akasaka). You are likely to be riding this line a LOT in Tokyo.
Tokyo and Kyoto are connected with each other by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen. Nozomi trains require about 140 minutes to reach Kyoto from Tokyo, Hikari trains about 160 minutes and Kodama trains about four hours.
The rail pass allows the unlimited rides on all JR Hokkaido Lines (except Hokkaido Shinkansen) within validity period. ・Reserved and non-reserved seats of temporary trains (limited express/rapid/local) on JR Hokkaido Line (*If you wish to take the SL Fuyu-no-Shitsugen Train, please purchase a reserved seat ticket.)
Taking any train on the Yamanote line is fully included in the JR Pass. Furthermore, this is the only line that connects all of Tokyo's most famous central stations such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ueno and Tokyo Station.
Sample daily budgets
| Single Traveler | Two Travelers |
|---|
| Low Budget | 3,500 - 7,800 yen | 7,000 - 15,600 yen |
| Medium Budget | 8,800 - 18,500 yen | 13,600 - 28,000 yen |
| High Budget | over 18,500 yen | over 28,000 yen |
Aomori literally means blue forest, although it could possibly be translated as "green forest". The name is generally considered to refer to a small forest on a hill which existed near the town.
To activate your Japan Rail Pass, please go to any JR office. They are spread through most Japanese Airports, such as Narita and Haneda. You can also find them at all the main train stations, located across the country.
Entry & Exit:You must have a valid passport and an onward/return ticket for tourist/business "visa free" stays of up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for the entire time you are staying in Japan. You cannot work on a 90-day "visa free" entry.
Buses in the 23 wards of Tokyo have a flat fare of 210 yen for adults and 110 yen for children. In areas other than the 23 wards of Tokyo, such as Kyoto, Osaka, and other regions, bus fares will change depending on how far you're riding, but you will usually end up paying around 200 yen.
The general rules of JR Group state that children from the ages of 6 through 11 are eligible for the discounted Japan Rail Pass. Those who are under 6 years old don't require a Japan Rail Pass as they can travel for free. However, seat reservations are not available for children under the age of 6.
Just as Europe has its famous Eurail Pass, so too does Japan have its own version: the Japan Rail (JR) Pass. Now, you don't need a pass in order to ride JR trains around Japan, but many foreigners enjoy the convenience of an all-you-can-ride pass to easily travel the country.
