rail pass for Japan

[SDJ]

does anyone have a link to a website with english info??? our trip consists of 3 nights in tokyo, 7 nights in Hakuba and then 3 nights in Kyoto so were trying to see if its gonna be cheaper to buy individual passes or get a 14 day pass.

any advice welcome

[skijacski]

http://www.japanrail.com/JR_japanrailpass.html

We used it last February and it was excellent, we went green (first) class and pre booked the seats on the trains, also non-smoking. Helped having all the room to put the gear!

We travelled from Kutchan to Kyoto in one day!

I used in the timetable area Hyperdia to figure out all the different times and trains, you need to know some of the towns, but we had a ball. We then travelled all over Japan on the pass, it also gives you JR buses, ferries and some city trains. Everything ran on time and was exactly like the schedule. There are quite a few trains you can use around Kyoto with the pass too.

Don't know about Hakuba.

[eckstar]

As sjs said , I think if your travelling all over japan it makes sense. At 1k aud for a 2 week rail pass ( first class ) , you would want to get your moneys worth.

[Paul Oberin]

We used it to get to Nagano on our way to Hakuba last year, you have to catch a bus from Nagano to Hakuba, the JR pass is also cheaper for certain age groups, I think it was for under 25 years old, that it was about $50 cheaper.

[Donza]

Originally posted by SDJ:
does anyone have a link to a website with english info??? our trip consists of 3 nights in tokyo, 7 nights in Hakuba and then 3 nights in Kyoto so were trying to see if its gonna be cheaper to buy individual passes or get a 14 day pass.

any advice welcome

I would buy the tickets invidually.
Considering a 14 day pass is around 45100.
NEX from Narita to Tokyo. around 2940
Tokyo three days. you won't use the pass. Well it would be over kill. Cause you'll only pay 800-1000 a day or so to ride the subways.
Tokyo_ Hakuba is around 8000.
Hakuba you won't use the pass.
Hakuba -Kyoto (on the Shinano - then Shink) is around 7000 or so from what I can tell.
Kyoto. I'm sure there would be cheap tickets.

So thats alot cheaper than 45100.

[Paul Oberin]

Last year the pass was only 20000, where did that figure of 45100 come from, also last year I used it over a month, not just 14 days.
There is no train to Hakuba, you have to catch a bus from Nagano.

I see where those figures came from now, I may have to do more research, that is way over a 100% price increase on last year, in fact by the time you convert the Dollar to Yen, the airfare with Jetstar to Japan is cheaper than the JR pass now. that is more than a 200% price increase in Australian dollars for this year.

[size="1"][ 06.11.2008, 12:42 PM: Message edited by: Paul Oberin ][/size]

[Paul Oberin]

I see you can't buy it in Japan, it now has to be purchased outside Japan, I wonder why it has gone up so much in one year.

[Donza]

Originally posted by Paul Oberin:
Last year the pass was only 20000, where did that figure of 45100 come from, also last year I used it over a month, not just 14 days.
There is no train to Hakuba, you have to catch a bus from Nagano.

I see where those figures came from now, I may have to do more research, that is way over a 100% price increase on last year, in fact by the time you convert the Dollar to Yen, the airfare with Jetstar to Japan is cheaper than the JR pass now. that is more than a 200% price increase in Australian dollars for this year.

Youre thinking of the 4 day non consectutive pass. That works on JR east trains only. Kyoto is another region so you'd need a all Japan pass- hence the 45100. Its all regions every day.
Its overkill in SDJ's case

Yeah its still the same price. (they actually had one for three days for 10,000).

[Donza]

There is a train to Hakuba too. Its slower than the Shink to Nagano. Though its ideal to go to Kyoto (via nagoya)

[Tobi]

Originally posted by Donza:
There is a train to Hakuba too. Its slower than the Shink to Nagano. Though its ideal to go to Kyoto (via nagoya)

I was just about to say this.

Gasboy & I did the slower way on the way to Hak and then the fast way back.