Rail pass guide
A pass is worth it only when the single tickets of your trip cost more than the pass. Do the sums with the official fares.
Nozomi and Mizuho
- The Japan Rail Pass covers Hikari and Kodama trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen. A pass holder can ride Nozomi and Mizuho with a special ticket for each ride (JR Central).
- Adult prices of the special ticket: Tokyo or Shinagawa to Kyoto 4,960 yen, to Shin-Osaka 4,960 yen, to Hiroshima 6,500 yen.
- It is sold at reserved-seat ticket machines at JR stations, at JR ticket offices and at some travel agencies. You cannot reserve it online beforehand, and seats are limited.
Regional passes
- The Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass does not cover Nozomi or Mizuho. The Hokuriku Arch Pass covers the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Tsuruga and Tokyo, and not the Tokaido or Sanyo Shinkansen.
- Check the official page of the JR East Pass and the JR Tokyo Wide Pass.
Do the sums
- Add the single ticket fares of every leg of your plan, and compare the total with the pass price. Check the fares on the official site of each operator.
Passes in our data
| Pass | Days | Adult price |
|---|---|---|
| Japan Rail Pass 7 days, ordinary car, online | 7 | ¥50,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 7 days, Green car, online | 7 | ¥70,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 7 days, ordinary car, overseas agency | 7 | ¥53,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 7 days, Green car, overseas agency | 7 | ¥74,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 14 days, ordinary car, online | 14 | ¥80,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 14 days, Green car, online | 14 | ¥110,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 14 days, ordinary car, overseas agency | 14 | ¥84,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 14 days, Green car, overseas agency | 14 | ¥116,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 21 days, ordinary car, online | 21 | ¥100,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 21 days, Green car, online | 21 | ¥140,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 21 days, ordinary car, overseas agency | 21 | ¥105,000 |
| Japan Rail Pass 21 days, Green car, overseas agency | 21 | ¥147,000 |
| Kansai WIDE Area Pass, 5 days | 5 | ¥12,000 |
| Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku, 2 days | 2 | ¥7,100 |
| Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku, 3 days | 3 | ¥7,500 |
| Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass 5 days | 5 | ¥17,000 |
| Hokuriku Arch Pass 7 days | 7 | ¥35,000 |