Japan Rail Pass travel tips

If you visit Japan and wish to travel to multiple locations, the best start would be to buy a Japan Rail Pass, the rail-pass made especially for the foreign visitors. The JR Pass offers unlimited trips with the JR trains, with only a few exceptions (like the Shinkansen Nozomi and Mizuho services). The pass also includes most of the buses owned by JR (except for the express bus routes) and even some ferries (like the one connecting Hiroshima to Miyajima island).

However, the advantages of using a Japan Rail Pass depend a lot on your trip's plan, so here are some calculations to help you decide for yourself:

Currently, the prices for a simple (non-first class) JR Pass are:

for 7 days: 28,300 Yen ~ 300 US Dollar ~ 234 Euro
for 14 days: 45,100 YEN ~479 US Dollar ~373 Euro
for 21 days: 57,700 Yen, ~612 US Dollar, ~477 Euro

And here are some prices for the most commonly used Shinkansen lines:

Tokyo - Osaka, Distance: 556.4 km
Total: 14,250 Yen (Fare: 8,510 Seat Fee: 5,740), ~151 US Dollar, ~118 Euro

Tokyo - Hiroshima, Distance: 894.2 km
Total: 18,750 Yen (Fare: 11,340 Seat Fee: 7,410), 199 US Dollar, ~155 Euro

Tokyo - Kyoto, Distance: 513.6 km
Total: 13,720 Yen (Fare: 7,980 Seat Fee: 5,740), ~146 US Dollar, ~114 Euro

What better image to illustrate these calculations that this pair of Shinkansen trains...