CITED FROM: http://www.jnto.go.jp/tips/practical5.html
http://www.westjr.co.jp/kou/english/tickets/index2.html
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Japan Rail Pass
The Japan Rail Pass provides virtually unlimited travel on the
national network of JR railways, including the Shinkansen " bullet
trains " (with the sole exception of the new " Nozomi "
super-express). A 7-day pass costs 28,300 yen (which is, for
example, 3,920 yen less than the round-trip fare from Narita
Airport to Kyoto via Tokyo). Exchange Orders for the pass can be
purchased at overseas offices of the Japan Travel Bureau
International, Nippon Travel Agency, Kinki Nippon Tourist, Tokyu
Tourist Corporation and other associated local travel agents; or
at an overseas Japan Airlines office, if traveling by Japan
Airlines.
You may purchase a Japan Rail Pass if you are a foreign tourist
visiting Japan from abroad for sightseeing, under the entry status
of " temporary visitor. " Only those visitors who have " temporary
visitor " stamped in their passport, on entering Japan, can
receive the Japan Rail Pass on presention of the passport with the
Exchange Order.
The Japan Rail Pass cannot be purchased in Japan. The Exchange
Order must be obtained in your home country before you depart.
-------Price listing for Japan Rail pass.
ORDINARY
Adults
7-Day 28,300 yen
14-Day 45,100 yen
21-day 57,700 yen
Note:Pass prices for children aged 6 to 11 years are half of the
above prices.
To book tickets for long-distance trains, follow either one of two
different procedures.
1. If you did not have your Japan Rail Pass validated, or did
not make seat reservation at the JR (Japan Railway) Travel
Service Center at the airport of arrival, go to one of the JR
Travel Centers downtown. In Tokyo, one is located at the
Yaesu north-exit concourse of Tokyo Station, and is open
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. If you have already validated
your Pass and need only to make seat reservations, go to any
" Green Window " or Midori-no-madoguchi counter at major JR
stations.
2. If you don't have the Japan Rail Pass, the JR Travel Service
Center or the major travel agents can assist you with your
travel arrangements.
JR East and JR West both provide their own regional JR Passes, for
Eastern Honshu and Western Honshu respectively.
ANOTHER INFORMATION
CITED FROM http://www.malcomson.com/explore/survival/tvltips.htm
There are three types of pass,
the JR-East Rail Pass, and
two types of JR-West Rail Passes:
the Sanyo Area Pass & the Kansai Area Pass.
The Sanyo Area Pass is valid on all services of the Sanyo
Shinkansen running from Osaka via Kobe, Okayama and
Hiroshima to Fukuoka (Hakata), as well as on all JR lines
in the Osaka metropolitan area (inlcuding Kansai
International Airport).
Period Adult (12+)
4-day 20,000 Yen
8-day 30,000 Yen
The Kansai Area Pass covers all JR-West lines between Kyoto in the east,
and Himeji in the west, including Nara, Kansai International Airport, Uji and Hozu Gorge.
Period Adult (12+)
1-day 2,000 Yen
4-day 6,000 Yen
The JR-East Pass is valid on all JR-East services including
five shinkansen lines and 67 conventional lines. It is
valid on the Narita Express linking Tokyo with Narita
Aiport, and the Yamanote (loop) and Chuo (central) line in
Tokyo. The Shinkansen lines include the brand-new Akita
Shinkansen linking Morioka with Lake Tazawa and Akita, and
the Hokuriku Shinkansen, linking Tokyo with Nagano.
Period 5-day 10-day
Adult 20,000Yen 32,000 Yen
Best value of all is the 4-day flexible pass, costing the
same as the 5-day pass. It is valid for one month and does
not require journeys to be made on consecutive days.
Note: Neither of the new passes are valid on the Tokaido
Shinkansen linking Tokyo with Kyoto and Osaka, or any other
lines operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tokai),
JR Hokkaido, JR Kyushu or JR Shikoku.
Keep in mind that a journey from Tokyo to Fukuoka is about
20,000JPY one way, so the original JR Pass is only effective
if you are planning to go a long distance. Also be aware of
the 'I've got to get my money's worth' syndrome. Decide
where you want to go, then decide which ticket is best.
It's easy to be tempted to go as many places as possible
just because it won't cost you any more. I've made that
mistake a few times, and my dominant memories are of
railway platforms, timetables, and un-appetizing 'eki-ben'
(station boxed lunches). Allow yourself at least a few days
in each place. Also remember that many of the railways in
the Tokyo and Osaka areas are private, and will not accept
the pass. Even with the new passes, you have to do a lot of
travelling to get value for money. With simple Kyoto-Osaka
journeys for example, you're probably better off taking the
private Keihan line. In Osaka and Tokyo, the private lines
are usually cheaper when buying individual tickets.
Having said that, the Japan Rail Pass is an excellent way
to meet up with far-flung friends, get to the more extreme
parts of the archipelago, or just satisfy your wanderlust.
(see JTB's Rail Pass page for detailed information.)
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