Originally Posted by
TMM1982
Hey folks will be going to Japan in October for the first time. Will be there 2 weeks and will be all over the country. Are there any train passes which are all encompassing (i.e. include all options)? Same with museum/attraction passes?
Thanks.
If you're staying in the Tokyo area or doing a one-way trip from Tokyo to the Osaka-Kyoto area and flying out of KIX, then buying single tickets is cheaper than any pass.
If you plan to travel around the country or at least make a round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, then the JR Pass is worthwhile.
It is good on local JR commuter trains, but with a few exceptions, these are not as good as the subways and private commuter trains for seeing the sights.
Use a debit card (Suica or Pasmo, available and rechargeable at most train or subway stations, similar to London's Oyster Card or Seoul's T-Money) for travel within the Tokyo area, and if you plan to travel outside Tokyo, validate your JR Pass just before you leave to maximize the time you can using it.