LapLap

https://e.fujikyu-railway.jp
If you’re happy to use car number 3 with unreserved seating, then yes, it covers it completely.

There’s a ¥200 reserved seating supplement for travel in car number 2.

Car number 1 has a ¥900 “first class” reserved seat option, unless it’s one of the weekend special trains with a sweets plan. In that case the Tokyo Wide Pass doesn’t seem to be applicable and it has its own charge, which will probably be hard to book any way.

More details here: https://www.fujikyu-railway.jp/fujis.../en/timetable/

abielp

Thank you. Will I be able to reserve the seat in car number 2 online? (preferably 2 weeks before our trip) Fujikyu's website is asking me to pay for the full fare (¥600) when trying to make a reservation.

LapLap

Just to be clear, that isn’t the “full fare”, it’s the Express fare supplement of ¥400 as well as the ¥200 seat reservation. When you say you are being asked to pay, is it asking you to pay by card now or is it asking you to pay when you arrive?

If you are being given a reservation and instructions to pay at the ticket/sales counter, you’ll just need to show your Tokyo Wide Pass and pay the ¥200 seat charge when you present the confirmation. The ¥400 Express supplement isn’t relevant with your fare.

abielp

Ah yes, I am already being asked to pay the express fare + seat reservation. I wonder if there is another way to reserve seats in advance.

LapLap

My suggestion now would be to contact Fujikyu directly. They have an online “concierge” form.

https://www.fujikyu-concierge.com/contact_en/

The English language reservation option is relatively recent. It is simpler than it used to be, but the Tokyo Wide Pass Express Surcharge exemption may have been overlooked.

abielp

Thank you for the link. I've been trying to find a contact form on the previous links

TravelinSperry

I bought a Kyushu Rail Pass (https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/r.../railpass.html) and it says "Please note that you must pick up your Rail Pass(es) or JR ticket(s) no later than your usage start date indicated below." Does this mean I can pick it up ON my usage start date? Or must I pick it up the day prior (before my usage start date)?

bpe

You can pick it up on the day you start to use it.

What you cannot do is (for example) pick up a rail pass valid May 1-5 on May 2nd, even if you don't plan on using it on the 1st.

TravelinSperry

Does the Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/t...sai_hiroshima/ allow me to travel Hiroshima to Kyoto?

And if so, then I assume the Sanyo-San'in Area Pass https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/t...s/sanyo_sanin/ also allows Kyoto as well (and going backwards from Kyoto to Himeji, etc, correct?

AlwaysAisle

Yes, you can access Kyoto using Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass and Sanyo-Sanin Area Pass. However, you cannot ride on Shin Osaka - Kyoto portion of the Shinkansen using those two passes. As you travel from/to Hiroshima/Himeji using those two passes on Shinkasnen, need to transfer at Shin Osaka and Shin Osaka - Kyoto portion will be on a regular commuter train. The fastest regular commuter train service between Shin Osaka and Kyoto is the Special Rapid service train, which runs every 15 min. and travels between Shin Osaka and Kyoto in 24 min.

The reason for this is that Shin Osaka - Hakata portion of Shinkansen is run by JR West, and Shin Osaka - Kyoto - Tokyo portion of Shinkansen is run by JR Tokai. Shin Osaka -Kyoto portion of the Shinkansen is not JR West so can not use Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass and Sanyo-Sanin Area Pass on Shin Osaka - Kyoto portion of the Shinkansen.

TravelinSperry

Thank you. However, when I go to the JR West website https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/ to look at timetables and put in Okayama to Kyoto (and click no transfer), it shows direct trains from Okayama to Kyoto (e.g., Nozomi 14, Nozomi 90, & Nozomi 128, etc.) Are you saying those trains are ineligible with the Sanyo-San'in Area Pass and JR-WEST All Area Pass? So I'd have to book only to Shin-Osaka and then transfer?

Also, if I decide to book this example direct (no pass) am I able to make a reservation/booking online via this website https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/? Or does one need a pass to reserve? Also - I assume I can book this train at the Station in person, correct? I'm currently in Hakata, so I can book here, right?

Here is what I'm trying to do:

Hakata to Okayama (13,770 Yen)
Okayama to Kyoto --> While in Kyoto (Kyoto to Himeji)
Kyoto to Tokyo

I guess I'm just trying to find out if any pass will help me save money. Upthread it seemed obvious that the Kyoto to Tokyo pass I should book direct. So just trying to ascertain if a pass helps me when doing the 1st 2/3 trains. It looks like it would - but - I'd have to be willing to transfer in Shin-Osaka 2x coming and going. But I do see direct shinkansen trains that don't require transfer... that's why I'm wondering.

LapLap

For your one direction itinerary, no it won’t save you a lot of money and to save any money at all you would need to have your pass start at Hiroshima.

Hakata to Hiroshima (about ¥5,000). Get out, have pass commence at that point (am not familiar with that pass and not sure if this is achieved by putting it through a turnstile or having it stamped)
Pass begins:
Hiroshima to Okayama
Okayama to Shin-Osaka
Shin-Osaka to Kyoto (not bullet train)

Rather than get out at Hiroshima and, later in your trip, swap/transfer trains at Shin-Osaka, you might find it rather easier to just get direct tickets.

The pass would allow you to begin the shinkansen journey to Tokyo at Maibara and save another ¥1,300 or so.
Am assuming you’d rather just get the shinkansen from Kyoto and forego the hassle.




These passes tend to make it worthwhile to linger in and explore their related areas, it’s priced at the same cost as a West to East journey and that seems extremely fair to me. If it makes you consider getting value out of the pass by adding in a few more stops and side trips to your itinerary its fulfilling its purpose.

My impression is that this just isn’t worthwhile for you.

kyushuman

Hey there, I know there are a few recent threads on the JR Railpass, but wanted to get some definitive answers.
Our plan: a 2-week Green Car railpass, for use around July 28 to August 11th.
I've done this before, but at quieter times of the year so never had any issue validating the pass at the airport, usually no big lines to wait for booking seats.
But my last time using this was in 2018. Seems like there are some changes, and I might be able to make some online reservations? A few questions:

1) Which website should I buy my Railpass from? Does that matter in terms of being able to do online reservations? I think I've read that certain points of sale are better than others. TBH I don't really understand this (new) feature for railpasses, I last had one in 2018 and everything was done in person.
2) Obon week (one of the busiest in Japan) is just at the end of our trip. We are also hoping to visit the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, a hugely popular event, and take the train there. Can we make online bookings for seats for these tickets if seats are available? Any other advice on this front of using the Railpass in busy season?
3) Is it still true that all Nozomi and Mizuho are not allowed, so just the "regular" trains?
4) If Green Car is full, can I still get on a train in economy class?
Thanks!

williamluk

to answer your questions:
1). The official website is japanrailpass.net. Buying your pass from this website will enable you to do online booking. BUT, it is about 13% more expensive (JPY 72310 vs 64120 for a 2 week Green Pass) than buying from other vendors.
2). Assuming you are talking about using the JR Pass, yes you can make online reservation in advance if you buy from the official website.
3). Yes
4). Yes

jib71

Note that if you're planning trips around the Tohoku area (e.g. Aomori), the JR East Pass (Tohoku area) covers five days of travel between Tokyo and Aomori. Price is less than the national JR pass. You might be able to plan your itinerary using a JR national pass for one week and a JR East Tohoku area pass for five days.

https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/