Individual JR Tickets (Not Rail Pass!) - anyway to purchase online??
Apr 5, 2014, 2:58 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
All the same, you should have Hyperdia bookmarked for any Japan travel.
Apr 5, 2014, 6:53 pm
#32
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 266
If you are staying in Tokyo and only taking a few short day trips, the JR Rail Pass will most certainly NOT save you money over just buying tickets as you go. The rule of thumb is "at least one round-trip Tokyo-Kyoto plus some additional rail travel." If you will not be doing any shinkansen (bullet train) travel, I wouldn't even consider it.
All the same, you should have Hyperdia bookmarked for any Japan travel.
All the same, you should have Hyperdia bookmarked for any Japan travel.
Apr 6, 2014, 7:42 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,670
If you're just visiting Yokohama, Hakone and Kyoto, the JR pass isn't that much of a saving. If you want the flexibility to decide during the trip whether to go to Kyoto or not, you won't be losing a huge amount by forgoing the pass.
Apr 11, 2014, 5:39 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: # Neodymium #
Posts: 968
We've been travelling around japan for the last 2 weeks, using the JR Pass. We've been on the shinkansen from Tokyo to kyoto, then onto osaka and hiroshima, and lots of shorter journeys within that. We've jumped on a hikari or Sakura train whenever we needed, without reservation, and got seats in the unreserved cats without difficulty.
Very easy. Organised queues. English translations on signs and departure displays..
I don't think they could make it much easier for tourists!
Have fun!
Very easy. Organised queues. English translations on signs and departure displays..
I don't think they could make it much easier for tourists!
Have fun!