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MASSIVE price increase for Japan Rail Pass starting October 2023

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MASSIVE price increase for Japan Rail Pass starting October 2023

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Old Apr 14, 2023, 3:56 am
  #1  
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Exclamation MASSIVE price increase for Japan Rail Pass starting October 1st 2023

New prices will apply to tickets purchased from October 1, 2023 (Sunday).

* When purchasing a ticket on the dedicated website, JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation, the revised prices will be applied from 4:00 a.m. (Japan standard time) on October 1.
* If purchasing an Exchange Order at an overseas JR-designated sales office or agency, the local time at the place of purchase will be used.
* The JAPAN RAIL PASS has been sold at ticket offices in Japan on a pilot basis, but starting from October 1, 2023, all JAPAN RAIL PASS sales must be purchased through the dedicated website.
* Japanese nationals who reside overseas and meet the conditions for using the JAPAN RAIL PASS are asked to purchase an Exchange Order at a JR-designated sales office or agency prior to departure to Japan, as before. The sales period of the Exchange Orders was announced to end on December 31, 2023, but it will now be extended to December 31, 2025.

Ordinary car (Adult):
7 day: 33610 > 50000
14-day: 52960 > 80000
21-day: 66200 > 100000

Green car (Adult):
7 day: 44810 > 70000
14-day: 72310 > 110000
21-day: 91670 > 140000

Nozomi/Mizuho Add-on/DLC/In-App purchase/Whateverthehellyouwantocallit

We will start selling a special “[ONLY WITH JAPAN RAIL PASS] NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket” (hereinafter “NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket”) for JAPAN RAIL PASS holders. This ticket can be used for “NOZOMI” trains that run on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen Lines and “MIZUHO” trains that run on the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen Lines (hereinafter “NOZOMI, etc.”).

Please purchase one “NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket” per use of NOZOMI, etc.

The same prices apply to tickets for Green cars, reserved seats in Ordinary cars, and non-reserved seats in Ordinary cars. Only Green JR Pass holders can use the Green car seats.

Sample one-way fares: (Please see last page of PDF link below for full fare table)
Tokyo <-> Nagoya: 4180
Tokyo <-> Kyoto/Shin-Osaka: 4960
Tokyo <-> Hiroshima: 6500
Tokyo <-> Hakata: 8140
Shin-Osaka <-> Hakata: 4960
Hakata <-> Kagoshima-chuo: 4500

https://japanrailpass.net/pdf/JRP_pr..._en_230802.pdf
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Last edited by Daytona; Aug 13, 2023 at 5:12 pm Reason: Updated info from JR
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 4:54 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
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I'm waiting in vain for that one, ALL railway line rail pass.

Heck, I remember how annoying it was to have to get two different tickets for the Tokyo Metro and Toei systems.
(you still need separate tickets, unless you use contactless pay)

Back to the topic, significantly increasing the price, then saying one could use those two shinkansen is rubbish, particularly if Tohoku/Hokkaido are where you're focusing your time. It's fair to say that most JR pass holders aren't going to Akita or Koriyama, but then again, that region has its own rail passes.

Last edited by FindingFoodFluency; Apr 14, 2023 at 10:15 am
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 5:22 am
  #3  
 
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It looks worse.

Adult 7day ordinary, 33610 is the internet online price, 29650 is the price you pay via travel agency (but cannot reserve online in advance).


Both prices getting aligned to 50k yen, 68.9% increase for travel agency version , Child is half price of adult
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Last edited by paperwastage; Apr 14, 2023 at 5:48 am
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 6:47 am
  #4  
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A youth price for high schoolers would be really welcome.

The hike from what was 16,100jpy for an 11 year old to 50,000jpy for a non earning dependant 12 year old (on top of the increased air fares) is a real kick in the shins.

Ah well, that’s what the AVIOS are for, and long bus and sailing routes are getting more comfortable and more accessible.
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 8:11 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Well, that's a good way to encourage tourism.

Lots of tourists will blanch at those prices, so more will fly short-haul in Japan rather than going by train. Just what is needed.

Maybe instead of just imposing a massive price hike, why not do something useful like introducing a flexi-pass - 5/10/15 days in one month, for example. How difficult can it be?
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 9:34 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
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Also consider the inevitability that the yen will appreciate considerably on the dollar and Euro in the next six months as it recovers from last year's plunge and the west falls into a recession, especially since it is widely considered to be a safe-haven currency.
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 10:02 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
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JR PDF Translated for those of us who can't understand Japanese....(thank you Google Translate).

Regarding expansion of product content and price revision of "Japan Rail Pass" April 14, 2023 JR Group

The JR Group offers a tour of Japan by train for tourists visiting Japan for sightseeing purposes. We sell the convenient "Japan Rail Pass". We are planning to implement the following by around October 2023. As a result, we will expand the product content and revise prices.

1. Expansion of product content Currently, the "Nozomi" on the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen and the "Mizuho" on the Sanyo/Kyushu Shinkansen cannot be used with the Japan Rail Pass. However, by purchasing an additional special ticket before boarding, you will be able to use the "Nozomi" and "Mizuho" services. * Details such as price will be announced separately.

2. Price revision With the Japan Rail Pass, the extension of the Shinkansen will expand the area that can be toured, and the departure at a dedicated site. We have improved his service by introducing sales / reserved seat reservations and using automatic ticket gates. This time In addition to these, along with the expansion of the product content, we will revise the price, We will unify the sales prices at stores, agencies and the dedicated site (JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation).

for ordinary car dealers, distributors, retail?
For adults for 7 days 29,650 33,610 50,000
14 Day 47,250 52,960 80,000
twenty one Day 60,450 66,200 100,000

for green car dealers, distributors, retail?
For adults for 7 days 39,600 44,810 70,000
14 Day use 64,120 72,310 110,000
twenty one Day use 83,390 91,670 140,000

"For children" is half price of the above price. ( 6 years old or older and under 12 years old on the date of purchase are eligible, and 12 years old are considered "adults".
The contents of the price revision are subject to change in the future.

3. About discounts when using tourist facilities in Japan Tourist facilities in Japan for visitors to Japan who have a "Japan Rail Pass" Services that offer discounts, etc. We are planning to do so, and the JR Group will inform you about it in the future.

4. Scheduled date Around October 2023 5 Others ・The “Japan Rail Pass” has been sold on a trial basis at ticket offices in Japan. Integrate into sales.

Please see here for details on sales at the current window in Japan. (https://japanrailpass.net/pdf/JR_PASS_release_JA.pdf) ・

We will let you know as soon as the details are decided.

Hope this helps everyone planning Japan travel.
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 10:14 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
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Originally Posted by railways

Maybe instead of just imposing a massive price hike, why not do something useful like introducing a flexi-pass - 5/10/15 days in one month, for example. How difficult can it be?
Something like a Seishun 18 Kippu +?
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 12:29 pm
  #9  
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I assume N'EX prices will go up the as well?
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 1:25 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
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Wow, that is a crazy increase!! I thought the Rail Pass represented fair value on our trip 6 months ago. I would not buy it now, I would just buy individual rail tickets or fly.
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 2:03 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
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Wow that's a crazy increase! Can you buy JR Pass for future travel before the price increase?
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 2:06 pm
  #12  
 
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That's a hell of an increase for the "product expansion" they're referencing, including that Nozomi and Mizuho aren't even included in the elevated base price - that you have to buy an additional ticket on top of it.

For bopping between Tokyo and Kyoto, throw in a random day trip to Himeji or something, I feel like you might as well just buy single tickets at the vending machine with this new price point.
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 2:06 pm
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by samoyeddillpickle
Wow that's a crazy increase! Can you buy JR Pass for future travel before the price increase?
I may be wrong on this but yes you can buy it at the current price but I believe that it must be activated within 90 days or purchase so that will be the main issue with pre-buying it. When i did the math we did not save much by buying the pass as we started in Tokyo and departed out of Osaka, I believe we saved around $30 per person buying the JAL pass. I am almost 100% certain that at the new prices people will be better off not buying the pass.
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 3:17 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
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Originally Posted by Tilto007
I may be wrong on this but yes you can buy it at the current price but I believe that it must be activated within 90 days or purchase so that will be the main issue with pre-buying it. When i did the math we did not save much by buying the pass as we started in Tokyo and departed out of Osaka, I believe we saved around $30 per person buying the JAL pass. I am almost 100% certain that at the new prices people will be better off not buying the pass.
Good to know, thank you! I was already on the fence about the pass anyways. In the past, I felt like I had to go out of my way to use routes that accepted the JR Pass. Which mean that sometimes the trip took more time. It's definitely won't be worth it once they increase it to the new price.
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Old Apr 14, 2023, 3:47 pm
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by samoyeddillpickle
Good to know, thank you! I was already on the fence about the pass anyways. In the past, I felt like I had to go out of my way to use routes that accepted the JR Pass. Which mean that sometimes the trip took more time. It's definitely won't be worth it once they increase it to the new price.
Agree about Japan rail not always being the best route. When we went from Osaka to Nara we used Japan Rail but the other rail company was actually a better choice (much shorter walk) to get to Nara Park than Japan Rail. Also many of the shorter rail trips Osaka -Nara and Kyoto -Osaka were really cheap. At 80,000 yen I cannot imagine this working out for 95% of the users. There is some convenience in having the pass but the Japan Rail stations are so efficient that I would have no issue buying the tickets as needed.
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