JR Pass - HUGE PRICE INCREASE! Any advice?

[teomingern]

On 4/19/2023 at 4:38 PM, Jamesc said:

It only make sense if the 2 days of travel buying individual tickets is lower than the 7 day pass.

But not likely the 2 days train trips will add up so much to be cheaper than the 7 day pass.

Just calculate the 2 days travel and compare to the 7 day pass price.

Yup... the two train tickets are $450+ I think... the Pass 7 day is $500 already...

[teomingern]

On 4/19/2023 at 4:33 PM, Jamesc said:

If the cost of the individual tickets all added up is even lower than the JR Pass do not buy the pass.

If the cost of the individual tickets all added up is higher than the JR Pass buy the pass.

Based on your itinerary buying individual tickets seem cheaper than buying the Pass with the price increased.

 

That's only for the intercity transfers... but if I also add in the day trips I make out of the bases... each day I do one trip out of my base, and leave one day to explore the city I base myself in... so those day trips' train tickets are also horrendously expensive... and that is what makes the JR Pass so valuable cos these are covered... with 2 little kids, I simply flash my Pass and get on the train... can concentrate on my 2 little ones... and getting food... don't need to figure out which train ticket to buy lor...

[Lala81]

On 4/19/2023 at 4:11 PM, teomingern said:

Is that viable in terms of cost? I am taking relatively short hops from one region to the next... plus in my second post (sorry couldn't post fast enough) there are additional JR trips I will take on my day trips. Basically I planned the trip to use the JR Pass to the fullest, using the Japan Guide website plus the Japan Travel by Navitime website to help estimate cost and timing of tickets.

I'm open to all suggestions... basically my train tickets will go up from about $1900 to $3000 for me and my wife. My children are below 6, so I guess we just have to put them on our laps for the whole ride... not sure if feasible like that... I know can't open stroller and let them sleep in them. For longer trips might still need to buy tickets to give them a seat... but my problem is that my children must sit with my wife... they don't want me too... haha... so with the 2 + 2 train configuration, not feasible right? Or are the shinkansen 3 + 3 configuration? or 3 + 2 configuration?

Thanks!

I can tell u that the JR staff at the shinkansen station will not sell u a ticket even if u want to buy one for your child. I tried it. Ended up, i let my kids squeeze with my wife, then i just kept taking free seats as when people get on-off. But have to move anytime cos u are occupying someone else's seat.

 

 

[Jman888]

On 4/19/2023 at 4:40 PM, teomingern said:

Possible in the south for my family alone but I don't fancy driving in winter conditions especially in the northern regions...  and rent car is also super ex... I doubt $3000 will cut it... and I don't know if I am up to driving from Sapporo to Fukuoka in 2-3 days... whew! And I've only driven in Hokkaido in June from Hakodate to Shiretoko over 10 days or so... But I will explore... hehe... what's the price of petrol like in Japan...

for longer distant route like Tokyo to Sapporo or Tokyo to Fukuoka can try domestic flight like Peach airline or ANA, they usually have cheaper fare but you need to book via their japan domestic website. For ANA you can see their one way for early Super Value booking (no change allowed) is about $150, for Peach airline they have not open for Nov/Dec flight but looking at Oct fare from Tokyo to Fukuoka is about $60++

you still save more than half the travelling time by air vs the Shinkansen.

[Jamesc]

This is very true.

So much easier and less hassle just get the pass.

On 4/19/2023 at 4:44 PM, teomingern said:

That's only for the intercity transfers... but if I also add in the day trips I make out of the bases... each day I do one trip out of my base, and leave one day to explore the city I base myself in... so those day trips' train tickets are also horrendously expensive... and that is what makes the JR Pass so valuable cos these are covered... with 2 little kids, I simply flash my Pass and get on the train... can concentrate on my 2 little ones... and getting food... don't need to figure out which train ticket to buy lor...

 

[Ganwb79]

This is car forum. Rent a car. Road trip more fun than train hopping

[Inlinefour]

errr my friend was wondering that ソープランド and ピンクサロン day pass got increase price bo 🙊🙉🙈 

 

 

[Mkl22]

On 4/19/2023 at 5:48 PM, Lala81 said:

I can tell u that the JR staff at the shinkansen station will not sell u a ticket even if u want to buy one for your child. I tried it. Ended up, i let my kids squeeze with my wife, then i just kept taking free seats as when people get on-off. But have to move anytime cos u are occupying someone else's seat.

 

 

No ticket? Then how did the kid enter the electronic gates in the first place? 
you can always buy a seat via the ticket machine. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by Mkl22

[Invigorated]

On 4/19/2023 at 3:35 PM, teomingern said:

So yup guys... as the header says... I use Japan Guide as my reference for this price hike... hopefully the pricing is correct.

https://www.japan-guide.com/news/japan-rail-pass-cost-increase.html

Current 21 + 7 day Pass price = 60,450 + 29, 650 = 90,100 yen

New Price 21 + 7 day Pass price = 100,000 + 50,000 = 150,000 yen

So must pay about $600 more per person... 

Flying in and out of Fukuoka cos the pricing for SQ plus want to travel whole Japan. Tickets already purchased. My trip is 2 - 30 Dec 2023... 28 days... so must buy a 21 + 7 day pass... 

My trip itinerary comprise the following Shinkansen trips: 

Singapore - Fukuoka (SQ)

Fukuoka - Hiroshima (Shinkansen) 8570 yen

Hiroshima - Osaka (Shinkansen) 9890 yen

Osaka - Nagano (Shinkansen) 11,220 yen

Nagano - Tokyo (Shinkansen) 8340 yen

Tokyo - Aomori (Shinkansen) 17,670 yen

Aomori - Hakodate (Shinkansen) 8160 yen

Hakodate - Tokyo (Shinkansen) 23, 760 yen

Tokyo - Fukuoka (Shinkansen) 22,220 yen

Fukuoka - SIngapore (SQ)

Plus all the other limited express, express and local JR trains in each area as applicable.

Just based on the shinkansen trips above the total is 109,830 yen. I'm still out of pocket by 40, 170 yen. That works out to about $400 right?

Still worth it to pay for the JR Pass or not? I mean there are many other parts at each area where I also take JR trains and they are mighty expensive too... 

 

If the hotels haven't been booked or can be cancelled, I would suggest the itinerary be streamlined, e.g. skipped some places and fly directly instead. E.g. skip Nagano or Aomori and fly directly. 

Leave some for another trip and build on quality vs quantity covered since you aren't using JR pass anymore.

If you're able to gain the same satisfaction and utility and yet tire yourself less, it may well be worth it.

Here's a suggestion from chatgpt, after I've suggested mainly the core regions be included. Instead of aomori and hakodate, do consider flying direct to Sapporo instead.

"here's the updated itinerary:

Singapore - Fukuoka

Fukuoka (3-4 days)

Explore Fukuoka city, Dazaifu, and take a day trip to Nagasaki or Hiroshima

Fukuoka - Osaka (domestic flight)

Osaka (5-6 days)

Explore Osaka city, Universal Studios, and day trips to Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima (if not visited from Fukuoka)

Osaka - Nagano (domestic flight)

Nagano (2-3 days)

Visit Zenko-ji Temple, Togakushi Shrine, and Jigokudani Monkey Park

Nagano - Tokyo (domestic flight or Shinkansen)

Tokyo (7-8 days)

Explore Tokyo city, including Akihabara, Asakusa, Shibuya, and Shinjuku

Tokyo - Sapporo (domestic flight)

Sapporo (4-5 days)

Visit Sapporo city, Otaru, and take a day trip to Furano or Biei if desired

Sapporo - Fukuoka (domestic flight)

Fukuoka - Singapore (SQ)"

 

[Kxbc]

I think too many places and too little time. 

I'd rather spend 28 days on say either the upper or lower part of Japan, assuming you have never been there before. 

And it's winter. Surely will have some traffic delays. 

[Lala81]

On 4/19/2023 at 9:24 PM, Mkl22 said:

No ticket? Then how did the kid enter the electronic gates in the first place? 
you can always buy a seat via the ticket machine. 

u have to reserve the ticket at the ticketing office with the Jr pass. they don't allow for kids below a certain age, as the norm is they don't get seats. Kids can just walk through the side gate.

Cos it was from Tokyo to Osaka, I asked whether can buy just to make sure we were comfortable. But they said no. 

OK lor. In the end, I think Kyoto back to Tokyo was more crowded. Tokyo to Osaka was not. 

Edited April 20, 2023 by Lala81

[teomingern]

On 4/20/2023 at 8:00 AM, Lala81 said:

u have to reserve the ticket at the ticketing office with the Jr pass. they don't allow for kids below a certain age, as the norm is they don't get seats. Kids can just walk through the side gate.

Cos it was from Tokyo to Osaka, I asked whether can buy just to make sure we were comfortable. But they said no. 

OK lor. In the end, I think Kyoto back to Tokyo was more crowded. Tokyo to Osaka was not. 

Oh I see... wow! Even got money to buy tickets also cannot... anyway I'm not doing this route... precisely cos I know it's super crowded...

Were you able to get a free seat for your kid to sit on? EDIT: Sorry... saw your post higher up...

Edited April 20, 2023 by teomingern

[teomingern]

On 4/19/2023 at 4:48 PM, Lala81 said:

I can tell u that the JR staff at the shinkansen station will not sell u a ticket even if u want to buy one for your child. I tried it. Ended up, i let my kids squeeze with my wife, then i just kept taking free seats as when people get on-off. But have to move anytime cos u are occupying someone else's seat.

 

 

Thanks! That's a good sharing... I'll probably do the same... did you reserve seats for your tickets?

[teomingern]

On 4/19/2023 at 4:50 PM, Jman888 said:

for longer distant route like Tokyo to Sapporo or Tokyo to Fukuoka can try domestic flight like Peach airline or ANA, they usually have cheaper fare but you need to book via their japan domestic website. For ANA you can see their one way for early Super Value booking (no change allowed) is about $150, for Peach airline they have not open for Nov/Dec flight but looking at Oct fare from Tokyo to Fukuoka is about $60++

you still save more than half the travelling time by air vs the Shinkansen.

Thanks! But what about adding in travel time to airport plus waiting and check-in... would that end up being comparable? Cos train tickets kind of free for my kids while plane tickets at my kids' ages, must pay 3/4 fare already...

But worth considering actually... regardless I will still have to buy 28 days worth of JR Pass... so it's a trade off between an extra day somewhere if I fly (assuming got direct internal flight from Sapporo to Fukuoka) or two days to train back to Fukuoka... if less than $300 total for my family then worth considering...

Thanks for adding another option and permutation to the mix... like that my sister may prefer to fly back to Fukuoka from Tokyo since the train ride is about 6 hours and comes with one transfer at Shin-Osaka... with a wait time of an hour in-between...

Edited April 20, 2023 by teomingern

[teomingern]

On 4/19/2023 at 6:39 PM, Ganwb79 said:

This is car forum. Rent a car. Road trip more fun than train hopping

I also say bro... $3000 for 28 days car rental seems reasonable until you check out the car rental prices and realize that can't get a car for $100 a day with child seats, insurance, damage waiver and all the extras... and I need an 8-seater with luggage for at least 11 days cos my sister's family joining me halfway... 

[teomingern]

On 4/19/2023 at 9:24 PM, Mkl22 said:

No ticket? Then how did the kid enter the electronic gates in the first place? 
you can always buy a seat via the ticket machine. 

I think if got Pass, you enter the manned gates right? That's what I read online anyway... but apparently the new Pass is a card that you can slot into the electronic gate now and not a paper Pass... 

[teomingern]

On 4/19/2023 at 10:22 PM, Kxbc said:

I think too many places and too little time. 

I'd rather spend 28 days on say either the upper or lower part of Japan, assuming you have never been there before. 

And it's winter. Surely will have some traffic delays. 

I guess different strokes for different folks... actually I'm just doing one item a day... cos the travelling time out from my base is about 2-3 hours one way... so each region I see only 4 things... which I think is enough... got enough time to spend properly at each place or item and don't need to rush to get out of hotel and rush back to get a certain train... basically, a more relaxed holiday... if an area has a few items that's cos they're all nearby or along the train route... so they're grouped together and each item probably doesn't take much time to go through... and again for clusters - some items are really optional... over-plan a bit to see if got time then do all...

[Heartlander]

On 4/20/2023 at 8:50 AM, teomingern said:

I think if got Pass, you enter the manned gates right? That's what I read online anyway... but apparently the new Pass is a card that you can slot into the electronic gate now and not a paper Pass... 

Before 2020 (I think) only manual entry through manned gates. Just flash and go. Nowadays improved till can use passes to go through normal gantries. Also read that can reserve seats online through app, but never try as never go Japan since Covid. Last time I normally do not reserve seats if travel during non-peak periods like outside the Japan Golden Weeks as find it troublesome to have to look for seats vs just seat where you like. Normally got plenty of seats, and quite a hassle to need to go to ticketing counters to do reservation. If can do through apps I also do not mind as definitely not comfortable to stand for like 2 hours during unforseen times like rushing to beat typhoon arrivals etc haha especially in smoking cabin where you will feel like in Genting.