JR announced to increase the JR Rail Pass price from October 2023!
May 30, 2023
JR announced to increase the JR Rail Pass price from October 2023!
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Japan Rail Group, the biggest railway company in Japan, announced a sharp price increase for Japan Rail Pass, the discounted rail pass specially designated for foreign visitors.
The price of a standard 7-day pass will increase from the current JPY 29,650 to JPY 50,000 from October 2023, and the company has published a press release on the JR East website on April 14, 2023, outlining both the new prices and some changes to the pass itself.
To learn more about the JR Rail Pass price increase, let’s check the details here! 👇
Index : JR Rail Pass Price increase 2023
1. What are the changes?
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- Big price increase for all passes
| Type | Old Price | New Price | Change in % |
| 7-day Pass | JPY 29,650 | JPY 50,000 | 69% increase |
| 14-day Pass | JPY 47,250 | JPY 80,000 | 69% increase |
| 21-day Pass | JPY 60,450 | JPY 100,000 | 65% increase |
In addition, the Green Car passes will also rise by similar amounts / percentages.
- No price differences for passes purchased outside Japan
Unlike before, where passes purchased outside Japan through tour agents are cheaper than those purchased inside Japan, after the change both will be sold for the same price.
- You can take the Nozomi trains with the pass
The current pass will not let you ride the fastest Nozomi trains on both the Tokaidō Shinkansen (between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka) and Sanyō Shinkansen (between Shin-Osaka and Hakata), or the Mizuho trains running on both the Sanyō Shinkansen and the Kyūshū Shinkansen, but with the new price rise, pass holders will be able to ride both.
- Special discounts for JR Pass holders
The press release mentions discounts for JR Pass holders at certain attractions, and even though there are already few discounts available, this statement indicates that JR Group might try to expand this.
2. What things are unclear?
The press release doesn’t mention an exact date when this new price will be effective, and the press release also mentions that the prices may change before implementation, so there might be other changes before the new price is actually implemented.
Another thing that is not clear is whether we can use the passes purchased before the price change for traveling after the price change.
3. Will JR Pass still be worth it to purchase?
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At JPY 50,000 for 7 days, it will be hard to justify JR Pass as a cheaper way to travel around Japan, and there are other options like budget airlines and highway buses. A regular shinkansen round trip fare from Tokyo to Kyoto with a reserved seat is currently around JPY 28,340 and the round-trip fare from Tokyo to Fukuoka with a reserved seat is currently around JPY 46,140 that is cheaper than the new pass.
Japan Rail Pass Official Website
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