Order Your JRPass
Back to Regional Passes

Which Train Pass is Best for My Japan Trip? Need Your Expertise!

Zohane
Zohane
about 2 months ago
1 answer

Help Needed: Choosing the Right Train Pass for My Japan Trip!

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to figure out which train pass would be best for my upcoming trip, but there are so many options, and it's starting to get overwhelming. I hope someone here can help!

Here’s a rough outline of our itinerary:

  • Arriving on October 28th at Narita Airport, then traveling to Osaka.
  • Using Osaka as a base for day trips to: Kyoto, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Kobe & Uji, and Kurashiki & Himeji.
  • Afterward, we’ll do a 3-day trip to Kanazawa, Shirakawago, and Takayama.
  • Finally, we’ll return to Tokyo and use it as a base to visit Kamakura (possibly Enoshima), Nikko, and hopefully get a view of Mount Fuji (either Hakone or Kawaguchiko).

I’m currently considering two passes: the JR West All Area Pass for the first part of the trip or the JR Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass. However, I'm not sure if these are the best choices for my itinerary.

I’m also confused about what "partial" coverage means in this context—does it mean we’ll have to pay extra for part of the journey or change trains at some point?

I’d appreciate any advice, experiences, or suggestions on the best train passes for this itinerary. Thanks so much!

Alexis
Alexis
1087 posts
about 2 months ago
Expert

Hi there,

Travel to Shirakawa-go is not directly covered by any JR Regional Pass - the JR West All-Area Pass would cover all of your itinerary in the JR West region, and so it just means that you’ll have to purchase tickets individually for travel to Tokyo and the surrounding areas (Fuji, Nikko etc.) and a bus ticket for Shirakawa-go.

Kind regards,

Alexis


Looking for more information? Search the forum

Select Category

Instant Quote

Starting from $345.00 for 7 days of unlimited Japan Rail travel

Can’t find the answer?

Learn from over 18083 questions about the Japan Rail Pass, or ask our Japan Rail travel experts

Ask Question

Get pocket Wifi in Japan

Get pocket Wifi in Japan

Visit us on Facebook

Get inspired for your visit to Japan by following us on Instagram and don't forget your own shots once you are there.


Find out where to buy the japan rail pass online.

Order your JRPass Now!

We have special prices for children and great first class options. See all tickets or see our range of Regional Passes