Do I need jrpass?

Hi there,

Do you know from what port you will be taking the ferry from to Sado? This would help me check ticket prices for you and see what option works best. The Jet Ferry is not included.

Hope to hear from you,
Daniel

Thank you Daniel San. I thought I needed to go from Niigata. Is that true? I just want a day trip to sado. I would love your feedback or suggestion. Thanks so much

Hi there,

Niigata is the easiest option, though ferries also depart from Hozoki (Nagaoka) and Joetsu. As for rail travel, a one way Tokyo - Niigata is ¥ 10,370, or double for a return. While Joetsu is a little cheaper at ¥ 9,080 for one way.

Basically what you should look at is if you will do enough additional travel to a point where you can making savings with a JR Pass. From what I read in your itinerary, this is probably not the case as travel to Shinjuku and Kamura don't cost that much. Tough if you add a return Tokyo - Narita airport on the Narita express (~6,000yen) this becomes lot more likely.

Does that help?
Daniel

Thank you so much Daniel-san! Yes this really helps. Is Joetsu shorter trip? Them I need a ferry from there, right? When do they stop ferries in November?

For a quick comparison have a look at this page. The train ride is a bit faster but travel from the station to the harbor takes longer. You will also find the days when it does not operate there.

In short, I do think that Niigata is the quickest and most convenient option but it also may cost a bit more.

Thank you very very much! I really appreciate your prompt responses and suggestions. Deepika