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Archive for March, 2011

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, they say. When in Japan, make use of the Japan Rail Pass. Most tourists are prone to spending most of their time in the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto. For those who fit that description, the Japan Rail Pass is the ideal mode of transportation. With access to the bullet trains, but below the price of the usual bullet train fare, the Japan Rail Pass price is a bargain no matter how you slice it.

High-Speed Rail

With the Japan Rail Pass also applicable to airline transfers, and with bullet trains going to Osaka and Hiroshima as well, it is the most sensible way to get around Japan. (Some bullet trains are excluded.) The pass is sold in seven day increments, so if one is visiting Japan for 10 days, the 14-day pass would be a smart buy since it would more than cover all of the days of your trip without leaving any loose ends on the front or back.

A Little Homework To Do

It bears mentioning that the Japan Rail Pass does not cover the subway lines in Tokyo or Kyoto (one travel company sells a pre-paid transportation card that will get you on the subways as a supplement to the Japan Rail Pass). As for the Japan Rail Pass itself, it can be upgraded for admission to the “Green Car”, which offers extra leg room and wider seats – which naturally means that there will be fewer people in each car.

The most important thing for the prospective tourist to realize is that Japan Rail Pass is not something that can be purchased inside the country of Japan. An Exchange Order must be purchased from an authorized sales office or agent before your departure. The convenient part about that is that the Rail Pass is not activated until the Exchange Order is turned in at an Exchange Office in Japan. One should allow as many as five business days for the order to be completely processed.