I know… this is not the best news for travelers who have come to rely on the JR Rail Pass to travel the country inexpensively. But with the dollar doing better than the yen and the prices still cheaper than other travel passes from a different country, the JR Pass will continue to be a wonderful way for travelers to travel throughout Japan on a 7-day, 14-day or 21-day pass.
So, what do we know right now. We know the 68% price increase will look like this and it is expected to take place possibly in October.
STANDARD JR PASS INCREASE:
7-DAY 26,650 yen (Before Oct. 2023) to 50,000 yen (after October 2023)
14-DAY 47,250 yen (Before Oct. 2023) to 80,000 yen (after October 2023)
21-Day 60,450 yen (Before Oct. 2023) to 100,000 yen (After October 2023)
GREEN CAR JR PASS INCREASE:
7-DAY 39,600 yen (Before Oct. 2023) to 70,000 yen (after October 2023)
14-DAY 64,120 yen (Before Oct. 2023) to 111,000 yen (after October 2023)
21-Day 83,390 yen (Before Oct. 2023) to 140,000 yen (After October 2023)
Of course, resellers tend to charge much cheaper, so continue to expect cheaper rates when purchased online.
OTHER CHANGES!!!
Well, one big change announced is that the awesome Nozomi Shinkansen and the Mizuho Shinkansen will now be able to ride these bullet trains (which were not available on the JR Pass before).
JR REGIONAL PASSES
This is where you must do your own due diligence because while the JR Pass maybe going up in price, to our knowledge, there is no announcement of an increase to JR regional prices. While there are those who travel and use their JR pass to the utmost fullest by traveling to different regions day-by-day, some just travel by regions and try to make the most of their trip in that region. So, definitely research the JR Regional Past, may it be for the Kanto, Kansai or other regions throughout Japan.
Personally, for the peace of mind, I prefer the standard nationwide JR Pass because it covers all regions. Whereas the Regional Pass will not cover the travel trip from Tokyo to Kyoto via Shinkansen, the standard JR Pass would cover it. Also, if you travel during the holidays, with a JR Pass, you are guaranteed a seat if you booked your tickets in advance.
But that is where you want to make good choices of how to use a standard JR Pass to make it work for you. Look into the pricing of a 7-Day JR Pass vs. paying for it out of pocket on a travel ticket and see if you will save money.
And remember, a JR Pass is only activated when you visit the JR Booth and ask to utilize it, getting your booklet and book your seating arrangements. And the countdown starts once activated (and you receive your JR booklet will show the start date and end date).
Do I need a JR Pass?
The JR Pass is only good for those who intend to travel through different parts of Japan (long distance travel). If you are staying only in the Kanto region (Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, etc.) or only in the Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Kobe) or in general, the same region, then you don’t need a JR pass. All you need to do is purchase an IC Card such as the Suica or Pasmo (if you are in the Kanto area) or the ICOCA (if you are in the Kansai area) and then deposit money into it (cash or credit). My rule of thumb is $300 USD to cover two weeks and would cover your standard train and metro (subway) transportation.
I personally use my IC Card the most, then save up for the JR Pass (usually 7-day or 14-day) for my final leg of the trip to do any cross-country traveling.
Sure, no one likes to see prices go up at this high percentage, especially by 40%, but the JR Pass is still more affordable than most passes in other countries and is still worth getting if you are going to do long distance traveling.
The Bottom Line
While I still feel the JR Pass is still a great deal considering for residents, of how expensive it is to travel and Japan allowing travelers to travel as many times within the time frame they purchased, what I found troublesome is not an incremental increase but the massive jump of pricing.
People have every right to be upset and it’s not known why this excessive jump was made. May it be Japanese state of the economy or what. We know prices in Japan have increased, but even those increases were not anywhere as excessive as what JR did for their JR pass.
Fortunately, there are other options as domestic flights and also other passes that people can take advantage of.
But don’t let this price increase derail your travel plans. These regions have so much to offer and you can take advantage of the non-touristy areas. Japan is too good of a country to not travel to and while the JR Pass was great to take advantage of traveling to as many places as possible, just remember, there are other options out there. It may not be as great as before, but there are still options.
And for those who are planning to travel before October and have time to take advantage of the current JR Pass… Enjoy your trip!
