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JR Pass - HUGE PRICE INCREASE! Any advice?


teomingern
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So yup guys... as the header says... I use Japan Guide as my reference for this price hike... hopefully the pricing is correct.

https://www.japan-guide.com/news/japan-rail-pass-cost-increase.html

Current 21 + 7 day Pass price = 60,450 + 29, 650 = 90,100 yen

New Price 21 + 7 day Pass price = 100,000 + 50,000 = 150,000 yen

So must pay about $600 more per person... 

Flying in and out of Fukuoka cos the pricing for SQ plus want to travel whole Japan. Tickets already purchased. My trip is 2 - 30 Dec 2023... 28 days... so must buy a 21 + 7 day pass... 

My trip itinerary comprise the following Shinkansen trips: 

Singapore - Fukuoka (SQ)

Fukuoka - Hiroshima (Shinkansen) 8570 yen

Hiroshima - Osaka (Shinkansen) 9890 yen

Osaka - Nagano (Shinkansen) 11,220 yen

Nagano - Tokyo (Shinkansen) 8340 yen

Tokyo - Aomori (Shinkansen) 17,670 yen

Aomori - Hakodate (Shinkansen) 8160 yen

Hakodate - Tokyo (Shinkansen) 23, 760 yen

Tokyo - Fukuoka (Shinkansen) 22,220 yen

Fukuoka - SIngapore (SQ)

Plus all the other limited express, express and local JR trains in each area as applicable.

Just based on the shinkansen trips above the total is 109,830 yen. I'm still out of pocket by 40, 170 yen. That works out to about $400 right?

Still worth it to pay for the JR Pass or not? I mean there are many other parts at each area where I also take JR trains and they are mighty expensive too... 

 

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GST go up by 1% MIL bought a lot of toilet paper.

Save $400 can buy how many toilet paper?

So best to go now for those that haven't booked yet.

Flights booked already don't buy pass.

:D

 

Edited by Jamesc
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For each area, based on my research and where I am going, this seems to be the cost for a one direction from each base, counting only the JR portion of the trip to each location. I have not added the local train or bus fare which are mostly less than $10 each. And also did not add any day passes the local area in lieu of single tickets (e.g. My Beppy Pass).

Kyushu

Fukuoka - Arita 3020 yen

Fukuoka - Yanagawa 2060 yen

Fukuoka - Kumamoto/Aso 11,280 yen

Fukuoka - Beppu 3740 yen

Chugoku

Hiroshima - Akiyoshida Cave System 4840 yen

Hiroshima - Okayama 6270 yen

Kansai

Osaka - Tottori 7000 yen

Osaka - Kyoto 1450 yen

Osaka - Himeiji 9890 yen

Chubu

Nagano - Yamanouchi 1290 yen

Nagano - Kiso Valley / Matsumoto 5610 yen

Nagano - Mount Fuji 3270 yen

Nagano - Shirakawago 8670 yen

Kanto

Tokyo - Hakone 3280 yen

Tohoku

Tokyo - Ginzan Onsen 12,450 yen

Ginzan Onsen - Aomori 8200 yen

Aomori - Hirosaki Castle / Mount Hakkoda 1970 yen

Aomori - Geibikei Gorge 9600 yen

Hokkaido

Hakodate - Sapporo 8910 yen

Total = 112,800 yen (one way)

So if include return direction (cos I go back to base after each day trip), this mean that total = 225,600 yen. This doesn't include the cost of the shinkansen to get between cities inter-region...

Seems like total cost for both sets of train tickets = 225,600 + 109,830 = 335,430 yen for one person.

Does this seem correct?

 

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On 4/19/2023 at 3:56 PM, Jamesc said:

GST go up by 1% MIL bought a lot of toilet paper.

Save $400 can buy how many toilet paper?

So best to go now for those that haven't booked yet.

Flights booked already don't buy pass.

:D

 

There is a 90 day limit to the exchange voucher... so my trip is 2 Dec, so the earliest I can get is 3 Oct... so if they implement the fare increase by 3 Oct, then I have to pay more regardless... if no 90 day limit, I would have bought yesterday... but JR smart lar... they're targeting the winter crowd...

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On 4/19/2023 at 3:58 PM, Jman888 said:

might as well take domestic flights.

Is that viable in terms of cost? I am taking relatively short hops from one region to the next... plus in my second post (sorry couldn't post fast enough) there are additional JR trips I will take on my day trips. Basically I planned the trip to use the JR Pass to the fullest, using the Japan Guide website plus the Japan Travel by Navitime website to help estimate cost and timing of tickets.

I'm open to all suggestions... basically my train tickets will go up from about $1900 to $3000 for me and my wife. My children are below 6, so I guess we just have to put them on our laps for the whole ride... not sure if feasible like that... I know can't open stroller and let them sleep in them. For longer trips might still need to buy tickets to give them a seat... but my problem is that my children must sit with my wife... they don't want me too... haha... so with the 2 + 2 train configuration, not feasible right? Or are the shinkansen 3 + 3 configuration? or 3 + 2 configuration?

Thanks!

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On 4/19/2023 at 3:56 PM, Jamesc said:

GST go up by 1% MIL bought a lot of toilet paper.

Save $400 can buy how many toilet paper?

So best to go now for those that haven't booked yet.

Flights booked already don't buy pass.

:D

 

Don't buy pass also still need to take train mah... or bus... I'm not driving in winter... no experience with 2 kids plus also got my sister's family along at some sections of the trip... I don't drive bus leh...

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Turbocharged
On 4/19/2023 at 3:35 PM, teomingern said:

So yup guys... as the header says... I use Japan Guide as my reference for this price hike... hopefully the pricing is correct.

https://www.japan-guide.com/news/japan-rail-pass-cost-increase.html

Current 21 + 7 day Pass price = 60,450 + 29, 650 = 90,100 yen

New Price 21 + 7 day Pass price = 100,000 + 50,000 = 150,000 yen

So must pay about $600 more per person... 

Flying in and out of Fukuoka cos the pricing for SQ plus want to travel whole Japan. Tickets already purchased. My trip is 2 - 30 Dec 2023... 28 days... so must buy a 21 + 7 day pass... 

My trip itinerary comprise the following Shinkansen trips: 

Singapore - Fukuoka (SQ)

Fukuoka - Hiroshima (Shinkansen) 8570 yen

Hiroshima - Osaka (Shinkansen) 9890 yen

Osaka - Nagano (Shinkansen) 11,220 yen

Nagano - Tokyo (Shinkansen) 8340 yen

Tokyo - Aomori (Shinkansen) 17,670 yen

Aomori - Hakodate (Shinkansen) 8160 yen

Hakodate - Tokyo (Shinkansen) 23, 760 yen

Tokyo - Fukuoka (Shinkansen) 22,220 yen

Fukuoka - SIngapore (SQ)

Plus all the other limited express, express and local JR trains in each area as applicable.

Just based on the shinkansen trips above the total is 109,830 yen. I'm still out of pocket by 40, 170 yen. That works out to about $400 right?

Still worth it to pay for the JR Pass or not? I mean there are many other parts at each area where I also take JR trains and they are mighty expensive too... 

 

Bro...if I am you, I wouldn't worry or think too much about all this. I mean if I already plan for 28 days in Japan (which is a large cost), I wouldn't let all these increases worry me or cause me to find new solutions all over.

Most important is be comfortable , safe and fun for the whole family.  Whatever increases here and there on transport  (or accommodation), when you think back one day, is really negligible if the whole family can travel comfortably,  safely and had good memories over the entire journey.

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On 4/19/2023 at 4:15 PM, Starry said:

Bro...if I am you, I wouldn't worry or think too much about all this. I mean if I already plan for 28 days in Japan (which is a large cost), I wouldn't let all these increases worry me or cause me to find new solutions all over.

Most important is be comfortable , safe and fun for the whole family.  Whatever increases here and there on transport  (or accommodation), when you think back one day, is really negligible if the whole family can travel comfortably,  safely and had good memories over the entire journey.

this is gold... already planned... jsut pay and go ahead and have a good time. Tat is the most impt

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I was wondering if regional passes work better in my case? But the rule is that you can't have active overlapping passes... so that may leave me out in the lurch on days when I get no coverage... example, my return trip to Fukuoka to fly home... a 7-day pass just for the 2 days to travel south doesn't make sense at all...

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Till now which day in October they will increase is still not known. What kind of planning is this?

This increase is not planned by me and I am totally against the increase.

How to hit my KPIs so ex like that?

:D

The problem with the increase is most people would get a saving with the old prices

and most people will not get a saving with the new prices.

So after the increase the prices not many people will buy.

You have an extreme traveler and do a lot a lot of trips to even break even the price.

So if no one buys what kind of tourist promotion attraction is it?

When tourists are not attracted to buy it.

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If the cost of the individual tickets all added up is even lower than the JR Pass do not buy the pass.

If the cost of the individual tickets all added up is higher than the JR Pass buy the pass.

Based on your itinerary buying individual tickets seem cheaper than buying the Pass with the price increased.

On 4/19/2023 at 4:13 PM, teomingern said:

Don't buy pass also still need to take train mah... or bus... I'm not driving in winter... no experience with 2 kids plus also got my sister's family along at some sections of the trip... I don't drive bus leh...

 

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On 4/19/2023 at 4:15 PM, Starry said:

Bro...if I am you, I wouldn't worry or think too much about all this. I mean if I already plan for 28 days in Japan (which is a large cost), I wouldn't let all these increases worry me or cause me to find new solutions all over.

Most important is be comfortable , safe and fun for the whole family.  Whatever increases here and there on transport  (or accommodation), when you think back one day, is really negligible if the whole family can travel comfortably,  safely and had good memories over the entire journey.

Thanks man! Actually I have not done a full calculation until this price increase forced me to do my additions... haha... previously been just researching routes, and if feasible to do a day trip to different parts from my base... and sticking to JR routes (where most time efficient & cost effective) where possible to maximize the pass...

I just owe it to myself to find the best deal lor... hahaha... 

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On 4/19/2023 at 4:18 PM, Estrangable said:

this is gold... already planned... jsut pay and go ahead and have a good time. Tat is the most impt

Agree bro... thankful for the straight-thinking... hehehe... if I bought my air tickets just 3 days later, I may have totally revised plans... oh well!

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On 4/19/2023 at 4:22 PM, teomingern said:

a 7-day pass just for the 2 days to travel south doesn't make sense at all...

It only make sense if the 2 days of travel buying individual tickets is higher than the 7 day pass.

But not likely the 2 days train trips will add up so much to be cheaper than the 7 day pass.

Just calculate the 2 days travel and compare to the 7 day pass price.

Edited by Jamesc
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On 4/19/2023 at 4:29 PM, Thaiyotakamli said:

Rent car?😆

Possible in the south for my family alone but I don't fancy driving in winter conditions especially in the northern regions...  and rent car is also super ex... I doubt $3000 will cut it... and I don't know if I am up to driving from Sapporo to Fukuoka in 2-3 days... whew! And I've only driven in Hokkaido in June from Hakodate to Shiretoko over 10 days or so... But I will explore... hehe... what's the price of petrol like in Japan...

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