Do I need to buy a JR Pass?

mcmug

Hi. I am going to Japan in Mid December for about 8 days with my family.
Below is the tentative itinerary:
19/12 - Haneda Airport - Tokyo (7.00am)
20/12 - Tokyo to Matsumoto
21/12 - Matsumoto
22/12 - Matsumoto to Nagano
23/12 - Nagano
24/12 - Nagano to Takayama
25/12 - Takayama to Gero
26/12 - Gero to Nagoya
27/12 - Nagoya
I am travelling with 2 adults and 3 children. Do I need to buy a JR pass?
Please advise.

Thank you.
mcmug

Tenjin

Hi,
The question is not if you "need" to buy a pass. It's if you save money with one. Frankly, you don't make either a 7 or 14 day pass pay off.
I've looked at the JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass and can't see that as paying off either.
If you are going to Takayama, it's shorter and easier from Matsumoto.
There is a direct bus that saves hours over the trains.
I'm afraid your only recourse is buying regular tickets.

Good luck.

mcmug

Thanks Tenjin! I am flying into Tokyo and leaving from nagoya, hence I have to plan my itinerary such that I do not go back and fro especially with 3 kids.
I saw that there's a honkuriku arch pass, do you think I can twitch my itinerary such that I can use that pass?
Thanks

Tenjin

Hi,
There is such a pass. More info is here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_arch.html
But as is, your itinerary still would not make one pay off.

I have no info on your interests, air ticket etc. You need to arrange your plans according to your interests.

Good luck.

beth

Hello. Advice please.
We are travelling with 2 adults and 3 children
We plan to travel from:
Day 1 Tokyo-Kanazawa
Day 3 Kanazawa - Takayama (bus)
Day 5 Takayama - Kyoto
Day 10 Kyoto - Tokyo
It doesn't seem as though we should buy the JRP. I am guessing we should buy individual tickets. Do you agree?

Tenjin

Hi,
A 14 day pass would not pay off for you unless you added some side trips. You could take a day trip to see Hiroshima & Miyajima for example with an early morning start (and would be well worth it).
Or after returning to Tokyo, there are several good day trips like going to see Nikko, Kusatsu, or Izu.

Otherwise, it would be better to just get regular tickets.
Regardless, you should make at least half a day open to see Nara as well - it has some of Japan's top sights.

Faiyez

In order for a regional pass to pay off, you should try planning your itinerary around the pass of your choice, rather than arbitrarily deciding your itinerary beforehand and then trying to find a pass that "fits".

Good luck!

Tenjin

I would respectfully disagree with the above, to a certain extent. Decide where you want to go - what places appeal to you most, and then choose the best and most cost effective way to go there. Unless you plan to return to Japan frequently, and the order (and season you travel in) really doesn't matter.
It might be that a plan can save money with some kind of pass, while other times not. But in the end it is better to have a great time seeing a smaller number of very good places than not as good a time seeing a larger number of mediocre places.

Faiyez

Yes, in the end that's what matters the most, but the advice should stand for anyone who is already looking into a particular regional pass.

Often times people come up with interesting ideas for an itinerary, but you find that the most cost effective way to do it doesn't involve purchasing any pass. The logistics and the amount of days involved may be a bit too awkward, etc.

But if you're on a tourist visa, the potential savings that can be had just by following the limitations of a pass -even the simple 7 or 14 day limit of a national pass that effectively allows access to all regions- is just too good to pass up!

Therefore, it only makes sense to encourage visitors to make use of rail passes, and for them to find the one that best suits their needs. To understand when the pass is worth it and when it's not. This really is the one thing about your trip to Japan that can make or break the bank!

Tenjin

Well, all in all that is more idealistic than realistic. The fact is that few people comparatively speaking think of Japan at all as a travel destination (-- their loss). Those that do usually visit once and maybe twice and that's about it. Next time some other new country will be their place to explore. For aficionados like us regional passes can be great since you can just pick off one area at a time, and know you can see more later.
Regional passes have 4 main uses:
1) You don't have the time or interest in anything else except one given area.
2) You're blessed with a long trip or just have such a slow pace that a series of regional passes makes more sense than the full pass.
3) You'll be back to Japan again and again, so seeing one region is fine and you'll know you'll catch the rest in the future.
4) You want to see one far off area and nothing in between, so flying down and then using a regional pass instead of a loooong train ride all the way to get there is a more practical method.

There are so many passes now that often something can save you some money. But if none suit your purpose, that is fine too. Seeing what you want is the priority. In some cases renting a car is a far better solution than any rail pass, like seeing the Noto Peninsula, or Hokkaido, not to mention many isolated mountain areas.
The goal is to see a lot of nice places on limited time - the goal is not to go to Japan in order to make a rail pass pay off - that's secondary.

mcmug

Hi,
I have finalised my itinerary for my December trip. I would like the experts to advise if I should purchase a rail pass.

Day 1 - Haneda to Fujisan Station (Stay 1 nite)
Day 2 - Fujisan station to Matsumoto ( stay 1 nite)
Day 3 - Matsumoto to Hakuba (stay 2 nites)
Day 5 - Hakuba to Nagano (stay 1 nite)
Day 6 - Nagano to Toyoma (stay 2 nites)
Day 8 - Toyoma to Nagoya (stay 1 nite)

Thank you once again!

Tenjin

Hi,
Given the length of your trip and destinations, I don't see any rail pass paying off for you. You could get some savings part of the way on a Tokyo Wide Pass, up to Sakudaira.
As stated above, if you think you'll be returning to Japan again and again, and the season isn't so important, you could revise your plans to make a pass pay off more. But if not, then go with it - see as much as you really want when you can - it is more important to achieve your dream trip than saving money with any pass.