Hello!
I'm worried that trains are going to be booked out by the time I arrive in Japan, and that a JR Pass won't really be worth it. I have sorted accommodation for the below itinerary. Can you please give me advice on whether I can book trains with the JR Pass when I arrive at the airport?
30 April - Arrive in Tokyo Narita
4 May - travel Tokyo (Shinjuku) to Kyoto
8 May - travel Kyoto to Hakone-Yumoto
10 May - travel Hakone-Yumoto to fly out from Narita
Is the JR pass available for this entire itinerary? And will I have any issues booking trains if I arrive 30 April?
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Comments
You can book seats using your rail pass as soon as you exchange the voucher for the pass. This is possible at the airport. You are able to reserve seats up to one month in advance. However, by April 30 many of the seats will already be booked for travel over Golden Week.
If the reserved seats are all booked, you can still try and get a seat in the unreserved carriages of the train! You will just have to show up early and stand in line on the platform to stake your claim, as a lot of Japanese passengers do. If you still cannot get a seat, it is still possible to ride the train, but you will have to stand. It isn't ideal, but it's possible if you need to get to where you're going. Seats usually open up as people get off at later stops, and you will then likely be able to sit down.
The JR Pass covers all your travel destinations except to Hakone. The pass can get you as far as Odawara, and you will then have to change to a non-JR private line for which you will have to pay a fare.
I hope this helps.
Kind Regards,
Japan Experience