You can travel Japan by train WITHOUT a JR Pass by purchasing single-journey Shinkansen bullet train tickets, opting for a regional JR Pass, or paying for local transportation with an IC card. You may even do all three! Now that the price of the Whole Japan Rail Pass has drastically increased, it's not likely to save you money. But there are plenty of alternatives in 2024. Here are the best ones! Links below ⬇️
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Buy Shinkansen bullet train tickets on Klook: https://geni.us/shinkansen
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Smart EX: https://smart-ex.jp/en/index.php
JR Fare Calculator (to see whether the JR Pass is worth it): https://kenshoquest.com/recommends/jrpass-fare-calculator/
Hokuriku Arch Pass: https://geni.us/hokurikuarchpass
More info: https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/hokurikuarch.html
Tokyo Wide Pass: https://geni.us/tokyowidepass
More info: https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/tokyowidepass.html?src=gnavi
Kansai Wide Area Pass: https://geni.us/kansaiwideareapass
More info: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/kansai_wide/
Sanyo-San’in Rail Pass: https://geni.us/sanyosaninpass
More info: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/sanyo_sanin/
Hokkaido Rail Pass: https://geni.us/hokkaidopass
More info (scroll down): https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/railpass/index.html
Hakone Free Pass: https://geni.us/hakonefreepass
More info: https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/
JR COMPANIES
JR Hokkaido: https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/index.html
JR East: https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/
JR Central: https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/
JR West: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/
JR Shikoku: https://www.jr-shikoku.co.jp/global/en/
JR Kyushu: https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Travel Japan by train without JR Pass
00:12 Why was the JR Pass so great?
01:16 Options to explore without JR Pass
01:33 Why we love trains in Japan
02:19 Single journey Shinkansen tickets
04:34 Regional JR Passes
05:42 Hokuriku Arch Pass
07:27 Tokyo Wide Pass
08:11 Kansai Wide Area Pass
08:44 Sanyo-San'in Area Pass
09:14 Hokkaido Rail Pass
09:51 Passes for children 6-11 years old
10:07 Downsides of regional passes
10:41 Combinations
11:30 Non-JR sightseeing passes
11:54 How to pay for local transportation
14:01 Subscribe for more Japan travel tips!
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WATCH NEXT 🎞
Best Regional JR Passes for 2025: https://youtu.be/rKNxyGkO26g
Beginner's Guide to Japan's Shinkansen Bullet Trains: https://youtu.be/f3JDRc5sl5I
How to Get to Kyoto from Tokyo without JR Pass: https://youtu.be/bkcZVmjZr4M
Guide to Hokuriku Arch Pass: https://youtu.be/Z_BlVF-h_xk
Dos & Don'ts of Train Travel in Japan: https://youtu.be/qIn0W7m2Q54
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