How to take advantage of train passes in 2023

I’ve been a homebody for the last three years, rarely getting out for trips. This summer with a lot of paid leave to use up, I figured I would explore the Kanto and Tohoku regions. I’m not a driver, so trains are my ride. But what a shock to see the looming price increases of train passes. Lucky for me, I can take advantage of the current discount train fares.

The JR Rail Pass for your visitors from abroad

As a foreign resident, you’re not eligible to purchase the JR Rail Pass, but your visitors from abroad are. The pass allows travel on JR Group railways throughout Japan. Let your visitors from abroad know that in October 2023, the prices will rise from 65 to a whopping 77%. The good news is that your visitors can purchase the pass up to three months in advance, allowing your friends and family visiting in autumn/winter 2023 to take advantage of the current price. 

Train passes available for foreign residents

This summer, I’m intending to explore the Kanto area on day trips. The best deal for me as a foreign resident is the Tokyo Wide Pass for 10,180 yen for adults valid for three consecutive days. My plan is to do day trips. Two locations I plan on visiting are only about an hour away, and a third is two hours from home. The value of the pass is pretty good - if I were to pay the full fare, the three trips would cost over 20,000 yen. The price is set to rise to 15,000 in autumn, but it will still be a good deal as it allows riders to hop on and off.

A place I'd like to hop off and see in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture - photo Daderot

Another great value pass foreign residents can ride on is the JR East Pass for 20,000 yen. It’s valid for five consecutive days and gets you as far as Aomori Prefecture. Like the other JR passes, you purchase it three months in advance. The price of this pass is set to rise by 50% in October 2023.

A deal for anybody in Japan

One more flexible option I’m considering is the Seishun 18 Kippu, a real steal for anybody in Japan - Japanese nationals, foreign residents, and visitors. The ticket is available in three seasons, spring, summer, and winter, but oh, the places you will go. You can use it for epic and slow train journeys, share it with friends on the same itinerary, or just do a lot of day trips non-consecutively. I’m tending toward the last option. 

In the next few months, I'll tell you about my trips!

Have you or your visitors from abroad taken advantage of these train passes?