- The JAPAN RAIL PASS (hereinafter referred to the “PASS”) is only valid for the person who meets the usage qualifications such as being a foreign national visiting Japan with the entry status of a Temporary Visitor.
- At the time of the purchase and exchange order of the PASS, your passport information will be registered to the PASS. The PASS is only valid for the person whose passport information is registered (hereinafter referred to as the “User”) and may not be reassigned to another person. In order to be issued the PASS, the User needs to exchange for it at the ticket office.
- A PASS with overlapping periods of use regardless of the type of PASS cannot be purchased or exchanged with the same passport information.
- When using your Pass, you can either pass through the automatic ticket gate or present it to an attendant at a manned ticket gate. At the manned ticket gate, the attendant will apply a stamp to your Pass. When passing through the manned ticket gate, always present your Pass to the attendant so that the period of validity is clearly visible.
- While using the PASS, you must always carry your passport and be prepared to present it to a station attendant or a car conductor when requested.
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The PASS can be used for ordinary cars on all of Japan Railways (JR Line) Shinkansen "bullet trains" (excluding "NOZOMI" and "MIZUHO" trains), limited express trains, express trains, and local trains (Green Car Passes are valid for Green Car trains), as well as the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system, JR WEST Miyajima Ferry between Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi (you will be required to additionally pay a Miyajima Visitor Tax of 100 yen when visiting the island), buses operated by JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto, JR Tokai Bus, West Japan JR Bus, Chugoku JR Bus, JR Shikoku Bus and JR Kyushu Bus, and the Tokyo Monorail. However, please note that the PASS is not valid for travel on highway buses operated by the JR Group and some local bus routes.
- You cannot use “NOZOMI” or “MIZUHO” Shinkansen bullet trains (including non-reserved seats).
Only when an [ONLY WITH JAPAN RAIL PASS] NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket is purchased separately before boarding the train and used together with a valid JAPAN RAIL PASS, a "NOZOMI" or "MIZUHO" train can be used for the section and facility indicated on the purchased ticket.
- The routes covered by the PASS are subject to change.
- When using the PASS to travel on JR Trains that extend through lines operated by companies other than JR Railways, JR West Miyajima Ferry, JR Bus(excluding some routes such as express bus routes), and the Tokyo Monorail, you must pay a separate fare and other charges of the distance traveled on such sections. However, no separate fare or charges are required when you just pass through the following sections without a stopover.
- The Aoimori Railway between Hachinohe and Aomori, Aomori and Noheji, or Hachinohe and Noheji (Valid only for use on ordinary trains).
- The IR Ishikawa Railway between Kanazawa and Tsubata (Excluding travel on trains other than JR lines extending beyond that section).
- The Ainokaze Toyama Railway between Toyama and Takaoka (Valid only for use on ordinary trains, excluding travel on trains other than JR lines extending beyond that section). You must purchase a Liner ticket in addition to the PASS to use the “Ainokaze Liner.”
- The Hapi-Line Fukui Railway between Echizen-Hanandō and Fukui (Excluding travel on trains other than JR lines extending beyond that section).
- The PASS itself does not guarantee you a seat. If you want to use a reserved seat, be sure to book a reserved seat (no additional payment needed). You can obtain a reserved-seat ticket at a reserved-seat ticket machine, at any JR station ticket office(Midori-no-madoguchi), or at any Travel Service Center, etc. before boarding. In addition, if you purchased the PASS on the “JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation” (hereinafter referred to as “JRPR”), you can also book a reserved seat on the JRPR. Please note, you can use a non-reserved seat with the PASS, however, some trains do not have non-reserved seats. Also, if you wish to travel in a private compartment on a Shinkansen or a limited express train, you will be required to pay the limited express charge for the private compartment, as well as the Green Car charge if the private compartment is a Green Car accommodation. If you wish to travel in a sleeping car, a DX Green Car, Premium Green Car, or Gran Class Car, you will be required to pay the sleeping car charge, the Green Car charge applicable to a DX Green Car, the Premium Green Car charge, or the Gran Class Car charge, as well as the limited or regular express service charge. If you ride in a Green Car using an ordinary car pass, you will be required to pay the Green Car charge, as well as the limited or regular express service charge (No extra charge applies when using a Green Car pass). You must also pay an extra charge in advance to travel on a local train requiring a numbered ticket or a liner ticket. The PASS does not allow you to change to a reserved seat or sleeping car after boarding.
- When issuing a reserved-seat ticket and booking a reserved seat on the JRPR, a reserved-seat ticket may not be newly issued when falling under any of the following conditions.
- The reserved -seat ticket you are booking is on the same day and has overlapping departure and arrival times with a reserved-seat ticket that has been issued previously.
- On the JRPR or at a reserved-seat ticket machine, the reserved -seat ticket you are booking is on the same day and has the same departure and arrival stations with a reserved-seat ticket that has been booked previously.
- On the JRPR or at a reserved-seat ticket machine at a JR station, if reserved-seat tickets for more than 110 trains have already been issued on the PASS.
- You may not book reserved seats even if they are open in situations such as when the number of seats is limited according to trains or section.
- Please be aware that reservation numbers are printed on the PASS and the reserved-seat tickets. Each User must use the reserved-seat tickets with the same reservation number as his/her PASS.
- In the case of change or cancellation of a reserved seat, please perform the cancellation procedures for the reserved -seat ticket before the departure time of the train you booked.
- If you use a non-reserved seat, or if you travel in an ordinary car using a Green Car pass, no refund will be paid for the fare or other charges.
- The PASS can be used only within its periods of use.
- The PASS cannot be exchanged for other types of passes or tickets, nor can the periods of use of the issued PASS be changed.
- Please note that the PASS cannot be reissued in the event that it is lost or stolen.
- If the ordinary PASS fails to be issued in the event of system failures, etc., the PASS limiting a part of functions (for example, the reserved-seat ticket machines or automatic ticket gates are not available) may be issued. However, a refund is not available for this reason.
- A refund is only available before the starting date of periods of use, in principle. For a refund, if there are any issued reserved-seat tickets, it is necessary to cancel all the issued reserved-seat tickets.
- If the PASS is purchased on the JRPR you have not been issued the PASS, a refund is available on the JRPR. Refunds are available until 11:30 p.m. (Japan time) on the day preceding the starting date of periods of use of the PASS. If you already received the PASS, you can apply for a refund at the ticket offices where the PASS is distributed. In either case, a handling fee of 560 yen will be charged per PASS.
- If you purchased an Exchange Order in a country other than Japan, a refund for the exchanged PASS is available at the domestic exchange offices. A 10% handling fee of the sales price (Japanese yen) will be charged per PASS. If you want to get a refund for the Exchange Order itself, apply for it at the sales office from which you purchased the Exchange Order. For the handling fee, please confirm with the sale office.
- If you purchased the PASS at a domestic sales office, a refund is available at the domestic sales offices. Please be aware that if you have purchased the PASS with a credit card, a refund is available only at the sales office of the travel agency from which you purchased it. A 10% handling fee of the sales price (Japanese yen) will be charged per PASS.
- Once you start using the PASS, the periods of use cannot be extended, nor will any refund be issued, even if trains and other qualifying transportation services are suspended or delayed for any reason, including natural disasters. Moreover, the JR Group will not bear additional costs due to changes in your route, such as alternative transportation costs or accommodation charges.
- In addition to the terms and conditions set forth above, when using the PASS, you must obey the JR Group’s regulations, terms and conditions, and the laws of Japan.
- Violation of the terms and conditions above or the JR Group’s regulations of use of the PASS may result in the invalidation and confiscation of the PASS, as well as assessment of a penalty amounting to twice the basic fares and charges for all transportation services for which the PASS was used.
- In the event of questions that may arise regarding these terms and conditions written in other languages, the text of the Japanese version will be given priority of interpretation.
Conditions for use
