Japan Rail Pass: Get 10% off starting at €215

shinkansen bullet train

Until Friday, July 12, 2019 you have the unique chance to get a rare discount on one of the most useful travel gadgets there is. The Japan Railways Group (JR) Rail Pass will give you access to the entire Shinkansen bullet train network, as well as some of JR’s selected local trains (NOT including Tokyo Metro).

You can get a seven day pass at €215 instead of the usual €238 by buying it through getyourguide.com. This site currently offers a 20% discount coupon. While their regular prices are higher than other Rail Pass distributors, you still drop below the usual price when using the coupon.

  • 7 Day Regular Rail Pass at €215 instead of €238
  • 7 Day Green Car Rail Pass at €268 instead of €320
  • 14 Day Regular Rail Pass at €345 instead of €381
  • 14 Day Green Car Rail Pass at €467 instead of €517
  • 21 Day Regular Rail Pass at €440 instead of €488
  • 21 Day Green Car Rail Pass at €606 instead of €673
JR Pass 10 Off
Buy your JR Railpass for just €215!

Get your 10% discount by using this GetYourGuide discount coupon:

20% Get Your Guide Coupon ✄ show & open
The coupon code is:
CU5N-PPPB-UZ43
Open Get Your Guide
Coupon must be redeemed on or before July 12, 2019. It is valid for multiple activities within the same booking.
Coupon must be redeemed on or before July 12, 2019. It is valid for multiple activities within the same booking.

A tutorial on how to redeem the coupon can be found here as well.

Requirements

The JR Railpass is only available for foreigners entering Japan with a tourist visa, that you’ll receive without further ado at immigration. When you purchase the railpass online, you will receive a voucher. When in Japan, you need to go to an JR office and show your passport as well as your voucher. There you’ll receive a personalized rail pass that is valid from the day you selected during your order. JR offices are widespread and can be found at any international airport.

Japanese Landing Permission
Such a landing permission and a voucher is all you need to get your JR Railpass.

The Rail Pass is available in a 7, 14 or 21 day version. Within this period of consecutive days, you have access to Japan’s enitre bullet train network that is famous for its speed, comfort and punctuality. It gives you the opportunity to save a lot of money. A discounted oneway ticket between Tokyo and Osaka on a Shinkansen train costs approx. €80. With JR’s rail pass, you could theoretically spend the entire day driving back and forth between those cities without spending an additional cent. While you’re not allowed to board express trains with fewer stops, you’ll still be around very fast.

Japan Railways Group

The JR rail pass is offered by Japan Railways Group, Japan’s largest railway company. They operate several regional networks and the country spanning Shinkansen bullet train network. With travelling speeds of more than 300 km/h, there is no faster way to get around Japan.

Trains included in the pass run almost every ten minutes along the Tokaido and Sanyo line. Each train has either 8 or 16 cars, so there is plenty of space. Each train is seperated into reserved and non-reserved seating sections. Seat reservations are free and can be made in advance, but are not necessary in off peak times. The network is easily accessible, as you can just proceed to a platform and board the train of your choice. All seats are forward facing.

Train rides in Shinkansen trains are extraordinaliry smooth. Green Car customers can expect wider seats (aligned in a 2-2 instead of a 2-3 pattern) and free drinks, but regular seats will be give you a very comfortable travel experience as well. We do not recommend buying a Green Car rail pass in favor of a regular one.

Please be aware that boarding an not eligible train may result in a fine and the voiding of your rail pass.

Travel Ideas

One way to use our JR Railpass to full effect is spending a week in Kyoto. The city itself is very attractive and full of sights. Because competition is high, hotels aren’t as notoriously expensive as in other Japanese cities.

Within five days (one to get to Kyoto from Tokyo and one to get back to Tokyo), you have a lot of interesting options within a days’ trip, travelling there in the morning and returning late afternoon. All trains run along the already mentioned Tokaido and Sanyo lines:

  • Osaka (travel time: 14 Minutes)
    Japan’s second most popoulos city is just as busy as Tokyo and features world class attractions like the Osaka Aquarium.
  • Kobe (32 Minutes)
    Just across the bay from Osaka is Kobe. After a devastating earthquake in 1995, large parts of the city center had to be rebuilt. One of the most orderly and pleasant cityscapes in Japan came to life.
  • Nagoya (40 Minutes)
    Nagoya is an industrial city. However, a few skyscrapers near the trainstation are accessible to the public and invite you to take some breath taking views of this modern metropolis.
  • Nara (70 Minutes)
    Not served by Shinkansen trains, but by JR local traines that are included in the pass as well. Japan’s capital a long time ago, Nara is home to the world’s largest building entirely made of wood and famous for its free roaming deer.
  • Himeji (96 Minutes)
    A rather small city, but home to UNESCO world heritage site Himeji-Jo, an old and beautifully restored castle.
  • Hiroshima (100 Minutes)
    Hiroshima’s name will forever go down in history as the site where the world’s first nuclear bomb was dropped. It’s most touristical sight is Miyajima island. The ferry that brings you there is included in your pass as well.
  • Mount Fuji (140 Minutes)
    While not directly accessible, this station is the nearest to Japan’s national symbol Mount Fuji. When travelling between Hamamatsu and Shin Fuji station, you will get an awesome view at the volcano if conditions are right.

Even if you’re just doing a roundtrip between Tokyo and Hakata station in Fukuoka, the 7-Day version of the rail pass will have paid off.

Cover Picture: © Pixabay user Syun sft under Pixabay license

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