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JR pass worth it? 2015/3/4 01:11
Hi, this April I will be going to Japan with a group of 5. I am in charge of settling the tickets and have a few questions. First, here are the details of our trip:

Arrival at Haneda Airport: 8th April Late morning (950AM)
Departure from KIX: 18th early afternoon (235PM)

In Tokyo, we will be staying in an Airbnb apartment at Azabu-juban near Roppongi.

In Osaka, we will be staying in the Namba area.

Our rough itinerary is as follows:
10 AM: arrive
1045 AM: Get luggage and get through immigration
11AM: Leave the Haneda Station
1150AM: Reach Azabu-Juban station
1205PM: Checked in
1PM: Set off to explore Tokyo

We spend about 5 days and a half day in Tokyo.
We plan on visiting Disney land, tsukiji market, Ghibli Museum, Ramen Museum, Skytree and Mt. Fuji area.
We are still contemplating if we should go to nikko or other areas around tokyo.

If you do have any places to recommend please do.

After that we will take a bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo on the 13th.

We check in and then start exploring Osaka for the day. (14th)
We take a day trip to Kyoto and explore Osaka again.
(15th)
We take an overnight trip to Koya-san
(16th)
We stop over Nara and go himeiji and then back to osaka
(17th)
We chill in Osaka till its time to go around 1PM.
(18th)

So, I am just wondering if anyone could help me decide which passes to use.

1)The JR national pass seems pretty reasonable but... I have 12 days in Japan and there is only a 14 day or 7 day option. One seems like a waste. The other just isn't enough

2) If I get individual would it be cheaper?

3) DO i need to get a Yokoso Osaka subway and bus pass? And do I need a Tokyo Metro pass if I get the JR pass?

4) In kyoto/koyasan etc. do i need to get another pass to travel in the area?

5) Should I get Pasmo? I mean I thought of getting JR 7 day pass and then get the Pasmo to use in tokyo and the final day ticket from namba to KIX. (final day travel is not much so I would start using the pass on the 11th to the 17th )

We hope to keep low spending on tickets that are efficient as we are still students so... I was wondering what i should do and if there are any tips to save money.





by Chris (guest)  

Re: JR pass worth it? 2015/3/4 09:58
If you're entering Tokyo and departing Osaka, then a JR Pass is not worth it. Use Hyperdia to check train fares and then you can decide what pass will be worth it.
by ... (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: JR pass worth it? 2015/3/4 10:05
Is not a question. It is a statement.

Yes

Your choice. Depends how extensively you use public transport in a day. I prefer walking.

Kyoto depends on how extensive you use public transport. Koya heritage pass.

Pasmo or suica or any of the other variations.

Stay in budget hotels
Better yet, hostels.
Piece hostel
First Cabin
JHoppers
K house
Sakura hotel chain
Toyoko Inn hotel chain
Boarding House Osaka
Oki Inn Kyoto

Buy a can of coffe and an onigiri from the conbini store for breakfast. Lunch out. Dinner are half price bentos from conbini or supermarkets.

Walk over bus. Best is to rent a bicycle. Some hostels have bicycles too.
by joshua hugh (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: JR pass worth it? 2015/3/4 10:28
Lets take a look.
14 days Rail pass is defiantly not worth it.

7 day rail pass:
Tokyo-Osaka 15330
Osaka-Himeji 3940
Himeji-Osaka 3940
Osaka-Kansai 2560
Other areas like Nara is small ticket pricing
25770+
29110 7 days Rail pass.

So it is not worth the 7 days rail pass as well however if you plan one more bullet train to say Hiroshima and back to Osaka, then it will be worth it.

So I recommend getting a Pasmo for the local lines in Tokyo and Osaka. To Nara and Himeji as well on the local lines. NOTE Pasmo does not work on Shinkansen.

Single tickets on Shinkansen. Book them as soon as you get to Tokyo if you know the train times, dates, etc

Not sure which one you are going to at Mt Fuji but Kawaguchi would be single tickets and Hakone you could use this: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html

Mt Koya tickets : http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html

3) DO i need to get a Yokoso Osaka subway and bus pass? And do I need a Tokyo Metro pass if I get the JR pass?
Pasmo is good for both JR and most private lines

Hope this helps!!!
Have fun!!
by Koohii2wii rate this post as useful

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