Home
Back

Dear visitor, if you know the answer to this question, please post it. Thank you!

Note that this thread has not been updated in a long time, and its content might not be up-to-date anymore.

Page 1 of 2: Posts 1 - 20 of 22
 
1 2
next

Important JR Pass Question 2010/6/29 20:32
Hey, a lot of people here seem to be in the know, especially regarding using the train system, so I thought I'd get your advice on a potential dilemma...

I'm currently living near Hakodate, studying abroad in the 8-week Hokkaido International Foundation intensive language program, which ends Aug 6. My plane tickets home are for the 14th, so the plan is to travel around by train for a week. My dad is also flying over to travel with me, and we were planning on using the JR Pass.

However, as a result of procrastination (and going to the wrong JTB location in Chicago the day before my flight) I didn't get an exchange order. Instead, my dad ordered two and he's going to send me mine in the mail. But someone just told me today that when I go to exchange the voucher for a pass at the station, they will check both the entry visa date in my passport and the voucher's postage date, and if I arrived in Japan before the pass was ordered, I cannot use it. Is this true?

Also, that week is apparently Obon week this year, which I didn't realize. The plan is (was) for me to leave Hakodate the morning of the 8th and travel to Tokyo, and then Narita to meet my dad. The next morning, the 9th, we'd travel to Osaka for a couple days, perhaps a side trip to Hiroshima or Kyoto, and then return to Tokyo for the rest of the week. Will we even be able to find a spot on the crowded shinkansen? We already have hotel reservations for both cities.

I'm starting to feel like my travel plans are falling apart, and I should refund the JR pass and change the Osaka Hilton reservations to Tokyo Hilton ones, and just stay there for a week. Halp. How do I shot web?
by bergmaniac  

... 2010/6/30 09:57
Are you in Japan on a tourist visa? They will check your passport to see which visa you have and you can only use the JR Pass on a tourist visa.

Also, is your name on the exchange pass or your dad's? I'm pretty sure you need to have the same name on the exchange order as on your passport, at least the place where I bought my echange order was very concerned about us putting down exactly what was in our passport.
by AusEz rate this post as useful

Have fun with your dad. 2010/6/30 11:01
I doubt you can get JRPass. Get refunded later.
But don't despair. The 7 day JRPass breaks even for shinkansen trip between Tokyo and Osaka so buying tickets or using JRPass is immaterial except for convenience. Tokyo go around is cheap and no use in Kyoto anyway. If you go to Hiroshima, then it will be extra.
Use hyperdia.com to figure out the total fare cost.
Are you flying to Tokyo to meet your dad? Then use the air pass. Check the black out dates. Use Keisei Tokkyu for just 1,000yen between Ueno/Nippori and Narita AP, if you want to save money.
Before Obon on August 15, most people travel out to their home in country side away from Tokyo. So if you are getting back to Tokyo by August 15, you are ok as it is the opposite direction from the traveling masses.

by amazinga (guest) rate this post as useful

op here 2010/6/30 11:15
OP here, I'm on a tourist visa. But I'm more concerned about my immigration entry date being before the postal date on the voucher.

As for getting to Tokyo, I was planning on using the JR pass to get down there. Would a JR east pass save me money over a shink ticket? You can buy those in Japan I believe... Or would flying be cheaper?
by bergmaniac rate this post as useful

. 2010/6/30 13:04
The Air Pass info.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html
Uhhh, you must have lost the voucher so your dad had to buy another one & send to you.
Right? You know what I mean?
by guest (guest) rate this post as useful

. 2010/6/30 13:11
the first one could have been stolen along with one of my bags too. and im just a poor college student. how regrettable.

im thinking ill give exchanging it a shot, play dumb if they tell me it doesnt work, and then explain that its a replacement and i dont have money for a shinkansen ticket cause im a ryuugakusei.

worst comes to worse, ill refund it and buy a regular ticket or jr east pass.
by bergmaniac rate this post as useful

JR PASS 2010/6/30 13:36
I am pretty sure that you can only get a refund in the country and business where it was bought.
by Monkey see (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2010/6/30 21:40
OP,
I comprehend just what a pickle you are in, and would not want to be in your position! Regarding your entry date being earlier than the exchange order issue date (it's not the postage date--the actual issue date is written on the voucher), I have also wondered about that myself. This same question has come up on this forum before but I never saw a definitive answer. However, as I recall, one poster who is extremely knowledgable about Japan travel said he didn't think JR actually compares those two dates when you go to get your rail pass. And I have heard of at least one person who succeeded in having an exchange order sent or brought to them in Japan. It surprises me a little that JR would let you get away with it, because they generally do stick to their rules, at least when large amounts of money are involved. (They will generally take pity on foreigners with more minor problems.)

Based on what I've read, I think that there is a fair chance that you will get away with it. But as you know, you are taking your chances because technically you are breaking the rules.

If you do decide to try exchanging the voucher, I'd be curious to hear what happens. Maybe you could post the answer?

I had a snafu with a rail pass once before. The first time I ever bought a rail pass of any kind, an ill-informed travel agent mistakenly told me that my travel companion, who is a Japanese native, was eligible for a JR Pass, and issued an exchange order. We were unable to exchange it, and had to completely redo our itinerary after getting to Japan. But we had a great trip anyway. We later got a refund on the unused exchange order.
by Uma (guest) rate this post as useful

Clarification 2010/6/30 21:44
The snafu I had in the past was over a JR East pass. Japanese nationals who reside outside Japan ARE eligible for the nationwide JR pass.
by Uma (guest) rate this post as useful

JR PASS 2010/7/1 02:54

You can use a JR Pass even if you have entered Japan before you bought one (you can get them sent to Japan from this site http://www.jrpass.com so it must be ok). As long as you have your tourist visa stamp, the exchange voucher is in your name and you exchange it within 3 months of purchase you'll be fine.

Regarding Obon and riding the shinkansen, you should reserve your seats as soon as you can for all your journeys at a JR Ticket Office. As long as you do this I can't see there being a problem. If you don't reserve a seat you'll have to turn up and queue early for the unreserved carriages!

by kittychan81 rate this post as useful

. 2010/7/1 03:09
I've never heard of that requirement of it being post marked (who or where did you get that information?)

The JR folks are more checking if you have a valid Temporary Visitor's permit (aka Tourist Visa) then anything else.

Japanese Nationals living overseas have always to my knowledge been eligible for the JR pass, they just need to show a foreign visa/permanent residency card with their passport.

There is nothing on the exchange pass form that makes you write down (or even records) the date you entered Japan, nor does it record what date it was sold.

In fact of all my time, this is the first time I have ever heard of such a post mark / sale date.
by ExpressTrain (guest) rate this post as useful

. 2010/7/1 03:13
Here is the actual EXCHANGE form you fill out when you give your exchange order to get the JR pass:

http://www.japanrailpass.net/images/application.pdf

As you can see, it doesn't ask when you entered Japan.

On the Japanese writing at the bottom, it just records the start date of the pass, and the date the pass was issued to you.

by ExpressTrain (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2010/7/1 05:28
The guidance I was referring to states:

"You must purchase an Exchange Order from an authorized sales office or agent before you come to Japan."

This seems explicitly clear to me. To buy the order before you come means the purchase date must precede the entry date, and technically this is entirely different from the pass not being available for sale inside Japan. However, based on the information I have seen, JR apparently does not verify that you purchased the exchange order before entering Japan. They CAN do this by looking at the purchase date on the exchange order and comparing it to the entry date in your passport. But DO they? That is the question. (I suppose we could ask JR, but I wouldn't count on getting a clear and consistent answer from them.)

Regarding the jrpass.com web site, I saw that a while back and was wondering myself. (You can do a lot of things on the Web that are not "okay." Sometimes they are in fact illegal and eventually the sites get taken down.) jrpass.com appears to be a commercial site that is not affiliated with JR (?), whereas the page I quoted above (http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en002.html) appears to have some official connection with JR. (I am not sure about that, though.)

So if I were the original poster, I would still be worried.
by Uma (guest) rate this post as useful

. 2010/7/1 07:56
This is what I figure.

1. The exchange order form has no spot on the English or Japanese portions that indicate entry date into Japan. The JR Staff usually just go with what the form says to fill out.

2. Staff are just trained to make sure that the person is on a Temporary Visitor's Status, or that the Japanese Person is a Japanese living overseas. The really don't pay attention to anything else but the Visa Status.

3. By presenting the JR pass exchange order, it is most likely already implied to the JR pass exchange person that it was purchased overseas and usually doesn't inquire more as long as your status is TEMPORARY VISITOR.

I would just exchange it at the same time your father exchanges his exchange order, both of you have temporary visitors status, foreign passports and exchange orders, the Staff usually don't ask any other questions.

IN the worst case scenario, make sure you have enough to purchase a round trip ticket (you can refund the exchange order back in the US). But I'm thinking you'll have a 99% success rate. Please report back.

by ExpressTrain (guest) rate this post as useful

PURCHASE JR PASS AFTER.... 2010/7/1 11:41
bergmaniac

It is correct that the JR website says that "You must purchase an Exchange Order from an authorized sales office or agent before you come to Japan."

But upon confirmation with JR pass authorised agent, it is confirmed that kittychan81 is correct:
"You can use a JR Pass even if you have entered Japan before you bought one As long as you have your tourist visa stamp, the exchange voucher is in your name and you exchange it within 3 months of purchase you'll be fine. "

Looks like you are going to be fine.
by liem (guest) rate this post as useful

Thanks! 2010/7/1 12:40
Gah, you guys are awesome!

Your answers are very encouraging. If I can't exchange the pass in Hakodate by myself, I'll just purchase one way tickets to Tokyo and exchange them at the same time with my dad.

But I'll give it a shot. I could also go to a smaller eki like Goryokaku or Nanae, and they might do it.
by bergmaniac (guest) rate this post as useful

exchange 2010/7/1 13:02
Fyi, the exchange order can only be exchanged for a pass at specific stations. The list can be found here: http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en009.html

If it turns out that they won't give you the pass for some reason then you can always return the exchange order to where you bought it from for a refund. I have refunded exchange vouchers before and it wasn't a problem.
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

JR PASS AFTER.... 2010/7/1 13:11
bergmaniac ,

I would be very interested to learn the result. Could you please post a feedback in this forum for members' benefit.
by liem (guest) rate this post as useful

. 2010/7/1 13:54
I'll be sure to post my experience on here as soon as I can. But it may be a few weeks before I receive the pass in the mail and try it.
by bergmaniac (guest) rate this post as useful

Pass 2010/7/1 14:37
I know that it is a no-brainer but you and your dad are starting the pass on the same day, right?
Be sure to start it on a day when you will travel in the morning for a relatively long distance. No point starting the pass on Tuesday for example and taking the train at 11 pm that day as you then lose that whole day.
You can go to the right JR counter days in advance and ask them to start the pass later, like a couple of days or a week or more later...
by Monkey see (guest) rate this post as useful

Page 1 of 2: Posts 1 - 20 of 22
 
1 2
next

reply to this thread