Prepaid card in addition to JR pass?

Hi

I am planning to travel to Japan this February 24-Mar 3 and I am getting the 7-day unlimited JR Pass. I will be arriving in osaka and will travel to tokyo (4 days), back to osaka, and will also explore kyoto and nara (3 days).

Would it be advisable for me to get a prepaid card pass in addition to my JR pass when I travel around tokyo? Or will my JR pass suffice for lines needed to get around, and I will just purchase individual tickets if necessary?

Thanks.

A SUICA card would be beneficial within Tokyo given you will spend half your time on the JR Yamanote line, covered by the pass, and half your time on the subway, which is not.

Plus it makes for a neat little re-usable souvenier for 500 yen. I wouldn't bother returning it :-P

Work out if the places you want to visit can be reached via JR lines or not. I found when i used my pass i had no trouble getting around via JR. Having a suica card as backup will save you a lot of hassle either way tho.

Thanks for the advise. I think I'll get a suica card for convenience.

btw, just a follow up question, would the jr pass be valid for any train schedule? or will there be only specific schedules that we can ride on?

im assuming if i reserve a seat for my travel from osaka to tokyo then that will require a specific time

Japan Rail Pass is not Card types.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wij8iNV1kCU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3er-yxp9UsI&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo-ic65S8Us
[*] JRP cannot insert automatic gate, visually checked by station staff.
(watch again 1st video skip 1:00)

Suica/Pasmo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49U34-_787E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YEANnUMs1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhywlFA2eEQ
card purchase/charge machine can select [English] easy!


BTW, Suica/Pasmo easy use, but not discount.
if non JR lines a lot,read "special tickets" useful I guess.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2017.html
Toei[都営] and Tokyo Metro[東京メトロ] are biggest "Subways" both.
(also another campany trains running)
(subway lines into/around [JR]Yamanote-lines loop area)


[Rail map of Tokyo]
http://membres.multimania.fr/wadonoel/transit/tokyosuburban.gif
http://www.maptokyo.net/tokyomap_en.jpg

JRPass covered white-black lines all.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/suica/area/tokyo/map.html
(all another colors lines are non-JR)
(this map for Suica/Pasomo user, so without Shinkansen-lines from Tokyo[東京駅])

[JR] lines only [with shinkansen /PDF]
http://www.jreast.co.jp/map/pdf/map_tokyo.pdf
zoom in station name with ENG.

Google Maps[transit] calc fast!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN5_NBSu7Lw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-_Z2O9r3pE
input words in JP[Kanji] possible.
(but not perfect as thinking all japan,
Tokyo araes not covered local Bus lines/fee)

read again!
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en004.html

JRPass not use for "Nozomi[のぞみ]",
So, u ride "Hikari[ひかり]" or "Kodama[こだま]" only.
if from Shin-Osaka(*) to Tokyo directly.
（* Osaka stn : shinkasen not stop)

train timetable serch...
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2323.html
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ easy!
but, click "SearchDetails" then checkmark[ﾚ] out
Airplane,Airport Shuttle Bus,
and " NOZOMI (SHINKANSEN)" first![most impotant]


Hikari and Kodama both trains all "non-reserved cars[自由席]" a lot.
reserved seats full or not check on JR CYBER STATION.
http://www.jr.cyberstation.ne.jp/vacancy/Vacancy.html
but no ENG page, select Kanji-letter of stns.
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/3380/cyberstation.png
(captured and ENG added)

if all reserved seat cars only[全席指定:Zenseki-shitei], u must.

ex）
Ltd EX N'EX : Tokyo - Narita AP
Tohoku shinkansen Hayate/Komachi : Tokyo - Shin-Aomori/Akita
Ltd EX Superview Odoriko : Tokyo - Atami/IZU
Ltd EX Haruka : Kyoto - Kansai AP

and some other trains same rule.

sorry one part wrong.

"Haruka" is not "all reserved train".
http://www.jr-odekake.net/train/haruka/compo.html
[＊: 4leaf clover]Green (reserved)
[指]reserved
[自]non-reserced

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_001.html

thanks for the info cj

i got confused regarding the ticketing but apparently the jr pass booklet is the only thing i need when traveling within tokyo or for short distances like osaka to kyoto. however, if i travel from shin-osaka to tokyo, i will need to get an actual ticket in addition to my jr pass booklet at the ticketing office.

Tricia,

If you want a reserved seat you have to get an additional seat reservation for the trip on the Shinkansen or most other Limited Express trains.

You are not required to get one if you decide to sit in the unreserved seatsection, but since seat reservations are "free" with the JR pass it doesn't hurt to get one.

If you decide not to get a reservation and ride in the unreserved section, all you do then is just show your JR Pass to the gate person and they let you in. No additional ticket needed.

As far as timing, you can ride any JR train except the Nozomi train and a few minor lines that you are probably not going to use. The main thing is you have to use the HIKARI Shinkansen between Osaka-Tokyo.

For everything else you could just pay as you go or get a Suica (or Pasmo) card for Tokyo.