Paying Supplemental Fees (Trains)

I will be travelling using the JR Pass however a number of my trips involved non-JR lines etc which require an extra fee. I was wondering how that would be paid? I'm assuming most of the time I'll be quickly showing my pass to the station attendant and then jumping on the train, especially as I'm probably not going to remember exactly which trips have extra charges.

Would the free be paid to a conductor? And if so would they accept IC card payments? I'll probably have cash but IC would be much more convenient as I don't need to worry about exact change.

I was wondering how that would be paid?

If it is a JR train running on non-JR tracks, then it depends on the situation. If the trip starts with a non-JR section, then you should buy the ticket for the non-JR section beforehand. You cannot use an IC card to pass the ticket gates. If the trip starts in a JR zone but ends in a non-JR zone, then it may be easiest to pay the remainder at the destination station. Alternatively, you could try to buy a ticket beforehand, but it may be complicated. In some cases, you may be able to pay to a conductor on-board. Lastly, if the non-JR section is located along the way, then usually a conductor will ask you to pay on-board.

If you are simply referring to non-JR trains, then you simply buy a ticket for that train before your board. Many train companies, especially in urban areas, accept IC cards.

I'm probably not going to remember exactly which trips have extra charges.

As a user of the train system, it is your responsibility to properly inform yourself about whether you have a valid ticket or not.

You cannot use an IC card to pass the ticket gates.

Well, that depends on sections.

When you get inside a gate with your IC card,
you have to use the same card to get outside a gate of another station,
and, if you hope to use a Japan Rail Pass beyond the boundary,
you have to find a manned gate.

Regarding some JR - non-JR direct train services,
you should pay a surcharge in addition to the basic fare
to have a ride on the non-JR section,
which cannot be paid with an IC card.
In that case,
you either purchase the (set of) non-JR ticket(s) or,
make an adjustment
on board or the station where you get off the train.

Hmm, okay this looks like it's going to be a bit confusing then. I was planning to make notes about my trips but it looks like that's going to be more important than I thought.

The main situation I was thinking of was JR line running on non-JR tracks in the middle of the trip as that seems easier to forget. If I need to pay the conductor for that, does it need to be cash?

When comes to staying/ending on non-JR tracks and I'm paying at the station, I'm assuming I'd be paying the attendant at the manned gate. Is that able to be a payment by IC card ie a one off payment that is paid via IC card not a tag on/tag off scenario?

You are overthinking this. When you need to make additional payment, the staff will let you know, and then you can ask whether you can pay by IC card. I see no substantial benefit in knowing this in advance.

At some JR manned gates,
for a section where you have traveled without your IC card,
maybe you cannot use the card to make a fare adjustment.

If I need to pay the conductor for that, does it need to be cash?

You had better prepare cash.
Your train, especially in a tunnel in a mountainous area,
may be isolated from public telecommunication networks,
in which case a conductor cannot make a contact
with the systems for credit cards or IC transportation cards.

@ guest maybe, but I'd still rather know and not get caught out because I didn't think to bring some change. No-one wants to be that tourist and not knowing is no excuse to being not able to pay a fare.

@ omotenashi Thanks :) I'll make a note break my larger notes before those trips. I'm assuming conductors don't have a lot of change.

Japan is a mainly cash based economy. So you should always have something like at least 10,000 Yen with you. (Ideally some of it in 1000 Yen notes) Better more. You can not rely that you can pay hotels, transport, dinner... by using some card. Sometimes you can, but donft rely on it.

This said, donft worry about the trains. As a PP said, if you need to pay someone will tell you. If you can pay by ic card, you can simply ask by showing them the card. But have cash on you to pay in cash. You donft need the exact change though. You get either change back or there is a changing machine.

Enjoy your trip to Japan!

The main situation I was thinking of was JR line running on non-JR tracks in the middle of the trip as that seems easier to forget.

From the top of my head, I can think of only two cases in all of Japan where this will happen (when you go to Ise and when you go to Tottori). JR trains on non-JR tracks are generally something rare, and many tourists will never encounter them. See the following page for a list of some of the few prominent cases:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2368.html

Pretty simple, show the JR pass (and your tickets), pay the difference. Some times you might be able to use an IC card on the train, but cash works.

I've done this a few times and on the Ise/Toba to Nagoya leg it was certainly cash and a few other places in my early travels around the country (I recall I did that trip to Tottori as well - five years ago). Last time encountered this I asked if I could pay at the terminal station as the train was finishing at a non-JR station and the answer was no, fortunately I had the 1200 yen on me, so no problem. For the return, had to buy the supplement ticket before boarding, then the JPR took over for the JR sections.

I do recall a trip from Niigata to Kanazawa about three years ago (using some local trains) and my visit to the ticket office was quite amusing. The JR staff selling me the tickets were very agitated because of the supplement - after three people looked up many books/timetables/resources, I think it was 260 or 440 yen - trivial for the overall trip. Paid in cash on the train.

See the following page for a list of some of the few prominent cases:

Another list is on the website of Japan Rail Pass.
http://japanrailpass.net/en/about_jrp.html#bm_003

Personally I hope to avoid a phrase like "a JR train on a non-JR section";
such a non-JR railway section is operated by that non-JR company (in all or most cases),
so we usually donft call a train running on that section as a JR train.

I can think of only two cases in all of Japan

I know another case, but you donft have to worry about it, I suppose, because you can travel for the whole route with your IC card and the total amount of the fares is little.
: Tsudanuma --[JR]-- Nishi-Funabashi --[Tokyo Metro]-- Nakano -- [JR]-- Mitaka.
(This Tokyo Metro line leads outside Tokyo until Nishi-Funabashi.)

While a train to go through this route is running on the Tokyo Metro section, we donft call it as a JR train.

For your information:
In a fare adjustment (by a gate machine)
inside the Suica-PASMO railway network
for your train ride(s) with your IC card,
when plural routes of different amount fares can be concluded,
the least amount fare applies,
so you donft need to tell your actual route at a manned gate.

@ LikeBike Yeah, I do intend to have cash, but I tend to get a large amount out when moving on which leaves me with mostly large notes. I'll be making a note to check I have some smaller change.

@ Uji Yeah, I'm heading to Tottori and possibly to Ise too, hence why I was asking. I figured the beginning and end sections wouldn't be as much of an issue.

@ JapanCustomTours Thanks for the info, I'll keep some cash on me :)

@ omotenashi Thanks for the extra info. While I'll be hitting the other two cases, I don't think I'll be going through that route.

I forgot the trip I do most often where (with a JRP) I pay an extra fee for my guests. From Nagano to Chikuma City area on Shinano Railways. There is no electronic ticket gate at the station I use, so I just pay the supplement at the manned gate (IC card is not an option there).
For the reverse, I get my guests tickets for the section that isn't covered, back to Shinonoi. Y250, then the JRP covers Shinonoi to Nagano. I have to buy a ticket for the full trip, but it's only Y410.

Cases like these and other special cases are all over the country (I found an unusual one on Aoimori Railways where the JRP works) - depends where you go, but, it usually isn't hard or complex for users.