Best rail fare options? Kyoto and Tokyo.

Hi all,

My two friends are going to Kyoto and Tokyo. Specifically, Tokyo Disney Resort, Kyoto and Tokyo. They are staying in Japan for 15 days.

1. Arrive in Japan, stay at Tokyo Disney Resort. 3 days.

2. To Kyoto. 2 days.

3. Stay the rest of the time in Tokyo. 10 days.

I was going to suggest just getting two 14-Day JR Passes, however, it seems cheaper for them to just get the 7-Day JR Pass (for trip to Kyoto and back to Tokyo) then spend the remaining Pass time in Tokyo and then buy something like the Tokunai Pass for each of the rest of the days.

I noticed on the JR Site that the Tokunai pass is 740 yen for the entire day (but doesn't include the Nakano stop on the Chuo Line). For travel strictly within metro Japan, does the Tokunai cover all local and rapid express routes (Yamanote, Chuo, Keihin Tokoku?

Is it best to just get this Tokunai Pass for the next five or six days? I used to get the I.O. cards but those are long gone :) I guess now there's only Suica?

Thanks again for dealing with all my questions :)

- peanut

A 7 day railpass is cheaper for your trip, there are even cheaper ways to travel, but generally a rail pass is good.

The Tokunai pass DOES cover Nakano station, I know, I used it there not too long ago.

However to decide to get a Tokunai pass really depends on how much traveling in a day you plan to do. The pass covers all local and rapid trains, within the designated area. If you go out you have to pay the difference at a fare adjustment machine.

Many times it is cheaper to just pay as you go (eg by purchasing tickets each time or by using a prepaid card like suica/pasmo), instead of getting a day pass.

So to determine if you need a pass or not, start with wher eyour hotel is, and see where you will be traveling within one day to see if it pays off or not to get a pass.

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/tokunai_pass.html

You can see you can use the pass as far as NishiOgikubo on the Chuo line. Nakano is between Shinjuku and NishoOgikubo.

However again, first look at your travel plans each day then determine if its good for a day pass or cheaper just paying as you go.

I used to get the I.O. cards but those are long gone :) I guess now there's only Suica?

IO cards are replaced by PASMO, Pasmo and Suica are pretty much the same thing for use in Tokyo. They work the same way as the old Passnet IO card except you can recharge them, and they are contactless cards. You load the card with money (minus the initial 500yen for the card) and the cost is deducted each time you use it.

If I recall Passnet cards are still in use, but its better to get pasmo since its compatable with Suica. Or just get a suica card (again doesn't matter they're similar).

Only 2 days in Kyoto and 3 days in a Disney place? surely you should stay longer in the Kyoto area (Nara, Osaka, Himeji, etc etc.) especially if the friends get a 7 days JR pass.

Thanks John! I took the map too literally in terms of what locations it mentioned on the map.

True, the Suica might just be more convenient. I'll get a sense of where they want to travel whe I meet up to talk with them some more - if they are going to cover lots of Tokyo in one day, the Tokunai would be worth it.

Sensei 2, the 3 days includes the afternoon they arrive in Japan, so they'd only be visiting for two days. Depending on what they want to see in Kyoto, they may stay longer :)

Again it all depends on where your start piont is and where you are traveling to, then that point to where you're traveling to next. So calculate the fares out first, and remember there are places not covered by JR.

Just in case you are interested:

A cheaper option would be using the NEX & Suica package and use overnight buses to travel between Tokyo and Kyoto:
http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi