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3 questions on JR Pass..
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2007/9/26 16:39
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Hi,
With the JR Pass is the reserved seat itself free as well or just ''the action of reserving a seat''?
If I want to take a local JR train, then I don't need to buy a ticket physically just hop on the train with the JR Pass? In that case, without a ticket, how do I know where and when the train leaves?
Thanks!
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by Itadakiman
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JR Pass is very convinient. You can take local train only showing your JR Pass. At any station in Japan you will get information about time and platform of train departure. Train communication in Japan is very efficient and in bigger cities there are usually a lot of trains every few minutes. I advice you to check time table (www.hyperdia.com), just to have orientation how it is functioning.
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by Wanda
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With the JR Pass is the reserved seat itself free as well or just ''the action of reserving a seat''?Both is free! If I want to take a local JR train, then I don't need to buy a ticket physically just hop on the train with the JR Pass?That's right. In fact, this is true not only for local trains, but any train, on which you are going to use unreserved seats. In that case, without a ticket, how do I know where and when the train leaves?By consulting timetables: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2323.html
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by Uji
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JR Pass no reservation fee
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2007/9/26 18:20
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The JR Rail Pass is your ticket. Local JR train: is like taking subway. YOU must know the track and the direction. In Japan this is mentioned on larges screens before you enter the track area. Name of line - track - direction. Very often outside the train car name of line and direction is mentioned JR Express train: with showing your JR Rail Pass at a reservation desk ( in each JR station before ticket gates ) you can get a free reservation for a specific train OR as local JR train you just take a seat in the non-reserved car. Shinkansen: Same as Express, note that nozomi shinkansen you cannot use, two shinkansen to the north of Japan only have reserved seats, you can use them with JR Pass and a free reservation of the seat. No additional fees for the reservation.
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by Peter
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I think the OP is a little confused.
A ticket and a seat reservation are two different things.
As mentioned by Uji both are essentially "free" with the JR Pass. The pass itself is your ticket and you can ride on trains with unreserved seats with it without needing a seat reservation.
As Peter said, you can look at the signs in the station, or platform signs to see which train is which and where it is going.
A seat reservation is if you want a reserved seat (if the train offers reserved seating to begin with). This is free to, and you have to physically go to a counter and get a reservation. The reservation will show only train number, seat number, time etc. But track and platform numbers are still found on the station signs.
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by John
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Itadakiman train passes and reservations etc .are similar in Japan and in western Europe, same with subway systems etc. one great advantage of Japan is that, especially on JR, there are signs in the roman alphabet and P.A. announcements in English. out of curiosity, may I ask you if you are familiar with trains and what is your country?
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by Sensei 2
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question on reservations...
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2007/9/27 11:49
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Hi, While we are on the topic on reservations for the trains.. When i make a reservation for a seat on the forward journey, can i also make a reservation for the seat on the return journey at the same time? Or do I just wait until I'm at the station of my destination.Thanks
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by rowie
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reservation
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2007/9/27 14:39
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You can make the reservation at any reservation window up to one month before travel. So for example at JR Kyoto station you can book Hiroshima - Hakata train and so on.
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by Peter
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More JR Pass questions
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2007/9/27 16:01
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With the JR pass as i understand it you apply for one of these from overseas and collect it when you arrive in Japan, I assume you pay in advance by Credit card? if you buy a 14 day pass but dont want it to start for say 4 days after you have arrived is that possible? where do you collect them from? are you able to reserve seats from overseas (within the one month prior) or do you physically need the pass? If your doing say 10 journey in the 2 weeks can you reserve all seats upfront in one go to avoid having multiple trips back to the ticket counter? thanks in advance for your answers.
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by Steve
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JR Rail Pass
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2007/9/27 18:30
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Steve, Yes you must buy the JR Rail Pass in your home country from authorised dealers. You will receive an exchange order. With the exchange order and your passport with the temporary visitor stamp, you received when entering Japan, you can exchange to the JR RailPass. You select the day to start, so it needs not to be your arrival day in Japan. In a brochure you receive with the exchange order it is mentioned which JR station exchange to JR Pass. Only with the Pass in hand you can make free reservations and you can make all reservations at one time.
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by Peter
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Steve,
Although you can make reservations for as many trips as you want at one time, it is not very polite to monopolize the ticket agent's time for as long as it takes to do so. If you go to a big station where there are multiple agents, the impact on people waiting will not be as great, but even then, it is considered tacky behavior. I recently stood in a long ticket line in Tokyo Station (at least five agents working) and watched a party of foreigners making multiple reservations that took 15 minutes or more. No one in line said anything but you could really sense the tension and know what they were thinking. If you are in a station with only a small number of agents, and people are waiting in line, it would be quite rude to make more than two or three reservations at one time. Just something to keep in mind.
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by Uma
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Thanks Peter & Uma. I Understand what your saying Uma, Im surprised they havent introduced something that stops this problem, its a bit odd to offer a pass with unlimited travel yet not offer an easy way to book your actual travel, you'd think an online option would exist or maybe a seperate booking area you could visit when you have multiple trips to organise.
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by Steve
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JR reservation
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2007/9/28 16:14
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Steve, there was an online reservation some years ago and for JR Pass holders it was free. What happened: misuse and JR shut it down. You can avoid long waiting if you note down what you want reserved: Date , from, to, train name if known, non-smoking/smoking and hand this to the JR staff. They are extremely quick to book reservations. But of course it delays, as happened in from of my line this July, when two visitors started arguing whether to go to Himeji first or first to Hiroshima or why not making a stopover in Osaka. Even the very polite clerk could no help them.
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by Peter
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Question about JR Pass also.
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2007/9/28 17:05
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Sorry to ask another question in this thread, but I was wondering.
I am already in Japan, so I cannot get the JR Pass, but say I have friends coming from another country. Is it possible for them to buy extra passes and then activate them all and then give one to me to use?
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by Wonderment
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Wonderment, You have the temporary visitor stamp in your passport? Yes: Ask friends to buy the Exchange Order issued in your name in your home country and then you can exchange to JR Pass in Japan. No: Forget it, the staff exchanging the Exchange Order will check your passport and without temporary visitor stamp the Exchange Order will not be changed to JR Pass, you will receive back the Exchange Order for refund minus fees in your home country.
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by Peter
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Oh I see, Thanks. Looks like I will have to spend a lot showing my friends around Japan.
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by Wonderment
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Wonderment if you are in Japan and can't qualify for a Japan RailPass, look at alternate tickets and routes that maybe cheaper then paying full price. Depends on wher eyou plan to travel.
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by John
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How do you know that group of people weren't making only 2 reservations each but because of the number of people it takes time to process. I don't see what the problem was since it could of just been the same as having maybe 5-7 individuals people in front instead of 1 group of people.
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by John
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reservations
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2007/9/29 02:00
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I don't want to start one of these threads that go on forever as there can't be any consensus but.... I can understand that some tourists, new to a country, want to reserve their seats for all the train trips they will take during their vacation. On the other hand my own experience has been that "the best plans of men .." don't always work. Some days you don't really want to, or even physically can't, get up at 5 pm. to take the very early train you booked well in advance. Other times you want to stay longer in a spot or, on the contrary, move on earlier than planned. I now book the evening before or go to the station a bit earlier on the day. It could be also than tourists not familiar with railways in Japan (and Western Europe) don't realize how many trains there are per day on the main lines and don't want to be stuck. (in the big North American town where I live there is only one train a day - each way- to Seattle so booking in advance is a good idea) What about hotel reservations? well, I no longer do that (unless it is a deal like 75% off and I stay in one town only) Of course I never travel when most people are expected to travel..by choice but also because my company much prefer that we take our vacations in several chunks of 2 weeks or less and give us a bonus--more time off-- if we do . If people do feel the need to reserve all the planned trips well in advance a suggestion would be to choose a time outside rush hours..This is my way of doing things based on 30 years of travelling abroad and I am not saying at all that this is THE ONLY way.. ..
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by Plantagenesta
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