JR Pass Calculator: Is It Worth It?

Add the JR trains you plan to take, day by day. The calculator compares single tickets with the 7, 14 and 21-day Japan Rail Pass, and finds the start day that saves the most.

Fares and pass prices checked against official JR websites · October 2026
Your JR ridesStart from the 5-day example and change it to your trip: change the ride or the day, remove rides with ×, or add more. One ride = one direction.
Who is travelingChildren are 6 to 11, plus 12-year-olds still in elementary school. Infants under 6 ride free in most cases.
SeatsNon-reserved costs less but is not available on some trains, such as Hayabusa and Kagayaki.
Train on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu ShinkansenThe pass covers Hikari, Sakura and Kodama. Nozomi and Mizuho need an extra ticket.
Where you buy the passOverseas agencies include travel agents and booking apps that sell exchange orders.
When you travelChanges reserved seat prices.
Single tickets
Best with a pass
Difference

Every option

OptionPass coversTotal

Your rides

      Fares are official one-way adult fares for reserved seats in the regular season, used as an estimate. The fare on the day you buy may differ. JR's own fare search is the final word.

      How to use

      1. 1. Add your ridesPick a ready-made trip or add each JR ride with the day of your trip it happens on. Add the return trip as its own ride.
      2. 2. Who and which seatsEnter adults and children aged 6 to 11, and choose ordinary or Green Car seats.
      3. 3. Which train and where you buyHikari, Sakura and Kodama are covered by the pass. Nozomi and Mizuho need an extra ticket even with the pass. The pass costs less on the official website than at overseas agents.
      4. 4. Read the answerYou see single tickets vs the best pass, the days the pass should cover, and which rides are inside it.

      Japan Rail Pass prices (October 2026)

      The price depends on where you buy. On the official online site the prices below stay the same for a limited time. Exchange orders bought at an overseas JR-designated agency cost more for purchases made on or after October 1, 2026. Children are aged 6 to 11.

      PassOfficial websiteOverseas agency
      7-day ordinary¥50,000 (child ¥25,000)¥53,000 (child ¥27,000)
      14-day ordinary¥80,000 (child ¥40,000)¥84,000 (child ¥42,000)
      21-day ordinary¥100,000 (child ¥50,000)¥105,000 (child ¥53,000)
      7-day Green¥70,000 (child ¥35,000)¥74,000 (child ¥37,000)
      14-day Green¥110,000 (child ¥55,000)¥116,000 (child ¥58,000)
      21-day Green¥140,000 (child ¥70,000)¥147,000 (child ¥74,000)

      Sources: JAPAN RAIL PASS: prices, JR Group: price changes (PDF)

      What the pass covers, and what costs extra

      • Covered: JR shinkansen except Nozomi and Mizuho, JR limited express, rapid and local trains, the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport and the JR Miyajima ferry (the Miyajima visitor tax of ¥100 is paid separately).
      • Nozomi and Mizuho: the pass alone is not valid on any seat. Buy a special Nozomi/Mizuho ticket for each ride, for example Tokyo to Kyoto ¥4,960 or Tokyo to Hiroshima ¥6,500 for an adult. Children pay half.
      • Not covered: city subways such as Tokyo Metro and Osaka Metro, and private railways. Sleeping cars, Gran Class and some premium cars also cost extra.
      • Through trains onto private railways (for example the Fuji Excursion beyond Otsuki to Kawaguchiko, or the Nikko and Kinugawa trains on Tobu tracks) need a separate fare for the non-JR part.

      Sources: JAPAN RAIL PASS: routes, JAPAN RAIL PASS: Nozomi/Mizuho special ticket, Special ticket prices for all sections (PDF)

      How this calculator counts

      • Single tickets are counted at the official one-way fare for a reserved seat (or the Green Car if you choose it), regular season, on the same kind of train you would ride with the pass.
      • If you choose Nozomi and Mizuho, single tickets use the Nozomi fare and the pass side adds a special ticket for each ride.
      • Children: the basic fare, limited express and reserved seat charges are half price, with fractions of 5 yen rounded down. Green Car charges are the same as for adults.
      • Season: reserved seats cost ¥200 more in the busy season, ¥400 more in the peak season and ¥200 less in the off-peak season (double on trips that run between the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen). Non-reserved seats cost the same all year.
      • The pass runs for consecutive days. The calculator tries every start day for each pass and keeps the cheapest, paying single tickets for rides outside those days.
      • A trip with a change of trains is counted as separate rides. One through ticket can cost a little less.

      Sources: JR Central: adults and children, JR Central: seasonal charges (Japanese), JR Central: fare search (Japanese), JR West: fare search (Japanese), JR Kyushu: fare revision (Japanese)

      FAQ

      Is the JR Pass worth it in 2026?

      It depends on your rides. A Tokyo to Kyoto round trip alone costs less with single tickets than with a 7-day pass. The pass pays off when several long trips, such as Tokyo to Fukuoka and back, fall within the same 7 days. Add your rides above to see your number.

      How much is the JR Pass now?

      The 7-day ordinary pass is ¥50,000 on the official website and ¥53,000 at overseas agencies for purchases from October 1, 2026. The 14-day pass is ¥80,000 or ¥84,000 and the 21-day pass ¥100,000 or ¥105,000.

      Can I ride the Nozomi with the JR Pass?

      Not with the pass alone. You buy a special Nozomi/Mizuho ticket for each ride, for example ¥4,960 for Tokyo to Kyoto. Hikari trains are covered and run on the same line.

      Does the JR Pass cover the subway?

      No. Tokyo Metro, Toei, Osaka Metro and other city subways are not JR. JR lines in cities, such as the Yamanote Line in Tokyo, are covered.

      Should I buy the pass from the official site or an agency?

      For purchases from October 1, 2026, the official online site is cheaper (¥50,000 vs ¥53,000 for 7 days ordinary). Agency prices in your currency are converted from yen when the exchange order is issued.

      When should my 7-day pass start?

      On the day of your first long ride that you want covered. The calculator shows the best start day. Rides on other days are paid as single tickets.

      Is a regional pass cheaper?

      Often, when your trip stays in one region. This calculator compares the nationwide pass only. If your rides are all in Kansai, Hokkaido or eastern Japan, check that region's JR pass too.

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