JR Pass and Suica in Japan: what to buy for your trip
By Ganesh ·
Whether the Japan Rail Pass still pays off after the 2023 price rise, when a regional pass or single shinkansen tickets are cheaper, and how Suica, PASMO and ICOCA cards work on your phone or as a card for city trains, buses and shops.
Most visitors on a classic Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka trip no longer save money with the national JR Pass. It got much more expensive in October 2023. Single shinkansen tickets plus an IC card such as Suica are usually cheaper. The national pass still pays off if you cover long distances in a short time, for example Tokyo to Hiroshima and back, or Tokyo to Hokkaido. A regional JR pass is often the best deal for a trip focused on one part of Japan.
Your options
| Option | What it covers | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| National JR Pass (7, 14 or 21 days) | Almost all JR trains nationwide, including shinkansen. Nozomi and Mizuho trains need an extra fee. | Long distances: Tokyo to Hiroshima, Kyushu or Hokkaido |
| Regional JR passes (JR East, JR West Kansai, Kansai Hiroshima, Hokkaido and more) | JR trains in one region | A trip focused on one area |
| Single shinkansen tickets | One journey | Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Hiroshima, one or two long trips |
| IC card (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA) | Pay-as-you-go for city trains, subways, buses, plus vending machines and convenience stores | Everyone, for local travel |
Is the national pass worth it for you?
- List your long train trips and their dates.
- Look up each fare on the JR or HyperDia-style route planners (Google Maps also shows fares).
- Add them up and compare with the pass price for the days you need.
A Tokyo to Kyoto shinkansen one way, plus Kyoto to Osaka, plus Osaka back to Tokyo, adds up to well under the price of a 7-day pass. Add Hiroshima and Miyajima and you get closer. Add a trip to Kanazawa or Sendai, and the pass may win. If it's close, buy single tickets: you're free to take Nozomi trains (the fastest and most frequent) without an extra fee, and you don't have to activate anything.
Buying shinkansen tickets
- Use the official JR online booking for your route (SmartEX covers the Tokaido and Sanyo lines between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima), or buy at station ticket machines, which have English.
- Reserved seats are worth it during cherry blossom, Golden Week (late April to early May), Obon (mid-August) and New Year.
- Big suitcases on the Tokaido and Sanyo shinkansen need an oversized-baggage seat booked in advance. Small cabin bags don't.
Suica, PASMO and ICOCA
These are prepaid IC cards. You tap in and out at gates and the fare comes off your balance. They work almost interchangeably across Japan's big cities, so a Suica bought in Tokyo works in Osaka and Kyoto too. You can also use them at convenience stores, vending machines and many cafes.
- On an iPhone, you can add a Suica, PASMO or ICOCA to Apple Wallet and top it up with most foreign cards. This is the easiest option.
- Many Android phones sold outside Japan can't use mobile Suica. Buy a physical card instead.
- For visitors, the Welcome Suica card is sold at Narita and Haneda airports and some Tokyo stations. It has no deposit but expires after a set number of days. Regular Suica and PASMO cards have a small refundable deposit.
- Top up with cash at station machines. Keep at least ¥1,000 on the card for a day of city travel.
Questions people ask
Does the JR Pass work on Tokyo's subway?
No. It covers JR lines, including the Yamanote loop, but not Tokyo Metro or Toei subway lines. Use your IC card for those.
Can I use Suica on the shinkansen?
Only on some routes and with some setups. It's simpler to buy a shinkansen ticket and use Suica for everything else.
Should I buy the pass before I leave India?
You can buy it online on the official JR Pass site or from authorised agents, either before you go or in Japan, and exchange or activate it at a JR office. The price is the same.
Photo: Shinkansen N700S series photographed at Higashi-Tagonoura with Mount Fuji in the background, 10 April 2023 by Takeshi Aida, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Read in: जापान में JR पास और Suica: अपनी यात्रा के लिए क्या लें