Exactly when you should (and should not) use the new Japan Rail Pass? | Japan Explained 

Hi @moo.thechroniclesof, no problem!

Hi @MrBiixx! Thanks for the compliment! Really appreciate it.

There are many regional train passes hosted by JR West and JR East which hold similar benefits to JR railpass but within a specific region and shorter days. For instance on my last trip I utilized the JR east tohoku pass which gave me access to Tokyo and Tohoku region for 5 days and it costed 30k. Another is the JR west All area pass 7 days and 26k gives you access to basically all of west japan(the main island) and includes access to local busses

Hi @sharathchandra95, thanks for the compliment! For your question, it depends on what you are asking.. (1) If you are looking for alternatives to trains to save money for travel between prefectures, domestic flights, highway buses, local trains and rental cars are some options which you can choose. Each method has its pros and cons, so choose one which suits your itinerary! (2) If you are looking for alternatives to the Japan Rail Pass, you can consider regional passes offered by the individual JR companies instead. They are cheaper than the nationwide Japan Rail Pass, and there are many occasions where you don't really need a nationwide Pass for your travel plan. Also, remember that Passes are just a way to save money; buying individual train tickets are first and foremost, the most basic method to take a train. If buying a train pass does not make sense for your travel plan, just get the tickets for the train journeys individually.

Hi @danielbedolla477, thank you for the comment! It looks like you've got a packed itinerary, going from Tokyo to Fukuoka to Hiroshima to the Kansai region and back to Tokyo. According to your plan, the major journeys are (a) Tokyo to Hakata on the Shinkansen, which is at least 22,220 JPY. (a) Hakata to Shin-Osaka on the Shinkansen, which is at least 14,750 JPY. (a) Shin-Osaka to Tokyo on the Shinkansen, which is at least 13,870 JPY. As such, if you make these 3 trips (total 50,840 JPY) within 7 days, the 7-day Japan Rail Pass (Ordinary) is more cost-worthy. In fact, it will be even better if you make more journeys (eg. go to Kyoto and Nara during your stay in Osaka) or get Reserved Seats on these trains. Hope this is helpful! Have a enjoyable trip!

Hi @moo.thechroniclesof, thank you for the question! Yes, you can still use the JR trains without a train pass by just buying the tickets at the train station. (As long as there are seats available, for trains with limited or reserved seating.)

@@japan-explained thank you for the information...

@@japan-explained hi, is me again..... Another question.... JR Pass 5/7/10 days... This kind of pass, can I purchase after I have reach and stay at Japan, or can I buy after I have reach Japan ?

Hi @moo.thechroniclesof! I am not sure which pass you are refering to? The Japan Rail Pass only has 7 / 14 / 21-day variations. Are you talking about the JR Hokkaido Rail Pass? For rail passes offered by JR, I would personally advise you to (1) buy their Exchange Order vouchers before your trip to Japan, or (2) buy them online at the respective train companies' official ticket reservation websites (you can do this in Japan too). Hope my reply helps!