Is the JR Pass worth it?

Pick the long-distance trips you plan to take. See whether a nationwide Japan Rail Pass costs less than buying each ticket.

Your trips (one way each)

Add a return journey as a second trip.

For example JR local lines or airport trains that the pass would also cover.

Fill in the fields to see the result.

Official sources

Last checked on October 6, 2026; we check these pages for changes every day.

How it works

A regular ticket is the base fare plus the limited express charge for a reserved ordinary-car seat in the regular season. Fares come from JR's own fare search; the charge is a little higher in peak seasons and lower in quiet ones, by a few hundred yen per trip.

The Japan Rail Pass covers Hikari, Kodama, Sakura and most other JR trains. Nozomi and Mizuho need an extra special ticket per trip, which the calculator adds when you tick the box. Since October 1, 2026, passes bought through overseas agents cost more than on the official online site.

The pass is for visitors with temporary visitor status. Only the trips listed here were checked against official sources; add anything else (local JR lines, airport trains) as other JR fares. Round trips count as two trips.