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Japan Rail Information

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What is Japan Rail

Covering the nation... The Japan Rail Pass is an intricate railway network whose total length of 20,000 km (12,400 miles) covers every corner of the four major islands (a total of 360,000 km). Frequent... 26,000 departures a day. Punctual... JR trains are so reliable you can use them to set your watch. Advanced, Fast, and Safe... High speed and safety are supported by advanced technology, represented by the Sinkansen trains. These trains, which connect Japan's major cities over a total length of 2,407 km (1,496 miles; as of January 2001), are famous throughout the world for their fast speed, to a maximum of 300 km, or 186.4 miles, per hour, and safety. Comfort... Modern, clean, complete facilities-trains, stations, and service-for comfortable travel in today's age.

Trains... The Perfect Gateway to Japan

Japan has the world's most convnient and efficient railway network. JR Group are proud of their international reputation for frequent service, punctuality, high speed, and safety. Travel by train is also the ideal way to view Japan: your ride comfortable and carefree, as vistas of a nation glide before your window-mountains, forests, lakes, highlands.
Hokkaido Railway
West Japan Railway
Limited Express - Super Ozora
Limited Express - Haruka
Sapporo-Kushiro - As short as 3 hr and 34 min fast, luxurious vehicles. Ultra-modern design; spacious, relaxing interior, fastest travel to Osaka.
East Japan Railway
Shikoku Railway
Limited Express - Narita
Limited Express - Shiokaze
Narita to downtown 53 mins. modern and spacious. Forget about the traffic congestion. Crosses the long bridge over the inland Sea of Seto; "The Gale of the Inland Sea".
Central Japan Railway
Kyushu Railway
Limited Express - Hida
Limited Express - Kamome
Luxurious vehicles for panoramic scenes of the beautiful forests in the mountains of the Hida River. As short as 107 min. - high tech vehicles for northwestern Kyushu sight seeing.
Who is eligible for a Japan Rail Pass?
The Japan Rail Pass is a special ticket that is available only to for sight-seeing travelers visiting Japan from foreign countries.
1. You are tourist visiting Japan from abroad for sight-seeing, under the entry status of "temporary visitor".

To be eligible to purchase a Japan Rail Pass you must meet one of the following two conditions.
"Temporary visitor" entry status, according to Japanese immigration Law, allows someone stay in Japan for 15 days to 90 days for "sight-seeing, etc." If you apply for a "stay for sight-seeing" when you enter Japan, entry personnel will stamp your passport as "temporary visitor".
Only those who have a passport bearing this stamp can use a Japan Rail Pass.

2. You are a Japanese national living in a foreign country,
Who is qualified to live permanently in that country, or Who has been living in that country for ten or more years, or Who is married to a non-Japanese residing in a country other than Japan.

Obtaining a Japan Rail Pass

A JAPAN RAIL PASS cannot be purchased inside Japan. You must purchase an Exchange order before coming to Japan. After you arrive in Japan, you must turn in the Exchange Order to receive your Japan Rail Pass at any JAPAN RAIL station an exchange office.

Fares shown
are for one way
Adult Green
Child Green
Adult Ordinary
Child Ordinary
7-days
¥37,800
¥18,900
¥28,300
¥14,150
14-days
¥61,200
¥30,600
¥45,100
¥22,550
21-days
¥79,600
¥39,800
¥57,700
¥28,850

The above symbol (¥) is the Japanese currency "Yen". For the prices for JAPAN RAIL PASS Exchange Order is calculated based on the Banker's Selling Rate (BSR), etc., at the time the Exchange Order is issued. For more details and information about the current exchange rate please to Universal Exchange Rate. The local currency price, applicable exchange rate, and issue date for an Exchange Order are specified on the Exchange Order itself.

Pass prices for children apply from ages to 6 to 11. Prices are subject to change. The applicable price is the price valid on the date when an Exchange Order is issued.

Japan Rail Pass Validity

1. Transportation services -
Railways: All JR Group Railways-Shinkansen (super express) (except "NOZOMI"), imited express trains, express trains, and rapid or local trains (not usable on some trains)
Buses:

JR Bus Companies: Local lines of JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto,
JR Toakai bus,. West Japan JR Bus and Chugoku JR Bus
JR Bus Divisions: Local bus lines of JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu
JR Highway Bus LInes: Sapporo-Otaru; Morioka-Hirosaki, Aomori, Towadako;
Toky-Nagoya/Kyoto/Osaka/Tsukubu Center;
Nagoy-Kyoto/Osaka-Tsuyama Car Shed Kasai Flower Center
Ferry: JR Ferry (Miyajima - Miyajimaguchi,) except "Beetle II * (Hakata - Pusan)
The rail pass is valid for the railways, buses, and ferry boats.
2. Accommodations - Many JR trains have Green cars (superior accommodations); all have ordinary cars. You can use Green car or ordinary cars with a Green-type JAPAN RAIL PASS, and you can use ordinary cars with an Ordinary-type JAPAN RAIL PASS, without paying additional charges.

Refer to the following: The car with O can be used with JAPAN RAIL PASS. Use of the cars with*requires paying additional charges.
Train
Accommodations
Green
Ordinary
Shinkansen
Green Car
O *
Ordinary car
O O
Green private compartment
* *
Ordinary private compartment
* *
Limited and
Ordinary Express
Green Car
O *
Ordinary car
O *
Green private compartment
* *
Ordinary private compartment
* *
Sleeping car
* *
Local Rapid trains
Green car
O *
Ordinary car
O O
3. Valid period
The valid period of a JAPAN RAIL PASS is the consecutive 7, 14 or 21 days beginning on the date the PASS is first used.Within three months from the date the Exchange Order was issued, you must turn in your Exchange Order to obtain your JAPAN RAIL PASS. At that time, you have to specify the date that you want to start using the PASS. It can be any date within one month from the date the PASS is received.Once the PASS has a starting date written on it, the date cannot be changed.

Call us for more information about Japan Rail Pass and how to make a reservation.
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