how do rail passes in japan work

[Oppositegenderattracter32]

visiting early next yr and want to be able to visit all the islands without paying 500+ in train expenses

 

[KingWigga]

Get the card on you phone ahead of time - a lot of the machines for printing them were in a chip shortage when I went- you just tap the phone on the scanner as you walk through.

 

[Rance]

Rail passes are limited to tourists (having any other kind of visa will disqualify you) and last up to three weeks, if I remember correctly.

I have never used a rail pass because I've mostly been ineligible, but from what I've heard, it's not worth it. You'd have to be traveling almost constantly, using multiple limited express lines per day, etc. to recoup the cost.

As KW said above you will want to get a Suica/Pasmo/Icoca card (they function identically and all work on every line across the country) or the equivalent version on your mobile app. I had trouble getting the mobile app to work so I had to buy a physical IC card, which I find more convenient anyway, as you can simply tap your wallet on the scanner.

Also as KW said there has been an IC card shortage for like 18 months now, but don't worry, tourists can get a limited-time "Welcome Suica" card at the airport which has never run out of production as far as I'm aware.

 

[BeardedUnicorn]

visiting early next yr and want to be able to visit all the islands without paying 500+ in train expenses

Chad only

 

[Meeks]

If you have an iPhone you can download the suica card from the wallet app, you don’t need the suica app

It’s better then the physical card imo

 

[Xavist]

If you have an iPhone you can download the suica card from the wallet app, you don’t need the suica app

It’s better then the physical card imo

Tell us your secrets…

 

[Meeks]

Tell us your secrets…

No secrets, just the the same way you would set up Apple Pay but go to “transit” then go down to Japan and voila you can choose the Suica card

 

[KingWigga]

If your phone is too old you won’t get the passes to show up on there. Found out there’s a security standard that my old phone didn’t meet. Oddly there were some Chinese rail lines still using the old standard.