Korean Job Discussion Forums

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:42 pm Post subject: Japan Transportation

ok, i'm very confused by all the train and subway lines in tokyo. if i buy the Japan Rail Pass (7 days), would that be useful for travel within tokyo without using the metro/subway?

i have to buy the rail pass anyway for some trips outside of tokyo, but i was wondering if that rail pass is useful for travel within tokyo as well.

any help would be greatly appreciated! i'm trying to do this on the cheap.

drama_addict · Joined: 30 Aug 2009 Location: Seoul

You can use the JR Pass on all Japan Rail lines. This includes many commuter rail lines in and around Tokyo.

For traveling within the city, I think it would become a hassle to constantly be using the Rail Pass, especially when you're traveling between, two, three, or four stations.

I'd recommend getting a Suica Card for your travels around Tokyo. They're only 円2,000 (20 USD) which include a 円500 deposit which is refunded when you return the card, and 円1,500 which can be used immediately for travel. The cards are reloadable like T Money cards in Seoul. They're also convenient because they're good on all JR Lines, The Tokyo Metro, and other privately owned commter rail lines in the Greater Kanto region.

I lived in Japan for two years, and I always insisted on any friends who visited to get a Suica. The Rail Pass is really ideal for long train journeys between different cities, but not for travel within one metropolitan area.

kiwiinkorea · Joined: 17 Aug 2009

I also lived in Japan and second the recommendation for Suica for convenience for travelling in Tokyo.

However, when I went there on holiday a few years ago, I had a rail pass for travelling around the country and I used the rail pass for all my travel within Tokyo - mostly using the Yamanote line, which goes to many of the cool places to visit. I took the occasional subway and paid for it but mostly used the rail pass. I don't remember it being inconvenient at all - you just show the pass to the man at the ticket gate instead of using the automated gates. I remember it being very easy and you can save quite a bit of money by using the rail pass (which is already paid for) instead of paying for each trip.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:33 pm Post subject:

thanks! think i'll take a look into the suica card too. Smile

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Yeah, you can see most of the touristy places in Tokyo using the rail pass and just riding the Yamanote line, as kiwi suggested.

b-class rambler · Joined: 25 Mar 2009

What others said above about the usefulness of your rail pass even when you're only travelling within Tokyo.

But I'd add that you bear in mind that's it's by no means only the Yamanote loop line that you can use your JR pass on. There are lots of other suburban lines all over Tokyo which are run by JR.

To be honest, I'd probably say don't bother with the Suica card unless you actually work out beforehand that you'll be making several journeys in Tokyo on non-JR lines. Depends where you're going of course, but I'd guess it's probably unlikely you'd have to use a non JR line more than a couple of times, if that. And that would be less than the cost of a Suica to do so.

Still, 1500yen wasted wouldn't be that much of a big deal.

Murakano · Joined: 10 Sep 2009

I lived previously in Tokyo also.

The JR Pass in only useful on the JR lines NOT the subway lines. Don't waste your money on it if you're only going to use it for Tokyo.

Where outside Tokyo are you going? If you're going to Nikko/Hakone for example, you can again get relatively cheapish special tourist train/entrance package deals so no real need for the JR pass.

JR pass is of course useful for longer distance travel like Tokyo>Osaka etc but in Tokyo and close by not so much IMO.

If I were you I would by the Tokunai Day Pass.. You can buy them from any ticket machine but you might have to ask one of the station staff to help you get buy it.

It's 730 yen per day for unlimited travel on the JR lines (not the whole of Tokyo but the main central parts).

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/img/map_tokyoround.gif

Most of the touristy places are on the Yamanote line anyway(Shinkuju/Harakjuku/Shibuya/Ikebukuro/Akihabara/Ueno/Tokyo station for the palace etc.....Kichijoji is nice too.). Very worthwhile if you plan to do alot of travel in 1 day. The subway you wont use that much IMO other than going to Asakusa or some obscure places.

However if you want, you can buy the combined JR and subway day pass for Yen 1500 (I think)

Suica card? hmmm, well I guess for convenience yes, and thus not having to pay for tickets at the booth but you wont be getting any discounts from it.

(Work out your itinerary. Sometimes it's not even worth buying a day pass as you might be spending all day at only 2 places for instance.)

b-class rambler · Joined: 25 Mar 2009

I second the above advice that if your trips out of Tokyo were not that far and not that many, it might be that the JR pass would be a waste.

However, just one long-ish round trip on the shinkansen would likely make the pass pay for itself. If you were going to Osaka or Kyoto, that would be about Y27,000 there and back from Tokyo, which is about the same as a 7 day pass. So IF you're making at least one journey of that length or further, then don't worry about the pass not being worth it, because it definitely will be. Also, if you're flying to Narita, remember that you can get your JR pass immediately at the Narita Airport station and factor into your calculations that the pass could cover the Y3000 or so needed for the return journey from Narita to central Tokyo. (The Narita Express requires seat reservations which double that price, but there are slower local trains you can take too.)

I assume you don't read Japanese, so this is quite a good site for checking train times and fares.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

This might also be useful. It's an English map of the JR lines in Tokyo and surrounding areas. As you'll see, the JR lines cover a hell of a lot of places.

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/info/map_a4ol.pdf

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:26 pm Post subject:

wow, thanks everyone! i definitely got tons of great info here Smile

i'm going to be traveling to kyoto and back from tokyo, as well as some day trips from tokyo. i think i'll just get the rail pass and try to stick to the JR lines while i'm in tokyo.

thanks again!

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 4:19 pm Post subject:

two more questions...

(1) where in seoul can i purchase the exchange order for the rail pass? would any travel agency have it?

(2) how and when can i make seat reservations for the train? is there a website? i'll be traveling during a very busy time, so i think it's essential for me to reserve ahead.

b-class rambler · Joined: 25 Mar 2009

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Kissmykimchi · Joined: 25 May 2010 Location: Seoul

Can anyone suggest a hotel or an area that would be ideal as a hub to check out all of tokyo?

JBomb · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

I stayed in a great little business hotel right by Ueno Station. It was called Tsukuba Hotel and it is just a short walk from the station down Showa Dori past the local shrine and a quick right by the Shin Okamachi subway station enterence. The link to book is at http://www.hotelink.co.jp/ It was recommended on wikitravel. Not too expensive, has a nice and clean public bath, plenty of maps and pamphlets to help plan excursions and sight seeing, as well as a place to chill out with a beer before you head to sleep. Ueno is a nice and quiet place to crash and it right on the Yamanote Line circles the city so you can use your JR pass to your delight. It is also a short subway trip away from Asakusa which is home to an enormous Buddhist Temple that is one of the city's oldest. The market around the temple is also pretty fun during the day.