IMPORTANT INFORMATION

IMPORTANT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

GET JR PASS - Your travel companion for Japan

Good to know before you order

Children tickets

Children between 6-11 have a 50% discount on their Japan Rail Pass. Children under 6 travel for free on all JR trains and buses. Teenagers 12 years and older will, unfortunately, have to buy a JR Pass for adults.

Children who have not reached the age of 12 when the JR Pass is purchased through Getjrpass.com can take advantage of a 50% discount on the price even if they have reached the age of 12 when it is exchanged in Japan. Note that your child needs their pass if they have turned 6 years old when you arrive in Japan.

Own responsibility

The buyer is responsible for checking that the visa is noted in the passport, and that entry into Japan is within the time frame for being able to exchange the JR Pass at the nearest JR office.

Wheelchair on trains

Wheelchair-accessible seats are available on most Shinkansen and express trains. You book a seat quickly and easily with the help of the staff at your nearest JR office. Note that there are limited accessible seats on each train, so be sure to book your seat well in advance and be prepared that it may be full on certain desired routes during popular times.

There are some special criteria regarding size and electric wheelchairs with steering wheel or handlebars. Please contact your nearest JR office for more information.

Eligible buyers

JR passes can only be purchased by tourists before departure and require a 90-day tourist visa to be activated. However, this visa is something that most European travelers get automatically when they land in Japan and is not something you need to worry about or apply for early. With some exceptions, check with your local embassy before your trip.

Note that a stamp with the date and the text ‘Temporary visitor’ is printed in your Passport at the passport control and is required to then exchange the JR Pass at your nearest JR office.

Correct name

You must write your name exactly as it is written on your passport. Without special characters. Björn Jonathan Holm becomes ‘Bjoern Jonathan Holm’. You have your responsibility to fill in the correct information in connection with the purchase, if the name does not match the name in your passport, you will be denied exchange in Japan.

Delivery

Your JR pass is sent out no later than the next working day from our office in Gothenburg. Make sure you enter the telephone number and correct address in your order for a fast and smooth delivery.

All passes are issued by Flygi AB, our Swedish company, and sent from our office in Sweden with UPS Express. Flygi AB is an official and authorized reseller of JR Pass on behalf of JTB Corp and Japan Railways Group.

Exchange pass

After your order via our website, you will receive a voucher that will be used to exchange for a JR Pass at the nearest JR office. These are available at various major airports, train stations, and stops in Japan.

Your JR voucher must be submitted together with a presented passport including the ‘Temporary visitor’ stamp/sticker to exchange for a fresh JR Pass.

Japanese citizens must bring their passport, certificate from the embassy, and their JR Voucher sent out by Getjrpass.

Best time to order

We usually recommend our customers buy the JR pass 4 weeks before the scheduled departure. Then you are guaranteed to receive your passes on time and change any errors that may have occurred when booking. The JR Pass can only be exchanged in Japan within 90 days of being sent out from Getjrpass’s office in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Make sure to book well in advance, but reserve yourself for any delays and obstacles with your trip and have a little margin in both directions.

Should there be a crisis, the pass can always be picked up the same day with us in Gothenburg if you’re a local. Email or call and we will help you as soon as we can.

Automatic gates

Many JR stations have automatic gates and allow you with a JR Pass easy passage through. Put your JR Pass in the machine and walk inside. Your JR pass will come out again on the other side, so be sure not to forget it. The JR Pass does not work on gates marked with “IC Only”, then you need to pass through the manned gate.

English names

All signs at all JR stations show names and information in English. Once on the train and all information signs in the station, numbers and names of upcoming stations are displayed in English to make it easier for us tourists. If you need more help, the staff is ready to help at the nearest JR office.

Coin lockers

All major train stations have coin cabinets where you can easily store your bags and other valuables while you travel around. Perfect for those of you who had to check out of your hotel but still have a couple of hours left in the city before you need to go to the airport, but do not have the strength to lug around large suitcases. The cabinets are cheap to rent and very easy to understand.

Avoid rush hour

Rush hour traffic usually takes place in the larger cities between 07:30 – 09:30 and between 17:00 – 20:00. However, this does not affect all lines, but only those towards larger industrial areas and business complexes.

JR Pass exceptions

The Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen express trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen are not covered by the JR Pass. These two are the only exceptions that exist.

However, Hikari and Sakura Shinkansen cover the same distances and can be used instead with just an extra stop or two on the way, traveling on the same rail and at the same speed.

7, 14 or 21 days

The number of days on the ordered JR Pass can not be changed afterward. After your Japan Rail Pass has been sent out, you can no longer correct the number of days that the pass will be valid for or during. Try to plan and book your trip around the number of days on your JR Pass. Note that Japan Rail Pass can be purchased as 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day passes.

More information

For more information and current departures during your stay, please visit the Japan Rail Pass official website for updated documentation. Here you will also find maps and names of all lines and trains