Travelling by shinkansen and even regular express trains can be costly when you’re exploring Japan. Thankfully, there are a number of discount rail passes to help you make the most of your budget.
Servicing one of Japan's most popular regions, the JR West Kansai Wide Area Excursion Pass is available to all foreign passport holders, meaning tourists AND Japan's foreign residents. It offers three days of unlimited rides including shinkansen and limited express trains in the Kansai region. The pass is currently priced at ¥10,000 (¥5,000 for children). However, starting October 1 2023, it will increase to ¥12,000 (¥6,000 for children).
Kansai is the region of western Japan that’s home to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, Wakayama, Kobe and more. The pass is valid for as many trips as you want on the shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama, plus the JR West lines across Kansai as well as the Chizu Express. It can also be used on local JR West buses and the cute Hello Kitty shinkansen that runs on the Kodama line from Shin-Osaka. With the pass, you can also book reserved seats up to six times in ordinary cars for your journey.
The promotion is currently running until March 31 2024. However, you have to purchase your pass from selected travel sites including our affiliate partner Klook. You cannot buy the pass from JR West ticket offices and you must have a foreign passport (regardless of visa status) to be eligible for the pass. Once you’ve made the purchase online, you’ll have to bring your e-ticket to one of the designated exchange centres in Kansai listed here, along with your passport, to redeem the pass.
For more information on the JR West Kansai Wide Area Excursion Pass, visit the website.
This article was originally published on November 17 2021 and updated on August 4 2023.
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