Japan National Rail Pass

• A delivery and handling charge may apply when you book online (Toll Express Mail is FREE, or $20.00 for TNT Courier). Delivery can take up to 5 working days from the date of issue. You will be notified by email when your exchange order has been sent out.
• Delivery can only be made within Australia to a residential street address or business street address. Deliveries cannot be made to a PO box, parcel collect / parcel locker address or overseas.
• TNT Courier requires a signature upon delivery. Please provide a street address where you will be during normal business hours. If unable to sign for the delivery, please select Toll Express Mail as your delivery option instead.
• Once sent to the given delivery address, JTB does not take any responsibility if the exchange coupon is lost or stolen.
• If you forget to take your exchange coupon to Japan, JTB is unable to send it to Japan nor send by email, as it’s a physical coupon. Cancellation fees will apply for a refund.

• The Japan Rail Pass is a special pass that is available only to travellers visiting Japan from foreign countries for sightseeing. To be eligible to purchase this pass, you must meet one of the following two conditions.

(1) If you are a tourist visiting Japan from abroad for sightseeing:

• You are a foreign tourist visiting Japan from abroad for sight-seeing, under the entry status of ‘temporary visitor’. ‘Temporary visitor’ entry status allows a stay in Japan of up to 90 days for sight-seeing, etc. When you enter Japan, entry personnel will stamp your passport as a temporary visitor.
• Visitors who enter Japan under any other visa statuses are not eligible.
• If you use an automated gate, no stamp will be applied to your passport. Either use a manned automated gate or ask a clerk to apply the stamp to your passport.

(2) Japanese people living abroad who meet the following conditions:

• People who have both their valid Japanese passport and written proof obtained from the embassy or legation of Japan in the foreign country where they live, that they have been living in that country for 10 or more consecutive years (在留届の写し). (A child also holding a Japanese passport, will also need to be eligible and provide the same documents).

• You must confirm that the issued date for both your “Overseas Residential Registration” and your “Certificate of Overseas Residence” is prior to the purchase date of your Exchange Order (and within the last 6 months). You must present your documents when exchanging it for your JR Pass in Japan.
• For individuals who possess passports issued by both Japan and another country. In accordance with the Japanese Immigration Law, please present your Japanese passport to immigration when entering the country. In this case, your Japanese passport and “documentation verifying your stay in another country for 10 or more consecutive years, such as a certificate issued by a government office overseas” will be required (在留届の写し).
• As a general rule, Exchange Orders cannot be purchased and Japan Rail Pass cannot be exchanged for young children who have spent less than 10 years living in another country. (There are however some exceptions).

• In the event that you are unable to exchange your pass in Japan because you fail to meet the eligibility requirements, JTB is not liable.

• You require an exchange coupon in final documentation before departing Australia, as you will need to swap this for your actual Rail Pass in Japan. Your exchange coupon must be exchanged within 3 months from when the exchange coupon is issued.
• The exchange coupon is valid for three months from the date of issue. You must exchange it in Japan at a valid exchange office within these three months in order to receive your actual Rail Pass. If you fail to make the exchange within the three months, your exchange coupon will no longer be valid and you will not be able to receive your pass.
• Please see list of JR exchange office locations and times: https://japanrailpass.net/

• The validity period of a Japan Rail Pass is consecutive 7, 14, or 21 days beginning from the first date the pass is used.
• The Japan Rail Pass is valid for the railways, busses, and ferry boats as below:

Railways:

• All JR group railways Shinkansen bullet trains (*Nozomi and Mizuho bullet train conditions see below) limited express trains, express trains, and rapid or local trains, and the Bus Rapid Transport (with some exceptions). Japan Rail Pass holders can also use the Tokyo Monorail. Aoimori Railway services between Aomori and Hachinohe (but only for travel on local or rapid service trains encompassing the segments between Hachinohe and Aomori, Aomori and Noheji, and Hachinohe and Noheji. Travel is not covered if you disembark at any other station on the Aoimori Railway line other than Aomori, Noheji, and Hachinohe). The IR Ishikawa Railway Line between Kanazawa and Tsubata. However, travel must be conducted on local or limited express trains and must encompass the full segment between these two stations. Travel is not covered if you disembark at any station on the IR Ishikawa Railway line other than Kanazawa or Tsubata). The Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line between Toyama and Takaoka. However, travel must be conducted on local trains and must encompass the full segment between these two stations. Travel is not covered if you disembark at any station on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway line other than Toyama or Takaoka.

Buses:

• Local lines of JR Bus (excluding some local lines) (Pass validity for particular routes is subject to change) (JR Bus: JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto, JR Tokai Bus, West Japan JR Bus, Chugoku JR Bus, JR Shikoku Bus, JR Kyushu Bus).
• The pass is not valid for travel on express bus routes operated by JR Bus.

Ferry:

• Only the JR-West Miyajima ferry is covered.
• Hydrofoil ferry service operated by JR-Kyushyu between Hakata and Pusan (Korea) is not covered.

• Japan Rail Pass holders are able to purchase special sector fare/s supplements to travel on the Nozomi and Mizuho trains, allowing you to move more quickly between stops on your itinerary. Nozomi trains are the fastest express service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line (Tokyo-Shin Osaka) and the Sanyo Shinkansen line (Shin Osaka-Hakata). Mizuho trains, on the other hand, service both the Sanyo Shinkansen line and the Kyushu Shinkansen.
• These sector fares can be purchased at any JR ticket offices (Midori-no-madoguchi), reserved-seat ticket machines, Travel Service Centers, and JR-associated travel agencies in Japan nation wide.

Supplement Sector Fare Prices: *Prices are a guide only

• Tokyo/Shinagawa to:
  - Nagoya ¥4,180 yen
  - Kyoto ¥4,960 yen
  - Shin-Osaka ¥4,960 yen
  - Shin-Kobe ¥4,960 yen
  - Himeji ¥5,390 yen
  - Okayama ¥5,930 yen
  - Hiroshima ¥6,500 yen
  - Hakata ¥8,140 yen
• Shin-Yokohama to:
  - Nagoya ¥4,180 yen
  - Kyoto ¥4,620 yen
  - Shin-Osaka ¥4,960 yen
  - Hiroshima ¥6,500 yen
  - Hakata ¥8,140 yen
• Nagoya to:
  - Kyoto ¥2,530 yen
  - Shin-Osaka ¥2,530 yen
  - Okayama ¥4,170 yen
  - Hiroshima ¥4,960 yen
  - Hakata ¥6,500 yen
• Kyoto to:
  - Hiroshima ¥4,170 yen
  - Hakata ¥5,390 yen
  
• Shin-Osaka to:
  - Hiroshima ¥4,170 yen
  - Hakata ¥4,960 yen
  - Kagoshima ¥9,460 yen
• Shin-Kobe to:
  - Hiroshima ¥4,170 yen
  - Hakata ¥4,960 yen
  - Kagoshima ¥9,460 yen
• Okayama to:
  - Hiroshima ¥2,530 yen
  - Hakata ¥4,620 yen
  - Kagoshima ¥9,120 yen
• Hiroshima to:
  - Hakata ¥3,400 yen
  - Kumamoto ¥5,930 yen
  - Kagoshima ¥7,900 yen
• Hakata to:
  - Kumamoto ¥2,530 yen
  - Kagoshima ¥4,500 yen

• You cannot make seat reservations until you have exchanged the pass in Japan.
• Non-reserved ordinary class cars can be accessed freely. In order to travel in first class additional fees may apply. To access the platforms, show your pass to the JR staff located at the platform gates.
• To reserve a seat, ask the JR staff at the tickets office. It is a personal pass. Please always carry your passport when using the Pass, station and train staff may check it.

• An exchange coupon can be refunded within 1 year of purchase. A 20% cancellation fee will be charged. 10% of the booking will be charged as a cancelation fee, 10% will be held in credit for future travel of up to 12 months. Any delivery fee or credit card surcharge is non-refundable. Please note that if you have exchanged the Pass in Japan, the ticket is non-changeable and non-refundable.
• You will need to send the original exchange coupon back to the office of purchase for a refund.
• Any changes made to date, type or length of a pass will be treated as a cancellation and cancellation fees will apply.
• If you forget to take your Exchange Coupon to Japan, JTB is unable to send it to Japan nor send by email, as it’s a physical coupon. Japan Railway Companies will not accept any scanned copies or email confirmations of the Exchange Coupons.
• Also, if you lose or stolen your Exchange Coupon before you activate it, you may be able to get a refund. Cancellation fees will apply for a refund.
• If JTB finds the Exchange Coupon to be used you will be re-charged for the full amount of the passes on the credit card used to purchase the original Exchange Coupon. Alternatively, should the original coupons be found, they must be returned JTB Australia immediately.
• If your Exchange Coupons have already been activated, you won’t be able to get a refund.

• Lost / Stolen: 

  Before departing Australia:

  Purchase a new pass from JTB again. After 3 months if the lost pass has not been exchange/activated, JTB will refund the full amount of the lost original pass OR fill out a consent form (contact us for more information).

  After departing Australia – before rail pass exchange:

  Purchase a new pass on the JR Pass official website. After 3 months if the lost pass has not been exchange/activated, you may be able to get a refund. Above standard cancellation fees apply for a refund.

  After departing Australia – after rail pass exchange:

  Strictly non-refundable. Purchase a new pass on the JR Pass official website.

• After purchase and exchange coupon issuance, a re-issue fee of $60 per change will apply for any name correction (completely different names will be treated as a cancellation), plus delivery and credit card surcharges. You must send the original exchange coupon back to the office of purchase.
• The downgrading of a JR pass (same name), after purchase will also attract a $60 re issue fee plus any delivery fees and credit card surcharges.
• Exchange coupons are valid for use within 3 months from the date of issuance and this validity period cannot be altered or extended. Any passes that are issued and go unused within the validity period may be re-issued within 12 months for $60, plus delivery and credit card fees.
• Neither an exchange coupon nor a Japan Rail Pass can be reissued if lost or stolen.