Japan Rail Pass Calculator

From October 2024, JR increased the 7-day ordinary pass from ¥29,650 to ¥50,000 — an increase of about 70%. The 14-day pass went from ¥47,250 to ¥80,000 and the 21-day from ¥60,450 to ¥100,000. Green car (first class) passes increased by similar proportions.

As a rule of thumb, a 7-day pass pays off if you're doing roughly the equivalent of a Tokyo → Hiroshima return plus one or two extra long legs. The pass really shines on 14 and 21-day grand tours covering multiple regions. Our calculator does the actual maths for your specific route — that's the only way to be sure.

You can buy point-to-point shinkansen tickets online through Klook (we've linked each leg in our calculator results to its booking page) or directly through JR's own SmartEX site once you're in Japan. Tickets are also available at any JR ticket office or vending machine inside JR stations.

Yes, but you'll need to pay a supplement (around ¥4,000–5,000 per long-distance leg). Without the supplement, JR Pass holders can use Hikari or Sakura services free — these are slightly slower (add 15–45 minutes per leg) but follow the same route.

Fares are based on JR's published 2026 reserved-seat ordinary fares. We review them quarterly. The pass prices are JR's official current AUD-equivalent rates. If a fare changes between reviews, the calculator may be a few hundred yen off the true price — always confirm the exact fare at point of purchase. The recommendation (skip vs buy) is reliable regardless.