JR West All Area Pass

The widest pass JR West sells, covering their entire network from Kansai across to Hakata and up the Hokuriku coast. If your trip stays in western Japan but ranges widely within it, this is the one that covers everything without gaps.

What it covers

Effectively all of JR West, which removes the boundary problems that make the narrower passes tricky to choose between.

• Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata
• Hokuriku Shinkansen within the JR West area
• All JR West limited express, rapid and local services
• JR Miyajima ferry, Kyoto Tango Railway and local JR buses

That spans Kansai, both Chugoku coasts, and the Hokuriku region in one ticket.

When it beats the narrower passes

JR West sells a lot of overlapping regional passes, and the usual advice is to buy the smallest that fits. This one is the exception to that.

If your route crosses two or more of those regions, say Kansai to Hiroshima and then up to Kanazawa, you would otherwise need two passes or a lot of separate tickets. At that point the all-area version is usually both cheaper and simpler.

Highlights across the network

Kansai gives you Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe and Himeji. The Sanyo coast adds Okayama, Kurashiki, Hiroshima and Miyajima. The San’in coast has Matsue, Izumo Taisha and Tottori.

Hokuriku brings Kanazawa, Fukui and Toyama, plus Kinosaki Onsen and Amanohashidate on the way. It is a lot of ground, and seven consecutive days is the constraint rather than the coverage.

How to buy

Through overseas agents for exchange on arrival, or via JR West online reservation with collection at a station machine or office. Free seat reservations, with the first six bookable at a machine.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cover Tokyo?

No. JR West stops at Shin-Osaka on the Tokaido line. Travel east towards Tokyo is a different operator and needs separate ticketing.

Does it include Kyushu?

Only as far as Hakata on the Sanyo Shinkansen. JR Kyushu lines beyond that are not covered.

Is it better value than a national pass?

For a west-Japan-only trip, generally yes. If Tokyo or Tohoku are on the itinerary, compare against the national pass.

Check JR West All Area Pass prices