Everything you need to know about the JR Hokkaido Rail Pass

What is the JR Hokkaido Rail Pass?

The Japan Rail Pass for Hokkaido grants unrestricted travel on JR trains (excluding the Hokkaido Shinkansen) and most JR buses within Hokkaido for five, seven, or ten consecutive days. This pass is exclusively designed for foreign tourists visiting Japan.

How much does it cost?

• No green car option is available.
• Children aged 6-11 receive a 50% discount.

Where can it be used?

• Unlimited use of JR trains within Hokkaido, excluding the Hokkaido Shinkansen.
• Unlimited use of local JR Hokkaido Bus lines, with exceptions including routes from Sapporo to Asahikawa, Monbetsu, Obihiro, Hiroo, and Erimo, the Tomakomai-Erimo line, and buses between Shin-Sapporo and Atsubetsu Stadium, and Shiroishi and Sapporo Dome.

Important Information

• Free seat reservations are available (see “How to reserve seats”).
• Passes are valid for consecutive calendar days (midnight to midnight).
• Usage is restricted to foreign tourists visiting Japan (temporary visitors). Residents of Japan are ineligible.
• If you wish to use a first-class car (Green car) on the limited express train, please pay the limited express charge in addition to Green car charge.
• You can take the JR Hokkaido buses only with the Hokkaido Rail Pass (except intercity buses and temporary buses). For an express bus between Sapporo and Otaru, you can only take the bus which is operated by JR Hokkaido Bus. When you get on the JR Hokkaido Bus, please take a numbered ticket. When you get off the bus, please give the numbered ticket and show your Hokkaido Rail Pass to a bus driver. The rail pass cannot be used for other companies’ bus and subway.

Where to buy

• Purchase options include various online websites, travel agencies outside Japan, and major JR railway stations in Hokkaido, such as Sapporo, New Chitose Airport, and Hakodate stations.
• When purchased outside Japan or online, the physical pass must be collected from a major station in Hokkaido prior to use.

How to reserve seats

• Free seat reservations can be made at seat reservation ticket machines within Hokkaido and at JR ticket offices.
• Online seat reservations are also possible through the JR East Train Reservation website, but physical reservation tickets must be collected from a designated ticket office in Hokkaido before use.
• Seat reservations are mandatory on several limited express trains in Hokkaido.
• All seats on the Ltd. Exp. Hokuto, Ltd. Exp. Suzuran, Ltd. Exp. Ozora, and Ltd. Exp. Tokachi are reserved. There are no non-reserved seats on the trains above. Please make sure to receive a reserved seat ticket before boarding.
• If you have not decided the boarding time, you can use a vacant seat in ordinary cars only with your rail pass (excludes Green Car), however, if a passenger with a reserved seat ticket for that seat comes, please move to another seat (you need to stand if seats are full).

How to use

Insert only your rail pass into the automatic ticket gate. 

Make sure to pick up your rail pass after passing through the gate. The rail pass cannot be reissued even if it is lost or stolen etc.

Value

This pass is most beneficial for travelers covering significant distances. The table below outlines approximate one-way limited express fares between major cities for comparison: