JR East to increase Japan Rail Pass prices from April 2025
Effective Tuesday, April 1st 2025, JR East will be adjusting the prices of some of its rail passes designed specifically for international travelers visiting Japan.
This price revision will impact two popular options: the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass and the JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass.
These passes offer significant travel flexibility, granting unlimited access to JR and select private railway lines within designated areas for a consecutive six-day period, commencing on the date specified at the time of purchase.
Following the price adjustment, the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass will be priced at 35,370 yen, which is a slight increase from the current 35,000 yen.
Similarly, the JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass will see a price increase to 30,640 yen from the current 30,000 yen.
Though Japan Rail Pass prices have risen considerably in recent years, these latest price changes are unlikely to deter anyone already considering purchasing a rail pass for their visit to Japan as they only equate to increases of approximately $2.38 USD/£1.93 GBP and $4.12 USD/£3.33 GBP respectively.
In other news, JR Central, JR West, and JR Kyushu have recently announced fare adjustments for select sections of the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines, effective from April.
In the Keihanshin region, encompassing Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto, JR West and JR Central will implement a revised fare structure, leading to both increases and decreases in travel costs. This change coincides with JR West’s unification of its previously diverse fare systems within the region.
Fare adjustments in the Keihanshin area will vary depending on the origin and destination.
For example, the fare for a reserved seat in an ordinary car on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines between Kyoto and Nishi-Akashi will increase slightly when booked via Smart EX on Nozomi and Mizuho trains, while the fare for the Kyoto-Himeji section will decrease.
While some journeys may see a slight reduction in cost, travelers planning to explore Kyushu should anticipate a significant impact.
JR Kyushu has announced an average fare increase of 15% across all Shinkansen and most limited express services within its network.
For instance, the cost of a reserved seat in an ordinary car on the Shinkansen between Hakata and Kagoshima-Chuo will rise from 10,440 yen to 11,750 yen when purchased through the Smart EX online reservation service.
Furthermore, JR Central and JR West will increase the surcharge for the “S WorkP Seat,” a premium seating option with added privacy, from 1,200 yen to 2,000 yen, effective May 15th, 2025.
With tourism to Japan increasing at a rapid rate, it’s likely that further changes to both Shinkansen and rail pass prices will occur over the coming year, as rail companies will need to fund additional infrastructure to accommodate increased passenger numbers.