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Cheaper bullet train ride to Hokkaido for inbound tourists.

By on January 15, 2016

Following the opening of the new Hokkaido Shinkansen, the new ‘JR East-South Hokkaido 6-day Rail Pass‘ will be made available to tourists starting April 1, 2016  for use in the South Hokkaido, Shin Chitose Airport and the Sapporo Hakodate areas, including the east part of  Tohoku.

jrs

The pass will be available in all local Japan travel agencies at the following rates:

Adults (12 and up) ¥27,930

children (6 – 11) ¥13,960

The rail pass allows holder, unlimited use (for a max 6-day period) of the ordinary car reserved seating on limited express trains,(Shinkansen included), express trains, and local trains on JR Hokkaido lines, JR EAST lines (BRT included), all Izu Kyūkō lines, all Tokyo Monorail lines, all Aoimori Railway lines, all Iwate Galaxy Railway lines and all Sendai Airport Transit lines, within the covered areas.

In addition, there is also unlimited use of the ordinary car reserved seating space on limited express trains such as the Tobu Direct Limited Express’s  “Nikko,” “SPACIA Nikko,” “Kinugawa,” and “SPACIA Kinugawa” trains.

There’s just one restriction. The pass may not be used between ‘Goryokaku’ and ‘Kikonai’ stations on the South Hokkaido Railway route.

To be eligible for the cheap pass, you have to be a non-Japanese with a ‘Temporary Visitor’ visa (no longer than 90 days) to Japan. Passports will be presented when purchasing.

About Ted Tanaka