Japan always has interesting spots to explore. In Dotonbori, Osaka, you can see colorful neon signs at night, walk along the rows of torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto, or see views of the Japanese capital from Tokyo Tower, and many more. As a tourist, you definitely want a comfortable and practical trip to reach every destination. Therefore, for those of you who are planning a vacation to Japan and want to enjoy a hassle-free trip, you should buy a Japan Rail Pass or better known as the JR Pass.

With the JR Pass, you can travel using JR-operated transportation, such as trains, buses, and ferries, without having to buy a ticket for each trip. Now, you can easily buy JR Pass on Traveloka. If you are still confused or unsure about buying a JR Pass, don't worry, Traveloka has summarized some of the frequently asked questions related to JR Pass just for you!

A: The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) is a connecting ticket that can be used on all national trains operated by JR, including Shinkansen and Narita Express trains.

A: The JR Pass can only be used by foreign tourists who are not Japanese citizens. The duration of the tour cannot exceed 90 days with a "Temporary Visitor" visa status. If you arrive in Japan with a student, foreign employee, military, etc. visa, you cannot use the JR Pass.

A: If you aim to travel, you will enter with the visa status of "Temporary Visitor" or a temporary visit. This status allows visitors to be in Japan for 15 to 90 consecutive days. This "Temporary Visitor" stamp will be given by immigration officers to tourists who submit requests for "Stay for sightseeing".

A stamp will be placed on your passport and will need to be presented at the Japan Rail Pass Exchange Office. Stamp, passport, and Exchange Order are the 3 documents that you must bring with you when exchanging. You must bring original documents, not photocopies/emails/photos.

A: Your Rail Pass is only valid for train services operated by JR (Japan Railways).*

Your Rail Pass is not valid for other private trains.

Examples of private trains:

For the three examples above, there are also JR services that can be used with your Rail Pass.

*There are several trains operated by JR that you cannot ride using the JR Pass:

A: With the JR Pass, you can ride local JR bus lines (JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Kanto Bus, JR Tokai Bus, JR Shikoku, JR West Japan Bus, JR Chugoku Bus, JR Kyushu Bus). However, the JR Pass cannot be used for express buses operated by JR.

In addition, the JR Pass can also be used to board the JR Miyajima Ferry (excluding the JR Hakata-Pusan Ferry to Korea).

The bus and ferry routes that can be taken with the JR Pass are subject to change. Please check the latest information before traveling.

A: Green Car is an executive class ticket with a wider and more comfortable seating area, as well as access to several other express trains. To ride the Green Car, you must reserve a seat in advance.

Ordinary Car is a regular class ticket with a choice of reserved and non-reserved seats.

A: With the JR Pass, you should be able to ride JR trains without extra cost. However, there is an exception if the JR train you are taking is connected to non-JR trains. In this case, you will have to pay a standard fee set by the train line that the JR connects to. For example:

A: If you plan to stay for several days in the same area, you can buy a regional pass. However, if you have a national JR Pass, you can also travel on the lines covered by the regional pass, so feel free to purchase it according to your needs.

A: Traveloka vouchers are documents that you receive after completing a purchase on Traveloka. This voucher can be exchanged for an Exchange Order or MCO. Show the Traveloka voucher to the staff at the pick-up point to get an Exchange Order. It's important to remember, the Traveloka voucher itself cannot be exchanged directly with the JR Pass in Japan and must be exchanged first with an Exchange Order.

Exchange Order, also known as MCO, is a document that you get after exchanging Traveloka vouchers. You MUST bring the original Exchange Order with you when exchanging for JR Pass in Japan.

The JR Pass is a physical card that you can use to travel around Japan. You can get the JR Pass after showing the Exchange Order at the JR Pass Exchange Office.

A: No, Traveloka vouchers cannot be used directly to board trains in Japan. The Traveloka voucher must first be exchanged for an Exchange Order at the pick-up booth at the airport. Then, the Exchange Order must be brought at the time of exchange at the JR Pass Exchange Office in Japan. After showing your Exchange Order, you will receive a JR Pass which you can use to board the train.

A: When ordering, select the Exchange Order retrieval date that suits your itinerary. If you choose to pick up your Exchange Order, then you should select the date you will pick up the Exchange Order. If you choose to have your Exchange Order delivered to your address, the selected date is the date you will receive your Exchange Order.

The date you choose must be at least 3 - 13 days after the purchase date at Traveloka, depending on the product you choose.

A: The following are the age requirements for purchasing a JR Pass:

A: If you purchase the JR Pass outside of Japan, the child's age will be the age on the date of purchase.

A: Once purchased, the JR Pass is non-refundable.

A: Exchange Order is valid for 90 days after the date of purchase on Traveloka. The Exchange Order must be exchanged for a JR Pass in Japan within 90 days. Once exchanged, the JR Pass must be used within 30 days.

Example: If you buy a JR Pass at Traveloka on July 1, the Exchange Order must be redeemed before September 29 (90 days after the purchase date).

If you visit Japan and exchange your Exchange Order for a JR Pass on July 20, you must use the JR Pass before August 19 (30 days after you receive the JR Pass in Japan).

A: You can exchange your Exchange Order for a JR Pass at the JR Pass Exchange Office which is available at several airports and stations in Japan. You can see the list at https://traveloka.com/jrexchangeoffice.

A: The validity period of an Exchange Order cannot be extended.

A: When exchanging the Exchange Order for a JR Pass, you must inform the on-site staff when you plan to start using the JR Pass. You can choose any date as long as it is within 30 days after redemption.

For example, if you exchange your Exchange Order on April 1st, you can choose any date between April 1st and April 30th for the first-use date. The validity period of your JR Pass (7, 14, or 21 days) will begin after the first use.

A: Yes, your Exchange Order has a validity period of 90 days to be exchanged for the JR Pass, then you can choose a usage date within 30 days from the exchange, for example, if you exchange it on April 1st, then you can choose a date of use up to a maximum of April 30. The usage period will start to count after the first time you use/activate the Pass.

A: Yes, the JR Pass must be used consecutively during its validity period. Once activated for the first time, the validity period of the JR Pass cannot be changed or extended.

A: You must reserve a seat if you take the "Green Car" train because the "Green Car" does not have non-reserved seats.

If you take the "Ordinary Class" train, there are 2 seat options: reserved and non-reserved. If you want a more comfortable trip, you may be able to make a reservation before boarding, especially during the high season.

A: To make a reservation, before you get on the train, show your JR Pass to the booking office at the station.

A: All Shinkansen trains have designated reserved seats (shitei-seki) and designated non-reserved seats (jiyuu-seki). Most local trains do not have reserved seats, while some other trains, such as the Narita Express, only have reserved seats.

A: To board the train, you must show your JR Pass to the staff at the booth which is located beside the gate.

A: You can take transit routes as long as they are within the coverage area of your JR Pass.

A: Yes, you can still use your JR Pass as long as there is no transit or change of train routes.

A: Most of the airports in Japan are connected to the nearest major cities by JR lines. For example, Narita Express connects Narita Airport with Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro stations, Tokyo Monorail, connects Haneda Airport with Hamamatsucho station or limited express Haruka which connects Kansai International Airport with Osaka or Kyoto.

However, if you are landing at Fukuoka or Nagoya airports (Central Japan International Airport or Chubu Airport), you will need to reach the nearest station to redeem your Japan Rail Pass: