Rail Passes
When going to Japan for sight seeing, upon entering, you will receive a stamp on your passport stating that you are a temporary visitor. This means you will be in Japan for 15- 90 days for sight seeing only. The only way you can obtain a rail pass is with this stamp.
The rails can take you almost anywhere you would like to go to. The rail passes can be expensive but there are some ways to travel the rail at a reasonable price. When traveling the rail, there are two types of rail passes: the green and the ordinary. The green is similar to first class and the cars are also green. The ordinary is the same as a normal coach. The prices vary for these just like in any other travel vehicle. if you want first class you pay more, if you want coach you pay less.
The passes come in 7, 14 or 21 day schemes. The price difference for the first class or green car and the ordinary or coach for a 7 day pass for an adult (green car)comes to about 34,800 yen and an adult 7 day pass (ordinary)to 28,300 yen. This is to show the difference in prices. The rails have different prices for adults and children for each of the passes, the 7, 14 and the 21 day pass. The rail passes are good for the busses, ferry boats and the railways.
A good way to ensure that you get a cheap rate for the rail passes is to book the passes much before your trip to Japan and validate it within three months of purchase. Getting a rail pass is just like booking flights or hotels when going to Japan. Do your research. Search the internet for the best prices. You can even book the rail passes when you are booking a flight. Just look for the vacation packages to see what is being offered.
Look at a number of sites and then compare. The rail goes to pretty much anywhere in Japan and can cover a great distance so the places you plan to go will decide how much the tickets are going to cost you. For children of the age of five and under, the rail passes are free and for five to eleven, they have discounted prices.
When wanting to get a cheap price on the rails, think about the type you would want to take. The rail passes cover the bullet, busses, and ferry boats. The bullet being the fastest is the most expensive. You should also look into the time period it will take for you to get you to your destination and thus accordingly check to see if the rail offers food and beverages or if they are to be purchased separately.
The rails are the most convenient when visiting more than one city or place while in Japan. Affordable rates can be found with a little advanced planning.