Comparing the JR Pass and JR Kyushu Rail Pass
Compare official JR Pass and JR Kyushu Rail Pass prices, eligibility, travel coverage and seat reservations, including separate tickets for Nozomi and Mizuho services.
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This information changes often. Please check the official website again before you travel.
This page compares the official prices, eligibility and coverage of the JAPAN RAIL PASS (nationwide) and the JR Kyushu Rail Pass, and explains how to compare them. This is high-risk information, and prices may change. Check the official websites before purchasing. This page does not rank or promote the passes. For local transport passes in Fukuoka, see Comparing Fukuoka rail and day passes.
Key points
| Pass | Official adult price | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| JAPAN RAIL PASS | From 50,000 yen for 7 days (ordinary class, online purchase) | JR Group nationwide |
| JR Kyushu Rail Pass: All Kyushu | From 22,000 yen for 3 days | JR lines across Kyushu’s seven prefectures |
| JR Kyushu Rail Pass: Northern Kyushu | From 15,000 yen for 3 days | Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, northern Oita and other areas |
| JR Kyushu Rail Pass: Southern Kyushu | From 12,000 yen for 3 days | Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and other areas |
- Both types of pass are for overseas travellers entering Japan with Temporary Visitor status and require a passport.
- To decide whether to buy a pass, add up the fares for your planned journeys and compare them with the pass price, as explained below.
- Nozomi and Mizuho services are not included in the JR Pass; a separate special ticket is required.
JAPAN RAIL PASS
Prices (official, yen)
Online purchase (official website):
| Period | Ordinary adult | Ordinary child | Green car adult | Green car child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | 50,000 | 25,000 | 70,000 | 35,000 |
| 14 days | 80,000 | 40,000 | 110,000 | 55,000 |
| 21 days | 100,000 | 50,000 | 140,000 | 70,000 |
Prices are higher when purchasing through designated overseas JR travel agencies and similar sellers (53,000 yen for a 7-day ordinary adult pass, 84,000 for 14 days, and 105,000 for 21 days).
- Children are aged 6 to 11 (an elementary school pupil aged 12 is counted as an adult).
- Online purchases are settled in yen; the official site notes that prices may change, so check at purchase.
Eligibility
- Only overseas travellers entering Japan with Temporary Visitor status are eligible. The passport must carry a “Temporary Visitor” stamp or sticker to exchange and use the pass.
- Passports are not stamped when you use automated immigration gates. Use a staffed gate or ask staff to stamp your passport (official reminder).
- Even if you have bought the pass, you cannot exchange it if you are ineligible, and JR will not provide compensation.
Coverage and rules
- Travel on JR Group trains, including Shinkansen and limited express services, with seat reservations available.
- Nozomi and Mizuho are excluded: JR Pass holders may separately purchase the “[ONLY WITH JAPAN RAIL PASS] NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket”. Officially listed major sections: Shin-Osaka to Hakata, 4,960 yen; Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo, 5,150 yen; Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, 4,960 yen.
- The official site says that all seats on Nozomi services are reserved during busy periods.
- Oversized baggage: On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (Tokyo to Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo) and Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen (Takeo-Onsen to Nagasaki), baggage over certain dimensions requires advance reservation of a seat and baggage storage space.
JR Kyushu Rail Pass
From JR Kyushu’s official guidebook (information as of April 2026):
| Area | Period | Purchase at stations and travel agencies | Online booking (JR KYUSHU RAIL PASS Online Booking) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Kyushu | 3 days | 22,000 yen | 21,000 yen |
| All Kyushu | 5 days | 24,000 yen | 23,000 yen |
| All Kyushu | 7 days | 26,000 yen | 25,000 yen |
| Northern Kyushu | 3 days | 15,000 yen | 14,000 yen |
| Northern Kyushu | 5 days | 17,000 yen | 16,000 yen |
| Southern Kyushu | 3 days | 12,000 yen | 11,000 yen |
- Children aged 6 to 11 pay half price. Children aged 5 and under travel free, but need a child pass or ticket for a reserved seat.
- Eligibility: Overseas visitors entering Japan with Temporary Visitor status.
- Child ages: For overseas purchases, age is based on the exchange order issue date; for purchases in Japan, on the first day of use.
Coverage (official)
- Reserved and non-reserved seats on covered Shinkansen services (Mizuho, Sakura, Tsubame and Kamome), excluding the Hakata to Kokura section.
- Reserved and non-reserved seats on limited express trains in the covered area.
- Ordinary and rapid trains in the covered area.
- Green car services require separate green car and limited express fees; the pass does not cover private Green compartments.
- Unlimited journeys in non-reserved seats.
- Reserved-seat allowances: 6 reservations for Northern and Southern Kyushu passes and unlimited reservations for All Kyushu; additional reservations incur charges.
- When transferring at Takeo-Onsen between a limited express train and the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen (Hakata to Nagasaki), a reserved-seat booking counts as 1 use if you do not exit the ticket gates.
Where to exchange passes in Fukuoka
| Location | All Kyushu | Northern Kyushu | Southern Kyushu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hakata Station | Yes | Yes | Not available |
| Fukuoka Airport (exchange only) | Yes | Yes | Not available |
- Show your passport when boarding as proof of overseas visitor status.
- Reserved seats on busy trains should be booked in advance. Online reservations may incur additional fees (official guidance).
- JR Kyushu also offers the JR KYUSHU MOBILE PASS (2-day pass, 3,500 yen) and the Sanyo-San’in-Northern Kyushu Pass; see the official website for details.
How to compare
- List the JR Shinkansen and limited express sections you plan to use and check the full fare for each section (on JR’s official website or reservation sites).
- Add up all those fares and compare the total with the pass prices above. If travelling only around Fukuoka (for example between Fukuoka and Nagasaki or Kumamoto), the JR Kyushu Rail Pass coverage is usually sufficient.
- Do not forget the extra special tickets for Nozomi/Mizuho. If most of your journeys use Nozomi, the JR Pass becomes less advantageous.
- Private railways, subways and buses are not covered by the JR Pass. For Fukuoka City Subway and Nishitetsu, see Fukuoka transport guide.
This page does not include full fares for individual sections; check official information before purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
Can visitors from Hong Kong and Taiwan buy these passes?
Eligible overseas visitors entering with Temporary Visitor status can buy them. For visa-free conditions for Hong Kong and Taiwan, see Visas and entry procedures.
Can you collect passes in Fukuoka?
JR Kyushu Rail Passes can be exchanged at Hakata Station (All Kyushu and Northern Kyushu passes can also be exchanged at Fukuoka Airport). For JAPAN RAIL PASS exchange locations, see the collection page on the official website.
Do you need to reserve space for large baggage on Shinkansen trains?
Yes. Official guidance requires advance reservations for seats and baggage storage space when carrying items over certain dimensions on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen.
Further reading
Sources
- JAPAN RAIL PASS 官方網站（種類及價格） (japanrailpass.net, checked 2026-10-20)
- JAPAN RAIL PASS 使用資格 (japanrailpass.net, checked 2026-10-20)
- JAPAN RAIL PASS 使用 NOZOMI／MIZUHO 列車 (japanrailpass.net, checked 2026-10-20)
- JAPAN RAIL PASS 大件行李 (japanrailpass.net, checked 2026-10-20)
- JR 九州 JR KYUSHU RAIL PASS（全九州、北部九州、南部九州） (www.jrkyushu.co.jp, checked 2026-10-20)
- JR 九州 JR KYUSHU RAIL PASS 導覽冊（資料截至 2026 年 4 月） (www.jrkyushu.co.jp, checked 2026-10-20)