norikata 乗り方
English

Using passes

Using a rail pass at the gates and on board

Put a paper JR pass through the automatic gate (not the IC-only ones) or show it at the staffed gate; app passes are shown to staff. Always carry your passport. Seat reservations are free with the pass, but the JAPAN RAIL PASS does not cover Nozomi/Mizuho, private railways or JR highway buses, and a lost pass is not reissued.

At the ticket gates

  • The JAPAN RAIL PASS works in automatic gates: insert it in the ticket slot and take it back as you walk through. [1]
  • Do not use gates marked IC only; they do not take paper passes. [1]
  • A seat ticket or Nozomi/Mizuho ticket alone will not open the gate; insert the pass itself. [1]
  • At a staffed gate, hold up the pass so staff can see its validity dates. [2]
  • JR EAST PASS: automatic gates work on JR East lines; on non-JR East lines included in the pass, use the staffed gate. [3]
  • JR Kyushu Mobile Pass (smartphone): show the pass screen to staff at a staffed gate; it cannot be used in automatic gates, and screenshots are not accepted. [4]

Carry your passport

  • Always carry your passport while using the JAPAN RAIL PASS and show it when staff ask. [2]
  • If your passport is lost or away for renewal, you cannot use your rail pass. [5]

Seat reservations with a pass

  • Reserving seats with the JAPAN RAIL PASS costs nothing extra. [6]
  • Reserve at a reserved-seat ticket machine: scan the QR code on the pass (or type its number) and enter your passport number. Ticket offices (Midori-no-Madoguchi) and travel centres also issue seat tickets. [6]
  • Online seat booking (JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation) is only for passes bought on that official site. [2]
  • Without a reservation you can sit in the non-reserved cars (except on Nozomi and Mizuho). [6]
  • Once a seat ticket is printed, change or cancel it at a station ticket office. [6]
  • All JR Hokkaido limited expresses are fully reserved: get a seat ticket before boarding, it cannot be done on the train. [7]

What the JAPAN RAIL PASS does not cover

  • Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen are not covered, not even their non-reserved cars. [2]
  • To ride them, buy one pass-holder-only Nozomi/Mizuho ticket per ride. [8]
  • Non-JR railways need their own fare. Exceptions: the JR Miyajima ferry, JR buses (not highway buses) and the Tokyo Monorail are included. [2]
  • With an ordinary-car pass, Green Car seats need the Green fee plus the express fee. [2]

Lost pass and refunds

  • A lost or stolen pass is not reissued. [2]
  • Refunds are normally only possible before the first day of validity. [2]
  • The refund fee is 560 yen per pass bought on the official site. [2]
  • A pass exchanged from an exchange order bought abroad can be refunded in Japan for a fee of 10% of its price. [2]
  • Once you start using a pass, it is not extended or refunded for cancelled or late trains, even in natural disasters. [2]

Applies to

JR East (East Japan Railway Company), JR Central (Central Japan Railway Company), JR West (West Japan Railway Company), JR Kyushu (Kyushu Railway Company), JR Hokkaido (Hokkaido Railway Company), JR Shikoku (Shikoku Railway Company)

Sources and quotes checked 2026-10-10
  1. japanrailpass.net/use/automatic-ticket-gate/
    • 自動改札機を通る際は、ジャパン・レール・パスを自動改札機のきっぷ挿入口に挿入します。
    • ※IC専用と書かれた自動改札機を通ることはできません。
    • ※指定席券、【ジャパン・レール・パス専用】のぞみ・みずほ利用券のみでは通過できません。
  2. japanrailpass.net/use/conditions-for-use/
    • また、係員のいる通路を通るときは、係員に利用期間がわかるようにパスを呈示してください。
    • 使用中は、必ず旅券を携帯し、係員の請求があるときは、呈示してください。
    • なお、「JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation」（以下、「ＪＲＰＲ」という。）でパスを購入した場合は、ＪＲＰＲでも指定席の予約が可能です。
    • 新幹線「のぞみ」号・「みずほ」号(ともに自由席を含む。)には乗車できません。
    • JR線、ＪＲ西日本宮島フェリー、ＪＲバス(高速バス路線など一部路線除く)及び東京モノレール以外の会社線を経由する列車に乗車する場合は、その会社線区間の運賃・料金が必要です。
    • 普通車用でグリーン車を利用する場合は、グリーン料金のほか特別急行料金又は普通急行料金が必要です。
    • 紛失(盗難の場合を含む。)の場合、再発行はいたしません。
    • 払いもどしは、原則として利用期間の開始日前に限り取り扱います。
    • いずれの場合も、パス1枚につき560円の手数料が発生します。
    • パス１枚につき発売額（日本円）の10％の手数料が発生します。
    • 使用開始後は列車の運行中止、遅延(天災等の場合も含む)、その他の理由でパスの利用期間の延長や払いもどしはいたしません。
  3. www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/pass/eastpass_terms.html
    • * You cannot use the automatic ticket gate machines on non-JR EAST lines. Please use the manned ticket gates.
  4. www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/railpass/mobilepass.html
    • Present the ticket screen on your browser to the attendant at a manned ticket gate. You cannot pass through automatic ticket gates.
  5. www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/faq/
    • If your passport is currently being renewed and you do not have it with you, or if you have lost your passport, you will not be able to use your rail pass.
  6. japanrailpass.net/use/reserved-seat-reservation/
    • ●指定席予約に追加料金は必要ありません。
    • ①ジャパン・レール・パスに記載されているQRコードを指定席券売機に読み込ませ（又はパスに記載されている識別番号を入力し）、パスポート番号を入力します。
    • ■自由席（東海道・山陽・九州新幹線「のぞみ」号・「みずほ」号を除く）はジャパン・レール・パスだけで利用できます。
    • 一度指定席券を発券した後に予約を変更・取り消す場合は、駅窓口へお越しください。
  7. www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/railpass/index.html
    • ★All seats are reserved on all JR Hokkaido’s limited express trains. There are no non-reserved seats. Please make sure to receive a reserved seat ticket before boarding. You cannot assign seats on the train.
  8. japanrailpass.net/use/special-ticket/
    • 「のぞみ」「みずほ」にご乗車１回につき、【ジャパン・レール・パス専用】のぞみ・みずほ利用券１枚をご購入ください。

Review status: draft_unreviewed.