Anyone can buy Until 8 Nov 20261 day · Unlimited rides
Ichinichi Sanpo Kippu (Sapporo area day pass)
一日散歩きっぷ · JR Hokkaido
¥2,730 Adult · ¥1,360 Child
Day of purchase only (Saturdays and holidays).
JR Hokkaido 北海道旅客鉄道
14 lines · 324 stations
How to ride JR Hokkaido (Hokkaido Railway Company) P
Operator-wide facts from JR Hokkaido (Hokkaido Railway Company)'s own pages; individual lines and stations can differ.
IC cards (Suica etc.)Some cards or areas PKitaca, Suica, PASMO, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA +4 more
Credit card touchNot confirmed
Delays & suspensionsLive status →Japanese only; by area; cancellations and delays of 30 minutes or more
Step-free accessStation list → PMany stations have no elevators or escalators, need a footbridge crossing or have gravel platforms, and platforms carry snow in winter; many stations are unstaffed, so ask a staffed station or the online form while planning. Some stations lend a wheelchair from gate to train; per-station details are on Raku Raku Odekake Net.
IC cards and payment in detail
IC cards work only inside JR Hokkaido's Kitaca area, not on the rest of the network. In the Kitaca area you can use Kitaca, Suica, PASMO, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, PiTaPa, SUGOCA, nimoca and Hayakaken at the ticket gates. SAPICA (Sapporo's local card) is NOT accepted on JR. A trip must start and end inside one IC area: you cannot ride across areas on the card. The Kitaca area began around Sapporo; JR Hokkaido announced (September 2022) that 20 more stations would join in spring 2024: Hakodate area (Hakodate Main Line Hakodate–Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto: Hakodate, Goryōkaku, Kikyō, Ōnakayama, Nanae, Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto) and Asahikawa area (Hakodate Main Line Iwamizawa–Asahikawa: Minenobu to Asahikawa, 14 stations). The exact list of Sapporo-area stations and the actual start date of the expansion were not confirmed on the pages checked. Contactless credit card touch at gates: not confirmed. P
JR北海道Kitacaエリアでは、以下のICカードがお使いいただけます。※SAPICAはお使いいただけません。Getting on
- Inside the Kitaca area: use Kitaca or another listed nationwide IC card (not SAPICA) at the automatic ticket gate when you enter.
- Outside the Kitaca area IC cards cannot be used: buy a ticket instead. JR Hokkaido did not publish a one-man / unstaffed-station procedure on the pages checked: follow the signs and announcements on the train.
Getting off
- Inside the Kitaca area: use the same IC card at the exit gate.
- If the card balance or ticket does not cover the trip, adjust the fare (乗り越し精算). With an IC card this works only when the whole trip is inside the Kitaca area.
Wheelchair assistance
Many JR Hokkaido stations are unstaffed, and many staffed stations have hours without staff, so help with boarding may need to be arranged in advance: ask at a staffed station or use JR Hokkaido's online form for boarding assistance. Form enquiries are answered on weekdays 9:00–17:50 (not over New Year), so ask on a weekday before a weekend trip; wheelchair-space reservations by form can be made from one month to two days before travel. Telephone enquiries go to the JR Hokkaido telephone information centre (電話案内センター); its number was not shown on the pages checked.
Sources checked 2026-10-09 · review: draft_unreviewed
- www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/kitaca/02area.html · official ic card page · checked 2026-10-07
- www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/CM/Info/press/pdf/220914_KO_Kitaca.pdf · official press release · checked 2026-10-07
- www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/network/barrier/ · official accessibility page · checked 2026-10-07
- www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/mailform/wheelchair-web-entry/ · official accessibility form · checked 2026-10-07
- www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/mailform/request/index.html · official contact page · checked 2026-10-07
- www3.jrhokkaido.co.jp/webunkou/index.html · official status page · checked 2026-10-09
Passes valid on JR Hokkaido 18 P
Day passes, regional passes and special tickets that include JR Hokkaido, cheapest first. 6 of them are sold only to foreign visitors. Prices and rules change: check the official page before you buy.
Anyone can buy 1 day · Unlimited rides
Hakodate Tabisuru Passport
はこだて旅するパスポート · JR Hokkaido
¥3,000 Adult, 1 day · ¥1,500 Child, 1 day · ¥4,500 Adult, 2 days · +1 more
1 day or 2 days. Usable until 31 Mar 2027 (2-day: until 1 Apr 2027).
Anyone can buy Until 8 Nov 20261 day · Unlimited rides
Hokkaido Mannaka Nonbiri Train Pass (Asahikawa area)
北海道まんなか のんびり列車パス · JR Hokkaido
¥3,300 Adult, 1 day · ¥1,650 Child, 1 day · ¥5,600 Adult, 2 days · +3 more
1, 2 or 3 consecutive days from tapping "start" (within one month of purchase). Usable until 8 Nov 2026.
Anyone can buy On sale from 9 Nov 20261 day · Unlimited rides
Kamikuru Pass (Kamikawa area rail & bus)
かみくるパス · JR Hokkaido
¥4,000 Adult, 1 day · ¥2,000 Child, 1 day · ¥6,500 Adult, 2 days · +3 more
1, 2 or 3 consecutive days, between 9 Nov and 27 Dec 2026.
Anyone can buy 3 days · Unlimited rides
Senmō Line Free Pass / Hanasaki Line Free Pass (digital)
釧網線フリーパス／地球探索鉄道花咲線フリーパス · JR Hokkaido
¥5,400 Senmō Line Free Pass, adult · ¥2,700 Senmō Line Free Pass, child · ¥4,000 Hanasaki Line Free Pass, adult · +1 more ¥1,333/day
3 consecutive days from tapping "start" (within 30 days of purchase). Usable 1 Jul 2026 – 28 Feb 2027.
Anyone can buy Until 6 Nov 20261 day · Unlimited rides
JR Hokkaido "Doko Pass" Weekday Pass
JR北海道 どこ行く？平日パス（どこパス） · JR Hokkaido
¥5,000 Adult, 1 day · ¥8,000 Adult, 2 consecutive weekdays
1 day or 2 consecutive weekdays, only on weekdays 26 Oct – 20 Nov 2026.
Anyone can buy Until 16 Oct 20263 days · Unlimited rides
Autumn Unlimited Ride Pass (Aki no Norihōdai Pass)
秋の乗り放題パス · JR Group
¥7,850 Adult · ¥3,920 Child (6–11) ¥2,617/day
3 consecutive days from the start date chosen when buying.
Foreign visitors only 4 days · Unlimited rides
Sapporo-Noboribetsu Area Pass
Sapporo-Noboribetsu Area Pass · JR Hokkaido
¥10,000 Adult (pre-purchase) · ¥5,000 Child 6–11 (pre-purchase) · ¥11,000 Adult (at station) · +1 more ¥2,500/day
4 consecutive days from the start date you choose.
Anyone can buy On sale from 27 Nov 20263 days · Unlimited rides
Seishun 18 Kippu
青春18きっぷ · JR Group (sold by all six JR companies)
¥10,000 3-day ticket (any age, one person) · ¥12,050 5-day ticket (any age, one person) ¥3,333/day
3 or 5 consecutive days from the start date chosen when buying; only one person per ticket. Valid until the last train on the last day.
Foreign visitors only 4 days · Unlimited rides
Sapporo-Furano Area Pass
Sapporo-Furano Area Pass · JR Hokkaido
¥11,000 Adult (pre-purchase) · ¥5,500 Child 6–11 (pre-purchase) · ¥12,000 Adult (at station) · +1 more ¥2,750/day
4 consecutive days from the start date you choose.
Anyone can buy On sale from 27 Nov 20267 days · Unlimited rides
Hokkaido & East Japan Pass (local trains)
北海道＆東日本パス（普通列車限定） · JR East and JR Hokkaido
¥11,780 Adult · ¥5,890 Child (6–11) ¥1,683/day
7 consecutive days; valid until the last train on the last day.
Conditions apply On sale from 18 Dec 20265 days · Unlimited rides
Otona no Kyūjitsu Club Pass (Hokkaido)
大人の休日倶楽部パス（北海道） · JR Hokkaido
¥19,070 Ordinary car (ticket office) · ¥18,070 Ordinary car (Ekinet) ¥3,614/day
5 days. Up to 6 reserved seats.
Foreign visitors only 5 days · Unlimited rides
Hokkaido Rail Pass
Hokkaido Rail Pass（北海道レールパス） · JR Hokkaido
¥22,000 Adult, 5 days (pre-purchase) · ¥11,000 Child (6–11), 5 days (pre-purchase) · ¥28,000 Adult, 7 days (pre-purchase) · +9 more ¥4,400/day
5, 7 or 10 consecutive days from the start date you choose.
Anyone can buy 7 days · Unlimited rides
Hokkaido Free Pass
北海道フリーパス · JR Hokkaido
¥29,000 Ticket office / ticket machine · ¥28,000 Ekinet (online) ¥4,000/day
7 days. Not usable 27 Apr–6 May, 10–19 Aug and 28 Dec–6 Jan.
Conditions apply On sale from 18 Dec 20265 days · Unlimited rides
Otona no Kyūjitsu Club Pass (East Japan & Hokkaido)
大人の休日倶楽部パス（東日本・北海道） · JR East and JR Hokkaido
¥29,000 Ordinary car (station / ticket machine) · ¥28,000 Ordinary car (Ekinet) · ¥51,000 Green car (Ekinet only) ¥5,600/day
5 consecutive days. Up to 6 seat reservations included.
Foreign visitors only 6 days · Unlimited rides
JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass · JR East and JR Hokkaido (joint pass)
¥32,000 Adult · ¥16,000 Child (6–11) ¥5,333/day
6 consecutive days from the start date you choose.
Foreign visitors only 6 days · Unlimited rides
JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass · JR East and JR Hokkaido (joint pass)
¥40,000 Adult · ¥20,000 Child (6–11) ¥6,667/day
6 consecutive days from the start date you choose.
Foreign visitors only 7 days · Unlimited rides
Japan Rail Pass
ジャパン・レール・パス · JR Group (JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku, JR Kyushu)
¥50,000 Ordinary, 7 days, adult (official web sales) · ¥25,000 Ordinary, 7 days, child 6–11 (official web sales) · ¥80,000 Ordinary, 14 days, adult (official web sales) · +21 more ¥7,143/day
7, 14 or 21 consecutive days from the start date you choose. Child = 6 to 11 years old at the time of use.
Trains to book on JR Hokkaido 3 P
Sightseeing trains and services whose seats you reserve in advance.
All seats reserved Shinkansen
Hayabusa / Hayate (Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen)
はやぶさ・はやて · JR East
Tokyo – Shin-Aomori on the Tohoku Shinkansen, continuing to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto on the Hokkaido Shinkansen
All seats reserved Limited express
JR Hokkaido limited expresses (Hokuto, Suzuran, Ozora, Tokachi, Kamui, Lilac, Soya, Sarobetsu, Okhotsk)
JR北海道の特急列車（北斗・すずらん・おおぞら・とかち・カムイ・ライラック・宗谷・サロベツ・オホーツク） · JR Hokkaido
From Sapporo to Hakodate (Hokuto), Muroran (Suzuran), Kushiro (Ozora), Obihiro (Tokachi), Asahikawa (Kamui, Lilac), Wakkanai (Soya) and Abashiri (Okhotsk); Sarobetsu runs Asahikawa – Wakkanai
All seats reserved Sightseeing train
Nagamare Kaikyo-go
ながまれ海峡号 · South Hokkaido Railway (Donan Isaribi Railway)
Hakodate – Kikonai and back (about 4 hours one way, with platform food stalls at Kamiiso and Moheji); day tour from Hakodate
Selected Saturdays only: last 2026 regular tour 24 October; oden (hot-pot) train 14 November and 5 December 2026 and 6 March 2027
¥17,900 from
Before you travel
- Using passesBuying a pass: who can, where and when
The JAPAN RAIL PASS is for foreign tourists entering as Temporary Visitors; get the stamp at immigration. Buying on the official website is cheaper than an exchange order from an agency abroad. Pick the pass up in Japan with your original passport. JR passes run on consecutive days and the start date cannot be changed once you have the pass. - Using passesUsing 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. - Seat reservationsBooking seats on JR Hokkaido limited expresses and the Hokkaido Shinkansen
All JR Hokkaido limited expresses are reserved-seat only. Book on Eki-net (JR East's service) or, as a visitor, on JR-EAST Train Reservation from 10:00 one month before travel, then collect tickets at a JR Hokkaido ticket machine or office. - LuggageLarge luggage on JR East and JR Hokkaido Shinkansen and limited express trains
No luggage booking is needed on the Tohoku, Hokkaido, Akita, Yamagata, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen: use any free luggage space, or keep the bag at your feet.
Lines
- Hakodate Main Line 函館線 · Railway · 84 stations
- Nemuro Main Line 根室線 · Railway · 51 stations
- Muroran Main Line 室蘭線 · Railway · 47 stations
- Sōya Main Line 宗谷線 · Railway · 38 stations
- Sekihoku Main Line 石北線 · Railway · 31 stations
- Senmō Main Line 釧網線 · Railway · 24 stations
- Furano Line 富良野線 · Railway · 17 stations
- JR Chitose Line 千歳線 · Railway · 15 stations
- JR Sasshō Line 札沼線 · Railway · 14 stations
- Sekishō Line 石勝線 · Railway · 7 stations
- Rumoi Line 留萌線 · Railway · 5 stations
- Hidaka Main Line 日高線 · Railway · 4 stations
- Hokkaidō Shinkansen 北海道新幹線 · Shinkansen · 4 stations
- Kaikyō Line 海峡線 · Railway · 2 stations
Lines and stations: 「国土数値情報（鉄道データ、駅別乗降客数データ）」（国土交通省）を加工して作成 (MLIT National Land Numerical Information, railway data N02-24 and station passengers S12-25, CC BY 4.0). English station names and readings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), where they match. Data & credits.