Ticket Overview & Purchasing Guide

Tickets

There are two main types of tickets.

Regular tickets
- Basic Fare Tickets (Joshaken)
- *Super (limited) express train tickets
- Basic fare + super (limited) express train tickets*
  
  (A combined basic fare ticket + super (limited) express train ticket)
There are reserved seat tickets with specifically assigned seats and non-reserved seat tickets available.
Pass

Types of Tickets Part 1

Basic fare tickets
Basic fare tickets cover the basic fare for riding a train.
The price depends on the area you want to go to.
This basic ticket is always required to board a train.

There are three main types of basic fare tickets.

Paper basic fare tickets
(for long distances)

Paper basic fare tickets
(for short distances)

Suica
(IC card)

How to read tickets
Suica (IC card)

This is a basic fare ticket in the form of an IC card.
You can top up the card beforehand, so you don’t need to buy a ticket every time you ride.
A convenient option, as you just tap the card on the ticket gate.

About Welcome Suica About Suica
Super (limited) express train tickets

When riding a shinkansen or limited express train, this ticket needs to be purchased in addition to the basic fare ticket.
The main types of super (limited) express train tickets are reserved seat tickets with specifically assigned seats and non-reserved seat tickets for non-reserved seat cars.

With a non-reserved seat ticket, you can only sit in non-reserved seat cars.
Note that the Narita Express and shinkasen including the Hayabusa and Kagayaki only have reserved-seat cars.

Types of Tickets Part 2
Passes

We offer regular tickets as well as rail passes to those who are visiting Japan.
Most passes include the basic ticket + super (limited) express ticket fare, for cheaper travel compared to using regular tickets depending on the area.

This option is super convenient, as you don’t need to buy new basic fare and super (limited) express tickets for each city you go to.
We hope this option comes in handy during your travels.

Types of passes Picking up your pass

Types of trains and the required tickets

JR East has three main types of trains.

Shinkansen
Limited express trains
Local trains (rapid & conventional lines)

Tickets needed to ride the shinkansen
- To sit in a reserved seat
  
  Basic fare ticket + super (limited) express train reserved seat ticket
  
  Pass + reserved seat ticket
- To sit in a non-reserved seat*
  
  Basic fare ticket + super (limited) express train non-reserved seat ticket
  
  Just a pass
  
  You can only sit in the non-reserved seat cars.
Tickets needed to ride the limited express trains
- To sit in a reserved seat
  
  Basic fare ticket or Suica + super (limited) express train reserved seat ticket
  
  OR
  
  Suica & Welcome Suica cannot be used in some areas.
  
  Pass + reserved seat ticket
- To sit in a non-reserved seat*
  
  Basic fare ticket or Suica + super (limited) express train non-reserved seat ticket
  
  OR
  
  Suica & Welcome Suica cannot be used in some areas.
  
  Just a pass
  
  You can only sit in the non-reserved seat cars.
Trains & routes
Tickets needed to ride local trains (rapid & conventional lines)
Pass or basic fare ticket or Suica

Purchasing tickets

You can purchase tickets online (via JR-EAST Train Reservation) from Japan and abroad,
or at train stations after arriving in Japan. (*Passes are sold at select stations.)