JAPAN RAIL PASS: AVOID GETTING RIPPED OFF...

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Hello cruisers,

 

I would like to warn you against a web site that takes advantage of foreigners travelling to Japan.  The web site is Jrailpass.

 

Part of the problem is that I assumed it was the official web site of Japan Railways.  It is not!  They are only an “Official vendor”.  Last Sunday, I proceeded to buy our train pass on this web site and did not question all fees added to the price of the train pass as I believe it was the official web site to buy the Japan Rail Pass.

 

The next day (last night), I found out a friend of mine on CC used another web site!!!!  Through that web site (Japan Experience) they paid a lot less than using Jrailpass.  Japan Experience charges $12 CAD for shipping fee and no handling fee.  Jrailpass charges $26 CAD for handling fee AND $29 CAD for shipping fee.  This is a difference of $45 CAD.

 

I contacted Jrailpass for a resolution of the “rip-off” but they basically told me the fees were shown on the screen when I purchased.  This is all true but I feel they are taking advantage of travellers like me by using Jrailpass who can easily be mistaken for the official web site of Japan Railways AND ask exorbitant unnecessary fees.

 

I want to help people to not make the same mistake I made.

 

I learned something: never assume and investigate everything thoroughly.

The Canadians!😎

[Host Bonjour]

I’m sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience. Similar situations like this occur for travelers purchasing Europe Rail passes or individual country passes with companies offering passes for sail as independent brokers with their own fees that vary on to the price of the rail pass. When typing the words into google or whichever search engine one uses to look for, say a Swiss Rail Pass, is wouldn’t be too easy to mix up a list of results that looked similar: just add in the world “travel” before pass and you’ve got a four word product that sure sounds official but might not be. 

(Do NOT use any of these words for a Swiss rail pass, it’s only a random example!!!) 

 

if in doubt its always best to start on the official tourism website for the country you are visiting and then look for links to verified sources for transportation, lodgings, sightseeing etc and how to determine the difference - in Europe some hotels can post outside lodgings how many “roses” or “stars” they have and you can look up what that indicates in each country. When I got my BritRail pass I went to the National tourism website and connected the dots from there to purchase my railpass. Likewise for Italy but by then I was much a more experienced traveler. 

 

Alternatively you could go old school and call a travel agent....that’s who got me my very first Eurail Pass and I didn’t even call him, he called me via a friend helping me plan the trip 25 years ago. 

 

I’ve travel mishaps big and small but they always seem to get balanced out by positives that happen during the trip...nice surprises I never expected and make me forget the inconvenience or upset of whatever didn’t go as I hoped it would. For the biggest problems there was great human kindness and generosity and for smaller ones, just a surprise flower or heart shaped pizza - little things that might make for wonderful memories you could never have planned from any guide book or message board. 

 

I hope and am pretty sure that you will have these type of experiences on your Japan journey because the people are incredible and the country is fascinating. You’ll see. Good luck and enjoy 😊 

[Tara Jane]

Yes I agree Bonjour.   We all learn and are constantly learning all the "traps" that as tourists we can fall into.  

That said these companies are all out to make a living, and as stated it is on their website.

The same goes for flights,  I use the websites that sell many airlines tickets but they all add their fees and charges at the end.  Use the website to find out who is the cheapest then go direct to the website or try a TA who will price match.

With my JR passes over the last 25 years that I have been travelling to Japan I usually end up buying from one of 3 companies.  I don't trust Australia Post so prefer to order on line and make a trip into the city to collect them,  that's just nervous nanny me!!!

Don't allow it to spoil your holiday, make the most of your rail pass, remember you can use it on the ferry to Miyajima, and also the hop on hop off bus in Hiroshima and Kanazawa.   Go from one end of Japan to the next and absorb the beautiful country and people.

[Patrick Lane]

I see that you had problems with this company. But in my case, it wasn't like that. I used jrailpass to buy my rail tickets and at the beginning, I didn't receive the e-mail confirmation but after contacting them, I saw that it was on the spam folder. They even re-sent it. If you contact them through social media, you will receive a response from them. I'm a happy customer, so I don't consider this a rip off. Their staff was polite and resolutive. I don't know what you guys have to deal with, but I personally received my passes without any problem. Some people use forums just to complain but if you're satisfied, you should say it too.

[DaisyRose]

Thank you so much for alerting all of us to this situation.  We will all be extra careful in the future.

[gudgiggle]

I am so glad I happened to check your post before I clicked confirm payment.  I bought from Japan-Experience and it was at least $75 cheaper for two tickets.  And Japan Experience didn't even charge an overnight charge.

 

Thank you again to my Canadian friends, from down a couple of hundred miles...

[cashmeremypuppydog]

On 7/13/2023 at 2:49 PM, gudgiggle said:

I am so glad I happened to check your post before I clicked confirm payment.  I bought from Japan-Experience and it was at least $75 cheaper for two tickets.  And Japan Experience didn't even charge an overnight charge.

 

Thank you again to my Canadian friends, from down a couple of hundred miles...

Hello Gudgiggle,

i am so glad my post was helpful to you. I had totally forgot about this post! This brought back memories as Japan was one of our best vacations ever.

i hope you will spend many days in Kyoto as it is a gem.

 

Usually, my posts are about praising drivers/guides as an independent traveller, it is sometimes difficult to find them. Our latest trip, Africa (Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana) treated us so good. I posted praise about our drivers… We even helped our now ‘African son’ starting in own business by helping him being his own stretched LandCruiser… He needed a break in life and we are happen we gave it to him. This is what life is all about!

 

Chantal
Lover of Africa 🦍🦏🦛🐘🦓🦒🦁

 

[hubofhockey]

Japan Rail Pass prices went way up.  It's now $220 for seven days.  We need Narita Airport Express, Tokyo to Kyoto, and Kyoto to Yokohama in a 7 day time period and the JR Pass.  $21 Narita Express, $100 to Kyoto, and $100 to Yokohama.  It's not even a decent deal, but may get it anyway just for convenience or even upgrade to green class.

[monkey@cruise]

On 7/24/2023 at 2:13 PM, hubofhockey said:

Japan Rail Pass prices went way up.  It's now $220 for seven days.  We need Narita Airport Express, Tokyo to Kyoto, and Kyoto to Yokohama in a 7 day time period and the JR Pass.  $21 Narita Express, $100 to Kyoto, and $100 to Yokohama.  It's not even a decent deal, but may get it anyway just for convenience or even upgrade to green class.

Currently, JR Pass cannot use for "NOZOMI" and "MIZUHO" trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen Lines; but after price increase in October, 2023, you can travel on "NOZOMI" and "MIZUHO" train.

 

Shinkansen stops at Shin-Yokohama station not Yokohama station; then transfer JR Yokohama Line to either Yokohama station or Kannai station, and taxi to Osanbashi cruise terminal.

I use "smart-ex" app for causal Shinkansen travel
"Smart Ex" Get the Cheapest Shinkansen Fares Without the JR Pass".:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjiIWXZNr5Q