Kyoto to Tokyo and daytrips

Hi Loanna,

For a 7 day rail pass to be worth it you'll need to spend at least ¥28,300 on individual tickets. I'll assume that you are arriving and departing from Narita when I calculate your costs:

1. Narita airport terminal 1 > Tokyo: ¥2740, (62mins, 79km)
2. Tokyo > Kyoto: ¥13020, (165mins, 513km)
3. Kyoto > Tokyo: ¥13020, (161mins, 513km)
4. Tokyo > Nikko: ¥5230, (121mins, 150km)
5. Nikko > Tokyo: ¥5230, (117mins, 150km)
6. Tokyo > Odawara: ¥3440, (35mins, 83km)
7. Odawara > Tokyo: ¥1450, (36mins, 83km)
8. Tokyo > Narita airport terminal 1: ¥2740, (58mins, 79km)

TOTAL: ¥46870 for 8 legs

As you can see you'll make a significant saving with a 7 day rail pass (saving ¥18,570) over individual tickets. You'll also do enough travel to make savings with a 14 day rail pass (14 day pass is ¥45,100), which you may want to consider if you are in Japan for longer than 7 days.

I have excluded other exploration around Tokyo - while you can use the Japan Rail Pass to use the JR system in Tokyo (maps) you may also choose to use the Metro system which is not JR.

For Hakone, from Odawara you will need to use the Odakyu Hakone Railway system to get up to Hakone as it is not a JR operated line. You can find out more on the Hakone free pass online.

We also have a blog post on day trips from Tokyo that you may find useful.

Hope this helps!

Dear Mari,

I'll fly to Osaka and then go from there to Kyoto, where I'll stay for three weeks for work. I was planning on activating my rail pass -if I get one- when I am about to leave for Tokyo and use it for the first time on the trip from Kyoto to Tokyo.

I think, according to what you said that it is still worth it. Is that right?

Thank you very much for all your help! :)

Ioanna

Hi there,

Taking out the trip from Narita to Kyoto will bring the base ticket costs down to ¥31,110. This is still more expensive than a 7 day rail pass (¥28,300) so I still recommend you go for the rail pass option. A 7 day pass will also be more flexible should you change your plans in Tokyo.

Hope this helps!