Seibu Railway is very popular among travelers planning trips near Tokyo. It connects to many cities within a short distance of Tokyo, and offers a variety of passes to choose from depending on your travel plans. It's ideal for a one-day trip or an overnight stay — you can even stay in Tokyo, head out in the morning, and return in the evening. Let's look at the types of passes available.
Seibu Pass
Seibu Pass gives unlimited rides on the entire Seibu Railway network for the number of days of the pass type you purchase. The only exceptions are the Tamagawa Line and Limited Express trains, which are not covered by this pass. You can use it together with a Limited Express train, but you'll need to pay an additional limited express fee. You can choose the pass that matches your travel plan and the number of days you need — pay only for what you use. It has no ride limit, making it ideal for anyone who wants to visit several places at once.
The Seibu Pass mainly comes in 4 types:
▌SEIBU 1 Day Pass
Designed for exploring the Seibu Railway lines within 1 day. Price: adults ¥1,000, children ¥500.
▌SEIBU 1 Day Pass + Nagatoro
Designed for exploring the Seibu and Chichibu lines within 1 day. Price: adults ¥1,500, children ¥750.
▌SEIBU 2 Day Pass
Designed for exploring the Seibu Railway lines within 2 days. Price: adults ¥2,000, children ¥1,000.
▌SEIBU 2 Day Pass + Nagatoro
Designed for exploring the Seibu and Chichibu lines within 2 days. Price: adults ¥3,000, children ¥1,500.
Where to buy the Seibu Pass
You can buy it at the SEIBU Tourist Information Center inside Ikebukuro Station (there are two counters, one on the first floor and one in the basement) and at Seibu-Shinjuku Station.
Chichibu 2-Day Pass
The Chichibu 2-Day Pass is ideal for those focusing on a one-night trip to Chichibu. It includes one round trip between Tokyo stations such as Ikebukuro Station or Seibu-Shinjuku Station and the terminal station, Seibu-Chichibu Station, plus unlimited rides on the local Chichibu Line between Ashigakubo Station and Seibu-Chichibu Station within 2 days from the start of use. That's not all — you can also use this pass for discounts at participating shops and attractions in Chichibu. However, this pass is only available as a 2-day pass. So if your main plan is to spend both days exploring Chichibu along the Chichibu Line, this pass is a great fit.
Price if purchased at Ikebukuro or Shinjuku Station: adults ¥2,320, children ¥1,180. This price covers regular trains only; an additional fee applies for Limited Express trains.
A round-trip ticket purchased separately costs about ¥1,560.
Where to buy the Chichibu 2-Day Pass
You can buy the pass at the ticket offices of every station on the Seibu Line, except Kotake-Mukaihara Station, the stations between Koma and Seibu-Chichibu, Haijima Station, and the stations on the Tamagawa Line). It is also available at the SKYLINER & KEISEI INFORMATION CENTER at Narita Airport Terminals 1, 2, and 3.
Seibu Kawagoe Pass
The Seibu Kawagoe Pass is a Seibu Railway ticket good for a single round trip only, with no stopovers along the way. The ticket is designed in the shape of a cute lucky charm, and it's only available to foreign travelers. You can choose from 3 starting stations in Tokyo — Seibu-Shinjuku, Takadanobaba, or Ikebukuro Station — and travel to a single destination, Hon-Kawagoe Station. The pass costs only ¥700, which is very cheap, but it can only be used on regular trains. An additional ¥500 per trip is charged for Limited Express trains.
Where to buy the Seibu Kawagoe Pass
This pass is sold at many locations across Japan, so it's easy to pick one up wherever is convenient for you. The places where you can buy it include:
- The Limited Express Tickets Office at Seibu-Shinjuku Station
- The Limited Express Tickets Office at Seibu Takadanobaba Station
- The Limited Express Tickets Office on the 1st floor of Seibu Ikebukuro Station
- The Seibu Ikebukuro Tickets Office
- The Seibu Tourist Information Center IKEBUKURO
- BIC CAMERA (only at the Ikebukuro Main Store, Ikebukuro West Store, Ikebukuro East Camera Store, Shinjuku East Exit Store (BICQLO), Shinjuku West Store, and Shinjuku Station East Store branches)
- The SKYLINER & KEISEI INFORMATION CENTER at Narita Airport Terminal 1-3
- Don Quijote (only at the Ikebukuro Higashiguchi Ekimae, Ikebukuro Station Kitaguchi, Shinjuku Kabukicho, and Takadanobaba Ekimae branches
Kawagoe Access Ticket
The Kawagoe Access Ticket is very similar to the Seibu Kawagoe Pass above. The difference is that this pass can be used on both regular and Limited Express trains, and you can only board from 2 starting stations in Tokyo — Seibu-Shinjuku or Takadanobaba — to reach the destination station, Hon-Kawagoe. Price: adults ¥1,500, children ¥750.
Where to buy the Kawagoe Access Ticket
You can buy this ticket at Seibu-Shinjuku Station, Takadanobaba Station, and the Shinjuku Prince Hotel on the 1st floor.
Comparing Seibu Railway Passes
The main difference between these Seibu Railway discount passes is the area they cover. The Seibu Pass covers the widest area, including nearly every Seibu line, and some types even extend to the Chichibu Line as far as Nagatoro. Importantly, it comes in both 1-day and 2-day options, making it the most flexible choice, and it also offers unlimited rides along the entire route.
But if you're focused on visiting one specific city without stopping off along the way, you can choose the Chichibu 2-Day Pass for a trip with one overnight stay in Chichibu. It's similar to the SEIBU 2 Day Pass + Nagatoro, with the difference being that the Chichibu 2-Day Pass doesn't allow stopovers between Tokyo and Chichibu Station.
For those visiting Kawagoe, you can choose the Seibu Kawagoe Pass if you want to save money and don't mind a slightly longer ride at less than half the price, or the Kawagoe Access Ticket if you'd rather save time and ride the Limited Express instead. Both are similar to the SEIBU 1 Day Pass, with the difference being that the Seibu Pass allows unlimited stopovers, while the Kawagoe Pass and Access Ticket only let you board and get off once, at the starting and ending stations.
So choosing which Seibu pass to use really comes down to your own travel plan. Whichever you choose, Seibu offers plenty of options — just pick the right type, and it will be great value and convenient for your trip.
If you're not sure yet where to visit,
For more details, see the Official Site