JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass is a travel pass covering the Kanto region from Tokyo to southern Hokkaido. It can be used on all JR Hokkaido Lines and JR East Lines. It also covers travel from Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, and New Chitose Airport, taking you to major cities such as Tokyo, Sapporo, Aomori, Sendai, and others. The Shinkansen line to Hokkaido opened in March 2016, so this pass is ideal for travelers who want to explore the Kanto region and continue on to Hokkaido.
* The new post-pandemic JR Pass format is no longer a booklet that requires you to go through a staffed gate. It now looks like a regular train ticket that you can insert into the automatic ticket gates. Just remember to take it back from the machine.
The new JR Pass format can be inserted into ticket gates like a regular train ticket. Photo from klook.com
Price of the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
| JR East-South Hokkaido Pass (6 consecutive days) | Adult (age 12 and up) | ￥40,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Child (age 6-11) | ￥20,000 |
- For child tickets, the child must be between 6 and 11 years old on the date of purchase, as shown on their passport. Children under 6 do not need a ticket, but they cannot reserve a seat. If you want to reserve a seat for a child under 6, you will need to purchase a ticket for them.
- While traveling in Japan with the pass, you cannot purchase a new one if your existing pass has not yet expired. Each person may only hold one pass at a time.
How to Use
Valid for 6 consecutive days
- JR Hokkaido lines
- JR East Lines (including BRT*)
- Izu Kyuko Line
- Tokyo Monorail
- Aoimori Railway
- Iwate Galaxy Railway (IGR)
- Sendai Airport Transit
- Local trains or rapid trains on the Tobu Railway Lines between Shimo-Imaichi and Tobu-Nikko/Kinugawa-Onsen
- Limited express trains between Kurihashi and Shimo-Imaichi Stations
Sample Routes Using the JR East-South Hokkaido Pass
- For a one-way trip from New Chitose Airport in Sapporo to Narita Airport in Tokyo, you would take the Super Hokuto limited express from Sapporo Station to Hakodate Station, the Hokkaido Shinkansen from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station to Shin-Aomori Station, the Tohoku Shinkansen from Shin-Aomori Station to Sendai Station and on to Tokyo Station, and the Narita Express from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport Terminal 1. The total fare would be ¥28,000.
- For a round trip between Tokyo Station and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station using a reserved seat on the Hokkaido Shinkansen, the round-trip fare would be ¥44,000.
Restrictions
- The Tobu Railway line can only be used when your origin or destination is a JR station.
- The pass cannot be used on the Tokaido Shinkansen.
- GALA Yuzawa Station is only open during winter and spring.
- The pass cannot be used on JR buses.
- The pass cannot be used on the South Hokkaido Railway between Goryokaku Station and Kikonai Station.
- The pass cannot be used for Green Cars, GranClass, individual compartments, Liners, or Sleeper Cars.
Destinations Covered
- Tokyo
- Sapporo
- Otaru
- Aomori
- Sendai
- Akita
- GALA Yuzawa
- Ito
- Nikko
- Mito
- Hakodate
- Others
Map of the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
Route map of the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
Other Passes Similar to the JR East-South Hokkaido Pass
There are 5 main passes that use Tokyo as a base for exploring nearby areas, or as a starting/ending point for your journey:
- JR TOKYO Wide Pass - This pass covers the smallest area, but it still includes many major tourist spots around Tokyo, and it is the cheapest option.
- JR EAST Nagano, Niigata Area Pass - This pass covers a larger area including Nagano and Niigata, as well as Matsumoto and Karuizawa.
- JR EAST Tohoku Area Pass - This pass covers an even larger area, reaching Aomori and Sendai, as well as Yamagata and Aizu.
- JR East-South Hokkaido Pass - This pass covers the largest area, reaching all the way to southern Hokkaido, including Hakodate and Sapporo, as well as New Chitose Airport and Hakodate. It is also the most expensive option.
- JR Hokuriku Arch Pass - This pass takes a different route from the four passes above. It loops north and west of Tokyo, passing through a World Heritage area, before ending in Osaka, forming a half-circle shape as its name (Arch) suggests.
How to Purchase the Pass
The pass can be purchased both inside and outside Japan. Outside Japan, you can purchase it through various travel agencies specializing in Japan travel, which will issue you an Exchange Order. Once you arrive in Japan, bring the Exchange Order along with your passport to exchange it for the actual pass at a JR EAST Travel Service Center. Alternatively, you can order online — after payment, print out the Exchange Order and bring it to Japan to exchange for the actual pass.
If purchasing within Japan, you can buy the pass directly at JR EAST Travel Service Centers located at various JR stations, such as Narita Airport and New Chitose Airport.
Where to Purchase and Exchange the Pass
You can purchase the pass or exchange your Exchange Order at JR EAST Travel Service Centers located at various JR stations, such as Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, Haneda Airport International Terminal, Narita Airport Terminal 1, and Narita Airport Terminal 2·3
Review: Traveling from Tokyo north to Hokkaido with this pass