Where to get JR pass in Calgary?

[Sorath]

I was told that you have to get it here before you go into Japan. Checked with the embassy and they don't have it. Any ideas?

[CanmoreOrLess]

I believe travel agents process these, great deal for sure and yes you can only do this outside of Japan. I know a few friends that basically slept on the night trains and did not stay in hotels much at all during multi week stays. Gotta love Japanese trains.

The 7 day pass is about same as a one-way trip from Tokyo to Osaka as I recall. So load up on multi day passes.

Spring for the Green Car pass, exceptional value and comfort. I'd consider nothing else as you can sip a beer while lounging in comfort. The regular train class (weekdays 6-9am, 3-7 pm or later) is a cattle car, worse than a cattle car actually as cattle cannot be packed so tightly:

http://www.jtb.ca/eweb/index3.aspx?id=he3

[98type_r]

We got ours from Nippon Travel when we went a few years back.

#118, 1111-6th Ave. S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, T2P 5M5
Tel: (403) 294-0694

We didn't spring for the Green pass (first class) and it was fine. We took the Shinkansen between Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto and there is plenty of space and the seats are comfortable enough.

[eblend]

Originally posted by 98type_r
We got ours from Nippon Travel when we went a few years back.

#118, 1111-6th Ave. S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, T2P 5M5
Tel: (403) 294-0694

We didn't spring for the Green pass (first class) and it was fine. We took the Shinkansen between Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto and there is plenty of space and the seats are comfortable enough.

This. Green Pass is a waste of money. If you are taking Shinkansen you still get your assigned seat and the seats are comfortable soft seats. I have yet to be on a train where people are actually standing, and I have been to Japan 4 of the last 5 years, and commute by Shinkansen often.

Keep in mind that you can also use the JR pass in Tokyo for all JR lines. This isn't a good use of the pass by any means, but if you need to get to a Shinkansen station, take the JR line vs the subway and it won't cost you any extra.

Also, when you arrive at the airport, go to the JR counter to convert your coupon to an actual pass. You can do this right away, and tell them you don't want it to start until a certain date, and then from that date forward you will have 7 or 14 or 21 days of consecutive use. You can also prebuy all your tickets ahead of time if you know where you are going, this can be a good idea for busy routes.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

That should be your only website you will need to plan all of your trips. Without that site I don't know how I would have managed all my connections ect to get anywhere, this will do it all for you.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that Hyperdia will give you a cost of any trip you plan as well....can be very useful in deciding if the pass is worth it or not. 95% of the time the pass will pay for itself with a single round trip. Osaka to Tokyo round trip is usually more expensive than the pass.

Interesting fact for someone who may be looking: Japanese citizens can't buy this pass, it is for tourists only, UNLESS your have PR in another country as well. We got my wife the pass last time we went and she is full JDP but has Canadian PR

[KrisYYC]

Just an FYI you get an "exchange voucher" in Canada not the actual pass itself. When you arrive in Japan you'll have to find a JR office to exchange your voucher for the actual pass. If you're arriving in NRT there's one in the airport.

[yellowsnow]

Everyone has their own seat, and you store your luggage in the rear of the cart. I ordered mine online from jtb.ca. you have to get the jr pass before you leave for Japan. Once you get to Japan, you have to exchange your JR pass for tickets at a JR office.

When you get to Japan, try to get to a JR office as fast as you can. The line up can be long.

[xnvy]

I just got back from Japan a couple days ago. I ordered mine online and had it express shipped to my home. As said in one of the above posts, you just get a voucher. My voucher was for a 7 day pass and as I was staying there for 9 days I used the voucher 2 days in. Just so them your passport, get it stamped and you're good to go. It's a great deal if you're going around Japan but I ended up spending almost all of my time in Tokyo and kind of regret getting it.

I'm pretty sure you can exchange the voucher at any JR booth, which are plentiful in Metro stations. I got mine exchanged at Shibuya station and while I was getting it done, some residents of Banff lined up behind me.

Or you can read eblend's post which covers it very well ;)

[CanmoreOrLess]

Originally posted by eblend


This. Green Pass is a waste of money. If you are taking Shinkansen you still get your assigned seat and the seats are comfortable soft seats. I have yet to be on a train where people are actually standing, and I have been to Japan 4 of the last 5 years, and commute by Shinkansen often.

Keep in mind that you can also use the JR pass in Tokyo for all JR lines. This isn't a good use of the pass by any means, but if you need to get to a Shinkansen station, take the JR line vs the subway and it won't cost you any extra.

Also, when you arrive at the airport, go to the JR counter to convert your coupon to an actual pass. You can do this right away, and tell them you don't want it to start until a certain date, and then from that date forward you will have 7 or 14 or 21 days of consecutive use. You can also prebuy all your tickets ahead of time if you know where you are going, this can be a good idea for busy routes.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

That should be your only website you will need to plan all of your trips. Without that site I don't know how I would have managed all my connections ect to get anywhere, this will do it all for you.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that Hyperdia will give you a cost of any trip you plan as well....can be very useful in deciding if the pass is worth it or not. 95% of the time the pass will pay for itself with a single round trip. Osaka to Tokyo round trip is usually more expensive than the pass.

Interesting fact for someone who may be looking: Japanese citizens can't buy this pass, it is for tourists only, UNLESS your have PR in another country as well. We got my wife the pass last time we went and she is full JDP but has Canadian PR

I was not addressing the Shink (nor did I mention it), I was addressing the commuter trains bringing in millions daily to Tokyo. You want to avoid those salaryman mass trains unless in Green. Also, I believe standing on the Shink without an assigned or available seat is not allowed anyway. As for comfort in the non-Green Shink, I went from Tokyo to Osaka a dozen times and to each their own, guess my pockets were deeper as the company was paying for it.

To the OP..... avoid the smoking cars even if you smoke. Forget this once and you'll hate the rest of your day. Not even smokers like to be in the smoking cars.

Copy and paste this number into your phone, it is for JR English Service, they provide individual help to non J speakers. The smaller train stations will not have any English support, they will try to assist and often it works out but you can never be 100% certain of it and getting on the wrong train can be very painful:

(050) 2016-1603

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/customer_support/infoline.html

All the rest of what eblend says I would agree as I lived in Japan for nearly a decade. eblend would be a decent guide (I'd PM him for more questions you might have) for the visitor as he has jumped through those tourist hoops.

[Sorath]

Thanks so much for the insight guys, i will definately take note and plan my trip around the information received! :thumbsup:

edit: @98type_r - do you know if i can purchase the voucher through them even though i choose not to book with them?

[eblend]

Originally posted by Sorath
through them even though i choose not to book with them?

Yes you can. You can pick it up and many different travel places actually, doesn't have to be that, just walk in and ask if they sell the JR pass.

[Sorath]

perfect! thanks guys!

[Sorath]

since we're on the topic. for those of you that frequent japan. Is it better to change currency in canada or in japan?

I frequent asia pretty often and usually its better to change money locally there at a private money exchange kiosk than a bank there and in north america you get a better exchange at the bank.

Im guessing narita airport is out of the question assuming the exchange rate sucks there?

[saiyajin]

FYI Nippon Travel will give you the voucher on the spot whereas most other agents may need to get it shipped to you 2-3 bus days

i just got my jrpass voucher last weekend at Nippon Travel

when you going Kasem? ill be there jan 19-28 stoked!!:nut:

[eblend]

Originally posted by saiyajin
FYI Nippon Travel will give you the voucher on the spot whereas most other agents may need to get it shipped to you 2-3 bus days

i just got my jrpass voucher last weekend at Nippon Travel

when you going Kasem? ill be there jan 19-28 stoked!!:nut:

Far too short dude, you will want to come back that's for sure!

When I had to pay for stuff myself, and all my other trips, I just exchanged here, saves the hustle of trying to find a bank in a foreign country, but I haven't done any exchange in a long long time, wife pays for everything as she has an account there :D Boo Yah! I can't afford to travel to Japan anymore, Yen is very strong and shit is expensive haha. When I first went to Japan 1 CAD was like 112 Yen, its at like 85 now.... When it was at 112 I thought the prices were about 10% higher than Calgary...right now its an ass raping pretty much for everything! Enjoy your trip, and bring a lot of money :D

EDIT: Just thought of something....which goes completely against everything I just said...I actually most often exchange CAD for USD here, and then bring USD and exchange to local at the destination. You get better exchange rate changing USD than you would Canadian, even with the double conversion, at least I found this to be the case when I went to Dubai and India last year. I always change my money at Calforex. I only started doing this recently, but before that used to exchange right to the needed currency here. Non-common currencies don't get good exchange here at all, so better change to USD at par and exchange to local currency at your destination. I find airport exchanges are just as good as the banks in most places I been.

[Team_Mclaren]

ALWAYS ALWAYS take USD with you when you travel. When I was there in 2011 when CAD to USD was at par, they'd exchange 10% less for CAD.

[Sorath]

^^^ does bmo offer yen exchange? td doesnt haha maybe its time to use my us visa in japan!

[eblend]

Originally posted by Sorath
^^^ does bmo offer yen exchange? td doesnt haha maybe its time to use my us visa in japan!

Just go to calforex, they have better rate than the banks.

Don't use use credit card if you don't have to...else you will be paying an additional 2.5% on all your purchases as that is what almost all credit cards charge.

[Sorath]

sorry offtopic, semi on topic. Does anyone know if you can pickup a monthly pass for a wifi card? something that you can log into from your phone using telephone networks? It is pretty common in taiwan/hk and china not sure if you can do the same there.

[eblend]

Originally posted by Sorath
sorry offtopic, semi on topic. Does anyone know if you can pickup a monthly pass for a wifi card? something that you can log into from your phone using telephone networks? It is pretty common in taiwan/hk and china not sure if you can do the same there.

Never had the need personally so don't know' but you can rent a Sim card from soft bank at the narita airport or kansai airport which has data...never used it personally so can't comment on cost of data, they have an English page which explains all the costs. Data seems expensive but there may be more. Take a look http://www.softbank-rental.jp/e/rental-plan-ib04.php

[eblend]

http://www.softbank-rental.jp/e/rental-plan-ib05.php

Here seems like they have unlimited data for about 1600 yen per day...ouch

[saiyajin]

Originally posted by eblend


Far too short dude, you will want to come back that's for sure!


well this is my second time going japan haha i will also be going to hongkong after as well :nut:


Originally posted by Sorath
^^^ does bmo offer yen exchange? td doesnt haha maybe its time to use my us visa in japan!

how is this possible i just got my Yen from TD....

[phreezee]

Bump:
Nippon Travel has shutdown permanently. Where else does Beyond recommend for getting the JR Rail Pass in Calgary?

[Team_Mclaren]

If you have time, order it online and they will send you the redemption form. Nippon was great if you are on last min. As they were the only one to print it off on the spot.

[msommers]

We ordered through Klook and it got in here 2 days.

[phreezee]

Thanks I will order from Klook as well. Awesome to hear it was that fast!

[K3RMiTdot]

We ordered from Japan-Rail-Pass. We also got it via FedEx within a couple days.
They also sell the suica pass if you want to get one before hand.

[Xtrema]

Bump:
Nippon Travel has shutdown permanently. Where else does Beyond recommend for getting the JR Rail Pass in Calgary?

https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/japan-rail-pass-prices-increase

FYI.

Basically price is good til end of 2023.