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Unlimited Sightseeing: JR West's Kansai Wide Area Pass for Kansai & Beyond

• Written by: WESTPLAN

Last updated: 15 February 2021

Discover an incredible way to explore Japan while saving money with JR West's Kansai Wide Area Pass! This exclusive pass for foreign tourists offers unlimited rides on select Sanyo Shinkansen and limited express trains, not only across the Kansai region but also to areas like Sanyo, San’in, and Hokuriku.

The JR West Rail Pass offers unlimited rides for foreign visitors, with nine types covering areas like Sanyo, San'in, and Hokuriku. Among them, the Kansai Wide Area Pass is particularly appealing, offering unlimited travel across a broad region, from Kansai Airport to various parts of Kansai, Okayama, and Kurashiki.

This pass allows access to unreserved seats on JR West's Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka to Okayama), limited express trains (Haruka, Kuroshio, Thunderbird, Kounotori), and high-speed JR West local trains.

The Kansai Wide Area Pass lets you explore Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Himeji, Shiga, Okayama, Kurashiki, Wakayama/Shirahama, Kinosaki Onsen, Takamatsu, and Kansai International Airport.

It’s ideal for visiting spots beyond Kansai, like the Kurashiki Bikan district in Okayama, known for its white-walled warehouses and willow-lined streets, or the Great Seto Bridge connecting Honshu and Shikoku.

Note that the pass isn’t valid for the Tokaido Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto, but it can be used on the JR Kyoto Line.

Additionally, the pass offers free use of Eki Rin-kun rental bikes within its coverage area, providing flexible travel options.

You can save by using this pass. A round-trip fare on the Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Okayama costs 11,220 yen, but the Kansai Wide Area Pass, purchased outside Japan, offers unlimited rides for five days at just 9,200 yen. Even a single round trip makes the pass cheaper, and with unlimited travel over a wide area for five days, the savings are substantial.

Only foreign passport holders with a valid “short-term stay” visa for Japan can purchase the JR West Rail Pass.

The pass can be purchased in three ways: through a travel agency, online, or directly at a JR station in Japan. Prices and purchase methods may vary depending on whether you buy overseas or in Japan.

A. Purchase Outside Japan (via Travel Agency)
・Age 12 and older: 9,200 yen / Children 6-11: 4,600 yen
1. Buy an Exchange Order (MCO or E-TICKET) at an overseas sales location.
2. Exchange it for your pass at designated locations in Japan.
3. Follow the steps to obtain an E-TICKET here.
(*Refunds for unexchanged MCOs or E-TICKETs can be issued at the travel agency; handling fee applies.)

B. Purchase Inside or Outside Japan (JR West Online Reservation)
・Age 12 and older: 10,000 yen / Children 6-11: 5,000 yen
1. Reserve online through JR West.
2. Pick up the pass at a ticket machine or counter after arriving in Japan. Be sure to prepare the required documents.

(1) Reservation information
here

(2) Passport
To receive the pass from a ticket vending machine, a passport with an IC chip is required. Travelers with passports not having an IC chip will need to get their passes from the ticket counter.

・Check here to see at which stations the pass can be picked up
here

3. When receiving the pass at a station, payment can be made by cash or credit card.

C. Purchase in Japan (JR West Station: Ticket counter)
・12 years of age and older 10,200 yen, for children between 6 and 11 years of age 5,100 yen.
1. After entering Japan, fill in the required details on the application form.
2. Present your application and passport at the ticket counter.
See here for info.
3. Payment can be made by cash or credit card.
4. Purchases at major JR West stations and online reservations are limited to one pass per person per stay.

Using the affordable and convenient JR West Rail Pass will help expand your travel plans. While Kansai offers plenty of attractive spots, the pass covers a wide area, including Okayama and Hiroshima, making your trip even more memorable. For more details, visit the JR West official website.

Written by:

WESTPLAN

Kiko Matsuda, Keiko Kimura, Risa Tsushi, and a team of female writers familiar with Kansai. We love eating, drinking and traveling! We share fun information based on our experiences.

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