In the modern era, there are a great range of global options to easily purchase a Japan Rail Pass in Australia.  A JR Pass can be purchased for either a 7 day, 14 day or 21 day period, for either first class or second class.  During the period that the pass is active is a very cost effective option to ride on the Japan trains, including both the bullet train or shinkansen between cities and locations, as well as on local JR trains within each city.

In the past the options to purchase a JR Pass Australia were limited to providers located within Australia, however, over the past few years, the options to purchase your JR Rail Pass have expanded to enable options to purchase through global suppliers.  In most cases from the point of finalising your order, you should receive your Japanese Rail Pass Exchange Order by courier within 3-5 business days, regardless of the location of your provider. 

We recommend that you place your Japan Rail Pass order at least two weeks prior to your date of departure from Australia, to enable your physical Exchange Order to be delivered prior to your departure date.

Japan Rail Pass Price Increases from 1 October 2023

Best Options to Buy your JR Pass Japan in Australia

We have three preferred providers to enable you to buy Japan Rail Pass Australia.  Each of these providers is a reputable global provider and authorised dealer of JR Passes, which are a great Japan train pass option for tourists. You can see the details of the Japan Rail Pass options in the below table.

If you decide that a Japan Rail Pass is not worth it for your trip, be aware that you can easily pre-book your point-to-point tickets through Klook. Click here to purchase your point-to-point shinkansen and other inter-city rail tickets for Japan through Klook.

We regularly get questions about where is the best place to buy a Japan Rail Pass in Australia, including specific focus on delivery options to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, Darwin and Hobart.  The options I have detailed above all provide delivery options for Australian capital cities and regional areas.

Cheapest Japan Rail Pass for Delivery in Australia

Klook is a reputable Asian online travel agency who offer a competitive option who offers free delivery worldwide.

After you have added your Japan Rail Passes in the Shopping Cart you will be offered the option to choose worldwide shipping. 

Click here to check out pricing and book your Japan Rail Pass through Klook

How to Order Your JR Pass through Klook

When you are ready to place your Japan Rail Pass order through Klook here is the process to follow.  After clicking through on this link, select which pass you are interested in purchasing – 7 day, 14 day, 21 day, Ordinary or Green Class.  As an example I am going to demonstrate the ordering process for the 7 Day JR Pass below.

After clicking through to your preferred pass, click the orange ‘Book’ button on the top right hand side.

You then choose ‘Select’ on the Right Hand Side of your preferred option, you then have the option to confirm the date you plan to start using your JR Pass, and also select how many adult and child passes you require.  Press ‘OK’ and the Booking details will pop up on the right hand side of the screen.  In this example I have selected passes for 2 adults and 2 children.  You can then choose to either add it to your Klook Shopping Cart or to Book Now.  Choose the button which suits you best.

Once you have received your physical Exchange Order, after you arrive in Japan you can then activate your JR Pass at one of the specified train stations – please note that you can activate your Japan Rail Pass at any time and select the date of activation (even if it is a few days later), and at the same time you can also reserve seats on your preferred trains.

Get Your Guide makes the process very easy, and is also a very cost-effective option.

Click here to check out pricing and book your Japan Rail Pass through Klook for delivery to Australia

How to Order Your JR Pass through Get Your Guide

When you are ready to place your Japan Rail Pass order through Get Your Guide, here is the process to follow.  After clicking through on this link, select which pass you are interested in purchasing – 7 day, 14 day, 21 day, Ordinary or Green Class.  As an example I am going to demonstrate the ordering process for the 7 Day JR Pass below.

To order your JR pass through Get Your Guide, first decide whether you want to buy a 7 Day, 14 Day or 21 Day JR Pass, and also whether you plan to travel in First Class (Green Class) or Second Class (ordinary Class). Click here to see the Get Your Guide page which includes each option.

Select your preferred pass option and then select your date of travel and the number of adult passes you require. Adult passes are required for each person aged 12 years old and above in your group.  Once you have the correct details, you then select the option to ‘Book Now’. Note that children’s passes are not currently available through Get your Guide. Then click the ‘Book now’ button.  On the next page, you should now see the total adult passes in your cart. Add the details of each person in your group (and register if you do not already have an account), then go to the payment page to complete your order.

Once you have received your physical Exchange Order, after you arrive in Japan you can then activate your JR Pass at one of the specified train stations – please note that you can activate your Japan Rail Pass at any time and select the date of activation (even if it is a few days later), and at the same time you can also reserve seats on your preferred trains.

Get Your Guide makes the process very easy, and is also a very cost-effective option.

Click here to check out pricing and book your Japan Rail Pass through Get Your Guide for delivery to Australia

How to Buy your JR Pass Australia through JRailPass.com

JRailPass.com is a reputable online JR Pass seller who is located in Spain.  We have worked with JRailPass.com for over 18 months now and have many satisfied customers for their Japan Rail Pass services.  JRailpass.com offers a great service to deliver your Japan Rail Pass to Australia within a short time period.

To order your JR Pass through JRailPass.com, first decide whether you want to buy a 7 Day, 14 Day or 21 Day JR Pass, and whether you plan to travel in First Class (Green Class) or Second Class (Ordinary Class).  Click here to see the JRailPass.com page which includes each option. 

Select your preferred pass option and then select your date of travel and the number of adult passes you require.  Once you have the correct details, you then select the option to ‘Book Now’.  If you also require child passes, then press back to return to the home screen.  Click on the ‘See prices for children (ages 6-11) link underneath the pricing table to see the child pass prices, and from there, select the quantity and type of pass you require.  Then click the ‘Book now’ button.  On the next page you should now see the total adult and child passes in your cart. 

The next step is to fill in the details for each traveller as well as your delivery address for your Exchange Passes.  Once you have completed these sections and clicked the ‘Next’ button, JRailPass.com will then show the final pricing, including delivery to Australia.  JRailPass.com has cheaper delivery pricing for higher value orders.

JRailPass.com has a very easy process to finalise your purchase then using either a credit card, debit card, PayPal or Wire transfer.  Once you have completed the purchase process, you will quickly receive a confirmation email confirming details.  JRailPass.com process all orders within one business day of the order being placed, and use UPS and Fedex to courier your Exchange Orders within 3-4 business days. 

Note that over time we have had occasional issues reported by customers where they did not receive a confirmation email from JRailPass.com – in all cases, when I suggested that they check their Junk Email folder, they have found the confirmation email :).  

Once you have received your physical Exchange Order, after you arrive in Japan, you can then activate your JR Pass at one of the specified train stations – please note that you can activate your Japan Rail Pass at any time and select the date of activation (even if it is a few days later), and at the same time you can also reserve seats on your preferred trains.

JRailPass.com makes the process very easy and is also a very cost-effective option.

Click here to check out pricing and book your Japan Rail Pass through JRailPass.com for delivery to Australia

Japan Rail Pass Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Japan Rail Pass Australia Cheapest Option?

A frequently asked question is which is the cheapest option to purchase a JR pass in Australia.  Over time each supplier adjusts their prices and delivery packages, so our recommendation is to obtain pricing from both providers we have recommended above to identify which one has the most cost effective pricing at the time you plan to make your purchase.

Is a Japan Rail Pass Worth It?

A frequently asked questions is whether a Japan Rail Pass vs individual tickets is worthwhile.  A 7 Day Japan Rail Pass is cheaper than the cost to purchase return bullet train or shinkansen tickets from Tokyo to Kyoto.  Therefore, if your itinerary plan is to travel further than that then it will be good value.  Also remember that you can use your JR Pass for all local Japan Rail trains within cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and many more locations, so you will receive additional value when you use your pass for these transport options.

A key tip is to plan your itinerary to include as many of your longer trips within either a 7 day, 14 day or 21 day period to maximise the value of your pass.

Should I book a Japan Rail Pass First Class or Second Class?

A frequently asked question is whether to book either a JR Rail Pass First Class (or Green Class) pass.  It comes down to whether you think a Japan Rail Pass Green is worth it.

Second Class (Ordinary Class) is a comfortable spacious seat which includes a power point.  We used Ordinary Class for our last trip and will be using it again for our upcoming trip to Japan.  We have found it to be quite comfortable for long distance travel.  Second Class passes enable you to use both the reserved and unreserved carriages – and the pass includes the option to reserve your seat, but you can also choose to just hop on and off as you wish.

The Green Class carriages are another level of comfort above the second class option require a seat reservation, however you can also use the pass to travel in the Second Class unreserved carriages if you prefer not to pre-reserve your seat.

At the end of the day I think if you can afford it a Green Class pass is worth the splurge, but from a functional perspective you will also travel very comfortably in second class.

Does My Child Need a JR Pass?

Children aged up to the age of 5 years old can travel for free on JR trains where they are travelling on the lap of an single adult.  If you want to be able to reserve a separate seat for your child you will need to purchase a JR Pass. 

If you are a single adult travelling with more than two children up to the age of 5 years old you will need to purchase a Japan Rail Pass for each additional child.

What is Included and Excluded in My JR Pass?

A Japan Rail JR Pass enables you to take unlimited rides on specific trains, buses and ferries in Japan as detailed below.

Railway Inclusions.  A Japan Rail JR Pass includes:

• Unlimited rides on all JR group railways, which includes shinkansen bullet trains, limited express trains, express trains, rapid trains, local trains and the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), and the Tokyo Monorail.
• Travel on the “HIKARI,” “SAKURA,” “KODAMA,” or “TSUBAME” shinkansen trains.
• Reserved seats on shinkansen trains are included at no extra change. To make a reservation you can go to the ticket office at the departure station to obtain your reserved seat ticket.  Note that during crowded periods you cannot be guaranteed a seat on a specific train, so plan to book ahead if travelling during these time periods.  Crowded periods include 27 April – 6 May, 11-20 August, 28 December to 6 January.
• If you use the GranClass car of the Tohoku, Hokkaido, and Hokuriku Shinkansen, you must pay the limited express charge and the GranClass car surcharge.
• Passengers using JR trains on non-JR lines must pay additional fares and charges for sections traveled on such lines, because some JR trains use the lines of other companies railways for direct services.

Railway Exclusions.  A Japan Rail JR Pass does not include:

• Train rides on the Nozomi and Mizuho shinkansen trains.
• The Aomori Railway between Aomori and Hachinohe, the IR Ishikawa Railway, between Kanazawa and Tsubata and the Ainokaze Toyama Railway between Toyama and Takaoka each have some special conditions. If you plan to travel to these areas check the specific rules for these options.

Bus Inclusions.  A Japan Rail JR Pass includes unlimited rides on all local JR Bus lines, and validity is subject to change at any time.  JR bus lines include JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto, JR Tokai Bus, West Japan JR Bus, Chugoku JR Bus, JR Shikoku Bus and JR Kyushu Bus.

Bus Exclusions.  A Japan Rail JR Pass does not include:

• Travel on Express Bus routes operated by JR Bus

Ferry Inclusions.  A Japan Rail JR Pass includes travel on the JR-WEST Miyajima ferry between Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi.  Miyajima Island is a major tourist attraction close to Hiroshima.

Ferry Exclusions.  A Japan Rail JR Pass does not include travel on the JR-Kyushu hydrofoil ferry service between Hakata and Busan (South Korea).

Is Narita Express or N’EX covered by the Japan Rail JR Pass?

The Narita Express or N’EX provides fast transport between Narita Airport and Tokyo in less than one hour.  The major stations where it stops are Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Yokohama stations.  The Narita Express is included in your Japan Rail JR Pass.

For more information about whether the Narita Express is the best option to get from Narita to Tokyo I suggest you check out our article on best options to transfer from Narita Airport to Tokyo.

You may also like:

• Heading to Japan? Want to Buy the Cheapest Japan Rail JR Pass? Read This.
• Getting Around Japan with a Japan Rail Pass
• How to Buy Universal Studios Japan Tickets and Express Passes
• Best Mt Fuji One Day Tour from Tokyo
• How to Buy Fuji Q Highland Tickets

Join the Japan Travel Planning Facebook Group

Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.