Japan Rail Pass & Private Transfers

Slayerx

Hello not sure if anyone can help going to speak to the booking agent tomorrow but wanted to see if anyone could help.

Received paper rail pass yesterday and there appears to be 2 vouchers for each traveller.

One looks to be exchangeable and I'm assuming we can hand this in and this would be replaced with an actual rail pass can anyone confirm this to be the case?

It came with lots of QR codes on for where it can be used but felt a bit overwhelming.

Also when we land we are looking at a private transfer from the airport to our first hotel in Tokyo has anyone got any recommendations ?

Thanks for any help or advice that can be offered

flaneurs_lobster

Not specific to Tokyo but ask your hotel (or check their website) about transfers from the airport and their cost. Would at least give you a benchmark to start with.

TheShape

My memory is not clear but I believe I exchanged a voucher for my Rail Pass when I arrived in Japan.  I believe we visited an office that issued the pass and probably dated and stamped it.

Bear in mind this was 2019 and my memory may be false or processess could/probably have changed at least somewhat.

Can't help re transfers as got the train to our Tokyo hotel.

martindow

This is from Seat61.com and explains the procedure

How does a Japan Rail Pass work? 

• Order your pass & receive a voucher

  You order your Japan Rail Pass online at an official pass agency website such as www.jrailpass.com and an exchange voucher is sent by tracked courier to your home address.  You'll also get a free Japan rail map and a Japan railways timetable booklet.

  You need to buy the pass before you leave home, you can't buy a Japan Rail Pass in Japan.

• When you get to Japan, exchange the voucher for the pass

  When you arrive in Japan, you exchange this voucher for a Japan Rail Pass at any of the JR ticket offices & travel centres designated as a Japan Rail Pass exchange office.

  The voucher can be exchanged for a pass any time within 3 months of buying the voucher, so there's no need to specify exact travel dates when you order it.

  There are Japan Rail Pass exchange counters at around 50 JR stations, including Tokyo's main station which has Japan Rail Pass exchange counters on both the Marunouchi (west) & Yaesu (east) sides of the station, Tokyo's Ueno, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro stations, Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Kansai Airport, Shin-Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and even Sakaiminato where (if & when operating) the ferry arrives from Vladivostok.

  Tip:  In Tokyo, the JR East Service Centre in the historic North Entrance on the quieter Marunouchi (west) side of the station is a good and relaxed place to exchange your voucher, much more relaxed than the Japan Rail Pass counter on the hectic Yaesu (east) side of the station.

  Tip:  The Japan Rail Pass exchange counters at Narita and Haneda airports are usually also relaxed places to exchange your voucher.

• When you exchange the voucher, you'll be asked to show your passport and to fill in a simple form with your name and passport number which they incorporate into the pass itself.  You'll be asked on what specific date you want the 7, 14 or 21 days to start, this can be any date within the next 30 days - the pass does not have to start on the same day you exchange the voucher for the pass.

Slayerx

martindow said:

This is from Seat61.com and explains the procedure

How does a Japan Rail Pass work? 

• Order your pass & receive a voucher

  You order your Japan Rail Pass online at an official pass agency website such as www.jrailpass.com and an exchange voucher is sent by tracked courier to your home address.  You'll also get a free Japan rail map and a Japan railways timetable booklet.

  You need to buy the pass before you leave home, you can't buy a Japan Rail Pass in Japan.

• When you get to Japan, exchange the voucher for the pass

  When you arrive in Japan, you exchange this voucher for a Japan Rail Pass at any of the JR ticket offices & travel centres designated as a Japan Rail Pass exchange office.

  The voucher can be exchanged for a pass any time within 3 months of buying the voucher, so there's no need to specify exact travel dates when you order it.

  There are Japan Rail Pass exchange counters at around 50 JR stations, including Tokyo's main station which has Japan Rail Pass exchange counters on both the Marunouchi (west) & Yaesu (east) sides of the station, Tokyo's Ueno, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro stations, Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Kansai Airport, Shin-Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and even Sakaiminato where (if & when operating) the ferry arrives from Vladivostok.

  Tip:  In Tokyo, the JR East Service Centre in the historic North Entrance on the quieter Marunouchi (west) side of the station is a good and relaxed place to exchange your voucher, much more relaxed than the Japan Rail Pass counter on the hectic Yaesu (east) side of the station.

  Tip:  The Japan Rail Pass exchange counters at Narita and Haneda airports are usually also relaxed places to exchange your voucher.

• When you exchange the voucher, you'll be asked to show your passport and to fill in a simple form with your name and passport number which they incorporate into the pass itself.  You'll be asked on what specific date you want the 7, 14 or 21 days to start, this can be any date within the next 30 days - the pass does not have to start on the same day you exchange the voucher for the pass.

Amazing thank you so much this is so useful I've been on the site you referenced and bookmarked it.

martindow

Slayerx said:

Amazing thank you so much this is so useful I've been on the site you referenced and bookmarked it.

Yes, Seat61 is a remarkable resource for international rail travel and is regularly updated.