- The Cutest Food To Try at Tokyo Disney - 6 September 2024
- How Long Should You Stay in Toyama? - 31 August 2024
- One Day in Kyoto – Bamboo Forest, Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera - 31 August 2024
The other day I got an email from the ticket company Klook talking about their new ‘JR Pass’ saying it could save cash. Considering the old one is no longer worth buying for most people, I was intrigued – and so, I decided to check things out and ask, will the new Klook JR Pass – also known as the Value Rail Pass save you money?
Quick Summary
If you’re not going to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto on your trip, the Klook Value Rail pass (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto edition) isn’t relevant to you as it’s only designed for travel around this region.
But if you are, the pass includes Shinkansen tickets, local transport passes, and, Narita airport transfers for one price. It’s pretty much the same price as buying individual tickets from Klook, or a few dollars more than doing everything yourself in Japan – but in both cases, it’s a lot less hassle.
So if reducing stress and saving time sounds tempting, click the button below to go to Klook to see more, or read on to make sure it’s the right pass for you.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
What Exactly Does the Klook Value Rail Pass Include?
The old JR pass was fantastic as it allowed you to hop on trains all over Japan – but many people only used it to cover what’s known as The Golden Route – Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Tapping into this, the new Klook Value Rail Pass (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto edition) covers this route and this route alone.
It includes…
A Round Trip Between Narita Airport and Ueno on the Skyliner
72-Hour Subway Pass in Tokyo (the 72 hours start from when you first use it)
Return Nozomi Shinkansen tickets from Tokyo to Osaka
Kansai Thru Pass which will take you to Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, and Kobe and gives free train and bus rides on many lines in the cities over three days. The days you use the pass do not have to be consecutive. It also includes some attraction discounts.
The cost for that in Australian dollars (as that’s what I see so it makes the maths easier) is $415.99 AUD – that’s around US$280 and £220 at today’s exchange rate. Here’s how the prices stack up if you bought all of those yourself from Klook.
| Included Tickets | Price |
| Narita Skyliner Return | $59.15 |
| 72 Hour Subway Ticket | $16.59 |
| Return Nozomi to Osaka | $288.56 |
| 3-Day Kansai Thru Pass | $54.49 |
| TOTAL | 418.23 |
So yes, the pass does save a few dollars compared to buying everything separately from Klook, and it saves you the hassle of buying individual tickets. While I’m working in AUD, the savings would be the same in other currencies as well.
Is It Cheaper Than Buying Direct from Japan?
Klook does add a booking fee onto some of their tickets, so my next job in checking whether the Value Pass is worth it was pricing it up against the Japanese prices if you buy the tickets yourself once you’re in Japan or from Japanese websites. The exchange rate is going to play into things a bit here, but here’s how it works out from what I see today.
| Ticket | Price in Yen |
| Narita Skyliner return | 5140 |
| 72 Hour Subway Ticket | 1500 |
| 2x Nozomi reserved to Osaka | 27760 |
| Kansai Thru Pass | 5400 |
| Total | 39660 |
| Total converted to AUD | 408.42 |
But, as we discussed in our piece on buying rail tickets, while buying things on the day is very easy, if you like to plan ahead, buying train tickets in Japan ahead of time isn’t always super straightforward as it’s a disjointed system that can see you buying things from lots of different websites – some of which do not play well with foreign credit cards.
So is the Klook Value Rail Pass Worth It?
Financially, there’s not a lot in it, but it will save you time and stress over buying individual tickets, and as train tickets seem to be one of the main things that stress people out when they are traveling to Japan, that could be worth it in grief alone.
So, while you won’t save big bucks buying the Value Pass if you think you’re going to make the most of all the tickets within it, it’s a hassle-free way of organizing your transport in one go. If you’re a planner who likes your boxes ticked, the Klook Pass might be a good option for you.
If you agree, then you can buy the pass here.
Are You Confused About Japanese Trains?
Then you need our Shinkansen Planner which walks you through planning your Japan trains step by step – and costs just a few bucks. Or, it’s also included in our Japan Super Planner which walks you through pretty much everything about your trip. Find them at our Etsy Store – blog readers can enter code BLG25 at checkout to get a 25 percent discount.
Times When It Might Not Be Worth Booking the Value Pass
The benefits above come if you’re following the itinerary as planned, but, what if you aren’t? Here are a few times when you might want to consider the pass carefully.
If You’re Flying to Haneda
Then, it’s going to be cheaper to just buy individual tickets as the train fare into Haneda is cheaper than the one from Narita.
If You’re Staying in Shibuya or Shinjuku?
In this case, the Narita Skyliner isn’t the easiest way for you to get into Tokyo, the Narita Express is so, you might prefer to use this over the Skyliner where you’ll have to change trains, in which case, buying individual tickets is better for you.
If You’re Going Straight to Tokyo Disney
The trains from Narita aren’t the best way to get to Tokyo Disney, the Limousine Bus is, so, unless you’re traveling at a time when this isn’t running (see more on our guide to getting to TDR from Narita), you wouldn’t make the pass pay.
If You Have Kids and Luggage
The Limousine Bus is a very popular way for families and those with luggage to get into Tokyo from Narita, but this ticket only includes the train.
If You’re Staying in Kyoto, not Osaka
The included Nozomi tickets go to Osaka, so, in theory, if you’re staying in Kyoto, you’ll need to go there and swap to a local train to take you back to Kyoto and use your Kansai Thru Pass for this. I’m just checking this with Klook though as the booking system might allow you to change to Kyoto – it won’t let me do it myself without booking it!
You Aren’t Day Tripping from Kyoto or Osaka
As we explained in our article on Kansai Passes, the Kansai Thru Pass will only pay for itself if you’re doing a few day trips around the Kansai Region. It’s not the best choice if you’re just staying in one town and using local transport – it’s an especially good choice if you’re going to Himeji though;
Other Things to Note
As with any package, make sure you read the T&Cs carefully so you know exactly what’s included and how things work – here are a few things that we picked up.
You still have to do things like exchange vouchers for actual physical tickets once you get there but, that’s only going to be the same as standing in queues to buy tickets.
You will be kind of committed to certain trains – but, if you’re the type of organized person who likes to know where you’re going and that everything is sorted out, that’s going to be something you do anyway. Changes and cancellations can be made if you do have to change plans. but check the T&Cs.
There may be some extra charges. The way the Value Pass works you are given codes to redeem against your train bookings – and, if for some reason, the train you choose is more expensive than the amount you ‘paid’ to get the code, this will be adjusted. Some journeys might also incur a booking fee. It’s unlikely to be much but this uncertainty could be offputting, especially if you’re buying it to save cash rather than time.
Klook is a third party. And, while I’ve always found them very reliable when I have used them on my own Japan trips, there has been the odd case of them not being able to secure train tickets during busy periods. About 28 days before you travel is the sweet spot to book as availability is usually high and, they have quick access to the inventory. Always check your booking is confirmed and query anything that has a pending on the booking for more than 48 hours just in case.
So, there you have it, our analysis of the Klook Value Rail Pass. I hope it helped you decide if it’s worth it for your trip.
Need Extra Planning Help?
Our Japan trip planners can help. Choose from our 62-page Japan Super Planner, which includes tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing. Or, try a specific planner like Tokyo Tips, Kyoto Tips, or the Rail Pass Planner. Find them at our Etsy Store. Use code BLG25 at checkout to get 25 per cent discount.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve traveled to Japan five times before- solo and with my partner – and I’ve just returned from trip six in June 2023. So, everything here is pretty up to date.
