JR pass price increases

[uktrav]

Some massive price increases coming in from October this year :

Ordinary car (Adult):
7 day: 33610 > 50000
14-day: 52960 > 80000
21-day: 66200 > 100000

Green car (Adult):
7 day: 44810 > 70000
14-day: 72310 > 110000
21-day: 91670 > 140000

https://japanrailpass.net/pdf/JRP_pressrelease_230414.pdf

I had already pre-purchased a pass for November at the old prices, but the passes can only be issued three months in advance. I fully expect an email asking for the difference. For me, it makes it not worth it and individual tickets would be cheaper - assuming the train prices in general aren’t increasing by 35% that is.

Wonder what the impact on tourism would be? It’s not a deal breaker, I wasn't saving much even with the 7 day pass going Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo.

 

[MrDuBois]

I imagine the impact will be as follows:

a) Tokyo and Kyoto will quite possibly be even more packed now because the JR Pass was the sole reason first-time Japan travellers would venture out to places like Kobe, Hiroshima or Himeji. Even before the price hike, the 14 day pass was really only worth it if you did something other than Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Osaka -> Tokyo, now you would need to cram a shit ton of train rides and cities into make 80.000 yen worth it.

b) Despite my initial rejoicing, this will probably make Nozomi trains shit because the average tourist will now go on those instead, which sucks ass.

 

[Danbo]

Phew, that's really steep. Before it was a good deal....now you really have to travel nonstop to make it worth it.

Things always go up in price but such a huge increase seems quite drastic....makes you wonder what's the reason behind it.

 

[Doggyfong]

makes you wonder what's the reason behind it.

The reason they came up with was adding more safety features, which is agreeable
But 30-40% is real steep...
Was expecting inflation to kick in and maybe 20% at most

 

[Sudsy]

makes you wonder what's the reason behind it.

Like many things in business - they think the market will bear it, and they'll increase profits.

 

[Alice]

My fam will be heartbroken.
Thankfully everyone is storming the country this year *im exhausted though *

 

[YokoMonger]

I was initially shocked seeing the 30% to 50% increase in this thread, but this probably doesn't impact me at all. When family visits, I get them a standard pasmo card and show them how to keep it charged (both at the station and in convenience stores) and how it becomes a useful cashless system. On top of that, any money left over when they're ready to go home is refunded so no problem putting 50,000 on a card.

 

[Goshogawara]

After checking the logs of my former visits, purchasing the pass is still cheaper than buying separate tickets. If long distances (Tokyo - Sapporo) are replaced with an inexpensive airplane ticket, it's barely a break-even calculation.
The long distance bus industry will rejoice at this announcement.

 

[Ken1988]

If a new pass would allow the pass holder to travel on Nozomi trains without surcharges, the price hike might be justifiable, but it says a pass holder must purchase an additional ticket on the pass to travel on a Nozomi train. I wonder why they complicate things after all.

 

[appleas]

I have yet to use the JR Pass but the 35% increase is a bit too much