Japan Train Spending Poll

[Shashinka]

Ok, if you have a rail-pass, you can click that one and you can select one other to cover your private line expenses.

[to2leo]

Rail pass is the best.  I saved a 100 000 yen riding trains from Nagasaki to Sapporo and back.

[Shashinka]

BUMP

[Darklighter]

I think you forgot some zeros there. (¥500=$6.5)

[disturbman]

Obviously...  and the Shinkansens are included in the JR pass, it's only the Nozomi and some sleepers that are not included.

[Toni Babelony]

JR Pass and ¥500<. If I ride private lines, I do it like a boss and do a full coverage. However, next time I'm planning to do lots of cheap trips on Seishun 18 tickets and/or 1-station tickets (omawari).

[bikkuri bahn]

I live in Japan, so I can't use the Japan rail pass.  Typically I get the Seishun 18 pass, and milk as much mileage out of that as I can (I just finished off all five days worth yesterday).  I resort to Shinkansen only as a last resort, and only on sections where the local services are too slow or infrequent/nonexistent.  Also I sometimes use JR East's various weekend passes. 

[westfalen]

Looks like I'm a nut case.

[keitaro]

i booked in a 21 day pass for next year :D shinkansen is my focus. Didn't have to pay for the little one so shall be good.

[KenS]

How much do you send on train fare per average on your trips to Japan?

Ok, this is 18 months late, but per average what? Trip? Railway? Day? I'm guessing from the listed prices you meant individual fare (one person, one railway, one time) rather than the more general "all riders, all trains" or something inbetween.

Not that I've ever been to Japan, but someday I hope to, and I'm interested in what others do on their trips as idea sources.

[gmat]

Weekend Pass; 8700 yen for two days plus 2000+ for express fees and more for any non JR line. Plus omiyage gifts for my wife or students and one 450 yen bowl of soba noodles. I lost my pass on the trip to Bessho Onsen so lost out on the second day, but was able to get out at Shinjuku OK.

BikkuriBahn, I didn't know about the Seishun 18 pass, will try it next time.

Best wishes,
Grant

[bikkuri bahn]

gmat, the seishun 18 covers most of my (non-rapid enthusiast-oriented) travel needs.  However, unlike the weekend passes of JR East, you can't upgrade to limited express or shinkansen services by just paying the additional fee.  You have to buy a whole new ticket (including josha-ken) for the portion you want to travel by fast train.  Something to keep in mind.  Another thing, two to five people can travel on one seishun ticket (one person takes up one stamp on the five stamp space on the ticket), so if your wife is so inclined....

[spacecadet]

I'd love to find out what kind of tickets these people are buying who spend 25 yen per trip to Japan :)

I had no choice but to pick 500 yen +.  I actually am not sure what the real amount was supposed to even be.

[keitaro]

i chose 100 - 250 because most of my trips involve 2 - 3 months in japan at a time. Use the trains for most things we do while over there although do have a car to use as well.