Seishun 18 Ticket Attractions & Activities - The Best Holiday Destinations for 2020
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This article is a travel topic.
The Seishun 18 Ticket (青春１８きっぷ Seishun jūhachi kippu) is a discount rail ticket offered by Japan's JR network. When available (three times a year), it is easily the cheapest way to get around Japan, costing only ¥11,500 for five days of unlimited travel.
JR argues that "in general, the Japan Rail Pass offers a much better deal to almost all foreign travelers." However, the two are hardly comparable for a number of reasons. The Japan Rail Pass, which offers unlimited travel on almost all JR trains for a 7, 14, or 21-day period, caters to tourists who are planning to visit various points in Japan, and who want to save as much time as possible along the way. It costs much more than the Seishun 18 Ticket, but allows holders to use express and Shinkansen trains that can be many times as fast.
The Seishun 18 Ticket, on the other hand, caters to budget conscious travelers who are willing to sacrifice speed for the ability to get just about anywhere in the country for under ¥5,000. In fact, its name literally means "Youth 18," and its main target audience is college students. However, anyone can purchase the ticket, regardless of age, student status, or nationality.
If you're planning on traveling in Hokkaido or Eastern Japan (Tohoku, Kanto and the eastern Koshin'etsu side of Chubu), also consider the very similar Hokkaido and Higashi-Nihon Pass (covered below), which fills in a few gaps in the JR network but adds some extra restrictions.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Seishun 18 Ticket
