JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass

The JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass is a rail pass for exclusive use by foreigners in Japan, providing unlimited travel on JR trains (including shinkansen and limited express trains) and local JR buses in the Greater Tokyo area, in Nagano and Niigata prefectures and in the Shonai Region of Yamagata Prefecture on five consecutive days.

Purchase the JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass

Below is a simplified map of train and bus lines that can be used with the pass:

Validity

1. Unlimited use of trains operated by JR East in the Kanto (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures) and Koshinetsu (Yamanashi, Nagano and Niigata prefectures) regions plus the Shonai Region of Yamagata Prefecture and the Izu Peninsula. The pass is also valid on the Tokyo Monorail between central Tokyo and Haneda Airport.
2. In the designated area, you can use all types of JR East trains, including shinkansen (except Tokaido Shinkansen, which is operated by JR Central), limited express trains and local trains (except some "liner" trains). The Hokuriku Shinkansen is covered as far as Joetsu Myoko Station.
3. Seat reservations can be made for free (see details below).
4. There are a small number of JR trains, which partially run on the tracks of different railway companies. When riding along a non-JR owned section, pass holders will have to pay the fare for the non-JR section on board of the train or at the station. Only the following non-JR train lines can also be used with the JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass:
   • Limited express trains between Shinjuku and Tobu-Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen and local trains between Tobu-Nikko, Shimo-Imaichi and Kinugawa Onsen
   • All trains along the Izukyu Line between Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda on the Izu Peninsula
   • All trains along the Hokuhoku Line between Echigo-Yuzawa and Naoetsu
   • All trains between Naoetsu and Arai on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway
   • Tokyo Monorail between central Tokyo and Haneda Airport
5. Unlimited use of local JR buses (but not highway buses) in the coverage area. Some of the more useful lines for tourists are:
   • Buses from Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station to Kusatsu Onsen
   • Buses from Nasu-Shiobara Station to Shiobara Onsen
   • Buses from Utsunomiya to Twin Ring Motegi
   • Buses from Chino Station and Ina to Takato Castle (seasonal)
   • Buses from Sakudaira Station to Takamine Kogen
   • Buses from Tateyama to around the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula
   • Buses between Yokokawa Station and Karuizawa
6. The pass is valid on five consecutive calendar days (midnight to midnight).
7. The pass can be purchased and used only by holders of non-Japanese passports, including foreign residents of Japan.

Points of sale

The JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass can be purchased online through various websites, through selected travel agents outside of Japan and at major railway stations and airports in the area covered. If purchasing the pass outside of Japan or via the internet, the actual pass has to be picked up at a ticket office of a major station in the area covered before use.

Note that the pass is also sold at the official JR East website. An advantage of purchasing through the official website is that you can pick up your pass also at ticket machines that are equipped with passport readers. Purchasing passes inside Japan is also possible at these passport reader-equipped ticket machines.

Purchase the JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass

Seat reservations

Free seat reservations can be made at seat reservation ticket machines and at JR ticket offices. It is also possible to make online seat reservations on the JR East Train Reservation website; however, physical seat reservation tickets have to be picked up at a selected ticket machine or office before use.

Assessment

The JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass can be a good value for those visiting Nagano, Niigata or the Shonai Region of Yamagata Prefecture (e.g. Dewa Sanzan) from Tokyo. Alternatively, it can pay off for making multiple daytrips from Tokyo to various destinations in the coverage area.