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What Tokyo lines are covered by JR?

  • Yamanote Line - a loop line and is the most prominent JR Line connecting major city centers.
  • Keihin-Tohoku Line - goes from north to south in Tokyo.
  • Chuo Line (Rapid) - goes from east to west in Tokyo.
  • Chuo/Sobu Line (Local)
  • Saikyo Line.




In Tokyo, the JR Pass and the JR TOKYO Wide Pass cover an extensive network of lines operated by East Japan Railway Company. The most famous is the Yamanote Line, the green-colored loop that connects major hubs like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo Station, and Ueno. Other key covered lines include the Chuo-Sobu Line (running east-west across the city), the Keihin-Tohoku Line (connecting to Yokohama), and the Saikyo Line. Crucially, the JR Pass also covers the Narita Express (N'EX) for airport transfers and the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport. It is important to distinguish that JR lines are not the same as the Tokyo Metro or Toei Subway; while these systems often share stations, they are separate companies and require a different ticket or an IC card (like Suica) unless you have a specific "all-company" pass. In 2026, JR also covers the Shinkansen (bullet trains) departing from Tokyo and Ueno stations, such as the Tohoku and Joetsu lines, though the Tokaido Shinkansen (to Kyoto/Osaka) is only covered by the national JR Pass, not the regional Tokyo-only passes.

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You can click or search your stations on our JRPASS Map. If you are not able to find the station using our map, it is probably not JR stations and the Japan rail pass does not cover it.

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With the Japan Rail Pass, you can ride on all JR trains, including the Shinjuku Line, without paying additional fares.

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While the metro lines do no accept the JR Pass, other IC Cards, such as the Pasmo and Suica, may be used. These cards give you access to almost any train or bus in Tokyo, and are a perfect complement to the JR Pass.

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The JR pass is only worth it if you travel through different cities, if you are just travelling to Tokyo to Kyoto for example, I would just pay on the Suica. You can do the online calculator or just use google to calculate which trip is easier - paying individually on Suica or getting a JR Pass.

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For a limited time only, you can buy a Japan Rail Pass from certain train stations and airports in Japan. Travelers should be aware it is more expensive to buy a JR Pass in Japan than to purchase the pass online.

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If you calculate that your travel costs will be lower if you buy individual tickets for each journey, then it's not worth buying a JR Pass. However, if you take into account journeys on Shinkansen high-speed trains or other means of transport, the savings you make become substantial.

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The JAPAN RAIL PASS is not valid for any seats, reserved or non-reserved, on “NOZOMI” and “MIZUHO” trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. (The pass holders must take “HIKARI,” “SAKURA,” “KODAMA,” or “TSUBAME” trains.)

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You may bring up to 2 baggage items with a total length, width, and height of up to 250 cm (up to 2 meters in length) and a weight of up to 30 kg. However, please reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area or oversized baggage compartment when carrying on oversized baggage.

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With your Japan Rail Pass The cities of Tokyo and Kyoto are linked to each other by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line. A one-way trip from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station on a Hikari or Kodama train costs 13,080 yen (unreserved seat) or 13,800 yen (reserved seat), but is completely free with a JR Pass.

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For example, from Tokyo travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa and back. Usually the easiest and cheapest options for ordering the JR Pass (both with free shipping) are Klook and KKday, but it's also worth price checking with JRPass.com too.

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The Suica card can be used in the majority of Japanese public transport: subways, buses and all local trains, as well as in buses and taxis displaying the Suica logo. Please note that the Suica card does not work on express trains, shinkansen, highway buses or airport shuttles.

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The cities of Tokyo and Kyoto are linked to each other by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line. A one-way trip from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station on a Hikari or Kodama train costs 13,080 yen (unreserved seat) or 13,800 yen (reserved seat), but is completely free with a JR Pass.

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With your Japan Rail Pass The Hikari and Kodama trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen lines are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, and they can take you from Tokyo to Osaka in about 3 to 4 hours. In Tokyo, you can catch the Shinkansen either at Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station, and then arrive to Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka.

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