The most popular seasonal rail pass among Japanese tourists, Seishun 18 Kippu (青春18きっぷ) is five flexible days of unlimited travel on local and rapid trains on the JR lines. It can be shared up to 5 people.
⚫︎ Terms of use and prices are subject to change. Check the JR official website for the latest information.
INDEX
Where to Buy
Seishun 18 Kippu can be purchased at the JR Station ticket windows (みどりの窓口), reserved seat ticket vending machine, or Japan’s major travel agencies.
⚫︎ If you plan to start your trip early in the morning or late at night, we recommend purchasing the Seishun 18 Kippu during business hours at the station or travel agency.
Sales Period
| SEASONS | SALES PERIOD | VALID PERIOD |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Feb 20 – Mar 31 | Mar 1 – Apr 10 |
| Summer | Jul 1 – Aug 31 | Jul 20 – Sep 10 |
| Winter | Dec 1 – Dec 31 | Dec 10 – Jan 10 |
Varied Period
Flexible five days. Valid for 1 day (0:00 – 23:59) each time.
⚫︎ Seishun 18 Kippu can be used 5 times by one person, or once by a group of 5 people. Groups of 2 or more must use the same itinerary.
⚫︎ If you are still on a train at midnight (0:00), your ticket is considered valid to the next stop. Conventional JR lines in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and Osaka Area are considered valid to the last trains.
⚫︎ When you get on the train from the staffed station, have the date stamped on your Seishun 18 Kippu at the ticket gate. If you get on the train from unstaffed station, ask the train crew.
⚫︎ Seishun 18 Kippu cannot be carried over to the next season. Use it within the varied period.
Terms of Use
You can unlimited travel on the following trains, buses and ferries on the JR lines:
⚫︎ Local and rapid trains
⚫︎ JR BRT (bus rapid transit) Lines
⚫︎ JR West Miyajima Ferry
⊿ Special Cases (Limited Express)
You can use the limited express train’s ordinary reserved or non-reserved seats in the following sections by the Seishun 18 Kippu. Special cases are not applied when getting over the limited express train outside the designated sections, or using Green Car.
| SECTIONS | LIMITED EXPRESS SEATS |
|---|---|
| Shin-Yubari – Shintoku | Vacant ordinary reserved seats |
| Higashi-Muroran – Muroran | Vacant ordinary reserved seats |
| Shin-Aomori – Aomori | Ordinary non-reserved seats |
| Haiki – Sasebo | Ordinary non-reserved seats |
| Miyazaki – Miyazaki Airport | Ordinary non-reserved seats |
⊿ Special Cases (Non-JR Lines)
The following non-JR lines have (known as the third-sector lines or sanseku) designated stations where you can get on or off on the way with Seishun 18 Kippu, if you continue travel to/from the JR lines.
| RAILWAY COMPANIES | SECTIONS | STOPOVERS PERMITTED |
|---|---|---|
| Aoimori Railway | Aomori – Hachinohe | Aomori, Noheji, Hachinohe |
| Ainokaze Toyama Railway | Toyama – Kurikara | Toyama, Takaoka |
| IR Ishikawa Railway | Kurikara – Tsubata | Tsubata |
| Hapi-Line Fukui | Tsuruga – Echizen-Hanando | Tsuruga, Echizen-Hanando |
Stopovers permitted on the Aoimori Railway (Aomori, Noheji, Hachinohe)
Stopovers permitted on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway and IR Ishikawa Railway (Toyama, Takaoka, Tsubata)
Stopovers permitted on the Hapi-Line Fukui (Tsuruga, Echizen-Hanando)
⊿ Seats
The following local and rapid train seats and liner trains can be used with Seishun 18 Kippu at additional charges. Purchase the seat tickets at the JR stations or travel agencies before boarding the train.
⚫︎ You can use local or rapid train’s vacant reserved seats (such as Resort Shirakami) between Shin-Aomori and Aomori by the Seishun 18 Kippu.
| SEATS | ADDITIONAL TICKETS |
|---|---|
| Reserved Seat of local and rapid train | Reserved Seat Ticket |
| Non-reserved Green Car of local or rapid train | Non-reserved Green Car Ticket |
| Ordinary Seats of Home Liner or Liner Train | Liner Ticket |
Hokkaido Shinkansen
If you plan to travel between Okutsugaru-Imabetsu (in Aomori) and Goryokaku (in Hakodate) by train, Seishun 18 Kippu Hokkaido Shinkansen Optional Ticket (青春18きっぷ北海道新幹線オプション券) can be used with the Seishun 18 Kippu, which is valid between Okutsugaru-Imabetsu and Kikonai on the Hokkaido Shinkansen, and between Kikonai and Goryokaku on the South Hokkaido Railway (non-JR line).
You can purchase this optional ticket at the JR station’s ticket windows (including Okutsugaru-Imabetsu and Hakodate Stations) during the varied period.
⊿ Note
⚫︎ Seishun 18 Kippu Hokkaido Shinkansen Optional Ticket is valid for 1 day. The dates of use of the Hokkaido Shinkansen and the South Hokkaido Railway must be the same.
⚫︎ This optional ticket is required for each person (same price for adults and children).
⚫︎ You can use the vacant ordinary reserved seats between Okutsugaru-Imabetsu and Kikonai on the Hokkaido Shinkansen (if the seats are fully booked, you will have to stand).
⚫︎ You can use the non-reserved seats between Kikonai and Goryokaku on the South Hokkaido Railway (道南いさりび鉄道). Stopovers are not permitted. All the trains to/from Kikonai runs from/to Hakodate.
⚫︎ Okutsugaru-Imabetsu Station on the Hokkaido Shinkansen is next to Tsugaru-Futamata Station (津軽二股) on the JR Tsugaru Line.
⚫︎ JR Tsugaru Line between Kanita and Tsugaru-Futamata, and between Tsugaru-Futamata and Minmaya are operated by the JR substitute buses (Seishun 18 Kippu is available). Check the latest timetables before you ride.
Related Article
Refund
If the Seishun 18 Kippu is unused and within the validity period, you can get a refund at the JR station’s ticket windows (commission will be deducted).
Other Rail Passes