JR Hokuriku Area Pass
- Start planning your trip to Japan 90 days before departure and skip the hassle of booking upon your arrival!
- Skip the lines and redeem your JR Pass via the newly launched digital redemption machines
- Access major cities in Hokuriku with a single rail pass that offers 4 days of unlimited travel within the designated area
- Take rides on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Express Trains, Rapid Services, and local trains
- For more details and recent update on the train schedule, please check the official website
Package options
4 Days Pass
What to expect
Simply make your booking online, redeem your voucher for a rail pass when you're in Japan and be ready to explore all of Hokuriku in 4 days! Spend your time visiting the Kenrokuen Garden, Eiheiji Temple, or one of the three most important dinosaur museums located in Katsuyama Fukui! If nature is your thing, skip on to Tojinbou, one of the most famous attractions in Hokuriku featuring dramatic landscape and cliffs that offers a stunning sunset view. With just a single pass that works for the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Express Trains, and local trains, this is definitely the easiest and fastest way to explore Hokuriku!
Good to know
Confirmation
- You'll get confirmation within minutes. If you don't see any confirmation, reach out to our customer support.
- The voucher will not show your name.
Booking guidelines
- All passengers must have their travel documents (passports, ID cards, valid visas) ready prior to boarding
- Select a redemption date and fill in your information. You can redeem your pass at the major JR West station.
Pass eligibility
- Free for children aged 0-5
- Valid only for non-Japanese passport holders with a "Temporary Visitor" Visa stamp on the passport. Non-Japanese passport holders with a permanent residence in Japan cannot use this product
- Secure a Temporary Visitor Stamp at immigration to be eligible for a JR Pass. Do not pass through the automated gates, as no stamp will be applied
- Visit the official website for more information about JR Pass eligibility
- Adult：12 and above. *An Adult's or Child's rail pass holder can accompany up to 2 infants (1-5 years old) for free.
- Babies aged under 1 year old can be accompanied for free.
Additional information
- Please note that one child seat is equivalent to one passenger
Notice of redemption of reserved seating for JR-West Rail Pass
- Different passes can be redeemed for different number of times of reserved seating ticket. Please check the product page for details.
- Please check each product page for achievable train for reserved seating.
- The reserved seating for pass must be redeemed separately (make reservation at green machine or window).
- The pass can be used to take non-reserved seating directly when the number of times of reserved seating is ran out or if there is no prior redemption of reserved seating ticket.
Unlimited rides of reserved seating ticket can be redeemed, it requires manual reservation at green window when using for the seventh times and above, and machine is not able to redeem directly.
Hokuriku Area Pass is valid for unlimited travel in the valid area on the map
- Valid trains are below;
- Non-reserved seats on Bullet Train "HOKURIKU SHINKANSEN" (Kanazawa⇔Kurobe-Unazukionsen)
- Non-reserved seats on Express Trains 'THUNDERBIRD' etc.
- Rapid Services, and Local trains on JR-WEST Conventional lines
- These trains below cannot be used
- Bullet Train "HOKURIKU SHINKANSEN" (Kurobe-Unazukionsen⇔Tokyo)
- Not valid for the IR Ishikawa Railway or the Ainokaze Toyama Railway.
- As a special exception, the pass can be used for the Himi, Johana, or Nanao lines only if the pass-holder does not alight from the IR Ishikawa Railway Kanazawa⇔Tsubata) or the Ainokaze Toyama Railway (Takaoka⇔Toyama).
- Limited express trains can be used on the IR Ishikawa Railway (Kanazawa⇔Tsubata).
- If using the Ainokaze Liner rapid service on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway, a separate “liner fare” is required.
Train Accommodations
- Hokuriku Area Pass is usable.
- Additional separate tickets are required
- When additional tickets are required, obtain the tickets at a JR-WEST station before boarding.
- 1 Separate GranClass Tickets are required.
- 2 First Class (Green)/Sleeper Tickets and separate Express Tickets are required.
- 3 Separate Express Tickets are required.
- 4 Separate First Class (Green) Tickets for Local Services are required.
- 5 Separate Reserved Seat Tickets are required.
- 6 Separate charges will apply if using carriages / trains that require numbered or liner tickets.
Location
Contact us
Reviews
A must-buy. For non-reserved seats, avoid rush hour after 5 PM; there are plenty of empty seats, and you don't need to specifically reserve the last row for large luggage. This trip, we flew Tigerair, departing on Sunday and returning on Thursday. We exchanged our tickets at Kanazawa Station, but the machines couldn't issue them, so we had to get a number at the counter and wait for some time. For the return trip, with a lot of luggage, you can take the Shinkansen to Komatsu Station and then a taxi for 2200 JPY. If you're going to Fukui, you can transfer from the Shinkansen to the Echizen Railway without buying another ticket. We originally planned to use the Fukui Pass, but there were no seats available for the new sensation XR bus WOW RIDE. You must visit Aeon and Yamada Denki at Shin-Takaoka Station. The water at Kurobe Gorge Railway wasn't blue, which was a bit disappointing. Be sure to make a reservation for Manpuku Yakiniku; it's a must-try.
If you're traveling in the Hokuriku region and prefer not to drive, a JR PASS is a great option for independent travel. You can choose to stay in one city for several nights, or use your JR PASS to take the Shinkansen for day trips to various cities in the Hokuriku area, which is very cost-effective. I visited Kanazawa, Shin-Takaoka, Takaoka, Amaharashi, Himi, Toyama, Unazuki Onsen, and Komatsu over four days, and it was very convenient.
This was my first time traveling to the Hokuriku region, so I purchased this pass. It was very convenient to redeem it using the green machine at Komatsu Station! Although you can only use non-reserved seats on the Shinkansen, there were plenty of seats available, so there was no need to worry about not finding one. Plus, you can charge your phone on the train, allowing you to reach your desired station comfortably and quickly.
The JR Hokuriku Area Pass allows for unlimited rides within the designated area on the map. After entering Japan, please present your e-ticket and passport at an exchange location to receive your rail pass. Using the pass for multiple Shinkansen rides for only 7,000 yen is incredibly cost-effective!
Ordering this 4-day pass was quick and easy, offering great value for money. I exchanged it in Kanazawa this time and explored Kanazawa, Kaga, and Toyama, which saved me money and was very convenient to use! I will definitely buy it again next time!
I've already used this pass twice, and the Shinkansen from Tsuruga to Toyama is almost paying for itself. Not to mention I have four days to play around, and I can also use it on the Doraemon train in Takaoka. I also went to Shinminato Port to eat crab 🦀. It's really great!
Staying in Kanazawa this time and using the Hokuriku Area Rail Pass to enjoy Kurobe, Namerikawa Onsen, Amaharashi Coast, Toyama, Takaoka and other places was a great value.
Save a lot on Shinkansen free seats and regular train unlimited rides for 4 consecutive days
Easy to use, and applicable to multiple regions.
I think I spent about 10 times the amount on the Shinkansen to Kanazawa, Fukui, and Toyama over 4 days. The Hokuriku Rail Pass is essential for traveling in the Hokuriku region. Even though the distances were far, the Shinkansen, which covers an hour's distance in 20 minutes, made travel time much shorter.
FAQs
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