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Tickets for JR trains can be divided into two types: base fare tickets and surcharge tickets. Below we comment on each and show pictures of what they look like. Please note that if you are using a Japan Rail Pass or regional rail pass you will not need any basic fare or surcharge tickets, but you will need to obtain a reserved seat ticket if you wish to make a seat reservation; there are no charges for reserved seats with the rail pass. If you use a sleeper train with the rail pass you will have to pay separately for the express and sleeper car surcharge tickets but not for the basic fare ticket. In recent years Japan Railways has shifted to optional printing of tickets in English (Romanization). You can always request a ticket in English if available.

  

The A base fare ticket (Japanese: josha-ken) is required for all trains, whether local or long distance. Its cost is determined by the distance traveled. In the case of long distance trains requiring additional charges, the fare ticket may be printed as one ticket along with the surcharges. Please note that the validity period of base fare tickets is limited.




If you are using any long-distance train such as Shinkansen 'bullet trains', Limited Express or Express trains, or overnight sleeper trains you will have to pay surcharges in addition to the base fare. In addition, you must pay surcharges for Green (First Class) cars and berth or compartment charges when using a sleeper train. The chart below shows the basic surcharge requirements. These surcharge tickets are often printed as one ticket along with the base fare. For legal reasons, many fare charts will show the base fare and surcharge fares separately but you must pay both. Please note that the 24-hour system is used for train departures/arrivals on tickets and elsewhere.

 



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