Rail Pass. Green pass. Nozumi Shinkansen

This time round, we were thinking of getting a Green pass for first class comfort. And because we could do with more space.

The Green Pass costs about $800 for 14 days. The regular pass costs $590. Over $200 difference.

BUT, I just realised that other than the long distance between Osaka and Tokyo, other short distance do not offer green cars. So there is no call for a Green pass. The Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto-Nara routes are so short that a regular pass will do.

Also the Rail Pass does not allow travel on the fastest Shinkansen, the Nozomi.

A Green car ticket on a Nozomi Shinkansen will cost over Y10,000, raising the overall cost of a trip from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Osaka to about Y20,000.

Trip will also take just over 200 minutes (about 3.5 hours).

Without using the Nozomi Shinkansen, it would be about Y15,000 and it would be covered by the Green Rail Pass (no extra fare).

But the trip will take closer to 4 hours.

I am thinking that we should just get the normal rail pass, and pay for the Tokyo - Osaka and Nara - Tokyo legs of the trip in cash for a Green ticket on the Nozomi Shinkansen.

A Nozomi Green Ticket costs about $140 one way.

If we are not impressed or we want to save some money and we have time, we can take the Hikari Shinkansen for the Nara to Tokyo leg.

So a regular pass and the flexibility to travel on the Nozomi Green car if we want.




Oh, man! I just discovered the Beer Train!

For the next trip!