JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass: price and what it covers

Price

Six consecutive days from the day you choose.

Children aged 6 to 11 on the purchase date pay the child price; children under 6 who do not need a reserved seat need no pass.

What the pass covers

• JR East lines (including BRT) and JR Hokkaido lines in the Hakodate, Sapporo and Otaru area, plus the Aoimori Railway, Iwate Galaxy Railway and Sendai Airport Transit lines.
• Ordinary car reserved and non-reserved seats on Shinkansen, limited express, express and local trains, within the area shown on the pass map.
• The Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen between Sendai, Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.

Not covered

• The South Hokkaido Railway Line.
• Lines outside the pass area need extra fares and fees.
• Green Car and GranClass seats cost extra.

The JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass on our City to City routes

These journeys in our City to City data are only partly covered by the pass; the rest of each journey is paid separately.

• Tokyo to Sapporo by Hayabusa + Hokuto: The official area map shows the Shinkansen from Shin-Shirakawa to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and the JR Hokkaido line via Oshamambe and Minami-Chitose to Sapporo inside the pass area; the section from Tokyo to Shin-Shirakawa is outside, so its fare and limited express charge are extra.
• Tokyo to Aomori by Hayabusa: The official area map shows the Tohoku Shinkansen inside the pass area only from Shin-Shirakawa northward; the section from Tokyo to Shin-Shirakawa is outside, so its fare and limited express charge are extra.
• Tokyo to Hakodate by Hayabusa + Hakodate Liner: The official area map shows the Shinkansen from Shin-Shirakawa to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and the JR line on to Hakodate inside the pass area; the section from Tokyo to Shin-Shirakawa is outside, so its fare and limited express charge are extra.

Where to buy it

• On JR-EAST Train Reservation, at designated JR Hokkaido stations, and from travel agencies outside Japan.
• If you book online, pick the pass up in Japan with your passport at a ticket machine with a passport reader or a Travel Service Center.
• From October 20, 2026, also at ticket machines with passport readers at Sapporo Station and New Chitose Airport Station.

Who can buy it

Visitors with a non-Japanese passport; you need the original passport to buy and receive it.

Seats and using the pass

Seats

For a reserved seat, get a seat ticket at a JR Hokkaido or JR East ticket office or Travel Center before boarding; the pass alone does not guarantee a seat.

• Use the automatic ticket gates with the pass; on non-JR East lines, ask the staff.
• Keep your passport with you while using the pass and show it if staff ask.
• If you bought it on JR-EAST Train Reservation, you can cancel free of charge until 11:50 p.m. (JST) the day before the start date.

Refunds

An unused pass can be refunded where it is sold, minus a 10% fee; no refund once you start using it.

Good to know

• JR East presents it for trips only to Hakodate, Aomori and other places in the Tohoku area.
• You can use only one of these passes at a time and cannot buy two for overlapping dates.
• There is no youth or student price.
• The pass cannot be reissued if it is lost or stolen.

Related items

• JR-WEST All Area Pass
• Sanyo-San’in Northern Kyushu Pass
• Hokuriku Arch Pass
• Sanyo-San'in Area Pass
• Setouchi Area Pass
• Japan Rail Pass