Itinerary guide
Three cities do not automatically mean three expensive train tickets. Kyoto and Osaka are close; the long Tokyo–Kansai leg drives most of the rail budget.
Reviewed · Independent planning guide
This is a sample itinerary, not a timetable. Arrival and departure airports can change the best order.
Flying into Tokyo and home from Kansai avoids the long train ride back to Tokyo. If you return to Tokyo, add that leg before comparing a nationwide pass. Do not count journeys that you would only add to justify buying a pass.
For the basic triangle, individual tickets plus an IC card are often a strong starting point. Add Hiroshima, Tohoku or other long covered legs before comparing the nationwide pass. The former Kansai Area Pass is no longer sold; Kansai WIDE is for longer regional trips and excludes the Kyoto–Shin-Osaka Shinkansen.
The nationwide pass alone covers Hikari, Kodama, Sakura and other eligible services. To use Nozomi or Mizuho, buy the special pass-holder ticket before boarding, for each journey. Tokyo–Kyoto or Tokyo–Shin-Osaka costs an additional ¥4,960 per adult per journey. Regional passes have their own train rules.
Our planners use stored route and fare estimates. They do not check live timetables, seat availability, disruption notices, date-specific fares or every private-rail supplement. Treat the result as a shortlist, then check your chosen trains with the operator.
Checked October 13, 2026. Prices and rules can change; confirm your purchase and travel conditions with the operator.
Start with the journeys you want to take. The planners return approximate costs and a pass shortlist.
