“The journey is just as important as the destination”
The journey is just as important as the destination. If you agree with these words, then this might be the train ticket for you. The Seishun 18 Train Ticket is a special train pass offered by Japan Railways (JR). It allows the purchaser to use an unlimited amount of local trains within the JR network. The pass itself comes with five stamps. Each stamp gives one person unlimited local train trips for one day.
For example one person could use one stamp per day for five days (non-consecutive days are okay), or five people could use one stamp each and use the whole pass in one day. Stamps can be used anytime within the usage period.
The Seishun 18 Ticket is only available during these three time periods
| Season | Usage Period | Purchase Period |
| Spring | March 1st to April 20th | February 20th to March 31st |
| Summer | July 20th to September 10th | July 1st to August 31st |
| Winter | December 10 to January 10th | December 1st to December 31st |
Where to Buy
Tickets can be purchased anytime within the purchase period. Most stations should sell them. We always go to the midori no madoguchi (みどりの窓口) ticket offices which are found in larger stations. Just tell the station attendant Seishun 18 Train Ticket and they will know what to do.
Note: Sometimes the ticket offices don’t open very early. We always make sure to purchase our train ticket a day or two ahead of time.
The Seishun 18 Ticket costs ¥12,050/ticket
If you break that down its ¥2,410/person/day
Advantages:
- Cheap
- Allows for exploration
- Flexible usage
- Transfer of ownership allowed
Disadvantages:
- Takes longer to get to your destination
- Not compatible with Private Railways
- Many transfers (depend on where you go)
- No Shinkansen or Express Trains
- Pass has an expiration date
Note: This pass only works on local & rapid JR line trains. Shinkansen and express trains are not compatible and will require you to purchase a separate ticket. Private Railways are also not included under this pass.
Strategy: Rapid trains are your best friend (They don’t stop at every station and are included under the pass)
- Notable Rapid Lines
- JR Special Rapid Service for Nagahama (Himeji – Maibara)
- JR Special Rapid Service tor Himeji (Maibara – Himeji)
- JR Tokaido Line New Rapid Train for Toyohashi (Ogaki – Toyohashi)
- JR Tokaido Line Rapid for Ogaki (Toyohashi – Ogaki)
- When travelling to our destination we often look for points of interest along the way. These could be anything from things to see or places to eat. We like to refer to these as “pit stops”
How to Plan a Seishun 18 Trip
The first and last thing you need to know about planning a Seishun 18 trip is Hyperdia. What is Hyperdia you ask? Its a website used to plan travel trips within Japan. It covers both air and rail and gives accurate train timetables. The site gives you all the information needed to get from one destination to another including the transfers required and the price. The site is free to use and is the premier tool for trip planning within Japan.
- Go to Hyperdia.com
- Type in your desired destinations (must be a prefilled train station)
- Type in desired date and time of departure (for Seishun 18 trips, its generally a good idea to start early)
- Then Click the “+ More options” button
- Under vehicle type you will notice that all the boxes are checked
- Uncheck all boxes except for “Local Train” & “Japan Railway (JR)” (Rapids are included under “Local Train”)
- Then click search
Note: If you plan on using the Seishun 18 ticket, you can ignore the price that Hyperdia gives you. The most you will pay is the cost of the Seishun 18 ticket.
How to use the Seishun 18 Ticket
To use the ticket, go to the ticket gate and find the lane that is closest to the station attendants window (depending on the station it might be a separate enclosed room). Show the attendant your ticket and they will stamp the appropriate number of stamps. When you exit your final destination, go to the station attendants window again and show them the pass (they usually just take a quick glance and let you go).
Recent Trips
| Route | Time | Transfers | Cost* |
| Mito to Kumagaya | 3 hrs | 1 | ¥7,260 |
| Ome to Mito (via Takasaki & Oyama) | 6 hrs 10 min | 4 | ¥13,520 |
Past Trips (In college I used the pass with some friends to travel)
| Route | Time | Transfers | Cost* |
| Okayama to Tokyo | 12 hrs 15 min | 7 | ¥17,860 |
| Okayama to Nagasaki | 14 hrs | 6 | ¥17,680 |
Case Study: Okayama to Tokyo
| Mode of Transportation | Time | Transfers | Cost |
| Shinkansen | 3 hrs 15 min | 0 | ¥17,860 |
| Night Bus | 10 hrs 25 min | 0 | ¥6,000 |
| Seishun 18 Ticket | 12 hrs 15 min | 7 | ¥2,410 |
Shinkansen
- Advantages
- Quick (Only stops at certain stations)
- Convenient (Many trains throughout the day)
- No transfers
- Disadvantages
- Expensive
- Inflexible (Multiple transfers needed to access local train stations)
Who its for: Tourists with a JR Pass, Business People, Travelers with Limited Time
Night Bus
- Advantages
- Cheaper
- Lodging provided (Sleeping on the bus means you don’t have to pay for a night of accommodations)
- Convenient (Go to sleep in one city and wake up in a new city)
- No transfers
- Disadvantages
- Inflexible (Buses generally run from point to point with few if any stops in-between)
- Fatigue (Sleeping on a bus can be uncomfortable)
- Baggage restrictions
Who its for: Budget Travelers, Business People, College Students
Seishun 18 Ticket
- Advantages
- Cheapest option (By far)
- Flexible (Can be purchased in advance and used any time within the usage period)
- Disadvantages
- Local & Rapid Trains only
- Takes a long time
- Stressful (Making and not missing transfers)
- Extensive Planning Required (Map out plan on Hyperdia)
Who its for: College Students, Retired People, People who have time
Final Thoughts:
As a cost conscious college student, the Seishun 18 Ticket definitely made sense. We had a two month break in-between semesters, plenty of time, and limited financial resources. Fast forward to today. Even as a working adult, something just kills me a little inside to pay ¥17,860/person/way. That would be ¥71,440 for my girlfriend and I to travel roundtrip to and from Tokyo. A night bus at ¥24,000 roundtrip while still a decent amount is much more palatable.
Seeing as I have flipped the script from my college days (I now have more financial resources, but significantly less free time) paying for time has become an uncomfortable reality. Time is now my most valuable commodity.
Night Buses really make the weekend trips possible and affordable. A Friday night bus allows us to sleep overnight, avoid accommodation expenses, and wake up at our destination. If we’re feeling particularly gutsy, a Sunday night bus back home would give us just enough time to get to work on Monday. Two full days for exploring and only one night of accommodation expenses make this a very viable option.
So, our current travel strategy is Seishun 18 Ticket for longer trips and night busses for weekend/extended weekend trips.