There has been some doubt about whether Japan Rail would be continuing with its sale of the Seishun 18 Kippu (Seishun 18 Tickets) which allow riders very inexpensive rides on local trains during certain times of the year.
Despite the name (Youth 18 Tickets, literally translated), the tickets can be bought and used by anyone.
I wrote about them on this blog before, in the article Cheap Train Tickets Japan, and am happy to say that the program is continuing.
For this Winter, the tickets will be sold between December 1 and December 31.
The tickets can then be used from December 10 to January 10.
5 tickets are sold for 11,500 yen. Each ticket can be used for as many rides as you like during a day. The rides are restricted to local trains for the most part, though if you find a JR employee willing to sit and work with you, you can travel to almost anywhere in the country you need to go using one of the tickets.
Multiple people can use one set. Meaning that 2 people can use 4 tickets out of the 5 to travel roundtrip. Then one ticket will be left over.
If you don’t think you need 5 tickets and don’t want the hassle of trying to sell them, many discount ticket shops carry Seishun 18 Kippu separately. I have bought two for about 4,000 yen in the past, and believe this would be cheaper than buying 5 and selling the other 3.
JR has an English explanation of the basics of the ticket here. “Japan Rail Seishun 18 English Page“.
These tickets can be a great way to meet people, travel cheaply, and really get to see a lot of Japan that you wouldn’t otherwise experience. You can get off at any stop and get back on the same day without using another ticket. This gives you the chance to hit the areas in the middle of no where, just get off the train and wander around to find that local shop that everyone loves.
Riders can also pay extra to ride express trains in combination with these tickets if necessary and it will still be a bargain.
If you are in Japan or working, and think that trip to the hot springs will cost too much, this could be your way to make the trip without overstepping your budget!
If you are trying to travel cheaply, I also suggest you look into renting a car in Japan because with a larger group, this can sometimes be the cheapest way to go.
hello! may i ask where I can find discount ticket shops carry Seishun 18 Kippu separately? Thank you! 😀
Mila
It depends on the city you are in, but they tend to be around the major stations. They usually have glass counters with telephone cards, train tickets, stamps, and other things you can get at a slightly reduced cost. In fact, if you are taking a train ride and pass one on the way, you can save some yen by buying your ticket from them instead of from the machines at the station.
They usually have a name like “Discount Ticket” or something Ticket. Konan Ticket is the name of one chain I’ve seen in the Kansai area. If you can tell us what major station you are near, maybe I or one of our readers can advise you. Otherwise, any local in the station can probably direct you to one.