In addition to the free passes for touring a wide range of Tokyo introduced in the article "Comparison of affordable unlimited train ride tickets available in Tokyo & tips on how to choose them!", there are also transportation passes that can be used for day trips from Tokyo to other prefectures, such as Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture, and Yokohama, Kamakura, and Enoshima in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The unlimited ride free pass can be a good deal in some cases, and not in others. So, decide on your plan for the day and calculate to find out which is more cost-effective.
This time, we have carefully selected eight free passes that are a good deal when visiting popular tourist spots in the suburbs of Tokyo, which can be accessed in 1-2 hours. We also introduce tips for choosing a free pass, so be sure to take a look.
*This article is based on information as of September 2023. Please check the official website for the latest information on valid sections and prices.
1. (Kanagawa Prefecture) Yokohama, Minato Mirai, Chinatown Area: "Yokohama Chinatown Trip Gourmet Ticket"
This is a great value ticket set that includes a one-day pass for all Tokyu lines, a one-day pass for the Minatomirai line, and a meal ticket (one time). If you are departing from Tokyo, you can get on and off freely from "Shibuya Station" or "Nakameguro Station" on the Tokyu line to "Yokohama Station" in Yokohama, and also from "Minatomirai Station" on the Minatomirai line to "Motomachi-Chukagai Station". (*Since the Tokyu line and the Minatomirai line operate directly, you can reach your destination without changing trains.)
Also, the restaurants eligible for the meal ticket include "Chinese Restaurant BAIRAN", famous for its fried noodles in Yokohama Chinatown, and in the Minatomirai area, you can enjoy sweets and drinks on the sightseeing cruise "Marine Rouge", and so on. Special course meals created for this transportation pass are offered, giving a sense of exclusivity.
Ticket Information
- Japanese Name: 横濱中華街 旅グルメきっぷ
- Valid Section: All Tokyu lines, all Minatomirai lines are free to get on and off + one meal ticket
- Validity Period: 1 day (valid for one time only within the validity period stated on the ticket)
- Price: 3,300 yen
- Official Website: https://www.tokyu.co.jp/global/railway/ticket/value_ticket/tabigurume_ticket/ (English)
2. (Kanagawa Prefecture) Shonan-Kamakura Area: "Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass"
If you're planning to visit famous seaside tourist spots in the suburbs of Tokyo, such as Enoshima and Kamakura, we recommend this free pass. It offers a discounted round-trip fare from any Odakyu Line stations to "Fujisawa Station", and from "Fujisawa Station" on the Odakyu Line, you can transfer and get on and off the entire Enoden Line freely. It's a convenient excursion ticket for visiting temples and famous places along the Enoshima, Kamakura, and Enoden Line, as well as for strolling around. There are also discounts at popular spots such as facilities like the New Enoshima Aquarium, Hasedera Temple, Kamakura Shrine, and many seaside cafes.
Ticket Information
- Japanese Name: 江の島・鎌倉フリーパス
- Valid Section: Free to get on and off between "Fujisawa Station" on the Odakyu Line and "Katase Enoshima Station", and the entire Enoden Line.
- Validity Period: 1 day
- Price: 1,640 yen from Shinjuku
- Official Website: https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/enoshima_kamakura/ (English)
3. (Kanagawa Prefecture) Hakone Ashinoko Area: "Hakone Freepass"
This is a free pass for transportation in Hakone. For example, you can use it for the Hakone Tozan Railway and Hakone Tozan Cablecar, Hakone Ropeway, and the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise where you can cruise on the pirate ship in the lake while sightseeing. You can also use it for buses that access tourist spots in the Hakone area. It is valid for either 2 or 3 days, so it is recommended for those who want to stay and tour around Hakone. However, please note that an additional fee is required for the Romance Car. In addition, you can receive benefits at about 70 spots such as the Hakone Open-Air Museum, Gotemba Premium Outlets, and Komagatake Ropeway.
Ticket Information
- Japanese Name: 箱根フリーパス
- Valid Area: Free access to Hakone Tozan Railway, Hakone Tozan Cablecar, Hakone Ropeway, Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, Hakone Tozan Bus (designated area), Odakyu Highway Bus (designated area), Tokai Bus (designated area), Kanko Shisetsu-Meguri Bus (Hakone Tozan Bus).
- Validity Period: 2 days / 3 days
- Price: (From Shinjuku) 6,100 yen for 2 days, 6,500 yen for 3 days
- Official Website: https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/ (English)
4. (Saitama Prefecture) Chichibu, Nagatoro Area: "Chichibu Free Pass"
This is a ticket set that includes a round-trip ticket from Shinjuku and Ikebukuro in Tokyo to the Chichibu area in Saitama Prefecture, and a free pass for unlimited rides within the Chichibu area. You can enjoy the tourist spots in the Chichibu area for 2 days. For example, you can visit the Hitsujiyama Park and Chichibu Shrine around "Seibu Chichibu Station", the Hodosan Shrine and Nagatoro Iwadatami rock formations that you can walk from "Nagatoro Station", and the Misotsuchi Icicles that you can access from "Mitsumineguchi Station". Also, it comes with discount privileges at designated tourist spots and facilities, such as the Hodosan Ropeway. It is valid for 2 days, so it is recommended for those who stay in the Chichibu area.
Ticket Information
- Japanese Name: 秩父フリーきっぷ
- Valid Section: Round-trip ticket (1 time) from any departure station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line / Seibu Ikebukuro Line to "Seibu Chichibu Station" + Free boarding and alighting between "Ashigakubo Station" and "Seibu Chichibu Station" on the Seibu Chichibu Line, and between "Nogami Station", "Nagatoro Station" and "Mitsumineguchi Station" on the Chichibu Railway.
- Validity Period: 2 days
- Price: (In case of departure from "Seibu Shinjuku Station" on the Seibu Shinjuku Line / "Ikebukuro Station" on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line) 2,350 yen
- Official Website: https://www.seiburailway.jp/railways/tourist/english/ticket/deals_chichibu.html (English)
5. (Saitama Prefecture) Kawagoe Area: "KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS" & "KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS Premium"
There are two types of passes: the "KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS" and the "KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS Premium".
The "KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS" is a great value ticket that reduces the round-trip fare of 980 yen (one-way 490 yen) from "Ikebukuro Station" to "Kawagoe Station" or "Kawagoeshi Station" on the Tobu Tojo Line to 710 yen. If you're going from Ikebukuro in Tokyo to Kawagoe, this ticket is the cheapest. The "KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS Premium" further allows you to get on and off freely between "Kawagoe Station" and "Kawagoeshi Station" on the Tobu Tojo Line, Tobu Bus (designated section), and "Koedo Meisho Meguri Bus". In addition, both passes offer benefits at kimono rental shops, restaurants, and other shops. These passes are exclusive to foreign tourists.
Ticket Information
- Valid Area:
- KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS: Discounted round-trip train fare (710 yen) from "Ikebukuro Station" to "Kawagoe Station" / "Kawagoeshi Station" on the Tobu Tojo Line.
- KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS Premium: Discounted round-trip train fare (710 yen) from "Ikebukuro Station" to "Kawagoe Station" / "Kawagoeshi Station" on the Tobu Tojo Line. + Free boarding and alighting between "Kawagoe Station" and "Kawagoeshi Station" on the Tobu Tojo Line, Tobu Bus (designated section), and "Koedo Meisho Meguri Bus".
- Validity Period: 1 day
- Price:
- KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS: 710 yen
- KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS Premium: 1,050 yen
- Official Website: https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/ticket/kawagoe/basic.html (English)
6. Nikko Kinugawa Onsen Area in Tochigi Prefecture: "NIKKO PASS all area" & "NIKKO PASS world heritage area"
Both types of free passes allow unlimited rides on trains and buses that provide access to famous tourist spots in the Nikko Kinugawa area, such as the World Heritage sites Nikko Toshogu and Futara-san Shrine, EDO WONDERLAND Nikko Edomura, Tobu World Square, and Kinugawa Onsen.
The "NIKKO PASS all area" also allows access to the area around Lake Chuzenji. In addition, it comes with benefits such as discounts for Tobu World Square and Kinugawa Onsen Ropeway. Please note that it must be purchased online up to 2 days in advance before the departure date and it is a free pass exclusively for foreign tourists visiting Japan.
Ticket Information
- Valid Area:
- NIKKO PASS world heritage area: Round-trip ticket from Tobu Railway's "Asakusa Station" to "Shimo-Imaichi Station" + Free boarding and alighting on all Tobu Bus routes in the Nikko World Heritage Area between Shimo-Imaichi Station and "Tobu Nikko Station" ~ "Shin-fujiwara Station".
- NIKKO PASS all area: Round-trip ticket from Tobu Railway's "Asakusa Station" to "Shimo-Imaichi Station" + Free boarding and alighting on all Tobu Bus routes in Nikko City, Nikko Edomura Shuttle Bus, Nikko Kinugawa Onsen Bus (only on Saturdays and holidays), Lake Chuzenji Sightseeing Cruise, Hybrid Bus (Odashirogahara Area Access Bus) between "Shimo-Imaichi Station", "Tobu Nikko Station" ~ "Shin-fujiwara Station".
- Validity Period:
- NIKKO PASS world heritage area: 2 days
- NIKKO PASS all area: 4 days
- Price:
- NIKKO PASS world heritage area: 2,120 yen
- NIKKO PASS all area: 4,780 yen (April 20th to November 30th) / 4,160 yen (December 1st to April 19th)
- Official Website: https://tobutoptours.com/en/discountpass.html (English)
7. Greater Tokyo Pass (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama)
The Greater Tokyo Pass is a free pass that can be used on the private railway lines of 13 companies in the Kanto area, including Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama. If you want to explore areas not covered by JR lines, consider using private railways. For example, popular tourist spots such as Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Shimokitazawa, and Jiyugaoka can be easily accessed by using private railways.
There are two types of this pass, a 3-day pass and a 5-day pass. In addition to the usage period and price, whether or not you can use bus routes also varies.
Regardless of the type of purchase, the IC card ticket "PASMO PASSPORT" for foreign tourists visiting Japan is required. If you do not have a PASMO PASSPORT, a separate card issuance fee of 500 yen (tax included) is required (in addition, a charge of 1,500 yen may be required), so please be aware.
Ticket Information
- Valid section: Free access to all lines of Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line), Nippori-Toneri Liner, Odakyu, Keio, Keisei, Keikyu, Sotetsu, Seibu, Tokyu, Tobu, Minatomirai, Yokohama Municipal Subway, and Yurikamome. (JR is not included) If you have a 5-day ticket, you can also freely get on and off the general bus routes of 31 companies in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama.
- Price: 3 days: 6,000 yen. 5 days: 7,200 yen
- Official website: https://greater-tokyo-pass.jp/en/ (English)
※Additional fees may be required when you want to ride on buses with a seating capacity system (highway buses, airport access buses, regular sightseeing buses, etc.), late-night express buses, community buses of each local government, joint operation routes with bus operators other than the target, and paid express trains and reserved seat trains.
8. JR TOKYO Wide Pass (Including a wide range of Kanto area including Tokyo)
This is a free pass sold by JR East that allows unlimited rides on JR lines in a wide range of the Kanto area. It can be used to popular tourist destinations such as Lake Kawaguchiko (Mt. Fuji), Nikko, Karuizawa, or popular hot spring areas such as Kusatsu, Atami, Izu, etc. It is recommended for those who want to travel to multiple tourist destinations by moving long distances in 3 days, as well as for those who want to take a day trip to the suburbs based on Tokyo.
Ticket Information
- Valid section: JR East lines, Tokyo Monorail, Izu Kyuko Line, Fuji Kyuko Line, Joshin Electric Railway Line, Saitama New Urban Transit (Omiya Railway Museum), Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit (Rinkai Line), JR East and Tobu Railway's direct express "Nikko", "Kinugawa", "Spacia Kinugawa" ordinary car reserved seats. Free to get on and off on Tobu Railway's "Shimo-Imaichi Station" to "Tobu Nikko Station", "Kinugawa-onsen Station" and ordinary trains (including rapid).
- Validity period: 3 days
- Price: 15,000 yen (new price from tickets sold on October 1, 2023)
- Official website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/tokyowidepass.html (English)
For those who want to know more about the differences between JR, subway, and facilities, please refer to the article, "Comparison of affordable unlimited train ride tickets available in Tokyo & tips on how to choose them!".
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