All Shikoku Rail Pass

[Guest ___]

Doubt anyone has used the Shikoku Railpass, have they? I've seen conflicting information on its validity, especially when it comes to use on private railways such as Kotoden, Iyotetsu, Tosaden, Tosa Kuroshio Railway and the Asa Kaigan Railway. However the english pdf and some of the private railway website seem to indicate that the pass is not valid for their railways.

[Darklighter]

However the english pdf and some of the private railway website seem to indicate that the pass is not valid for their railways.

Are you sure that these sources are not referring to the Japan Rail Pass (or the Shikoku Free Kippu)?

 

According to this site the All Shikoku Rail Pass is valid on those private railway lines: http://www.tourismshikoku.org/index.php?cID=354

Edited January 26, 2014 by Darklighter

[Guest ___]

My .pdfs and information pertaining to the use of the pass on the private lines came from JR Shikoku, JTB and the local area Matsuyama tourist board. When I get home, I'll try to attach the pdf. But I also recall some small print o nthe Shikoku Rail Pass stating that there were areas on the line that ran on a private line which required seperate payment between Uwajima and Kochi.

Uwajima

Edited January 26, 2014 by Shashinka

[Guest ___]

UPDATE: ok, after talking with the reservation office at Matsuyama, they had the same pdf I did that showed quite a few outfits that don't take the pass, and information stating that most all of the private railways take it. From what I gathered is that the old pass, did not work on many of the private railways but as of January 2013, most now do, and that there was a lot of the old pamphlets still floating around.

 

I also found inspection of the pass to be spotty at best. I was hit up for my pass leaving the stations more often than when I enter. Sometimes, I would hand my reservation/ticket to the clerk entering and they would sometimes ask to see my pass with the ticket, but more often than not, I was almost always asked for my pass as I was leaving the station, and nearly never asked while on the train itself.

 

PS: spellcheck does not work at all on here, and it's killing me.

[katoftw]

even it the pass does or does not cover the privates (insert crude joke here).  i wouldn't know the answer to this situation.

 

but the travelling in japan is so cheap.  most private railways of 500-700 yen all day tickets.  cheap in the scheme of things compared to outside of japan.

[Guest ___]

I did enough travel in Shikoku, that the railpass was certainly worth the cost. Matsuyama is small, and in order to get out and see Shikoku, you do have to spend time on the train, and trip between towns are not the ¥500-¥700 as it is on JR-E or JR-W. I recall, my trip to near by Iyosaijo would have been ¥1800 each way. ICP for QLD, but I find Japan rail costs to be in the range of or 5-50% higher than rail costs for non-Amtrak travel here in the states.