JRPass ltd Reviews 44

Our trip to was Japan July2025. Is the JRPass Green Car a Scam?

We purchased the JRPass Green Car (first-class equivalent) in preparation for our recent trip to Japan. On paper, it seemed ideal: an efficient way to travel the country while experiencing its culture, traditions, and cuisine, with the added comfort of first-class seating. Unfortunately, the reality was altogether different.

At every attempt to reserve seats in the Green Car, we were either told none were available or issued tickets for the Ordinary Car (second class)—despite having paid nearly 50% more for the upgrade. When I questioned this, I was told that the train in question had no Green Car. Yet when I pressed to be booked on a different train with Green Car availability, I was informed that those seats, too, were “completely sold out.”

The situation became increasingly suspicious. On one occasion, after I firmly requested any available Green Car seats—even weeks into the future—the ticket clerk grew visibly uncomfortable. After much hesitation, we were suddenly offered the very seats on the very train we were initially told either (a) had no Green Car or (b) was already fully reserved. The next morning, we boarded that train. The result? An almost empty Green Car compartment: only four passengers for the entire route - us.

After traveling throughout Japan, I also learned the Shinkansen schedules. Even when there were direct trains to our destinations, we were often given reservations only partway, requiring us to transfer unnecessarily to another train. When I asked if we could be reserved straight through to our final destination, I was told, “No—unless you pay extra for it.” This directly contradicts the advertised benefits of the JRPass.

After a week in Japan, not once had we been able to straightforwardly reserve the Green Car seats we paid for. The pattern was consistent: misleading explanations, contradictory answers, and repeated downgrading to second class despite our premium purchase.

This raises serious questions. Is the JRPass Green Car program a deliberate scheme—enticing tourists to pay extra for “first class” while quietly issuing only Ordinary Car tickets? Is this practice applied broadly to all foreign tourists, or selectively, for example against U.S. visitors?

I am not asking this only on my own behalf but on behalf of all travelers who purchased the Green Car JRPass in good faith. Tourists deserve transparency, honesty, and the service for which they paid.

Not worth it and extremely risky process
If you lose the pass you lose 500euros+ and there is no way to reissue it. Which is non sense in 2025.
It is only usable on Japan Railway not on the metro and there are also few train lines which are not included. Bottom line I probably spent 50% more than if I had bought tickets or even taken taxis…

No flexibility and over priced.

Best to buy tickets on the way

They failed to deliver the pass claiming they didn’t have the correct address but when we contacted the corrier we were unable to pick up the pass or update the address. There was no customer service line to call and the company did not respond to us for several days. Horrible customer service.

DO NOT USE THIS WEBSITE. They are not an official JR ticket issuer, and only send a 'voucher' in the mail to redeem at ticket in Japan. God forbid this voucher gets lost in the mail, or your bag gets lost/stolen, you will have eaten the whole thing!! Do yourself a favor, and buy with the real JR website, not a scam middleman.

they are fake JR site, and no customer service, never reply your email, NEVER buy from them.

They accepted our money and never sent our passes. They pose as an official Japan Rail website when they absolutely are NOT. The poor reps at the actual Japan Rail airport office must have to deal with frustrated travelers like us constantly -- having paid close to $1000 for passes that don't exist. We're at the Sapporo airport picking up actual passes ordered through the official site, and I just hope we won't have to resort to a charge back to get our money back. Horrible predatory websites like this tarnish the usually excellent Japan travel experience.

Just to specify this is for jrpass.com that is based in the UK. I was worried at first as I thought they were the official site for japan rail when I purchased passes from them then realised they were a 3rd party that distributes vouchers to be exchanged when in Japan. I ordered them and had them sent to my home approximately 2 weeks prior to my trip. I was stressing that when I went to exchange them when I arrived it would turn out to be a scam but it was all smooth sailing. Not sure if the passes really us much on our itinerary because we did have to use the metro services a bit but they definitely were handy. Anyway this company did come through but keep in mind I had them delivered to my home address prior to our trip to avoid any issues receiving them once in Japan.

Worst experience in my life! My husband paid 2000 usd for two passes for 14 days. For 2000 usd you would expect some level of service, instead we got more headache! First you have to queue to get them at the airport. Second when you get toTokyo station, you queue again to exchange them for actual ticket. Customer support rep did not even bother checking we are first class. Next available train was in 7h….no explanation, all signes in Japanese, good luck finding the place you are looking for. My suggestion - save your money and queue once!

I purchased the pass for myself and my daughter before our trip to Japan, I requested the pass to be shipped to our hotel in Tokyo, the pass was delayed and didn’t arrive till 4 days into our stay in Tokyo, when contacted JRPASS they advised I contact FedEx and inquire about there whereabouts of the passes!!! As a customer in a foreign country I had to make phone calls to fedex to try and have the passes delivered before we leave Tokyo to Osaka. All and all the JRPass useless, extremely overpriced and not necessary at all, in my opinion buying it was a scam. I contacted the JRPass and expressed the above and requested a refund due to their failures, they brushed off my request. The pass doesn’t give you 30% of what it promises! Don’t buy it! But your daily passes as you go and forget about this scam!

SCAM MIDDLEMAN PRETENDING TO BE OFFICIAL SITE!
When I tried to book my seats, I discovered the real site for JR Rail Pass (I was not able to book seats, as I had not ordered from the real site).....so frustrating!!
Trying to get my money back now

Has a wide range of JR passes available on that website which are all easy to purchase. The passes arrived a few days after I ordered them as expected and exchanging them in Japan was very straightforward.

I had written a bad review about the Greet&Meet service, it turns out that this service is not offered by jrailpass.com but by jrpass.com which presents itself as the official site for the Japan Rail Pass. So, I stand corrected as in fact railpass.com does not offer this service.

I recently had a highly disappointing experience with JRPass, and I feel compelled to share my story. I purchased tickets from them on September 27th, with the understanding that they would be dispatched within one business day, as clearly stated on their website. Unfortunately, that was far from the reality I encountered.

Despite sending five emails and posting several inquiries on their forum, I received absolutely no response from JRPass Support. This lack of communication left me feeling frustrated and helpless, especially since I had already left my country and was unable to use the tickets.

In light of the complete absence of customer support and the failure to fulfill their commitment of timely ticket dispatch, If I get no response soon, I will have no choice but to request a cancelation of the order through my credit card. I am deeply disappointed with JRPass for not upholding their promises and for their unresponsiveness to my concerns.

I will keep this review updated in case the company responds or resolves the issue.

Misinformation on the activation date
The website states that it can be purchased 180 days in advance. since my travel date was more than 3 months after the purchase date. I wanted to take advantage of the current pricing before the price increase in October. I emailed their customer support and received confirmation that this was possible and was told to contact them back to change the date once I made my purchase. As soon as I finished my transaction I sent an email and asked to change the activation date. I didn't hear back for a few days, so I sent another email. 3 days later no reply stil and reading similar reviews!!!, how do I get a refund when you ignore me!

I read on their website that I am able to change the date of my JR Pass activation, since my travel date was more than 3 months after the purchase date. I wanted to take advantage of the current pricing before the price increase in October. I emailed their customer support and received confirmation that this was possible and was told to contact them back to change the date once I made my purchase. As soon as I finished my transaction I sent an email and asked to change the activation date. I didn't hear back for a few days, so I sent another email. After 4 days, they FINALLY got back to me and told me that their team gave me misinformation and said "All tickets with the old price are only valid till 30th Dec 2023 as new prices will be provided from 1st Oct."
They are processing a refund, but I am taking my business elsewhere. Other sites are stating that you can change your activation date if your travel is more than 3 months away; they will ship it one month before.
Do not buy your pass from them. I cannot even find the verbiage on their site anymore that told me that I can change the activation date past 3 months.

DO NOT SHOP WITH THEM
I purchased a pass on 09/22/2023 shortly after I received a response from their support team that I am able to change the date of my passes. An entire week later and I am getting the run around and no response. I am now working with my bank to make sure I get a refund.

After I purchased I saw the trustpilot reviews and I got scared, but the tickets were there - as promised - the day after I ordered them (the Netherlands). Everything was complete and fine and clearly communicated from begin till end. Would surely buy again here!

The previous trustpilots reviews had me a little worried, but my JR pass arrived from UK to Denmark in one day so i'm happy with the transaction.

DO NOT purchase your JR pass through this merchant. The site poses as an official Japan Rail site, but the JR service in Tokyo has never heard about them. The voucher NEVER arrived and the costumer support is simply not responding for OVER A WEEK now. There is no other forms of contact. Hopefully, I manage to get a refund claim through credit my credit card company. Their reported TrustPilot score is fake (how this is not checked is beyond me).

UPDATE: immediately after this review the company finally answered and I received a full refund.

Absolute scam. We paid two 14-day passes and they told us they would ship them to our hotel in Tokyo. We never got them and they are not even replying to emails anymore. Absolute scammers, never buy from this company, they are just a middleman!!!

EDIT: AFTER A WEEK OF NOT RESPONDING TO EMAILS AND US HAVING SENT MULTIPLE MESSAGES TO PLEASE REFUND US, THEY MADE A 100% REFUND ALSO WITH SHIPPING COSTS.