Reserved or unreserved Shinkansen seats with luggage
You are pulling large suitcases and need seats together, and the unreserved car worries you.
Trains, roads and flights
Child and infant fares on Japanese trains
You travel with children and want to know who pays, who rides free and what the pass costs.
On the Japan Rail Pass, children aged 6 to 11 pay a child price and infants under 6 travel free 1. A child who turns 12 pays the adult price. For single tickets and seats, confirm the operator’s rule before you travel.
What are the age bands?
Use the table to see who pays what on the pass.
| Age | Japan Rail Pass |
|---|---|
| Under 6 | Travels free. |
| 6 to 11 | Child price. |
| 12 and over | Adult price. |
Age decides, not school year. Carry passports as proof, and confirm how the operator counts a birthday during the trip.
What does the child pass cost?
From 1 October 2026 the child ordinary pass costs 27,000 yen for 7 days, 42,000 yen for 14 days and 53,000 yen for 21 days 2. The adult ordinary 7-day pass costs 53,000 yen 2.
At the Bank Negara selling rate of RM 2.603 per 100 yen on 19 October 2026, the child 7-day pass is about RM 703 and the adult 7-day pass is about RM 1,380 2 3.
Do infants need their own seat?
Infants under 6 travel free on the pass 1. Ask the operator whether a free infant has a seat of their own on the Shinkansen. Our guide on reserved versus unreserved seats and luggage explains the choice.
If you travel with a stroller, read toddlers and stroller logistics.
Is the pass worth it for a family?
Only if your route has several long Shinkansen legs. Add up each person’s single fares first, applying the child discount, then compare the total with the pass.
Use the rail pass break-even tool or read is a rail pass worth it for your route. The JR Pass entry gives a short definition.
What should you confirm for single tickets?
Single tickets follow the operator’s child and infant rules, which can differ from the pass. Ask the operator for the child age band, whether infants need a ticket and how a reserved seat is charged.
Tell us your children’s ages and we check the rules for each leg. See also comparing a rail pass with your actual journeys and the family cost example.
If you are travelling with children, send us their ages, your route and your dates. We total the fares with the child discount and tell you whether a pass or single tickets cost less.
Keep planning
Is a rail pass worth it for you?
You are staring at a big pass price, wondering whether your route earns it back.
Splitting a Japan budget for four
You are the parent doing the sums, and the ringgit total feels bigger every time.
Japan with a toddler: stroller and station logistics
You picture the stroller on a station staircase and want to find lifts and nursing rooms.
Compare a rail pass with your real journeys
A yes or no verdict on the pass does not help when your route is your own.
JR Pass, explained simply
You keep hearing about the rail pass and cannot tell if it saves money.
Questions travellers ask
What age counts as a child on the Japan Rail Pass?
Children aged 6 to 11 pay the child price, and infants under 6 travel free, according to the official Japan Rail Pass site. A child who turns 12 pays the adult price. Carry passports as proof of age.
How much is the child pass in ringgit?
From 1 October 2026 the child ordinary 7-day pass costs 27,000 yen. At the Bank Negara selling rate of RM 2.603 per 100 yen on 19 October 2026, that is about RM 703. The adult 7-day pass costs 53,000 yen, about RM 1,380. Passes pay off only on long routes.
Do infants need their own seat?
Infants under 6 travel free on the pass, but ask whether a free infant has a seat of their own. Rules differ for single tickets and for reserved seats, so confirm with the operator, and tell us your child's age when you plan the route.
Do young Malaysian school-age children pay the child price?
Yes, if they are aged 6 to 11 on the day of travel. A seven-year-old and a ten-year-old both pay the child price, and a twelve-year-old pays the adult price. Age, not school year, decides, so check each child's age on the travel date.
Is a pass worth it for a family?
Only if your route has several long Shinkansen legs. Add up each person's single fares first, with the child discount, then compare with the pass. We run the sum on your route before you buy.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- Japan Rail Pass official site, Purchaseaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, citing the JR Group press release of 9 April 2026accessed 2026-10-20
- Bank Negara Malaysia exchange rates (JPY)accessed 2026-10-20
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.