Seishun 18 Ticket

The Seishun 18 Ticket (青春18きっぷ, Seishun Jūhachi Kippu) is a special discount ticket issued in Japan that allows holders one-day unlimited rides on the local trains of Japan Railways Group (JR) during limited periods of the year.

A used Seishun 18 ticket issued in 2006

One ticket is valid for five (not necessarily continuous) days (midnight to midnight), within a designated seasonal period. The ticket can be used by multiple passengers; for example, five passengers can use one entire ticket sheet for unlimited trips in one day instead of one passenger traveling individually on five days. A sheet of five tickets costs 12,050 yen (2,410 yen/ticket), and is ideal for long-distance travellers.

In the context of Japan Railways Group, "local trains" (普通列車, Futsū Ressha) covers not only commuter trains that stop at every station, but also all passenger trains except for the Shinkansen, limited express, and express trains, which require express surcharges. The Seishun 18 ticket is meant for travel on "local" (普通, futsū) or "rapid" (快速, kaisoku) train services.

There is no age limit to buy the ticket despite the name "Seishun 18" (literally "Youth 18"). Although the back of the ticket is magnetized, it cannot be used in automatic ticket machines. The ticket is not available at standard ticket vending machines, but can be purchased from higher-end machines that sell Shinkansen tickets during the on-sale period under the heading O-Toku na Kippu, or over the counter at JR train stations, or from a travel agency during the on-sale period.[1]

Ticket sale and usage

The ticket is available for purchase during three different periods of the year. Although JR authorities state that these dates are subject to change, the dates of availability have remained unchanged since the ticket was first released in 1982 and can be considered standard data. When a ticket is purchased, it can be used only for that particular season. JR can refund full money only for tickets that remain unused (not stamped) before the end of the "Tickets on sale" period. [2]

PeriodValidityTickets on sale
SpringMarch 1 to April 10February 20 to March 31
SummerJuly 20 to September 10July 1 to August 31
WinterDecember 10 to January 10December 1 to December 31

Ticket benefits

JR West Bus

Since 2019, JR West Bus, the bus department of JR West, has given fare discounts to passengers who have Seishun 18 Tickets on three bus routes. The promotion is planned to be carried out through 2020 and 2021. The three bus routes in JR West Bus' promotional offer are the Meikin Line - 名金線（Kanazawa Station↔Fukumitsu Station), the Enpuku Line - 園福線（Fukuchiyama Station↔Sonobe Station), and the Wakae Line - 若江線（Ōmi-Imazu Station↔Obama Station). Through this offer, passengers may ride the above bus routes at a flat fare of 800 yen each.

Passengers show the bus driver the Seishun 18 Ticket, and the driver gives a discount ticket as the person gets off.[3][4] Passengers cannot get off at non-designated bus stops or the discount is annulled. Passengers can board or disembark on Kanazawa Station, Fukumitsu/Fukuchiyama Station, Sonobe Station, Ōmi-Imazu Station, and Obama Station.

Hisatsu Orange Railway

On the Hisatsu Orange Railway, the Orange 18 Free Ticket (おれんじ18フリーきっぷ, Orenji Jūhachi Kippu) is sold for 2,100 yen to passengers who have valid Seishun 18 Tickets in a valid period of time (a same-day seal is placed on the ticket).[5] A passenger can ride the entire line on the Hisatsu Orange Railway for one day. Tickets can be purchased from crews, station staff, and stations tellers on the trains and stations.

Echigo Tokimeki Railway

On the Echigo Tokimeki Railway, the Tokitetsu 18 Ticket (トキ鉄18きっぷ, Tokitetsu Jūhachi Kippu) is sold for 1,000 yen to passengers who have valid Seishun 18 Tickets in a valid period of time (a same-day seal is placed on ticket).[6]

Kampu Ferry

Kampu Ferry has carried out fare discounts between Shimonoseki to Pusan to passengers who have Seishun 18 Tickets. The company takes a 50% discount for second class (4,500 yen/one-way/after discounting), a 36% discount limited to first class (8,000 yen/one-way/after discounting), and a 25% discount for Deluxe (13,500 yen/one-way/after discounting). Passengers must reserve seats on the ship in advance and order Seishun 18 Kippu Tabi Dai Ōen Waribiki.[7][8]

Once seats are reserved, passengers should tell the staff their name, passport number, date of birth, and gender. The company carries out discounting fares in terms of validity of the Seishun 18 Ticket. A round-trip ticket counts as two tickets, when compared to one-way (discount). There is no discount when the passenger reserves a one-way trip from Pusan to Shimonoseki (Pusan Port→Shimonoseki).

Passengers pay a fuel surcharge fee, a boarding fee, and international tourist tax at 1000 yen.

JR Hotel Group

JR Hotel Group gives a discounted rate to guests who have Seishun 18 Tickets. Guests must reserve hotel rooms in advance. Guests must show the hotel staff their same-day Seishun 18 Ticket when checking into the hotel.

Exception

Chiyoda Line

Travel is permitted on local and semi-express trains on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line between Kitasenju Station and Ayase Station without getting off, since the Chiyoda Line is looked by JR Jōban Line.

History
A used Seishun 18 ticket issued in 1987

The ticket first went on sale from March 1, 1982, as the Seishun 18 Nobinobi Kippu (青春18のびのびきっぷ). It cost 8,000 yen and consisted of three 1-day tickets and one 2-day ticket. It also included a "Seishun 18" sticker for passengers to stick on their bags when travelling.[9]

In 1983, the name was changed to Seishun 18 Kippu (青春18きっぷ). The price was raised to 10,000 yen for a booklet of four 1-day tickets and one 2-day ticket (equivalent to 1,666 yen per day, compared with 1,600 yen per day for the original ticket).[9]

In summer 1984, the format was changed to a booklet of five 1-day tickets, with the price remaining at 10,000 yen, equivalent to 2,000 yen per day.[9]

The price was raised to 11,000 yen in the winter of 1986 following the nationwide fare increase in July of that year.[9]

With the introduction of the consumption tax in 1989, the price was raised to 11,300 yen for the summer ticket, and this was further increased to 11,500 yen in summer 1997 after the consumption tax increased from 3% to 5%.[9] In 2014, the consumption tax was raised to 8%, leading to a price of 11,850 yen. In 2019, the consumption tax was raised to 10%, which raised the ticket's price to 12,050 yen.

The format of the ticket changed from the booklet to single ticket sheets in spring 1996 as a measure to prevent users from re-selling unused portions to ticket resellers.[9]

The kawaii metal band Babymetal single "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!" specifically mentions the Jūhachi Kippu.[10]

References
  1. "Seishun 18 | Fares & Passes | JR-EAST". www.jreast.co.jp. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  2. "Seishun 18 | Fares & Passes | JR-EAST". www.jreast.co.jp. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  3. announcement
  4. discount for bus routes fare
  5. Free Pass in Hisatsu Orange Railway
  6. Free Pass in Tokitetsu
  7. discount for fares
  8. http://www.kampuferry.co.jp/pdf/18kippu.pdf
  9. Kekke, Yoshiyuki (August 2012). "「青春18きっぷ」の30年を振り返る" [Looking Back Over 30 Years of the Seishun 18 Ticket]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol. 41 no. 340. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. pp. 66–70.
  10. "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! Babymetal Translations Unofficial". July 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
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