Families · Child fares · 2026
How much do kids pay on the shinkansen, and is the JR Pass worth it for a family?
By Echoes, Founder & Editor · Published October 22, 2026
On JR trains and the shinkansen, children aged 6–11 pay half the adult fare (each part rounded down to ¥10). Children under 6 ride free, up to two per paying adult or child, unless they take their own reserved seat. A Tokyo → Kyoto child ticket is ¥6,920 (Hikari reserved). For 2 adults and 1 child, a Tokyo ↔ Kyoto round trip costs ¥69,240 in tickets, while 7-day JR Passes cost ¥125,000 online (¥133,000 from agencies). The pass only wins on much longer routes.
Checked October 22, 2026 (2026-10-22). Regular season, ordinary reserved Hikari/Kodama.JR age categories
| Category | Age | What they pay |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 12 and over (a 12-year-old still in elementary school counts as a child) | Full fare |
| Child | 6–11 (a 6-year-old not yet in elementary school counts as an infant) | Half of fare, express and reserved-seat charges; Green Car charge is full price |
| Infant | 1–5 | Free, except: the 3rd+ infant per adult/child, an infant using their own reserved or Green seat, or an infant travelling alone |
| Baby | Under 1 | Free (same exceptions) |
In practice: a toddler on your lap in a reserved car is free. If you want the toddler to have their own reserved seat, buy a child ticket. These rules are JR Central’s published ticket rules; check other operators’ buses and private railways separately.
How the Tokyo → Kyoto child fare is calculated
| Ticket (Tokyo → Kyoto, one way) | Adult | Child (6–11) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-reserved (smartEX fare chart) | ¥13,320 | ¥6,660 |
| Reserved-seat addition, regular season | +¥530 | +¥260 (half of ¥530, 5 yen rounded down) |
| Reserved seat, regular season | ¥13,850 | ¥6,920 |
Non-reserved prices are from the official smartEX fare chart (as of April 1, 2025). The regular-season reserved addition of ¥530 is the difference JR uses between reserved and non-reserved express charges. Peak season adds ¥200 (busiest days ¥400) and off-peak subtracts ¥200, per JR West’s published fare notes. Children pay half of each part, with 5 yen rounded down.
Family totals: tickets vs 7-day JR Passes
| Family | Tokyo ↔ Kyoto round-trip tickets | 7-day passes, official online | 7-day passes, overseas agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 adults + 1 child (6–11) | ¥69,240 | ¥125,000 | ¥133,000 |
| 2 adults + 2 children | ¥83,080 | ¥150,000 | ¥160,000 |
| 2 adults + 1 child + 1 under-6 on lap | ¥69,240 | ¥125,000 | ¥133,000 |
Adult round trip ¥27,700; child round trip ¥13,840. Child JR Pass: ¥25,000 online, ¥27,000 from agencies (7-day). Because both tickets and passes are half price for children, a family’s break-even point is the same as one adult’s. If the pass doesn’t pay for one adult, it won’t pay for the family. Check your own route in the JR Pass calculator or the Route Cost Planner.
Tips for families
- Book seats together on the official sites, which show a seat map. See where to book shinkansen tickets.
- For local trains, children use child IC cards or child tickets. See the Japan IC card guide.
- Child JR Pass age is fixed at purchase: an 11-year-old on the online payment date (or Exchange Order issue date) can use a child pass even after turning 12.
FAQ
Common questions
Do kids under 6 ride the shinkansen free?
Yes, up to two per paying adult or child, if they don’t use their own reserved or Green Car seat. A third under-6 child, or one who takes a reserved seat, needs a child ticket.
How much is the shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto for a child?
¥6,920 one way for a regular-season Hikari/Kodama reserved seat, or ¥6,660 non-reserved (checked 2026-10-22).
What age is a child on Japanese trains?
6 to 11. A 12-year-old still in elementary school counts as a child; a 6-year-old not yet in elementary school counts as an infant.
Is the JR Pass worth it for a family of four?
Usually not for Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka. A Tokyo ↔ Kyoto round trip for 2 adults and 2 children is ¥83,080 in tickets vs ¥150,000 for four 7-day passes online.
Do children pay full price in the Green Car?
The Green Car charge is the same for children and adults; only the base fare and express charges are halved.
Sources
Official sources, opened and checked on October 22, 2026:
- JR Central: Adults and Children (ticket rules)
- smartEX fare chart, non-reserved, adult and child (PDF, as of Apr 1, 2025)
- JR West: Hokuriku Shinkansen fare notice (PDF; seasonal +/−¥200, +¥400, child half-rule)
- JAPAN RAIL PASS: Types and prices
Traveller questions this guide answers:
- r/JapanTravel: “Public Transport with children” (2019-03-04, older thread, background only)
- r/JapanTravelTips: “Is a JR pass + Suica/Pasmo IC card all we need to get to most standard tourist destinations for a family of 4?” (2025-08-16)
TripWorth does not sell tickets. Confirm prices and rules with the operator before you pay. How we check fares.