JR West released Nishi-nihon Pass (西日本パス meaning West Japan Pass) for travelling after late August.

Motorists can travel expressways in most of Japan with a maximum toll of 1000 yen for an unlimited distance on weekends and national holidays from this March and JR West released this pass against that. Once the pass ended August 03 and started to sell again for travelling between August 21 and October 26. The new pass has extended its riding sectors to whole of JR Kyushu lines and Chizu Express line. Also, it has extended quietly its allowance of riding reserved seats or Green cars.

The new pass is 2,000 - 6,000 JPY more expensive than the old one. But the pass is still a great saver, because the new cheapest pass for 2 days on 2nd class costs 18,000 JPY. That is cheaper than a return trip between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima by Nozomi trains which costs 20,300 JPY.

It is valid for travelling from August 21 through October 26, but invalid between September 18 through 21.

• Name of the ticket
  • Nishi-nihon Pass (西日本パス meaning West Japan Pass) (for using on August 21 or later)
• Travel dates
  • 2 or 3 consecutive days of Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon., during August 21, 2009 through October 26, unless September 18 to 21.
• Period of selling
  • after August 04 and a month - 7 days before the departure date
• Maximum period of travel
  • 2 or 3 days
• Prices
  • 18,000 JPY for 2 days on 2nd class reservation cars
  • 20,000 JPY for 3 days on 2nd class reservation cars
  • 20,000 JPY for 2 days on Green-cars
  • 22,000 JPY for 3 days on Green-cars
• Available sectors
  • Whole conventional line of JR West, JR Shikoku, JR kyushu, and Chizu Express Line including express trains on them
  • Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata and Kyushu Shinkansen Shin-Yatsushiro and Kagoshima-Chuo
  • JR Miyajima Ferry between Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima
• Purchasable at
  • a major station in JR West or JR Kyushu
  • a major travel vendor
  • Remarks
  • This ticket is for at least 2 persons traveling along.
  • This ticket allows unlimited travel by 2nd class non-reservation cars within the sectors.
  • A ticket for 2 days on 2nd class resv. cars allows booking seats up to 6 times or for 3 days 8 times.
  • A ticket for 2 days on Green-cars allows seating in Green-cars up to 6 times or for 3 days 8 times.
  • Special discount of rent-a-car at station (駅レンタカー), 2,000 JPY for 24 hrs for a class S car in Hokuriku, Kansai, Sanin, and Chugoku areas or 3,000 JPY for a calendar day in Kyushu, is available.
  • Only for members of Zipangu Club or Club DISCOVER WEST and their companion, the tickets are good for 2 or 3 consecutive days, including Mon. through Thu.
  • This ticket is NOT valid on Tokaido Shinkansen.
  • This ticket is NOT valid on Kitakinki Tango Railway (北近畿タンゴ鉄道), Tosa Kuroshio Railway (土佐くろしお鉄道), etc. even though express trains go directly from JR lines to those railway company lines.