Can I buy Shinkansen ticket on the day itself?

You must order at least 3 days in advance before the day of travel. I would advise you to book your shinkansen tickets as far in advance as you can, during peak season like Christmas and New Year, cherry blossom season (April) and fall foliage season (November). It gets extremely busy and trains are often fully booked.



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Passengers can buy Shinkansen tickets from ticket counters, ticket machines or online. Foreign visitors are entitled to buy a JR Pass, which offers unlimited access to all Shinkansen trains. The JR Pass is great value for money, covering unlimited journeys during its validity.

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Even the Shinkansen (bullet trains) are equipped with several non-reserved seats cars that you can ride with your JR Pass, without booking ticket. However, it is recommended to book a seat in the Shinkansen when traveling during Japan's national holiday's periods.

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Do Shinkansen tickets sell out? Yes, especially for weekend travel and during peak seasons, Shinkansen services can be fully booked. In this case, it may be possible to ride with a non-reserved seat ticket, if you are willing to stand for the entire journey!

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Passengers need to reserve a seat before boarding the Hayabusa trains as there is no non-reserved seating. Standing tickets are available if all the seats have been reserved. A few of the trains on the Hokkaido Shinkansen line are Hayate.

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I'm using JR pass and reserved seats, what if I were to miss the train, can I change to the next train on the spot? Hi there, If you miss a train you have a reserved seat for, then you are allowed to board the next train and take a non-reserved seat.

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Additional tickets must be purchased to use the Suica for travel on a limited express, express or Green Car. The Suica cannot be used for travel on the Shinkansen.

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In Tokyo, you can catch the Shinkansen either at Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station, and then arrive to Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka. A one-way journey costs 13,620 yen (unreserved seat) or 14,340 yen (reserved seat), but with your JR Pass, you can avail of either without having to pay additional fees.

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Time of the day Shinkansen is generally more crowded in early morning and evening when people move to other cities after work and sightseeing.

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Reserve Early. The earlier you book your tickets, the more likely you are to get the lowest fare available for the dates you want on the routes along your journey. You may book your travel up to 11 months in advance.

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Yes you can change your reserved tickets at any time. Just go to the ticket window at any JR station and tell the staff you wish to make a change.

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Does the JR Pass cover Nozomi and Mizuho trains? The JR Pass is valid on all Shinkansen services in all the Shinkansen lines, except for the Nozomi and Mizuho services on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines. You will not have access to the trains with the fewest stops on the Tokaido and Sanyo lines.

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The official rule is that you can still travel but have to use a non-reserved seat. Though JR Staff generally will issue new reservations for you if a train is not crowded. There is no penalty for missed trains or for re-booking a ticket.

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Eating and drinking on Japanese trains You should eat on trains only when taking a long-distance train, such as the Shinkansen. These types of trains have a tray and cup holder at every seat, and snacks are sold from a vendor trolley. When taking this type of train, it is also acceptable to bring your own food.

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How much luggage can I bring onto the shinkansen? Each passenger is allowed to bring on two pieces of oversized luggage each. Each of these pieces of luggage cannot exceed 250 cm in total dimensions as previously stated. Additionally, each piece of luggage cannot exceed 30 kg (66 lbs) in weight.

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Baggage with overall dimensions of less than 160 cm You can put baggage whose overall dimensions are less than 160 cm (the same size as the baggage that can be carried for free in airplane holds) * on the overhead baggage rack of the Shinkansen.

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When riding the Shinkansen or on a long train ride in a green car (reserved seating) you are allowed to eat and drink. The seats actually have tables and cup holders. There are also food, drinks, and snacks being sold in these train cars. But on commuter trains, avoid eating.

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