How do you change Shinkansen seats?

Changes for reserved seat tickets (excluding unreserved seat tickets) must be made before the train's scheduled departure time. Please be careful as a ticket becomes invalid once the train departs. Changes to reserved seat tickets must be made at the station's reception window during business hours.



Changing Shinkansen seats in 2026 depends on how you originally booked your ticket. If you used an online service like SmartEX or the JR-West Online Train Reservation, you can typically change your seat or train time for free as many times as you like directly through the app or website, provided you haven't yet "picked up" a physical ticket or entered the gates. You simply select your booking, click "Change," and use the digital seat map to choose a new spot. If you have already printed a physical ticket from a vending machine, you must visit a JR Ticket Office (Midori-no-madoguchi) or use a reserved seat ticket machine to make the change. Under standard JR rules, you are allowed one free change for a physical ticket; any subsequent changes require you to refund the ticket (with a fee) and purchase a new one. If the train has already departed, your reserved seat ticket loses its validity, though you can usually still board a later train the same day in the non-reserved (jiyu-seki) section without an extra charge.

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All seats on shinkansen trains can be turned by 180 degrees, allowing travelers to always face forward. The seats are turned by the staff at the terminal stations, but can also be turned by passengers, for example, to create a group of four or six seats facing each other.

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What should I do if I book a seat on a Shinkansen and miss it? Can I just get on the next train and go to the unreserved area? You can ride on unreserved car of later Shinkansen trains on the same day. If you have a JR Pass - you can get on the next available Shinkansen **that the pass is valid for.

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You may change your assigned seat and choose a different seat at any time after your booking is complete by viewing your reservation in the Amtrak app or on Amtrak.com. There is no fee to change your seat.

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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.

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Some trains do not have non-reserved seats (all seats are reserved). There are no Green Cars on most “HIKARI” and “KODAMA” trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line (Shin-Osaka—Hakata), or on Series 800 trains on the Kyushu Shinkansen Line.

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You can choose any non-reserved seats at any time during the specified date. The number of unreserved seats is different in each Shinkansen train. So you need to check which number of cars is for unreserved seats in advance. The electric bulletin board at the station shows details.

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Note that for the Shinkansen, you need a “super (limited) express” ticket in addition to the basic fare ticket for that route (we sell these as a set). Do Shinkansen tickets sell out? Yes, especially for weekend travel and during peak seasons, Shinkansen services can be fully booked.

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The PASS is valid on all Japan Railways (JR) Group Shinkansen “bullet trains” (except for the “NOZOMI” and “MIZUHO” trains), limited express trains, express trains, and local trains (Green Car passes are valid for Green Car travel) in addition to the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit system).

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Passengers are entitled to one seat per fare, to ensure other paying passengers are not excluded. Unless specific seats are assigned, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Seat availability is not guaranteed until we provide you with a reservation confirmation.

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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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The advantage of Green Car passes is that they allow you to ride in the Green Car on any JR train that has such cars (all shinkansen and tokkyu trains). As mentioned above, Green Car seats are more comfortable and spacious. The Green Cars tend to be quieter than ordinary cars. They also tend to be less crowded.

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