How early should I arrive at the Shinkansen?

Some trains might have a stop as brief as 1 minute, while others might stop 5 to 10 minutes due to waiting for other Shinkansen to pass. Regardless, arriving at the platform about 15 minutes before the departure time provides ample mental and physical preparation.



People Also Ask

Some trains might have a stop as brief as 1 minute, while others might stop 5 to 10 minutes due to waiting for other Shinkansen to pass. Regardless, arriving at the platform about 15 minutes before the departure time provides ample mental and physical preparation.

MORE DETAILS

Throughout Japan, rush hour typically lasts from 7 AM to 9 AM each morning, and 5 PM to 7 PM each evening. These are the times when many residents and going and coming from secular employment. The morning rush hour tends to be a bit heavier than the evening rush hour.

MORE DETAILS

How early should I arrive at the station to catch a train in Japan? We advise arriving at least half an hour earlier, although it's better to get to the station about 45 minutes before your train departs if you've never been there before.

MORE DETAILS

The high speed railway is called the Shinkansen and is known for its safety and reliability. In addition, the Shinkansen is well known for punctuality. As a matter of fact, the average delay of trains is less than one minutes every year.

MORE DETAILS

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

MORE DETAILS

If you miss your stop on the Shinkansen in Japan, you have a few options: You can ask the conductor to let you off at the next station. The conductor may be able to do this if there are seats available, but they are not obligated to do so.

MORE DETAILS

A gradually decreasing number of shinkansen trains are served by small food carts with a selection of snacks, drinks and boxed meals (bento) which periodically pass along the aisle. Free Wi-Fi is available on board of all shinkansen except on some older train sets in eastern Japan.

MORE DETAILS

Avoid the rush hour Welcome to Tokyo's rush hour, which runs approximately between 7.30am-9.30am and 5.30pm-7.30pm, although the mornings are definitely more of a squeeze. If you're not a fan of crowds or have large luggage, it may be worth outside the peak times.

MORE DETAILS

Kodama is the slowest of the three trains which operate on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. This is due to the larger number of stops in comparison to the other two bullet trains on this line. The Kodama train stops at every station and takes almost four hours to reach Shin-Osaka.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Above all else, the Shinkansen has a remarkable safety record. These Shinkansens have now operated for 50 years, over 18,000 days, without a single passenger casualty.

MORE DETAILS

There are no crowds on the intercity Shinkansen trains so free seats tend to be available. However, it is recommended to book a seat before boarding any train during the following peak seasons: April 27 to May 6. August 11-20.

MORE DETAILS

When boarding directly from a Shinkansen station, please insert your tickets into the Shinkansen ticket gate prior to boarding. Your tickets are required for on-board ticket checks and exiting the station at your destination. Please do not lose or forget to take your tickets.

MORE DETAILS

Find the name of your train on the board above the ticket gate and check the platform from which the train departs. Find your car number indicated on your ticket. *On reserved seats cars/sections, “???”, “??”, “?”, or “RESERVED” will be displayed.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS