What happens if my Shinkansen is Cancelled?

Train cancellations and delays A full refund is made of fares and charges when a trip is canceled. When there is a service cancellation during a trip, the fare for the interval not traveled is refunded. In addition, any charges for limited express and express trains and other such canceled travel are refunded.



If your Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) is cancelled due to weather, technical issues, or significant delays, the JR (Japan Railways) refund policy is very robust and passenger-friendly. If the train is cancelled or delayed by more than two hours, you are entitled to a full refund of the "Limited Express" (Surcharge) portion of your ticket, even if you still complete the journey on a later train. If you decide not to travel at all because of the cancellation, you can get a full refund of the entire ticket (both the base fare and the surcharge) at any JR ticket office (Midori-no-Madoguchi) with no handling fee. In 2026, if you booked through the Smart EX or Ekinet apps, you can often process these refunds or change your reservation to the next available train directly on your smartphone at no extra cost. If the cancellation happens while you are at the station, staff will usually guide you to the non-reserved cars of the next departing train. For those using a JR Pass, you cannot get a "refund" for a specific day, but you can simply go to the ticket counter and have them issue you a new reserved seat for a later train for free.

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* You may change your train once with no charges at a ticket vending machine or ticket counters in any JR Central, JR West or JR Kyushu Shinkansen station provided that your reserved train has not yet departed and the train you wish to change to is for the same date, the same boarding sections, the same facilities and ...

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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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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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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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If a train is cancelled (and that's what's happened here) you're entitled to take the next train that matches any restrictions on your ticket. So if your ticket is routed via a certain place, you must go that way, or if it's only valid on a certain train company, you must use that companies services.

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If a train is cancelled (and that's what's happened here) you're entitled to take the next train that matches any restrictions on your ticket. So if your ticket is routed via a certain place, you must go that way, or if it's only valid on a certain train company, you must use that companies services.

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If a train is cancelled (and that's what's happened here) you're entitled to take the next train that matches any restrictions on your ticket. So if your ticket is routed via a certain place, you must go that way, or if it's only valid on a certain train company, you must use that companies services.

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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 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.

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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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Shinkansen, limited express trains, and express trains have reserved Green car seats, reserved standard car seats, and non-reserved seats. Some trains do not have non-reserved seats (all seats are reserved).

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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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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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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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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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