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When should I buy Shinkansen ticket?

Order Shinkansen Tickets At Least 3 Days In Advance 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).



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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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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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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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You can easily book reserved seats on the Shinkansen from one month before right up to the departure time of your chosen train. However, during peak national holidays such as the Golden Week, New Year, or Obon, we recommend booking 3-4 days in advance.

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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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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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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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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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Accepted credit cards The Shinkansen fare will be paid from your registered credit card at the time of purchase. Credit card payments need to be made by the member himself/herself; therefore card holders must be 18 or over. It is recommended to use a regular credit card for registration.

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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.

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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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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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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.

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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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If you calculate that your travel costs will be lower if you buy individual tickets for each journey, then it's not worth buying a JR Pass. However, if you take into account journeys on Shinkansen high-speed trains or other means of transport, the savings you make become substantial.

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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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In the event of a suspension in services or a delay of 2 hours or more, we will refund the amounts determined below to the credit card used to make payment.

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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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