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.

The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) covers a vast network of trains, but several key lines and services are notably excluded in 2026. The most significant exclusions are the Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen services, which are the fastest bullet trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu lines. To ride these specific trains, pass holders must pay a supplemental "Nozomi/Mizuho" upcharge. Additionally, the JR Pass does not cover private (non-JR) railway lines, such as the Odakyu line to Hakone, the Kintetsu line in the Kansai region, or the Tobu line to Nikko. Most city subways and metros (like the Tokyo Metro or Osaka Metro) are also not covered because they are operated by municipal or private companies, not JR. Furthermore, while the pass covers JR buses, it does not cover "Highway Buses" or most local city buses. For travelers in 2026, it is essential to distinguish between JR-operated lines (like the Yamanote Line in Tokyo) and private lines to avoid unexpected fares at the ticket gates, even though many of these private lines now accept IC cards like Suica or Pasmo for payment.