Which pass covers Nozomi Shinkansen?

Tickets can be purchased when a JAPAN RAIL PASS holder uses a ?NOZOMI? or ?MIZUHO? train within the valid period of the JAPAN RAIL PASS. For JAPAN RAIL PASS (Green car) holders, tickets for Green cars, reserved seats in standard cars, and non-reserved seats in standard cars will be available for purchase.



In 2026, the standard Japan Rail (JR) Pass does not inherently cover the Nozomi (the fastest train on the Tokaido/Sanyo lines) or the Mizuho (the fastest on the Kyushu line). However, travelers can now purchase a special supplemental ticket called the "[ONLY WITH JAPAN RAIL PASS] NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket" for each leg of their journey. This allows JR Pass holders to use the faster trains for a set fee—roughly ¥4,000 to ¥5,000 depending on the distance—rather than paying the full fare. Alternatively, regional passes like the JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass or the Sanyo-San'in Area Pass do include the Nozomi and Mizuho trains within their specific coverage zones at no extra cost. For most national travelers, the standard JR Pass is still best used on the Hikari and Sakura trains, which are nearly as fast but make a few more stops. If your priority is pure speed and you are willing to pay the 2026 "Nozomi supplement," the special ticket provides the ultimate flexibility for traversing the Tokyo-Osaka-Fukuoka corridor in record time.

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Shinkansen Nozomi and Mizuho bullet trains (reserved and non-reserved) will be included in the JR Pass from October 2023. Both types of train operate on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. To use these trains, JR Pass holders must purchase a special complementary ticket.

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Differences in Fares For example, a reserved seat from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka on a Nozomi train costs 14, 450 yen, while the same seat on a Hikari or Kodama costs 14,140 yen. Please keep in mind that you might not be able to sit down when you buy a non-reserved seat ticket if the train is particularly crowded.

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To allow us to offer this pass at an extremely reasonable price, certain conditions are placed on usage. To use Nozomi or Mizuho, you will need to purchase regular tickets (basic fare ticket and limited express ticket).

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The main difference here is that the Nozomi stops at the least amount of stations, the Hikari only at the most important stops and the Kodama at each stop along the way. This way business people can travel fast from meeting to meeting, while tourists can get off at their desired stop, like Mt.

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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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Where Can I Board the Shinkansen? Platforms 14 through 23 at Tokyo Station are for all Shinkansen trains. Platforms 14-19 are for the Tokaido shinkansen and Sanyo shinkansen trains. Travelers headed to cities in western Japan like Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima will board from these platforms.

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While one Tokyo-Osaka shinkansen train (named the Kodama) ended its food and beverage services in 2012, the two remaining (Nozomi and Hikari) continued their trolley services, however, they, too, will be phased out completely by the end of October 2023.

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Nozomi trains require about 140 minutes to reach Kyoto from Tokyo, Hikari trains about 160 minutes and Kodama trains about four hours. The regular one way fare from Tokyo to Kyoto is 13,320 yen for a non-reserved seat or around 14,000 yen for a reserved seat.

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With the travel time of 2 hours and 30 minutes, Nozomi Tokyo to Osaka one-way ticket costs around 160 USD.

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The fastest way to travel between Tokyo and Osaka is via the Nozomi trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line. In just 2 hours and 30 minutes, you can get from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station. A one-way trip costs 13,620 yen (unreserved seat) or 14,650 yen (reserved seat), and is not covered by the JR Pass.

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The Nozomi is the fastest train category along the Tokaido Shinkansen, serving only major stations and requiring about 2.5 hours to reach Shin-Osaka from Tokyo. There are usually four departures per hour in each direction, and even more during peak hours.

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The fastest train is Nozomi which reaches an operating speed of 300 km/h (185 mph).

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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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