Trains in Japan : online reservation overview
Shinkansen
©fikri rasyid, unsplash
Reservations with a Japan Rail Pass
Train in Japan : online reservation Overview with a Japan Rail Pass
Shinkansen and Limited Express
Seat reservations on line for Limited Express or Shinkansen with a Japan Rail Pass are still difficult even if we can notice effort on the JR Company’s websites. The best way is to do the seat reservations you need as soon as you have exchanged your voucher, and the ideal time for reservations is the New Year period and the Golden Week. When purchasing train tickets online, the option to reserve a seat comes with each individual ticket, though non-reserved seat tickets are also available.
Please note that in Narita and Haneda airport the JR Travel Service Center will allow only one reservation. Other reservations can be made in any big stations within Tokyo.
JR East Train reservation
This is the only website with a reservation online system.
JR Kyushu Train reservation
You can do on line seat reservation for Kyushu Limited Express trains only if you have booked a Kyushu Rail Pass with a referred travel agency.
It is only for the following limited Express :
- Yufuin no Mori (Hakata ↔ Yufuin/Beppu),
- Yufu (Hakata ↔ Beppu/Oita),
- Ibusuki no Tamatebako (Kagoshima-Chuo ↔ Ibusuki),
- Kawasemi Yamasemi (Kumamoto ↔ Hitoyoshi),
- A-Train (Kumamoto ↔ Misumi),
- Umisachi-Yamasachi (Miyazaki ↔ Nango),
- Aso Boy! (Beppu/Oita ↔ Aso),
- SL Hitoyoshi (Kumamoto ↔ Hitoyoshi)
Price : 1000 yens
Yufuin No Mori
©Tayawee Supan, unsplash
JR West and JR Central :
JR West and JR Central have launched an Tokaidosanyo shinkansen App available in United States, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand.
With this app, you can easily book seats and purchase Shinkansen tickets!
- Beginning one month prior to departure
- Both inside and outside of Japan
- For up to 6 people at once
You can reserve seats if you are using a Japan Rail Pass, JR East Pass (Tohoku area /Nagano, Niigata area), JR Tokyo Wide Pass, Hokuriku Arch Pass, JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass, JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass, or Hokkaido Rail Pass.
Other useful Apps are available : click here to learn more.
JR West has also launched a new service on its website : reservation on line that you can receive directly on a ticket machine.
