Japan’s iconic bullet trains, generally known as the Shinkansen, are world-famous—and for good purpose. The Shinkansen high-speed trains are quick, futuristic, environment friendly, secure, and comfy, making them arguably the most well-known trains globally. Greater than only a technique of transport, the Shinkansen is a must-see vacationer attraction that has turn into synonymous with Japan.

Touring on a bullet prepare in Japan is a bucket-list expertise for a lot of guests, akin to visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in New York. It additionally affords the added advantage of enabling you to attain locations throughout this spectacular nation.

In our full information to experiencing Japan’s Shinkansen high-speed trains, we’ll present all the things you want to learn about touring by rail in Japan. From reserving seats to exploring the most cost-effective ticket choices with the JR Move for limitless journey, the latest routes, enjoyable info, and rather more—All aboard!

Overview:

What’s the Shinkansen High-Speed Prepare?

The Japanese phrase for ‘bullet prepare,’ Shinkansen, interprets immediately to ‘new trunk line’. It additionally references the Japanese time period ‘dangan ressha’ (弾丸列車), in addition to the bullet-shaped nostril of the very first Shinkansen prepare collection. Though initially that means ‘new trunk line,’ the time period Shinkansen has been extra generally used for many years to refer to each the trains and the tracks they function on.

Operated by the Japan Railways (JR) Group, the nation’s Shinkansen trains join Japan’s fundamental islands from Sapporo in the north to Kagoshima in the south. These unimaginable high-speed trains cease at almost all main Japanese cities—Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and lots of others—throughout varied interconnecting Shinkansen strains and prepare classes. With only a few exceptions, these strains are completely for Shinkansen trains, making just about no metropolis off-limits, particularly when paired with a Japan Rail Move. This particular ticket affords limitless journey on the total nationwide JR community, together with the high-speed Shinkansen strains.

The Tokaido Shinkansen, arguably the nation’s hottest line, travels from Tokyo by way of Kyoto to Osaka, servicing a number of main cities alongside a route of historic significance since feudal Japan, initially important for commerce. As we speak, the line options three classes of trains, every differing in phrases of velocity and availability.

One other key line is the Sanyo Shinkansen, touring by way of Okayama and Hiroshima, and generally known as the ‘spine of the JR railways’. It affords 5 forms of trains, additionally various by velocity and availability. The Nagasaki Shinkansen, formally the Nishi Kyushu or ‘West Kyushu’ Shinkansen, which started operations between 2022 and 2023, connects Nagasaki Metropolis to Fukuoka with a brand new high-speed prepare named ‘Kagome’, that means ‘seagull’.

Lastly, an extension to the Hokuriku Shinkansen, extending the line to Tsuruga, providing journeys to Fukui Prefecture.

The Evolution of Shinkansen

Ever since its launch, Japan’s Shinkansen has been celebrated for its record-breaking velocity, effectivity, and security. The iconic design has regularly advanced since the 1960s, and extra not too long ago, it has been refined into varied aerodynamic nostril shapes, together with a duck-billed design, to mitigate the noise situation attributable to sonic booms when passing by way of tunnels.

One in every of the newest fashions is the N700S ‘Supreme’ Shinkansen, operated by JR Central on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen strains. This prepare boasts a formidable new prime velocity of 362 km/h (225 mph).

Suggestions For Touring on the Shinkansen High-Speed Trains in Japan

When you’re visiting Japan for the first time, navigating the nation’s distinctive rail community may appear daunting, however it’s a lot easier than it seems. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless essential to do your analysis earlier than your journey. We’re right here to help with a collection of the greatest common Shinkansen journey ideas to guarantee a clean expertise.

Checklist of Shinkansen Traces

• Tokaido Shinkansen
• Sanyo Shinkansen
• Tohoku Shinkansen (plus Yamagata and Akita)
• Hokkaido Shinkansen
• Joetsu Shinkansen
• Hokuriku Shinkansen
• Kyushu Shinkansen
• Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen

Shinkansen Seat Lessons

Shinkansen trains supply three fundamental seat courses: Unusual, Inexperienced Automotive, and Gran Class.

Unusual seats are akin to financial system class, offering primary consolation. Inexperienced Automotive seats resemble enterprise class with added facilities and area, whereas Gran Class affords a luxurious expertise related to first-class. All seat courses enable the seats to be rotated 180 levels to guarantee passengers can all the time face the course of journey.

Moreover, seats will be adjusted to face one another, which is good for teams. Seat configurations sometimes are 2×2 in Inexperienced Automotive and Gran Class, with a 3×2 configuration extra frequent in Unusual Class.

How to Reserve Seats on the Bullet Prepare

Shinkansen trains supply each non-reserved and reserved seating in separate automobiles. Sure providers require reservations, and a few could change to absolutely reserved throughout nationwide holidays comparable to the New Yr, Obon, or Golden Week, so it’s essential to verify earlier than you journey.

If you’re touring with a Japan Rail Move, one in all the nice benefits is the capacity to make advance seat reservations at no extra price. Seats will be reserved at Midori no Mado Guchi ticket places of work, that are identifiable by their inexperienced indicators, or at Journey Service Centres and JR-associated Journey Businesses.

For a number of years, JR East has been the solely service offering a web based English language reservation system accessible from exterior Japan, whereas all different strains require reservations to be made in individual as soon as in Japan.

To order a seat, merely current your JR Move at the Midori no Mado Guchi, specify your prepare and choice for smoking or non-smoking, and you’ll obtain your reserved seat ticket. Simply present your Japan Rail Move at the ticket gate, proceed to your platform, and ensure to maintain maintain of your ticket as you may want to current each your JR Move and seat reservation to the ticket inspector.

Boarding the Shinkansen

Boarding a Shinkansen is easy: upon arriving at the station, go by way of the common ticket gates, head to the Shinkansen platform, and go by way of the Shinkansen ticket gates to your platform.

Your carriage quantity will likely be indicated in your ticket, with carriage numbers additionally marked on the floor and on indicators overhead (non-reserve carriages are sometimes numbered 1-5). Line up behind the white line and wait in your prepare. Upon its arrival, enter and discover your seat (seat numbers are indicated above the home windows).

When you’re in an unreserved carriage, it’s possible you’ll sit in any obtainable seat. As soon as settled, merely loosen up and luxuriate in your journey!

What’s the Baggage Allowance on the Shinkansen?

When boarding the Shinkansen, passengers could carry up to two items of luggage on board freed from cost. The mixed size, width, and peak of every bag should not exceed 250 centimeters, with no particular person facet longer than two meters, and the weight should not exceed 30 kilograms.

Luggage measuring lower than 160 cm (mixed dimensions) will be introduced on board with out prior reservation. For baggage between 160 cm and 250 cm, a previous reservation is required, which will be made for gratis. Failure to reserve in advance could outcome in a 1,000 yen fantastic, and the baggage could also be relocated by the prepare conductor. Baggage exceeding 250 centimeters will not be permitted on the prepare and would require various transport preparations.

Reservations will be made by way of the Eki-Web App, at ticket machines, or in individual at ticket counters. If you’re utilizing a JR Move, it’s advisable to make each your seat and baggage reservations concurrently.

Basic Shinkansen Guidelines

Touring on the Shinkansen, like every public transportation, comes with its personal etiquette:

• Free Wi-Fi: Most Shinkansen trains supply free Wi-Fi entry (study extra about Wi-Fi entry in Japan)
• Bento Containers: A collection of trains present boxed meals (bento) for buy.
• No-Smoking: Smoking is prohibited on all Shinkansen trains.
• Queueing: Passengers are anticipated to kind orderly strains to facilitate secure and environment friendly boarding.
• Telephones on Silent: Preserve cellphones on silent mode and keep away from taking calls in the seating space. When you should take a name, use the designated spots between automobiles.
• Use of Headphones: To take care of a cushty atmosphere, passengers ought to use headphones when listening to music or watching movies.
• Baggage Necessities: Refer to the baggage coverage detailed above for dimension and weight restrictions and verify the JR Group web site for updates.

How To Purchase Tickets to Journey on the Shinkansen High-Speed Prepare

• Ticket Buy: You should buy common Shinkansen tickets at ticket counters, by way of ticket machines, and on-line.
• JR Move: The JR Move affords limitless journey on Japan’s home rail community and is offered for buy on-line. It may be used on all Shinkansen prepare strains, though a supplemental price is required for the Nozomi and Mizuho trains. As famous earlier, JR Move holders additionally profit from complimentary seat reservations. The JR Move will be bought for 7, 14, or 21 days, relying on the length of your keep and your journey plans.

Purchase your JR Move immediately with the operator

Prime 5 Shinkansen Info

Japan’s outstanding Shinkansen trains are celebrated for rather more than their iconic look. Listed here are our prime 5 info about Shinkansen:

1. Spectacular Passenger Numbers: In its debut yr, the Shinkansen transported 11 million passengers. As we speak, it carries over 150 million passengers yearly.
2. File-Breaking Pace: Identified for his or her velocity, Shinkansen continues to break information. The Alpha-X, one in all Japan’s quickest trains, can journey from Tokyo to Sapporo in simply three hours—a journey that beforehand took seven hours. This 10-car experimental bullet prepare, operated by JR-East on the Tohoku Shinkansen line, can attain accelerates to 400 km/h.
3. Unmatched Security: Regardless of their velocity, Shinkansen trains boast a formidable security file with no passenger fatalities in almost 50 years of operation. They’re geared up with superior security options, comparable to automated air brakes for earthquakes, full lively suspension, and a brand new ATC braking system in fashions like the N700S Supreme Shinkansen. The Alpha-X additionally incorporates revolutionary security applied sciences, together with air brakes on the roof and magnetic plates close to the rails.
4. Unbelievable Punctuality: Shinkansen trains are so environment friendly that the common delay per prepare is simply 12 seconds.
5. Eco-Pleasant Journey: Shinkansen are considerably extra environmentally pleasant in contrast to airplanes, producing 92% much less carbon emissions per seat.

These info spotlight not solely the technological marvels of the Shinkansen but in addition their crucial position in Japan’s transportation infrastructure and environmental efforts.