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Questions tagged [shinkansen]

From the Japanese for "new trunk line", the system on which Japan's high speed (sometimes called "bullet") trains operate and the trains, sometimes referred to as "Superexpress", that run on this network.

Shinkansen.

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How can I find out what type of train is used for a Shinkansen service?

One of my kids' favorite destinations near Tokyo is the Railway Museum, which as a bonus can be visited by taking the Shinkansen bullet train two stops from Tokyo to Omiya. This particular section of track is plied by basically all northbound…
lambshaanxy
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Stop along the Tokyo-Kyoto Shinkansen for Mt Fuji views

We are currently in Tokyo and will be traveling to Kyoto tomorrow, March 31, by bullet train (nothing booked yet). We would like to see Mt Fuji along the way. Ideally it will take as little time out of the trip as possible, as we have a full…
swrobel
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Can I converse with Japanese travellers on the Shinkansen or is it rude?

I'm planning to travel from Osaka to Tokyo and back, and since the ride will be long, I think it's the perfect time to make friends. However, I'm unsure how the Japanese see this kind of behaviour - a stranger suddenly conversing with them who is a…
Zaenille
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Stopovers on Shinkansen services?

I'm planning a Hakodate-Tokyo journey this summer after the Hokkaido Shinkansen opens, but it's a four-hour journey even on the fastest service and I'd like to take a break, stretch my legs and eat some sushi somewhere along the way. (Yes, I'm…
lambshaanxy
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Where does the Tokaido Shinkansen stop in Tokyo?

I'm planning on taking the Nozomi category of the Tokaido shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo. I'm trying to figure out where exactly in Tokyo it stops. As best I can tell from Googling it stops in Tokyo Station, but I haven't been able to get definitive…
David says Reinstate Monica
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What are my options for reserving JR Shinkansen tickets in advance over the new year period?

So far after some extensive research it seems that reserving the tickets on eki-net.com when the tickets goes on sale seems to be the surest way of securing my seats over the new year period. The different options can be found here. I'll be…
lonestarz
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JR (Japan Rail) Pass - Get exchange order without it being physically delivered to me?

Is there any way to get a JR Pass exchange order, without it being physically delivered to me? Ideally in electronic form (like a simple email). But if not, could I perhaps pick it up somewhere (ideally at a major airport I'll be passing…
user8803
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How do reserved seat tickets work when I use an IC card to ride the Tohoku Shinkansen?

I'm planning to take a few trips on the Tohoku Shinkansen in the near future, and I'd like to use JR East's online eki-net service to order the tickets. It looks like they offer an option to have the ticket tied to an IC card, which would be…
nanofarad
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Hokkaido Shinkansen - Sendai with JR Pass

We are travelling from Hakodate to Fukushima (changing at Sendai) on 28th March. 1) Can somebody confirm whether our JR Pass will be valid on this date? This website http://www.jreasthokkaido.com/e/index.html says it is launching only from 1st…
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How early should I reserve Shinkansen tickets during April?

Is it enough to buy Shinkansen tickets at the day of departure or should I buy them several days in advance if I want to secure a seat? I'll be travelling between Osaka and Hiroshima during early April.
user32382
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Travelling from Narita airport to Sendai

I arrive at Narita airport in early October at about 9am but need to get to Sendai. I thought of booking the Shinkansen from Tokyo (or Ueno?) for some suitable time (say, 11am), but I would like to know what would happen if my flight is delayed – is…
user13190
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Can I buy Shinkansen tickets that allow onward travel on JR regional trains?

The other day, I took a train trip from a station just outside the Kyoto city boundaries to Yokohama using the Nozomi Shinkansen for the Kyoto–(Shin-)Yokohama portion. I noticed on my outbound journey that if you are connecting from JR regional…
Jan
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JR (Japan Rail) pass in fastest types of Shinkansens

I learnt today that the JR pass doesn't allow one to travel using the fastest type of Shinkansens, namely Nozomi and Mizuho (running in the Tokaido-Sanyo-Kyushu lines). For reference see this webpage. I am very surprised to know this because I do…
Maharshi Ray
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Is it a good idea to only allow 24 hours to get from Hiroshima to Tokyo for my flight home?

I'm going to Japan in May with my girlfriend, we are starting in Tokyo, then heading to Kyoto, Osaka and finishing in Hiroshima. We are then flying back home from Tokyo 16th May at 8am. We are planning on riding the shinkansen on the 15th in the…
EcSync
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Shinkasen Help, what do I do?

I bought tickets for the Shinkasen from Fuji to Kyoto via Bookaway but I had to buy another ticket from Shinagawa to shin Fuji at the Shinagawa station. However it was the same train to Kyoto. So we stayed on what do we do when we get to Kyoto?
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