First Time Riding the Shinkansen: Which Seat Ticket Should I Buy? (A Complete Guide)​

1. Types of Shinkansen

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In simple terms:

There are ​10 Shinkansen lines​ nationwide in Japan, operated by ​5 JR companies, including ​8 standard Shinkansen lines​ and ​2 mini-Shinkansen lines.

2. Shinkansen Seat Classifications

First-time Shinkansen passengers might be confused about which type of ticket to buy.

There are four types of Shinkansen seats: non-reserved seats, reserved seats, Green Cars (グリーン座), and Gran Class.

2.1 Non-reserved seats

Non-reserved seats: As the name suggests, they offer freedom to sit wherever you want, provided you have a seat. Generally, the first three Shinkansen cars are non-reserved seats. If there's a vacant seat, you can sit there. If there's no seat, you'll have to stand.

Before departure, check the big screen to see which car is the non-reserved seat.

Unreserved seats are the cheapest and offer the best value for money if you're not traveling during peak hours or your trip is short.

The advantage of unreserved seats is that they offer greater freedom of travel, with no car restrictions. On the day of purchase, you can ride in any unreserved car on the Shinkansen route you purchased your ticket for. Of course, unreserved seats can also be converted to reserved seats before boarding for an additional fee.

Notes:

① There are no unreserved seats on the Tohoku Shinkansen.

② During peak travel periods in Japan (such as the New Year's Day holiday), some lines (such as the Nozomi train) will have all reserved seats, eliminating unreserved seats.

③ For those with large luggage, some Shinkansen lines require reserved seats.

2.2 Reserved Seats

As the name suggests, a reserved seat designates a specific seat as mine. Therefore, when purchasing a reserved seat, you are purchasing a ticket for a specific seat on a specific train.

Both the reserved and unreserved seats are in the same carriage, with the same seats.

What if I want to change my ticket? Can I get a refund?

If your ticket hasn't been used, you can only change it once before departure. You can do so at any JR ticket counter (not only for tickets purchased at the station, but also for tickets purchased at discounted ticket shops).

If you miss the train after it leaves, you can't change to a reserved seat on the following train, but you can still sit in a non-reserved seat.

2.3 Green Cars

Green Cars offer more spacious seating than non-reserved and reserved seats, and generally have better amenities. Therefore, the cost of choosing these cars is slightly higher. If your journey is longer, consider choosing a green car.

Green cars are marked with a green four-leaf clover logo, and they are found not only on the Shinkansen but also on other trains.

2.4 Premium Carriages

Premium cars offer more comfortable and luxurious seating than Green Carriages. Currently, Premium Carriages are available on select trains of the Tohoku Shinkansen, Hokkaido Shinkansen, and Hokuriku Shinkansen. Prices are higher than Green Carriages, and complimentary light meals and drinks are provided.

3. Shinkansen Baggage Regulations

Starting in May 2020, passengers on Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu, and Nishikyushu trains with luggage measuring between 160cm and 250cm in length, width, and height will be required to reserve a seat in advance. Failure to do so will incur a 1,000 yen baggage fee (except for all non-reserved seats).

Luggage shorter than 160cm can be placed directly in the overhead bin or in front of your seat without reservation. Luggage longer than 250cm cannot be taken on the Shinkansen.

This rule has been around for a while, but it's honestly not implemented very well. I've repeatedly reserved seats in the last row of the train, only to find they were already occupied by the time I boarded. In these cases, I've had to negotiate with the conductor, who sometimes shows up long after I've boarded. If my seat isn't in the aisle, I'm stuck standing back, holding onto my luggage.

After so many encounters, I've learned to coordinate on my own: I'll just ask on the train, "Whose luggage has the last seat reserved? Can you please move?"