How to book the shinkansen as a foreign visitor
Which website covers which line, why foreign cards get declined, the 30-day booking window, oversized luggage rules and what Tokyo to Osaka costs.
The shinkansen (bullet train) links Japan's major cities. You can book online in English, but each rail company runs its own booking site, so start by picking the right one.
Which booking site for which line
| Booking site | Covers | Typical trips |
|---|---|---|
| SmartEX | Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen | Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka–Hiroshima–Fukuoka |
| JR-EAST Train Reservation | Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu, Hokuriku, Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen | Tokyo–Sendai, Tokyo–Kanazawa, Tokyo–Niigata |
| JR-WEST Online Train Reservation | Western Japan, including Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen and limited express trains | Osaka–Hiroshima, Kansai Airport–Kyoto |
When to book
- Seats open at 10:00 Japan time, 30 days before departure.
- SmartEX and JR-EAST also accept advance requests up to 7 days before that.
- Outside peak seasons you can usually book on the day.
- During Golden Week, Obon and New Year, Nozomi trains on the Tokaido line become reserved-seat only. Book early for those dates.
Paying with a foreign card
All three sites take Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express (SmartEX also takes Discover), but they require 3D Secure verification. Payments fail when:
- your card is not enrolled in 3D Secure,
- your bank blocks the charge as suspicious, or
- the text message code does not reach your phone abroad.
If online payment keeps failing, buy at a station ticket machine or JR ticket office with your physical card. No 3D Secure step is needed there.
Tickets and boarding
- SmartEX and JR-EAST: link your Suica, PASMO or ICOCA and tap straight through the gate. SmartEX can also issue a QR ticket.
- JR-WEST: collect paper tickets from a station machine using your booking number.
Tokyo to Osaka: what it costs
| Ticket (adult, one way, regular season) | Approx. fare |
|---|---|
| Nozomi, reserved seat | ¥14,520 |
| Non-reserved seat | ¥13,870 |
| Nozomi, Green Car (first class) | ¥19,390 |
The trip takes about 2.5 hours on a Nozomi. Fares differ slightly by season and booking site.
Big suitcases
On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, bags with total dimensions (length + width + height) over 160 cm need a seat booked with the oversized baggage area, behind the last row of the car. The reservation is free. Without it, you may be charged about ¥1,000 on board. Bags over 250 cm are not allowed at all.
