The bullet train or shinkansen is one of the best features of Japan. It offers punctuality, comfort, safety, and the fastest mode of travel from city to city.
How to Enjoy the Bullet Train Shinkansen in Japan
What is the Shinkansen?
The shinkansen is the name of Japan’s high-speed bullet train. It is operated by Japan Railways (JR) and carries more than 420,000 people everyday. The train runs on dedicated tracks all over Japan and can reach speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). You can get from Tokyo to Osaka in just 2 hours and 27 minutes.
Services
There are three types of bullet train services: Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama. The Nozomi is the fastest stopping only at major stations; the Hikari is a little slower stopping at more stations; and the Kodama stops at all shinkansen stations.
Punctuality
Hundreds of trains depart everyday and the average annual delay is only 0.9 minutes per train. And that includes uncontrollable circumstances such as natural disasters!
Safety
The shinkansen has been in operation since 1964 and has not had a single accident. That’s quite an accomplishment considering there are around 350 daily departures and 10 Nozomi trains running in each direction every hour.
Comfort
The shinkansen offers spacious seating with plenty of legroom. The seats always face forward and can be reclined. There are pockets in the seat-back in front of you and tray tables, similar to airplane seating. There is also overhead storage for luggage.
Seats can be turned 180 degrees to face each other if you are traveling in a group.
Classes
There are two classes of cars, Ordinary and Green Car. The Green Car offers larger seats, more legroom, and are often less crowded.
Reserved Seats
It is not necessary to reserve a seat on most trains. Each train has 16 cars and approximately 1,300 seats. Trains rarely sell out except at peak travel times.
The Nozomi sells out the quickest and there are only three non-reserved cars, so it is best to get a seat reservation in advance on these trains.
The Hikari, and especially the Kodama, have more non-reserved cars and rarely sell out.
The exception is the Green Car. All seats are reserved in the Green Car.
Rail Pass
The Rail Pass offers an excellent savings for visitors to Japan. With the Rail Pass, you can ride all shinkansen bullet trains except the Nozomi and Mizuho trains. You do not need a ticket to ride in the non-reserved cars, but you can get a seat reservation for free at any JR ticket counter.
Shinkansen Etiquette
The bullet train shinkansen is an enjoyable experience for everyone. Just remember to follow Japanese etiquette so as not to disturb the people sitting around you.
- Stand in line before boarding the train.
- Don’t block the aisles.
- Put your phone on silent mode.
- Don’t talk too loudly.
- Use headphones when listening to music or videos.
- Don’t talk on your phone in your seat. Use the space in-between cars to make phone calls.
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Becki and Shawn
Japan Travel Specialists
Hi, we’re Becki and Shawn! We love Japan and are truly passionate about Japan and Japan travel.
We’ve lived, worked, and traveled in Japan for 20+ years, so we know where to go, what to see, and how to get there. Join us in Japan for an adventure of a lifetime!
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