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Shinkansen tickets: prices and how to book
A reserved seat on the Nozomi from Tokyo to Kyoto costs ¥14,170 at the station[1] or ¥13,970 on smartEX, JR Central's own booking site[2]; to Shin-Osaka ¥14,720 or ¥14,520, regular season, one person. Seats go on sale at 10:00 Japan time one month ahead, and smartEX takes seat requests a year ahead[3][4][5]. Checked on 19 October 2026.
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka: what it costs
| One way, one person | Nozomi reserved, station | Nozomi reserved, smartEX | Non-reserved, smartEX | Green Car, station | EX Hayatoku 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo to Kyoto Nozomi 2 h 11 | ¥14,170[1] | ¥13,970[2] | ¥13,320[6] | ¥19,040 | ¥12,430[7] |
| Tokyo to Shin-Osaka Nozomi 2 h 27 | ¥14,720[1] | ¥14,520[2] | ¥13,870[6] | ¥19,590 | ¥12,980[7] |
| Shin-Osaka to Kyoto Nozomi 13 min | ¥3,080[1] | ¥2,880[2] | ¥1,450[6] | ¥3,850 |
Reserved seat prices change by season: 200 yen less off peak, 200 yen more at peak, 400 yen more in the busiest periods, per train. Non-reserved prices do not change. smartEX prices follow the same steps.[25] Up to 12 Nozomi an hour each way between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka in busy hours, and up to 18 Tokaido Shinkansen trains an hour in all.[26]
Kyoto to Shin-Osaka is 13 minutes by Shinkansen, 2,880 yen reserved on smartEX, or 23 minutes for 580 yen on the JR Special Rapid[1][2].
Cheaper fares booked ahead on smartEX
- EX Hayatoku 21, Nozomi, ordinary reserved: ¥12,430 to Kyoto, booked 21 days ahead or more[7]
- EX Hayatoku 7, Hikari, Kodama, ordinary reserved: ¥11,940 to Kyoto, booked 7 days ahead or more[8]
- EX Hayatoku 3, Nozomi, Green: ¥16,010 to Kyoto, booked 3 days ahead or more[9]
- EX Hayatoku 3, Hikari, Green: ¥14,120 to Kyoto, booked 3 days ahead or more[9]
- EX Hayatoku 3, Kodama, Green: ¥13,320 to Kyoto, booked 3 days ahead or more[9]
Price changes announced
To Kyoto: Nozomi reserved seats bought from 1 July 2027 cost 700 yen more (station 14,870, smartEX 14,670); Hikari and non-reserved do not change.[10] To Shin-Osaka: Nozomi reserved seats bought from 1 July 2027 cost 700 yen more (station 15,420, smartEX 15,220); Hikari and non-reserved do not change.[10]
With a Japan Rail Pass the Nozomi needs an extra ticket: ¥4,960 to Kyoto[27]. See the JR Pass calculator.
Every official way to book
| Where | Seats go on sale | JR Pass seats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| smartEX (Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Online Reservation Service) JR Central, with JR West and JR Kyushu | Seat requests from 5:30 one year before the travel date; the train and seat are confirmed one month before. Ordinary sale from 10:00 one month before. Up to 4 minutes before departure.[3][4][5] | No | JR Central's own booking site and app for Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and on to Hakata and Kagoshima. Registration with a credit card is free; seats can be requested a year ahead and the ticket is a QR code[4][11]. |
| JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION JR West | From 10:00 Japan time one month before travel, up to 6 minutes before departure.[12][13][14] | No | JR West's booking site sells regular tickets at the station price, from 10:00 one month ahead. The ticket is printed at a station machine with the card you paid with; a ticket that includes the Tokaido Shinkansen cannot be printed at JR East stations[14][15]. |
| JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation JR Kyushu | From 10:00 one month before travel, up to 6 minutes before departure; bookings taken 5:30 to 23:00 (the FAQ says 23:30) Japan time.[16][17] | No | JR Kyushu's booking site covers the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kagoshima at regular prices, but its tickets are collected only at JR Kyushu and JR West stations, not in Tokyo[17][18]. |
| JR-EAST Train Reservation JR East | From 10:00 Japan time one month before travel.[19] | No | JR East's booking site covers the Shinkansen north of Tokyo and the Hokuriku Shinkansen, not Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka. Membership is free and seats open at 10:00 one month ahead[19]. |
| JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation (official pass site) JR Group (six JR companies) | Seat reservations from 10:00 one month before travel (JR Central's statement for pass holders).[5] | Yes | Passes bought on the official pass site come with seat booking there before you arrive, on covered Shinkansen and limited express trains; the tickets are printed at a station machine[20][5]. |
| Reserved seat ticket machines at JR stations Each JR company | From 10:00 one month before travel.[5] | Yes | Every JR Central station machine has an English menu; some machines sell Shinkansen tickets and reserve seats, and pass holders can book seats on them[21][5]. |
| JR ticket offices (Midori no Madoguchi) and travel centres Each JR company | From 10:00 one month before travel.[5] | Yes | Staffed counters at the larger stations; tell them the stations, date and time, train, number of people and seat type, or show a rail pass for a seat ticket[21][5]. |
Booking step by step
On smartEX
- Register on the smartEX website or app with an email address and a credit card; you receive a 10 digit membership ID.[28]
- Log in with the membership ID and password and tap Search Train.[29]
- Enter the date, time, departure and arrival stations and number of people. Options here include a seat with an oversized baggage area.[29]
- Pick a train from the list; a Discount mark shows where an EX Hayatoku fare is offered.[29]
- Choose the fare and seat class, then a window or aisle seat, or pick seats on the seat map.[29]
- Check the details and tap OK Purchase; the card is charged in yen.[29]
- The booking is emailed and shown under My Trips, with how you will board: QR code, IC card or a ticket to pick up.[29]
- At the station, hold the QR code over a Shinkansen gate marked QR and take the Seat Information slip it prints; keep the QR code to exit.[30]
On JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION
- Choose Reserve Ticket by Selecting Stations (or by Selecting Train) and enter the date and the departure and arrival stations.[12]
- Select the train and seat.[31]
- Enter your details.[31]
- Confirm and pay by credit card; seat bookings are paid at the time of booking.[31]
- At a JR West, JR Shikoku, JR Kyushu or JR Central reserved seat machine with the e5489 mark, choose Receive reserved ticket and JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION, insert the same credit card and take the ticket.[32]
Which seat
- JR Central's own tip for Mount Fuji: seat E in an ordinary car, seat D in the Green Car[22].
- Non-reserved cars are usually cars 1 and 2 on Nozomi, 1 to 5 on Hikari, 1 to 6 and 13 to 16 on Kodama[22].
- At the busiest times of year every Nozomi seat is reserved, so book ahead[5].
- Ordinary cars have five seats a row, A B C and D E[23].
- The Green Car (first class) is cars 8 to 10, with wider seats and a power outlet at every seat[5][22].
- Supreme Class, private cabins in cars 7 and 10 of some Nozomi since October 2026, is sold only on smartEX: 60,790 yen for the two-person cabin, Tokyo to Shin-Osaka[24].
No food or drink sales in ordinary cars, so buy before boarding; free Wi-Fi on all Tokaido Shinkansen trains; toilets in the odd-numbered cars.[22]
Large suitcases
Cases up to 160 cm in total go on the rack or the deck racks. For cases from 161 to 250 cm, book a seat with an oversized baggage area, at no extra cost[33].
At a ticket office, a reserved seat ticket machine, smartEX, JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION, JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation, or JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation, by choosing a seat with an oversized baggage area. On sale one month ahead, like other reserved seats.[33]
Other sellers
JR Central lists Klook, Japan Experience, Inbound Platform, LINKTIVITY, KKday and Trip.com Group as Shinkansen Official Partners that sell Shinkansen QR tickets.[22]
| Seller | Price shown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| smartEX (JR Central) Official seller | ¥13,970 Tokyo to Kyoto, reserved | The railway's or issuer's own price |
| Klook Tokyo to Kyoto, reserved seat | ¥14,170[34] | Klook, a JR Central partner, showed JR's own station prices for 26 October 2026: 14,170 yen reserved Tokyo to Kyoto, 14,720 to Shin-Osaka[34][35]. |
| KKday Tokyo to Kyoto, from (JR's non-reserved price; seat prices after signing in) | ¥13,320[36] | KKday, also a JR Central partner, shows prices from 13,320 yen Tokyo to Kyoto and 13,870 yen to Shin-Osaka; seat prices show after signing in[36][37]. |
| 12Go Tokyo to Kyoto, reserved seat | ¥16,649[38] | 12Go, not on JR Central's partner list, asked 16,649 yen for a reserved seat Tokyo to Kyoto on 27 October 2026, about 2,500 yen more than JR[38]. |
Prices are as each seller showed them on the date in the sources.
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Sources
- JR West, JR Odekake Net, My Dia timetable and fare search, www.jr-odekake.net, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, smartEX Service prices, reserved seats in ordinary cars, as of 1 April 2025, smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX (JR Central, JR West, JR Kyushu), Reception Times/Time-Periods, smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, smartEX Service (product page), smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Central, All seats on Nozomi reserved during the major peak periods (page with reservation FAQ), global.jr-central.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, smartEX Service prices, non-reserved seats in ordinary cars, as of 1 April 2025 (PDF), smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, Hayatoku 21 prices, as of 13 March 2026 (PDF), smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, Hayatoku 7 prices, as of 27 February 2026 (PDF), smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, Hayatoku 3 prices, as of 7 May 2025 (PDF), smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Central and JR West, Revision of Nozomi and Mizuho reserved seat limited express charges and Green charges, www.westjr.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Internet Reservation Service (key points, cards, IC cards), smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR West, JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION (overview), www.westjr.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR West, JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION user guide, Reservation conditions, www.westjr.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR West, FAQ: How many minutes prior to departure can I book (JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION), support-faq.westjr.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR West, FAQ: Where are tickets reserved via JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION collected, support-faq.westjr.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Kyushu, JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation (service page), www.jrkyushu.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Kyushu, FAQ, JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation, www.jrkyushu.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Kyushu, JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation, Receipt of tickets, www.jrkyushu.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR East, FAQ (English), www.jreast.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- Japan Rail Pass (official), Purchase online, japanrailpass.net, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Central, How to buy Tickets, global.jr-central.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Central, Shinkansen Perfect Guide: Tickets and Tips (Golden Route with the Shinkansen), global.jr-central.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Tokai Tours (JR Central's travel company), Tokaido Shinkansen seat guide with fare comparison table, travel.jr-central.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Central, Supreme Class, global.jr-central.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR East, Season based reserved seat limited express charges, calendar as of 1 April 2026, www.jreast.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Central, Annual Report 2025, page 13 (PDF), global.jr-central.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- Japan Rail Pass (official), Use of NOZOMI and MIZUHO Shinkansen bullet trains, japanrailpass.net, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, How to Register, smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, Make Reservations (reservation guide), smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- smartEX, Boarding with QR-Ticket, smart-ex.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR West, JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION user guide, Reservation and payment method, www.westjr.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR West, JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION user guide, Receiving your ticket, www.westjr.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- JR Central, Luggage information (oversized baggage), global.jr-central.co.jp, accessed 19 October 2026
- Klook, Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen (search for Monday 26 October 2026, price shown in yen), www.klook.com, accessed 19 October 2026
- Klook, Tokyo to Osaka Shinkansen (search for Monday 26 October 2026, price shown in yen), www.klook.com, accessed 19 October 2026
- KKday, Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen (list for Tuesday 27 October 2026), www.kkday.com, accessed 19 October 2026
- KKday, Tokyo to Shin-Osaka Shinkansen (route page, departures shown for Monday 26 October 2026), www.kkday.com, accessed 19 October 2026
- 12Go, Tokyo to Kyoto (search for Tuesday 27 October 2026, 1 traveller, yen), 12go.asia, accessed 19 October 2026