User Guide
Change My Booking
Before Departure Time:
If it's before the departure time and within the valid period, changes to the date and time of limited express reserved seat tickets are possible. However, changes are limited to tickets of the same type, therefore changing from a reserved seat ticket to an unreserved seat ticket is not permitted.
After Departure Time:
Limited express reserved seat tickets can only be changed before the departure time from the boarding station. Keep in mind, after the reserved Shinkansen has departed, the ticket becomes invalid.
Missing the Train:
If you miss your train, what you can do next depends on whether that train has non-reserved cars.
| For the originally intended train | Handling |
|---|---|
| Hayabusa (はやぶさ), Hayate (はやて), Komachi (こまち), Tsubasa (つばさ) and Kagayaki (かがやき) are all-reserved services. Nozomi (のぞみ) also operates with all seats reserved during JR Central/JR West designated peak periods; the dates vary by year. | These trains do not have ordinary non-reserved cars. If you miss your reserved train, same-day options depend on the service. For Hayabusa, Hayate, Komachi, Tsubasa and Kagayaki, eligible later travel may be allowed standing under JR East rules. During designated all-reserved Nozomi peak periods, you may stand in the ordinary-car deck of a later Nozomi, or use a non-reserved car on a later Hikari or Kodama. A new reserved-seat ticket is required if you want another reserved seat. |
| Azusa (あずさ), Kaiji (かいじ), Fuji Excursion (富士回遊), Hachioji (はちおうじ), Ome (おうめ), Hitachi (ひたち), Tokiwa (ときわ), Shonan (湘南), Odoriko (踊り子), Akagi (あかぎ), Narita Express (成田エクスプレス) | You may board subsequent limited express trains while standing. If there are available seats, you may use them. |
- For any other train, your ticket stays valid the same day on the same route: ride in a non-reserved car on a later train. The reserved-seat portion is not refunded.
Date Changes:
The validity period of limited express unreserved seat tickets is one day, so if you wish to change the date to another day, you can do so through designated “Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machine / 指定席券売機” or “JR Ticket Office / みどりの窓口”. However, it is essential that the ticket meets the correct conditions.
Time Changes:
Unlike limited express reserved seat tickets, unreserved seat tickets do not specify a specific seat or time. As long as it is within the valid period, you can board during preferred time.
For Shinkansen reserved seats, you can make changes through the “Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machine / 指定席券売機” or “JR Ticket Office / みどりの窓口”. When using the JR Ticket Office, please inform the staff that you wish to change your seat.
It is possible to change the travel route from the original ticket, for example, from “Tokyo to Nagoya” to “Tokyo to Shin-Osaka.” However, changes are only possible within the valid period and before the departure of your train. Additional charges may apply depending on your route.
“Disembark Midway / 途中下車” on the Shinkansen refers to exiting the station through the ticket gate at a station prior to your designated destination. For example, if you exit through the ticket gate to visit a tourist spot near the station, that is considered as “Disembark Midway”.
Please note that when you “Disembark Midway” by using your boarding ticket and limited express train ticket, the limited express train ticket is usually collected. This invalidates the remaining segments of your trip, so be careful or you'll need to purchase another limited express ticket to reboard.
Some boarding tickets do allow you to “Disembark Midway” depending on the travel conditions and boarding segments. The boarding tickets that do allow you to “Disembark Midway” will not be collected by the ticket gates, therefore allowing you to re-enter the gate and continue your journey on the shinkansen. If your boarding ticket do not allow re-boarding, you will need to purchase another ticket to re-board.
