The Japan Rail system covers the majority of cities in Japan. Being recognised as one of the most advanced rail network in the world, the Shinkansen system is run by the JR companies (i.e. Japan Railways Companies), including JR East, JR West, JR Hokkaido, JR Central, JR Shikoku & JR Kyushu. Besides the Shinkansen system, there are also a wide high speed rail network that is covering destinations to suburbs. Besides the official JR companies, some high speed rails are also run by different Japanese private railway companies.

How to book Shinkansen tickets on Klook?

Traveling by local trains in Japan has never been easier! Traveling across major cities in Japan with local train journeys is simple with Klook. Book Shinkansen/Japan rail tickets with Klook to get seat reservation in advance and skip the line & bypass language barriers at the station. Besides English, our booking system also supports your local language so you may book with ease.

We partner with JR companies & JR train operators to offer Japan bullet train and express train tickets across multiple major cities, including but not limited to trains from Tokyo to Osaka, from Tokyo to Kyoto, from Osaka to Tokyo, from Kyoto to Tokyo, from Tokyo to Nagoya, from Nagoya to Tokyo, from from Osaka to Fukui, from Fukui to Osaka. Apart from one way trip, we also offer japan rail pass (JR pass) and other Japanese train tickets for you to experience all bullet trains across all stations in the city centres.

What are the Shinkansen lines?

There are 9 Shinkansen lines in total. Starting from the west of Tokyo, the Tokaido Shinkansen connects Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka; the famous Nozomi train is also running within this Shinkansen line. The Sanyo Shinkansen line connects Osaka to Fukuoka; it is an extension of the Tokaido Shinkansen that certain trains would take you from Tokyo to Fukuoka (Hakata). Zooming into Kyushu region, we now have the Kyushu Shinkansen, operating from Hakata to Kagoshima.

Looking at the North and East of Tokyo, we will have 6 more Shinkansen lines. The Hokuriku Shinkansen and Joetsu Shikansen takes you from Tokyo to Kanazawa & Niigata respectively. The Tokoku Shinkansen offers services between Tokyo and Aomori, with 2 extension lines as Yamagata Shinkansen (from Fukushima) and Akita Shinkansen (from Morioka). Last but not least, we have the Hokkaido Shinkansen, offering services between Aomori and Hakodate.

What is the Nozomi train?

Being famous of its operating speed, the Nozomi Shinkansen trains can run up to as fast as 300km/h (185 mph). The bullet train from Tokyo Station runs all the way to Shin Osaka station or Kyoto station. The Nozomi trains is thus the fastest way to travel from Tokyo to Osaka. Since it is not covered by the Whole Japan Rail Pass, booking the standalone ticket might be an easier option to experience the speed of the bullet train.

Trip from Tokyo to Osaka and Tokyo to Kyoto

As two of the busiest Shinkansen routes, the Tokaido Shinkansen connects the 3 of the biggest cities in Japan with up to 32 trains running a day. Being the fastest way to go between Tokyo and Osaka, you will arrive at the west of Japan from its capital after a 2.5-hour ride. What’s the best is that the train stations are all located in city centers, so there are no needs to spend extra time and budget to travel from/to the airports to city. Search now on Klook to check ticket prices and schedules for your bullet train tickets to get from Tokyo station to Shin Osaka station or Kyoto!

During your journey to Shin Osaka station, the Tokyo to Osaka Shinkansen bullet train will pass through a couple of popular points, including the famous Mount Fuji, bringing you a hassle free train ride with various attractions. Once you arrive at the JR Osaka station, you may also travel directly to the Universal Studios Japan!

Shinkansen Train Class

There are 2 types of train class offered by the bullet train for you to travel on:-

Green Car: Equivalent to the first class; with the higher ticket price, you may expect a seat with more comfort, quiet and space. You are also given complimentary drinks, snacks & newspaper on certain trains which give you the best train travel experience. WiFi is available on the whole Shinkansen train.

Ordinary Car: The second class service. With the more affordable price, you may still expect a decent enough train travel experience with the high Japanese standard. Again, all the Shinkansen trains offer WiFi.

Shinkansen Seat Types

There are 2 types of seat offered by the Shinkansen train:-Reserved Seat: Reserved seat means your seat is secured. You will have to board the exact train that you have made your seat reservations with designated seat, car number and train number.

Non Reserved Seat: You will get a better flexibility with the Non Reserved Seat ticket as the train and seat are both not fixed. You may ride the non-reserved car on any trains on the designated travel date that you have booked for. However, trains on certain routes (i.e. Tokyo > Osaka/Kyoto) might get very busy on the peak season, such as cherry blossoms season, and seats might be taken quick so you will need to keep standing for your whole train trip.

Shinkansen & Express Train Tickets vs Japan Rail Pass

Some of you might be deciding on booking a standalone Shinkansen/Express train ticket or getting a JR Pass. This really depends on your travel plan. If you have plans to take multiple Shinkansen trips and travel across multiple major cities in Japan, then no doubt getting a JR pass will offer better value for money. Otherwise, you can go for the standalone or one way trip tickets instead of the JR pass that might better justify the cost.

Shinkansen Tokyo Bullet Train vs Aeroplane

Some of you might be considering whether to go for a train ride between Tokyo station and Shin Osaka station or go from Tokyo to the Osaka Itami airport by aeroplane. If you would like to go to the city centers, the local trains would be a better choice as it saves your travel time from the airport to the city. Since the flight duration is already quite long, riding day buses or night buses to the city may make your travel time even longer. Therefore, the Osaka bullet trains would be a better choice for your journey. Of course, if you are planning to visit the suburbs, having an aeroplane ride to the airport can also be a good choice.