Joetsu Line 上越線

IC cards (Suica, ICOCA…) P

• Suica area: Greater Tokyo Suica and the other nationwide IC cards (PASMO, Kitaca, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, PiTaPa, SUGOCA, nimoca, Hayakaken)
  14 of 36 stations estimated from the official map
• Suica area: Niigata Suica and the other nationwide IC cards (PASMO, Kitaca, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, PiTaPa, SUGOCA, nimoca, Hayakaken)
  2 of 36 stations estimated from the official map

This line runs through more than one IC card area. A journey on an IC card must start and end in the same area: across the boundary, buy a ticket.

How IC card areas work →

Before you travel

• Using passesBuying a pass: who can, where and when
  The JAPAN RAIL PASS is for foreign tourists entering as Temporary Visitors; get the stamp at immigration. Buying on the official website is cheaper than an exchange order from an agency abroad. Pick the pass up in Japan with your original passport. JR passes run on consecutive days and the start date cannot be changed once you have the pass.
• Using passesUsing a rail pass at the gates and on board
  Put a paper JR pass through the automatic gate (not the IC-only ones) or show it at the staffed gate; app passes are shown to staff. Always carry your passport. Seat reservations are free with the pass, but the JAPAN RAIL PASS does not cover Nozomi/Mizuho, private railways or JR highway buses, and a lost pass is not reissued.
• FaresChildren's fares
  Children aged 6 to 11 (and 12-year-olds still in elementary school) pay half fare; under-6s ride free, up to 2 per paying adult or child. A small child who takes their own reserved seat needs a child ticket. Child IC cards (Welcome Suica Child, child ICOCA) need the child's ID, and rail passes for children are half price.
• Seat reservationsBooking seats on JR East Shinkansen and limited expresses
  Reserved seats go on sale at 10:00 one month before travel. Book online on Eki-net (Japanese) or JR-EAST Train Reservation (for visitors), or at reserved-seat ticket machines and ticket offices. Hayabusa, Komachi, Kagayaki and the Narita Express have reserved seats only.
• Seasons and disruptionsTyphoons, snow and suspended trains
  Before a big typhoon, railways announce planned suspensions (計画運休) in advance; check the operator's service status page. If your train is cancelled you get a full refund or a free ride back, and limited express fees are refunded when a train is 2 hours or more late. Rail passes are not extended or refunded for delays or cancellations.
• Big stationsShinjuku Station: lines, transfers, lockers and step-free routes
  Shinjuku is several stations joined together: JR East, Odakyu, Keio (Keio Line and Keio New Line), Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line and the Toei Shinjuku and Oedo lines. Each operator has its own gates; transfer gates link JR with Odakyu and Keio.
• Big stationsTokyo Station: lines, transfers, lockers and step-free routes
  Tokyo Station is shared by JR East, JR Central (Tokaido Shinkansen) and Tokyo Metro (Marunouchi Line). The Shinkansen gates are on the Yaesu side; allow 10–20 minutes to change between the Shinkansen and local lines.
• LuggageLarge luggage on JR East and JR Hokkaido Shinkansen and limited express trains
  No luggage booking is needed on the Tohoku, Hokkaido, Akita, Yamagata, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen: use any free luggage space, or keep the bag at your feet.
• LuggageTravel without your suitcase: delivery and lockers
  Send bags from the airport, a station or your hotel to the next hotel the same day, or leave them in a station coin locker (about 300 to 1,000 yen).
• LuggageWhat you can take on Japanese trains
  On JR and most private railways you can take 2 bags free, each up to 250 cm (length + width + height), 2 m long and 30 kg. Small pets in a carrier cost a small fee.
• On boardManners on trains and platforms
  Put your phone on silent and don't make calls in the car. Give priority seats to those who need them. Line up on the platform, move inside the car, wear your backpack in front and keep big bags out of the way. Some lines have women-only cars, mostly in the weekday morning rush.
• Safety and lost propertyEarthquakes, emergencies and help on trains
  In a strong earthquake trains stop at once and stay stopped until staff have checked the line, which can take a long time. Stay in the car and follow the crew; never climb down to the tracks on your own. Use the SOS/emergency call button in the car or the emergency stop button on the platform in a real emergency. Dial 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance; JNTO runs a 24-hour visitor hotline (050-3816-2787) and the Safety tips app.
• Safety and lost propertyLost something on a train?
  Ask station staff straight away, or contact the railway's lost-property service: most big operators use the "find chat" online form (open 24 hours) plus a phone line. Say when and where you lost it, which train or stations, and describe the item in detail. Items move after a few days to a central office and, in Tokyo, then to the Metropolitan Police Lost and Found Center. Bring photo ID such as your passport to collect it.
• More tipsNight travel: sleeper train and night buses
  The Sunrise Seto (Tokyo to Takamatsu) and Sunrise Izumo (Tokyo to Izumo-shi) are the overnight sleeper trains JR lists today; berths cost extra, even with a rail pass. Overnight highway buses are another option; JR Bus Kanto sells seats from 10:00 one month and one day before travel. Buy night tickets early: ticket offices may be closed late at night.