Joetsu Shinkansen 上越新幹線

Shinkansen · JR East 東日本旅客鉄道 · 10 stations

How to ride JR East (East Japan Railway Company) P

Operator-wide facts from JR East (East Japan Railway Company)'s own pages; individual lines and stations can differ.

IC cards (Suica etc.)Some cards or areas PSuica, Kitaca, PASMO, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA +4 more

Credit card touchNot confirmed

Delays & suspensionsLive status →English; delays of over 30 minutes; Japanese pages by area have more detail

Step-free accessStation list → PElevators are added first at stations with 3,000+ users a day (2,000+ in local barrier-free plans); staff guide wheelchair users to the platform, help with boarding and operate wheelchair escalators and stair lifts (Escal). Per-station barrier-free details are on Raku Raku Odekake Net.

Passes5 valid herefrom ¥20,000

IC cards and payment in detail

Suica (card, Mobile Suica, Suica in Apple Pay) and the other nationwide transport IC cards work only at stations inside JR East's Suica areas, and on conventional lines a trip must start and end inside the same area. JR East currently has six separate areas (Greater Tokyo, Sendai, Niigata, Aomori, Morioka, Akita): you cannot ride across an area border on an IC card, so buy a paper ticket for such trips. Many rural stations are outside every area and take no IC cards (see the one-man train steps). JR East plans to merge the six areas into one at the end of fiscal 2026 (by March 2027, exact date to be announced); about 60% of its stations will then take Suica, with all stations targeted for the early 2030s. The local icsca card works only in the Sendai area. Visitors can use Welcome Suica (card) or the Welcome Suica Mobile app (iPhone/Apple Watch, English): valid 180 days, no deposit, no refund of the balance. P

Suica（ICカード、モバイルSuica、Apple PayのSuica）を在来線の乗車券として利用する場合、ご利用可能エリア内完結でのご利用となります。各エリア間をまたがってご利用いただくことはできません。

Staffed stationsUnstaffed stations

Getting on

At stations with staff: buy a ticket to your destination from the staff or the ticket machine (自動券売機) before boarding.
Inside a Suica area, you can instead touch Suica or another transport IC card on the ticket gate. Your whole trip must stay inside the same Suica area.
On one-man trains, at stations with staff you may board through any door.

Getting off

At stations with staff: hand your ticket to the staff (or put it through the gate). If you boarded with a certificate or 整理券, pay the fare to the staff.
IC card: touch the same card on the gate. An IC-card trip cannot cross from one Suica area into another: for such trips buy a paper ticket beforehand.
On one-man trains, at stations with staff you may get off through any door.

Getting on

These steps apply to one-man trains (driver only, no conductor) at stations without staff, and on some lines (e.g. in the Morioka area) at times when no staff are on duty. The procedure can differ by station and time.
Short trains (1–2 cars): board through the rearmost door of the first car in the direction of travel. On 2-car trains the doors of the second car do not open. Trains of 3 or more cars: all doors open.
If the door does not open by itself, press the button beside the door.
Without a ticket (or boarding outside the section of your ticket): take a boarding-station certificate (乗車駅証明書) from the machine on the platform, or a numbered ticket (整理券 seiriken) from the machine on the train.
Inside a Suica area, IC card users touch the gate or reader at the station as usual.

Getting off

These steps apply to one-man trains at stations without staff (or at unstaffed times).
Short trains (1–2 cars): get off through the front door of the first car, behind the driver. Press the door button inside the car to open it.
Check your fare on the fare display at the front of the first car using the number on your certificate or 整理券.
Put the certificate or 整理券 together with the fare (or your ticket) into the fare box on the train, or into the fare box (集札箱) at the station. Show a commuter pass to the driver.
Have coins ready. On some lines (e.g. Morioka-area lines) the fare box at the front of the first car has a change machine that takes ¥1,000 notes only.

Wheelchair assistance

JR East InfoLine (English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, French, German, Spanish), 10:00–18:00, closed 29 December–3 January: a general enquiry line, not a dedicated accessibility desk. Japanese: JR East Contact Center 050-2016-1600 (8:00–21:00) for times, fares and seats. JR East also takes wheelchair assistance requests online (車いすWeb申込み) and rents paid wheelchairs that can be taken out of the station. Tel. 050-2016-1603

Sources checked 2026-10-10 · review: draft_unreviewed

www.jreast.co.jp/equipment/equipment_1/station/ · official accessibility page · checked 2026-10-10
www.jreast.co.jp/suica/area/ · official ic card page · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/suica/ic/use/equip/ · official ic card page · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/press/2026/20260908_ho03.pdf · official press release · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/press/2024/20250218_ho03.pdf · official press release · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/railway/onemancar/ · official howto · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/morioka/onemancar/ · official howto · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/info/ · official contact page · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/saferelief/ · official accessibility page · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/press/2026/20260409_ho02.pdf · official press release · checked 2026-10-07
www.jreast.co.jp/press/2025/20260128_ho03.pdf · official press release · checked 2026-10-07
traininfo.jreast.co.jp/train_info/e/ · official status page · checked 2026-10-09

Passes valid on this line 5 P

Day passes, regional passes and special tickets that include this line, cheapest first. 3 of them are sold only to foreign visitors. Prices and rules change: check the official page before you buy.

Conditions apply On sale from 18 Dec 20265 days · Unlimited rides

Otona no Kyūjitsu Club Pass (East Japan)

大人の休日倶楽部パス（東日本） · JR East

¥21,000 Ordinary car (station / ticket machine) · ¥20,000 Ordinary car (Ekinet) · ¥36,000 Green car (Ekinet only) ¥4,000/day

5 consecutive days. Up to 6 seat reservations included.

Compare

Conditions apply On sale from 18 Dec 20265 days · Unlimited rides

Otona no Kyūjitsu Club Pass (East Japan & Hokkaido)

大人の休日倶楽部パス（東日本・北海道） · JR East and JR Hokkaido

¥29,000 Ordinary car (station / ticket machine) · ¥28,000 Ordinary car (Ekinet) · ¥51,000 Green car (Ekinet only) ¥5,600/day

5 consecutive days. Up to 6 seat reservations included.

Compare

Foreign visitors only 5 days · Unlimited rides

JR EAST PASS

JR EAST PASS · JR East

¥35,000 Adult, 5 days · ¥17,500 Child (6–11), 5 days · ¥50,000 Adult, 10 days · +1 more ¥7,000/day

5 or 10 consecutive days from the start date you choose.

Compare

Foreign visitors only 6 days · Unlimited rides

JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass

JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass · JR East and JR Hokkaido (joint pass)

¥40,000 Adult · ¥20,000 Child (6–11) ¥6,667/day

6 consecutive days from the start date you choose.

Compare

Foreign visitors only 7 days · Unlimited rides

Japan Rail Pass

ジャパン・レール・パス · JR Group (JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku, JR Kyushu)

¥50,000 Ordinary, 7 days, adult (official web sales) · ¥25,000 Ordinary, 7 days, child 6–11 (official web sales) · ¥80,000 Ordinary, 14 days, adult (official web sales) · +21 more ¥7,143/day

7, 14 or 21 consecutive days from the start date you choose. Child = 6 to 11 years old at the time of use.

Compare

2 passes cover part of this line

Valid only between the stations named; outside that stretch you pay the fare. Stretches marked “unofficial source” come from Wikipedia or travel sites, and “estimated from the official map” ones were read off the issuer's map image, not its text: check the official map before you buy.

Holiday Outing Pass (Kyūjitsu Odekake Pass) · ¥2,950 Adult · ¥1,470 Child (6–11) · Omiya – Honjō-Waseda (unofficial source)
JR TOKYO Wide Pass · ¥16,000 Adult (12+) · ¥8,000 Child (6–11) · Omiya – Echigo-Yuzawa (estimated from the official map)

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)
5 of 10 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)
3 of 10 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.

2 stations are not in the IC areas we have; check at the station.

How IC card areas work →

Trains to book on this line 1 P

Sightseeing trains and services whose seats you reserve in advance.

All seats reserved Shinkansen

Kagayaki (Hokuriku Shinkansen)

かがやき · JR East / JR West

Tokyo – Nagano – Toyama – Kanazawa – Tsuruga (fastest Hokuriku Shinkansen service)

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.

Stations

In order along the main route; branch stations, if any, are listed at the end. English names and readings where OpenStreetMap has them.

#	Station	English	Passengers / day (2024)	Guide / other lines
1	大宮おおみや 🗣	Omiya	685,073	Ina Line by New Shuttle, Takasaki Line, Kawagoe Line, Tohoku Shinkansen, Tōhoku Main Line, Tōbu Urban Park Line
2	熊谷 🗣	Kumagaya	65,360	Chichibu Main Line, Takasaki Line
3	本庄早稲田ほんじょうわせだ 🗣	Honjō-Waseda	4,024
4	高崎 🗣	Takasaki	67,620	Joshin Line, Takasaki Line, Joetsu Line, Shin'etsu Main Line, Hokuriku Shinkansen
5	上毛高原じょうもうこうげん 🗣	Jomo-Kogen	1,488
6	越後湯沢 🗣	Echigo-Yuzawa	7,288	Joetsu Line
7	浦佐 🗣	Urasa	2,648	Joetsu Line
8	長岡 🗣	Nagaoka	22,298	Shin'etsu Main Line
9	燕三条 🗣	Tsubame-Sanjo	4,704	Yahiko Line
10	新潟 🗣	Niigata	70,902	JR Echigo Line, Shin'etsu Main Line, Hakushin Line

Passengers per day: people boarding and getting off on an average day, all operators at the station counted once each (MLIT station passenger data S12).

Lines and stations: 「国土数値情報（鉄道データ、駅別乗降客数データ）」（国土交通省）を加工して作成 (MLIT National Land Numerical Information, railway data N02-24 and station passengers S12-25, CC BY 4.0). English station names and readings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), where they match. Data & credits.