JR Central 東海旅客鉄道

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 the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (smartEX / EX)
  Reserved seats go on sale at 10:00 one month before travel; with smartEX or Express Reservation you can book up to one year ahead and ride by tapping your IC card. Nozomi has non-reserved cars 1–2, except in peak periods when it is all reserved.
• Seasons and disruptionsGolden Week, Obon and New Year: crowded trains and all-reserved Shinkansen
  In the busiest periods every Nozomi between Tokyo and Hakata runs with reserved seats only, and the Hida, Shinano and Nanki limited expresses do too. For winter 2026/27 that means 25 December to 5 January plus the long weekends. Seats go on sale at 10:00 one month before travel; book as early as you can.
• 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 stationsKyoto Station: lines, transfers, lockers and step-free routes
  Kyoto Station is shared by JR West, JR Central (Tokaido Shinkansen), Kintetsu (Kyoto Line) and the Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line. The Shinkansen and Kintetsu are on the south (Hachijo) side, JR local lines and the main Central Gate on the north (Karasuma) side.
• Big stationsNagoya Station: lines, transfers, lockers and step-free routes
  JR Central (Shinkansen and local lines), the Higashiyama and Sakura-dori subway lines and the Aonami Line share the name Nagoya; the private railways next door are called Meitetsu Nagoya (名鉄名古屋) and Kintetsu Nagoya (近鉄名古屋). The Shinkansen is on the Taiko-dori (west) side, the subway, Meitetsu and Kintetsu on the Sakura-dori (east) side.
• 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 suitcases on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen
  Bags over 160 cm (length + width + height) need a seat with an oversized baggage area, booked in advance at no extra cost. Without one you pay a 1,000 yen fee.
• 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.
• 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.