Narita Express

Dear Sir,

I have bought the Japan Rail Pass exchange order. I will be using the Japan Rail Pass to take the Narita Express from Shinagawa station to Narita Airport early in the morning.

Please advise if seat reservation is a "MUST" for Narita Express.
Can seat reservation be done online. I have tried it online, but somehow i couldn't manage it.
After reservation is done, do i need to collect any "ticket" from the counter or office one day before departure.

Can i do the seat reservation for Narita Express at the JR ShinOsaka station.
I am afraid when i travel all the way from Osaka-Nagoya-Hakone-Mt Fuji-Tokyo, the JR service center at Tokyo / Shinagawa station has already closed at night.

Please advise.

Please advise if seat reservation is a "MUST" for Narita Express.
Yes.

Can i do the seat reservation for Narita Express at the JR ShinOsaka station.
Yes

Hi Shinji,

Thank you for your feedback.

If i were to do the seat reservation at JR Shinosaka station,
will "ticket" be issued to me. If yes, can i collect the "ticket" from the station at the same time.

can i collect the "ticket" from the station at the same time.

Yes

When you make the mandatory seat reservation for the N'Ex, wherever you are at, your JR Pass will be stamped with a little stamp indicating the station that issued the ticket. They will then write the date inside the stamp and then give you a ticket with all the information necessary. That ticket you will keep on your person and you will not insert it in the automatic machines. You will show your pass to the attendant at the manned gate on your way in and out of the stations. That ticket will be shown, if necessary, on the train. After that, it's a souvenir of your trip. I have over 100 of those at home. Hope this helped.

Hi Shinji & John,

Thank you very much. It's very helpful.
I will do the seat reservation for Narita Express when i am in Osaka, before going to Tokyo.

@ EstherC

Which date NEX couldn't?
Read notes of online reservation?
http://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/com...
especially
�EReservations can be made from one month before your travel date up until 5:00 p.m. (17:00, Japan Standard Time) 3 days prior to your travel date.
�EThis service is based on Japan Standard Time (GMT+9). Any notifications are generally sent within 24 hours of you completing your reservation.
So if selected date within one month right already "full" wait a cancel,
if not just too early try again after ticket sale start date/time 10 am(JST).

And at ShinOsaka sta possible right basically but if already "full" you cannot booking/purchasing.
At ShinOsaka sta or other JR sta ticket counter booking system is not Online booking rules.
You can book/purchase until NEX dep time.

Hi WTF,

Thank you for your guidance.

I register the online membership before doing the seat reservation from the JR East websit.
I received a sms that JPY199 was charged by Veritrans Tokyo.
I thought the registration is free of charge ?

As a Japan Rail Pass traveler, i have managed to do the seat reservation from the JR East website.
I understand that the ticket have to be collected at ONLY JR East station office ticket & MUST be collected from the station that i specified online.
Can i collect the ticket from a station / ticket office which is different from the online reservation just in case.
I have selected Shinjuku Madori-no-madoguchi as the ticket office open until 23:00.

Thank you.

I have used the N'Ex on many occasions and there never was a need to reserve tickets in advance because they were going to sell out. I have yet to see a train car with more than 10 people in it. You could have bought it in Japan with no problem whatsoever.

I understand that the ticket have to be collected at ONLY JR East station office ticket & MUST be collected from the station that i specified online.
Can i collect the ticket from a station / ticket office which is different from the online reservation just in case.

I think you've answered your own question here...

And John is correct. It isn't necessary to reserve that leg of the journey before arriving in Japan, except maybe for peace of mind.

Is a seat reservation necessary

No.

In March the rules changed. While I would recommend a reservation, it is not "mandatory" to have a seat reservation. You can actually get on the train without a ticket (just the JR pass, and yes, I have done this - I use the N'Ex a lot). The web site is not updated, and the information in the train explains how it works.

@ JapanCustomTours

No!!! That's misunderstanding. Don't mislead.

That new rule for only LtdExp "Hitachi","Tokiwa" and "Swallow Akagi".
https://www.jreast.co.jp/hitachi_tokiwa/howtouse/
https://www.jreast.co.jp/swallow_akagi/howtouse/
So NOT for NEX and other JR-East's LtdExp and Shinkansen
need/get LtdExp seat ticket before dep as basic rule NO changed.

Dear all,

I have another question.
Understand that some of the shinkansen or limited express are for reserved seat only.
Where can i find out that the trains are for reserved seat only. Can i check from Hypedia.
If i do not reserve the seat, does that mean they do not allow me to take the train even if i have a Japan Rail Pass.
I do not prefer to reserve the seat in advance because i might not be able to fix the schedule/ time for taking the train.
If i have reserved the seat & i have missed the train, can i take the next train without penalty.

Also, understand that Japan Rail Pass cannot be used for some of the JR line. Where to find out this information.

Thank you.

Where can i find out that the trains are for reserved seat only. Can i check from Hypedia.

It's listed on this sight for the specific trains. Also hyperdia lists this info in the Seat Fee drop down. Basically there will be no Unreserved Seat option, which means that you'll need a reservation.

If i do not reserve the seat, does that mean they do not allow me to take the train even if i have a Japan Rail Pass.
I do not prefer to reserve the seat in advance because i might not be able to fix the schedule/ time for taking the train.

You are not supposed to take it without reserving a seat first, but that can be done up to the time of departure so it shouldn't be a problem. Just pop by the ticket window at the station to make your reservations before getting on the train.

If i have reserved the seat & i have missed the train, can i take the next train without penalty.

Yes, but it's a huge allowance made to JR Pass holders so try not abuse it.

Also, understand that Japan Rail Pass cannot be used for some of the JR line. Where to find out this information.

Basically you can't use it on the Nozomi or Mizuho trains, and a handful of other trains that are not too important to tourists. More info here:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html

I've ridden the N'EX several times w/o a reservation. On the transfer to the N'Ex, I would have had to leave the platform area to go to a Green Window to get a seat reservation, so I just got on instead of wasting time. The cars are almost always empty and no one ever even asked me to move. Just show your rail pass.

To WTF:

A new rule regarding seat reservation in Narita Express trains has been in effect actually from 14 March 2015.
This new rule is explained in Japanese on the website of JR-East, i.e. the company offering this Narita Express service.
You are mistakenly insisting as if JapanCustomTours were misleading readers, presumably because you have not done enough research at sources written in Japanese, even though you can read the language.
You had better apologize to this poster.
- Source in Japanese
http://www.jreast.co.jp/nex/charge.html#unspecified

I stand corrected as well! Haven't really used the N'Ex since they discontinued the N'Ex+SUICA and certainly haven't bought the round trip since I'm in Japan for more than 14 days at a time.