Traveling Mid December with Shinkansen

Hi,

I have heard that it gets extremely busy towards the end of December (starting Dec 29) and so it's best to book train tickets in advance. However, we will be arriving on Dec 18 and there will be 3 of us traveling (but will be using a JR pass). We are planning to take the Shinkansen on Dec 21 from Tokyo to Nagano, and on Dec 22, going back from Nagano to Tokyo to Narita to fly home.

If I book seats upon our arrival (Dec 18), would this time period be considered already busy for the trains? We are going to Nagano in the morning of Dec 21 (probably around 9am), and then the next day, going back to Narita airport around 12pm. Dec 22 is also a Friday and we will have to book seats on the Narita Express once we arrive at Tokyo in the afternoon.

Is there a good chance I can get seat reservation for both Shinkansen and NEX once we arrive in Japan (do it all at the same time)? Or for NEX, should I just reserve before boarding the train? I am just worried about the lineup and waiting time as well.

Thank you!

You can book all those online

Hi,

I know they can be booked online 1 month in advance. However, I can't just book online without certainty of when we will be at the station as we are jumping from one train after another. I wouldn't want to miss the next train.


Let me repeat my questions again:

If I book seats upon our arrival (Dec 18), would this time period be considered already busy for the trains? We are going to Nagano in the morning of Dec 21 (probably around 9am), and then the next day, going back to Narita airport around 12pm. Dec 22 is also a Friday and we will have to book seats on the Narita Express once we arrive at Tokyo in the afternoon.

Is there a good chance I can get seat reservation for both Shinkansen and NEX once we arrive in Japan (do it all at the same time)? Or for NEX, is it better to just reserve before boarding the train? Does NEX seat reservation have a long lineup and waiting time?

Should be fine in the period. Well away from the busy peek new years period.

That's great to hear, thank you!

I know they can be booked online 1 month in advance. However, I can't just book online without certainty of when we will be at the station as we are jumping from one train after another. I wouldn't want to miss the next train.

This makes no sense.

The interval when you are transferring from one train to the next train. It can be 5 mins or it can be more. So that walking time, plus looking for the platform, plus any other personal delay or error, can stretch that transfer time between trains.

So that means, I am afraid to book train tickets online in succession of each other, as there is a chance that I could miss the next train. And I am also unfamiliar of the layout of the stations.

Hope that makes sense.

Yeah probably not a great way to do it.

If you are worried about late trains or slowness to transfer due to unfamiliarity with the station. Then you just trains with larger transfer window of time.

Just cos hyperdia says the is a 5 minute transfer time when you do a search, doesn't mean you cannot select a train another 30 minutes later and make the transfer time 35 minutes.