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Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/16 09:46
I will be arriving in Tokyo on May 11 and on May 13 I will be traveling from Tokyo to Hakata. I haven't decided yet on getting a plane ticket or take the train. If I exchange my Green Pass voucher on May 12 and make the 1 seat reservation will I be ok to cover that distance with only a day before travel?

Last time I took the train was Hakata to Tokyo but I had my Green seat 5 days before travel and it was a Saturday. Went by quickly and I enjoyed it.
by Chris (guest)  

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/16 11:15
It's okay however far the distance is, even on the same day, as long as they have a seat left. I believe you should get no problem reserving it since it is not on a peak season.
by JPN48 rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 00:52
So I could even arrive on May 11 and exchange my pass and make a seat reservation to leave on the 12th? I'm assuming a Sunday morning would be less busy than Monday morning? Or doesn't matter because it is low season and there are many trains scheduled?
by Chris (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 01:08
I don't know about Green car, I guess it is reservation only. I normally when I take the shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka do not reserve a seat at all and just jump on the next train in the free seating car. I really only reserve a seat for the last train of the day (or if it gets very close to the last train). My Japanese colleagues think I am crazy, as the company would pay the seat reservation anyway, but I find it less stressful to just be able to jump on the next train, no need to wait, but also no need to hurry. Probably with the JR pass, as you cannot take the Nozomi trains, seat reservation might be a better strategy, as your options of trains are limited.

If you want to ride in a Green car and are nervous about the seat, by all means reserve it the day before when you exchange your pass. But it should not be a problem to just turn up at the station and get a reservation on the departure date. You are travelling after GW, so all back to normal.

Enjoy your ride through Japan.
by LikeBike rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 04:45
Most people don't bother paying the extra cost of a Green Car pass, so those cars, while not as numerous as the reserved seat cars, won't be as difficult to find empty seats. And the frequency of those trains are the same as the ones with the regular JR Pass. You aren't allowed on the Nozomi service trains, the most numerous of the three. It's just that you, by buying the more expensive type of pass, will have a better chance to find a seat reservation than regular reserved seats. I wouldn't worry too much. If you don't get one train, get the next one. You'll lose 30 minutes, tops.
by John B digs Japan rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 07:22
You can exchange the JR voucher for the actual JR Pass as soon as you arrive in Japan. You donft say which airport youfre arriving at, what your travel plans are or the length of the Pass (7, 14 or 21 days) but presumably you would want to use the Pass to get from the airport to Tokyo if you can. You can make the Tokyo - Hakata reservation whenever you like, once you have the Pass \ do it at the same time as you get the Pass.

I donft know what you mean by g....will I be ok to cover that distance with only a day before travel?h. Therefs nothing to stop you traveling to Hakata on the day you arrive, subject to arriving early enough and seat availability.... and even if there are no reserved seats available, you can always try for an unreserved seat (though that is obviously not a good use of a Green Car Pass).
by tt7 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 10:38
2 week trip. Ifm arriving into Narita in the evening so going straight onwards wonft work. I plan to spend 1 or 2 nights in Tokyo and then fly or train to Hakata. The distance question I mentioned was that for same day/day later reservation I donft want to be gstrandedh because the travel time is quite long. Being forced into a late afternoon train and then no other seat available for the second half. I will have a 1 week Green pass for certain and will take the train Hakata-Tokyo the following week.

Option
1- Purchase plane ticket to fly on Sunday or Monday.
2- Purchase a 2 week pass and take train Sunday or Monday.

Pass will cost more than the plane but I donft have to deal with airport which makes it appealing.
by Chris (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 11:11
Airport isn't so bad. As long as you check in your baggage about 45 minutes prior to your flight and are at the gate 30 minutes before, you'll be alright. It'll take you about half the time by plane as it would by train, including the waiting times at the airport. HND-FUK is about the most frequent, with more than 60 flights a day.
by John B digs Japan rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 15:44
Ifm trying to think ahead as to how I might feel as my hotel is quite near Tokyo Station with full on jetlag coming from USA. Having to go through a couple transit transfers, check in, luggage, security. Compared to already gbeing thereh and simply get on the train.
by Chris (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 17:37
If youfre taking the train back ethe following weekf then presumably you have to buy a 14 day pass .... if you buy a Pass at all. You donft say what travel other than Tokyo-Hakata-Tokyo you are planning (+ to and from Narita). If youfre just doing the Hakata round trip, then perhaps just buy the tickets rather than using a Pass? With the Pass, you canft use a Nozomi Shinkansen but not an issue otherwise. Tokyo-Hakata (and vice versa) is \22,950 ordinary/\30,080 Green Car. The 14 day Pass is \46,390 ordinary/\62,950 Green Car. Unless you have other travel that you plan to do that would make the Pass worthwhile, I would just buy tickets on the Nozomi Shinkansen; no change of trains required on the 5 hour journey. There are 30 Nozomis leaving Tokyo for Hakata on Sunday May 12 , the first at 6.00, the last at 18.50; during most of the day there are 2 per hour (10 past and 30 past the hour).

http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=TOKYO&arv_node=HAK...

http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/intervaltime.html?dep_node=TOKYO&arv_no...
by tt7 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Long distance shinkansen reservation 2019/2/17 17:57
What others have not said:
Reserving green seats on JRP - Shin-Osaka and the journey south to Hakata on the Sakura service - only 24 seats per train and these often get fully booked.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

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