time to change trains

Hi there,

I am planning to take the (Wide-View)shinano No.16 from Matsumoto to stop at Nagoya, where I will change to Hikari no.377 to go to Kyoto but i see that there is only 12 minutes in between for changing trains.

Is that enough time to change trains (bearing in mind I can't speak japanese and may get lost) and what if I miss my connecting train?

Are these trains also busy duing Dec? DO I need to reserve my seats?

i see that there is only 12 minutes in between for changing trains.

That is more than enough! The transfer should not take more than five minutes. And Nagoya Station is easy to navigate. All the platforms are parallel to each other.

what if I miss my connecting train?

If you had a seat reservation, you can ride in the unreserved section of the next train. Or you can get your reservation changed to a seat on the next train.

Are these trains also busy duing Dec?

Depends on the day! December 26 to January 4 are very busy days.

DO I need to reserve my seats?

No, both trains have cars with unreserved seats, which can be used without a seat reservation. However, there is a risk that all seats are taken and you have to stand. It is unusual, but it happens sometimes.

Hi Uji

Thanks so much for your help!!

Just wondering is it a good idea to book/buy my tickets in Tokyo for my 'matsumoto - nagoya - kyoto'train rides or cld i get them from JR kamishiro where i will be starting my journey from??

Just wondering is it a good idea to book/buy my tickets in Tokyo for my 'matsumoto - nagoya - kyoto'train rides or cld i get them from JR kamishiro where i will be starting my journey from??

Kamishiro Station does not have a manned ticket counter, and I suspect that it does not have an advanced ticket vending machine either, which is needed to make long distance ticket bookings. Therefore, I recommend to buy the ticket at a larger train station, such as a station in the Tokyo area or nearby Hakuba Station.