USER
GUIDE
e-ticket
Everything you need
to know about using
your e-ticket !
USER GUIDE
SIMPLY CLICK
TO NAVIGATE
HOW TO RECEIVE
MY TRAIN TICKETS
HOW TO USE
MY TRAIN TICKETS
INFORMATION ABOUT USAGE
IN TRAIN STATIONS
SEAT RESERVATION
LUGGAGE RULES
VALIDITY AND CONDITIONS
TRAIN ETIQUETTE
IN JAPAN
USER GUIDE
HOW TO RECEIVE
MY TRAIN TICKETS
INFORMATION ABOUT THE QR CODE
You will receive an e-mail containing a QR code.
This is your e-ticket, that you will use to board your train.
Note that for each journey, you will receive one email, containing
one QR code per person.
Example
A booking of 2 journeys Tokyo Kyoto and Kyoto Hiroshima
for 3 people sends out 2 emails with 3 QR codes in each email.
WHERE CAN I USE MY E-TICKET QR CODE IN STATIONS?
Once you have received your QR code, you can head to your departure station, and
find the Shinkansen ticket gates. There, you will be able to scan your e-ticket, and be
given access to board your train.
SHINKANSEN TICKET GATES ARE BLUE GREEN GATES WILL NOT WORK
THEY HAVE A QR CODE READER NO QR CODE READER
USER GUIDE
HOW TO USE
MY TRAIN TICKETS
HOW TO BOARD MY TRAIN?
At your departure station, simply scan your train tickets at the ticket gates.
Each e-ticket can only be scanned at entry gates once.
Please do not delete your e-ticket after you pass through the gates: you will need
to scan the ticket again upon exiting at your arriving station. You may also be asked to
show your ticket onboard the train.
!
*Note: When scanning your e-ticket at the gates, a small piece of paper will be
printed, grab it and keep it. This is your ticket certificate, to be presented along with
your e-ticket if asked by JR staff for ticket control on board the train.
It’s also needed if you lost/deleted your e-ticket after scanning.
1 2
Scan your e-ticket and Board the train
pass the gate
!
You need to scan your e-ticket again as you exit the gates at your destination.
USER GUIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT USAGE
IN TRAIN STATIONS
In your departing station, note that your QR code will not scan at other ticket gates
than Shinkansen ticket gates. This means you may need to exit the station and re-
enter through the Shinkansen zone, depending on the following cases :
IF YOU ARRIVE TO THE STATION BY A JR LINE
With a prepaid IC card (Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA…) or paper JR local train tickets, you can
transfer from the JR local lines area to the JR Shinkansen area.
1 2 3
Scan your Tap your prepaid IC card The gates will open
Shinkansen e-ticket (or insert your paper tickets) on this second action
TOKYO STATION MAP FIRST FLOOR
There, scan your e-ticket
and tap your IC card or
insert your JR local line
paper tickets right after.
Head to the transfer gates for
the Shinkansen area.
1
Head to the transfer gates. Scan your Shinkansen e-ticket. Tap your IC card
or insert your paper tickets immediately after. The gates will open.
USER GUIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT USAGE
IN TRAIN STATIONS
IF YOU ARRIVE IN YOUR STATION VIA SUBWAY LINES
1 2
Exit the station Re-enter via the Shinkansen
(with your IC card or paper ticket) gates with your e-ticket
TOKYO STATION MAP FIRST FLOOR
Exit the station at Marunouchi
1 Central Gate and follow the
direction instructed outside
1 First, go out from the station and re-enter through Marunouchi South Gate.
2 3
USER GUIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT USAGE
IN TRAIN STATIONS
TOKYO STATION MAP FIRST FLOOR
2 Then, follow the passage from Marunouchi South to Yaesu Gate.
3 Finally, follow the signs to the Yaesu Shinkansen Gates and scan your QR code.
This applies to all train stations where there are other lines than just Shinkansen (Tokyo
Station, Kyoto Station, Shin-Osaka, Shinagawa Station…)
If you are arriving by foot/taxi, please enter directly through the correct Shinkansen
gates. In Tokyo Station, they are the Yaesu gates, near the Nihonbashi area (opposite
side from Marunouchi gates). Use the blue ticket gates (Tokaido Shinkansen), not the
green ones (Tohoku & Hokuriku Shinkansen).
Kyoto Station Shinkansen gates: Hachijo Gates (South)
Shin-Osaka Station Shinkansen gates: South or Central Gates on third floor (3F).
USER GUIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT USAGE
IN TRAIN STATIONS
NEED HELP?
!
For iOS users with an e-SUICA or digital IC card in their Apple Wallet, your NFC reader
might react to the IC card only and prevent you from scanning your e-ticket.
Please see with JR staff in this situation: モバイルスイカの遮断版のご対応の程、JR職員
の皆様よろしくおねがいいたします。
?
If you encounter any issues or need assistance, JR station staff are
very helpful, and customer service centers are available at major
JR stations. You can simply show them this :
For JR station staff, show them the following:
JR東海、西日本、九州職員の皆様、
こちらのお客様はSMART EX公式代理販売契約に基づいてJapan
Experienceから発行されたe-ticketをお持ちですので、東海道、山陽、
九州新幹線のQRコード改札へのご誘導をお願い致します。(在来線改札
からは入場できません、必ず新幹線改札へのご誘導をお願い致します。 )
お困りの際はJapan Experience までご連絡お願いいたします。
東京オフィス (9am-6pm 平日: 03-4520-6215)
アシスタントコール (8am-10pm 年中無休 : 090-3823-1949)
USER GUIDE
SEAT RESERVATION
DO ALL TRAINS HAVE RESERVED SEATS?
All Shinkansen trains have cars dedicated to reserved seats only and cars with
only non-reserved seats. If you purchased a train ticket with a reserved seat, you
will find your car and seat number on your reserved seat ticket, as pictured below.
Please follow the indications on the platform to find your car.
SHINKANSEN TYPE OF NON-RESERVED
LINES SHINKANSEN CARS
Nozomi/Mizuho Cars 1-2 of 16-car train
Hikari/Sakura Cars 1-5 of 16-car train
TOKAIDO/SANYO
SHINKANSEN LINE
Kodama Cars 1 to 6 and 13 to 16 of 16-car train*
Car numbers of reserved/reserved seats may change depending on the train.
*Depending on the train, car No. 13 and 14 may be changed to reserved seats, or all cars may be unreserved seats except for the Green Car.
Note about Nozomi trains: As of March 1st, 2025, note that during high peak seasons (Golden Week from April 25 to May 6, Obon from
August 8 to 17, New Year’s from December 26 to January 4) certain Nozomi trains operate with reserved seats only.
HOW DO I READ MY TRAIN E-TICKET?
Please see an example of an e-ticket in Japan below.
Departure date
This logo indicates the Green Train number
Car, the Shinkansen equivalent
of the 1st Class. Unless you have
purchased a Green Car reserved Departure station
seat ticket, you will not be able to
access this car.
Car and seat
Your QR code
USER GUIDE
LUGGAGE RULES
!
The majority of luggage items do not need a reservation on the Shinkansen!
WHAT ARE THE LUGGAGE RULES
ON SHINKANSEN TRAINS?
B C
B C
A + B + C between 160 and 250 cm
+ MORE THAN 160 CM
A + B + C < 160 cm
- LESS THAN 160 CM For luggage measuring over 160cm
and up to 250cm (length + width +
height), you need to have made a
If you are traveling with luggage
prior reservation to be able to bring
measuring less than 160cm (length
your luggage on the Shinkansen.
+ width + height), you do not need
to make an extra reservation, and
Onboard, you will have to store your
you can store your luggage in the
overhead compartment above luggage in the designated oversize
your seat. luggage areas, either behind the last
For context, luggage size up to seats of the car or in the area between
160cm total represents the size of a cars. This includes luggage such as sport
checked bag in airplanes. A cabin equipment, musical instruments, and
or carry-on luggage measures baby strollers. If you need to make a
around 115cm, for reference. reservation, please contact us at
least 3 weeks in advance to book the
If you have checked luggage on very few available such seats.
your flight, it will fit onboard the
Shinkansen without reservation:
!
Japanese trains allow for much Luggage measuring over 250cm (length +
larger luggage than common trains. width + height) is not allowed onboard the
Only larger bags need prior Shinkansen.
Each passenger can bring up to two pieces of less
reservations.
than 160cm luggage onboard the Shinkansen.
Please scan this QR code or read our article
here about luggage rules on the Shinkansen
USER GUIDE
VALIDITY
AND CONDITIONS
WHAT IS THE VALIDITY OF TRAIN TICKETS?
Train tickets are valid only for the time, date and route indicated on the booking and
on the e-ticket.
HOW CAN I CANCEL OR MODIFY MY BOOKING?
You can cancel or modify your tickets only by contacting Japan Experience by phone
or email. Modifications and cancellation are not possible in stations, neither at
machines (even if they have a QR code reader) nor at counters (except when
mentioned by our assistance*).
WHAT ARE THE CANCELLATION CONDITIONS?
You can cancel your train tickets up to 72 hours before departure, with a 15%
cancellation fee applied.
Past 72 hours before departure, no cancellations can be done.
WHAT IF I MISS MY TRAIN?
If you have missed your train, your tickets allow you to board any train on the same
route in the same day – in non-reserved seat cars only. In high seasons such as New
Year’s/Golden Week, there are no non-reserved seat cars on all Nozomi trains.
Modification Conditions
USER GUIDE
VALIDITY
AND CONDITIONS
WHAT ARE THE MODIFICATION CONDITIONS?
You can modify your booking for free one time up to 72 hours before departure. Any
extra modification will result in booking cancellation to make a new order, with a 15%
cancellation fee applied.
Past 72 hours before departure, no modifications can be done.
If you want to modify
Seat and/or departure time
Japan Experience can modify your booking for free, one time per booking.
Departure date and/or ticket class
Japan Experience allows you to change your departure date/ticket class free of charge
by canceling your order without fees in order to make a new booking. Please note that
a new date in a higher travel season or an upper class will result in a price difference.
Adding or removing passengers from the booking
Adding a passenger is free of charge, you only need to pay the extra ticket price.
Removing a passenger equals to canceling the booking for that passenger only,
cancellation conditions apply for the removed passenger ticket (15% fee).
Departure station/arrival station
This change equals a cancellation, with a 15% cancellation fee applied.
HOW TO CONTACT JAPAN EXPERIENCE?
If you wish to contact Japan Experience in order to modify or cancel your order, you can
reach out to us through these channels:
WhatsApp: +81 90 3823 1949 | (8am to 10pm JST, 7 days a week)
E-mail: contact@[Link]
USER GUIDE
TRAIN ETIQUETTE
IN JAPAN
SEATING AND CARS
Trains in Japan have different types of cars as well as seating arrangements.
Pay attention to your surroundings on trains, as they indicate rules to follow.
On the Shinkansen specifically, pay attention to the seat reservation status
of the train cars, as explained earlier in this guide.
HABITS AND RULES TO FOLLOW
Whether it is on local trains or high-speed Shinkansen trains, talking, listening to
music or any loud activity is generally frowned upon. Japanese train cars are very
quiet, and electronic devices should be put on silence mode. If you need to make a
call, wait until you disembark on local trains, or use your phone only between cars on
the Shinkansen.
Similarly, be mindful of other travelers when you are carrying luggage or a bag.
Take off your backpack during peak hours, and do not put your belongings on an
empty seat next to you. On the Shinkansen, only put your luggage in the designated
areas.
To get on the train, line up in a queue following the markings on platforms,
as the rest of the population is doing. Never try to cut in line, and don’t shove or
push anyone. When you get in, please advance as far as you can and don’t block the
exits.
To get off, please gather your personal belongings and line up to disembark before the
train reaches its stop. Most of the time, a musical tone will cue arrival to a station in a
few minutes. Doing so ensures the train can leave the station in a timely manner.
EATING AND DRINKING
Eating, snacking and drinking are allowed on bullet
trains only. Before boarding your train, grab a
delicious ekiben in your departing station, hop on,
and feast as the Japanese countryside zooms by
your window.
Please note that the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen
cart food service is only available in Green Class and
there is no « wagon-bar ». We recommend
passengers in Ordinary cars to buy food & drinks
prior to boarding. [Link]
contact@[Link]