How to Buy Shinkansen Tickets Online (2026): Which Site to Use, Step by Step

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Buying a bullet train ticket before you land in Japan takes the guesswork out of a busy winter trip, but the booking sites are split by railway company, and that is where most first-timers get stuck. This guide is only about the purchase: which official site sells which line, how to register, how you receive the ticket and what to do if plans change.

Quick answer: Pick the official system that runs your line. SmartEX covers the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata). JR-EAST Train Reservation is the system for JR East lines north and east of Tokyo and also sells the Hokkaido Shinkansen. JR-WEST Online Train Reservation sells the Sanyo, Hokuriku and Kyushu Shinkansen. Make an account, pay by card, then board with a QR code or registered IC card, or collect a paper ticket at a station machine. Details differ by system, so read the table below and check the booking site before you pay. For seat classes, luggage rules and etiquette, see our general Shinkansen guide.

Which site sells which Shinkansen line (as of 10 Nov 2026)

Map: major stations to collect tickets and board

The map marks big stations tied to the systems above. Which machines accept which tickets differs by system, so check the pickup page of the one you booked with.

Before you book: what you need

Have these ready before you start. SmartEX registration asks for your name, date of birth, a password, a credit card, an email address and, optionally, an IC card. No phone number appears in the registration steps. Its 3D Secure page says the cardholder must be 18 or over.

• A credit card in your own name. Debit and prepaid cards may be rejected by the card company, according to SmartEX.
• An email address that can receive messages from “@expy.jp” if you use SmartEX.
• Your travel dates and the stations you will use.
• Your passport, which you may need for some pickups or pass products.

Booking windows open on Japan time, so check the clock with our time in Japan guide. If you are travelling in December or January, book as soon as seats open: the pass site warns that 29 December to 3 January is the busiest travel period of the year.

Step by step: booking on SmartEX

SmartEX is the system for the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen. Its service page says you can buy from 5:30 am one year before the boarding date until 4 minutes before departure.

• Step 1: Register on the SmartEX website or app with your card details. The site says there is no annual membership fee.
• Step 2: Complete 3D Secure on your card. SmartEX warns that you may not be able to use the service if it is not set up.
• Step 3: Pick your date, stations, train and seat type (reserved, Green Car or non-reserved).
• Step 4: Choose how you will board: a QR ticket, or a registered IC card.
• Step 5: Pay by card. Payment is settled in yen, so your bank may add a foreign transaction fee.

A year ahead you choose from a tentative schedule. The site says train, time and seats are confirmed after 8:00 am one month before boarding, and it emails you.

Step by step: JR-EAST Train Reservation

JR-EAST Train Reservation is the system for JR East lines. JR Hokkaido’s English page confirms it sells the Hokkaido Shinkansen, with sales from 10 am JST one month before boarding until 6 minutes before departure.

JR East’s official FAQ says tickets can be bought from your home country from 10:00 JST one month before the boarding date, and that the site covers JR East, JR Hokkaido and the Hokuriku Shinkansen only. Its Japanese guide lists View, JCB, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club cards, and says prepaid and virtual cards cannot be used. The English top page notes that seat reservations cannot be made there with a Japan Rail Pass. Check each screen as you go, because the site can change.

• Step 1: Open the English site and create an account.
• Step 2: Search your date, stations and train.
• Step 3: Choose a seat and pay by card.
• Step 4: Save the pickup QR code or pickup code. At a reserved-seat ticket machine you can collect with that code or the card you paid with.

JR-WEST Online Train Reservation

JR West’s pages say its reservation system covers the Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka to Hakata), the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Kanazawa to Tokyo) and the Kyushu Shinkansen. Reserved seats open at 10:00 JST one month before boarding. Reception hours run from 5:30 am to 1:50 am JST, and the last day of each month is a temporary maintenance day.

Card brands are shown only as logos, so check the site. JR West says bookings that include the JR Central area lose its online change and refund perks, so SmartEX is usually the better fit for the Tokaido line. The JR Kyushu pickup page adds that only the person named on the payment card may collect there.

Got a JR Pass? Reserving seats online

The official pass site says that if you bought your JAPAN RAIL Pass online, you can book a reserved seat on its dedicated reservation website, with no extra charge. Its home page says reserved seats can be booked in advance only for passes bought on the official website. Pass holders can also reserve at machines or Midori-no-Madoguchi offices. JR-EAST Train Reservation says it does not take seat reservations with a Japan Rail Pass.

Nozomi and Mizuho are not covered by the pass. The site says you must buy an additional Nozomi Mizuho ticket before boarding; check the fare on the pass site. Our JR Pass guide helps you decide whether a pass pays off.

Collecting tickets and boarding

With SmartEX you have three options, per its pages. Show a QR ticket at the gate, tap a registered IC card, or collect a paper ticket. Our Suica guide explains IC cards.

• QR ticket: add it to Apple Wallet, print it, or email it. Each seat needs its own ticket, and you need it to exit.
• IC card: registration is required before boarding, and the fare is charged to your registered credit card.
• Paper ticket: you need the pickup code and your password. Staff may ask to see the payment card.

The SmartEX pickup page says machine pickup opens 3 days before the boarding date, while counters allow it a month ahead. For JR-WEST, see its ticket receiving page: you need the physical credit card you paid with and the 4-digit identification number issued at booking. Virtual cards cannot be used, and you must collect the ticket before boarding. For bags and etiquette, read our luggage forwarding post.

Changes, cancellations and missed trains

Rules differ by system, and these are the ones we could verify on 10 Nov 2026. Check the booking site before you pay.

• SmartEX: free changes before you pass the gate or collect a ticket, up to 4 minutes before departure and within 3 months of purchase. Online refunds before departure cost 320 yen, per its pages.
• JR-WEST: changes before ticket receipt, as many times as you like until the train departs. Refund fees before receipt are 220 yen for a basic fare ticket and 340 yen for a limited express booking.
• JR Pass seats: after the seat ticket is issued, changes and cancellations are handled at a station ticket window, per the pass site.
• JR-EAST: change and refund fees were not stated on the English pages we could check, so look in your booking history before you pay.

Once a ticket is collected, you generally need a station counter. If you miss a SmartEX train, its service page says you may ride a later Shinkansen the same day in a non-reserved Ordinary Car seat. For other systems, ask station staff what your ticket allows.

Official sites vs resellers

Third-party resellers exist and may be fine for some travellers. They may add fees or deliver tickets in a different way, such as an exchange voucher, so read the terms and the pickup steps before paying. The official JR sites publish their own change and refund rules, which is the main reason we point you there first. If a listing looks unclear, book on the railway’s own site.

Research-based picks

We have not tested these. They are research-based picks for a bullet-train day.

A carry-on spinner is easier to lift into an overhead rack; check the listing for dimensions and compare with the rules in our general guide.

A slim RFID passport holder keeps your passport and the booking card together at the machine.

A compact neck pillow helps on a long ride; check the listing for its size when packed.

An insulated bottle keeps a drink cold alongside your ekiben.

Visiting from Singapore, Australia, the UK or Canada

SmartEX’s pages list its app for the United States, Canada, Australia and Singapore, among other places, and say you can buy before you arrive. They do not say outright that foreign cards are accepted, but they mention foreign transaction fees. Your card must also pass 3D Secure. Our money guide covers cards, and our eSIM guide helps you stay connected for QR tickets.

FAQ

Can foreigners buy Shinkansen tickets online?

Yes. SmartEX says you can buy tickets and reserve seats in your own country before arriving in Japan. The other systems here have English pages too.

How far in advance can I book?

SmartEX opens tentative booking a year ahead and confirms seats one month before. JR-WEST and JR Hokkaido state 10:00 JST one month before.

Is SmartEX free?

The site says there is no annual membership fee. Fares and refund or change charges still apply.

Do I need to print my ticket?

Not necessarily. SmartEX says you can use a QR ticket on your phone or a registered IC card, though it advises printing the QR if your phone does not work at the gate.

Can I use a US credit card?

SmartEX shows accepted brands only as an image and does not say explicitly that foreign cards work. It warns that 3D Secure is needed. Test registration before you travel.

Can JR Pass holders reserve seats online?

Yes, if the pass was bought on the official site. The pass site names its own reservation website for this.

Can I change my ticket after booking?

Yes on SmartEX and JR-WEST before ticket receipt, within the rules above. Check the site for the latest fees.

Bottom line

Match the official site to your line, register early and test your card before you go. Check each booking site’s current rules, and see our Shinkansen guide for the rest.

Top photo: an N700 series Shinkansen at Shin-Osaka Station. Photo: airlines470, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.