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Airlines

Your E-ticket is your international airline ticket that we book and issue for you through our system. With your E-ticket you can check in with your airline and receive your boarding pass. Make sure you either print it out or have it handy on your phone when you are ready to do your checking in.

We have good relationships with many airline companies and we work hard to provide our customers with affordable flights and meet their special requests. We allow our customers to have a few different flight itineraries so they can choose the best option for themselves and make sure their requests are met.

Before the tour begins our Operation staff work hard to look through our flight booking system and reserve the most affordable flights with great services for our customers.

We allow our customers to choose the best options with early arrivals, stay behinds and transits. We can help our customers with accommodation and optional tours for these as well.

Once our customers have confirmed their flights we issue their e-tickets.

In general if our customers would like to do online check-in and add special requests they can do that themselves. We usually put their special requests into our booking and have it recorded for them but we usually tell them the process for online check-in and their reservation number. This allows the customer to be able to freely do their online check-in and add any special requests they need. If the customer needs assistance we can give it to them and provide more details.

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Shinkansen

Shinkansen (Bullet Train) is one of the most convenient modes of transport to travel around Japan. It is a high speed train that runs up to 320km/h and provides customers with punctuality, comfort, safety and efficiency. The Shinkansen train lines connect Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido with the main point being in Tokyo. The Shinkansen network includes multiple lines throughout Japan. The most oldest and popular line is the Tokkaido Shinkansen (Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka). All Shinkansen lines run on tracks that are exclusively built for and used by Shinkansen trains. Most lines are served by multiple train categories, ranging from the fastest category that stops only at major stations to the slowest category that stops at every station along the way.

Shinkansen Network

The Shinkansen network includes multiple lines throughout Japan. The most oldest and popular line is the Tokkaido Shinkansen (Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka). All Shinkansen lines run on tracks that are exclusively built for and used by Shinkansen trains. Most lines are served by multiple train categories, ranging from the fastest category that stops only at major stations to the slowest category that stops at every station along the way.

Shinkansen Tickets

Most Shinkansen offer two classes of the seats which are found in different cars:

Ordinary

Like the name suggests, ordinary seats are the regular seats found on all Shinkansen trains. Although the size and foot space of ordinary seats various between train sets, ordinary seats on Shinkansen are generally comfortable and offer a generous amount of foot space. They usually come in rows of 2 or 3 seats.

Green Car

Comparable to business class on airplanes, green cars offer seats that are larger and more comfortable than ordinary seats and offer more foot space. The seats are arranged in rows of 2 03 3 seats. Green Cars tend to be less crowded than ordinary cars.

Reserved vs. Non-reserved Cars

Most Shinkansen trains offer both non-served seats and reserved seats in separate cars. Only the Hayabusa, Hayate and Komachi trains on the Tohoku Shinkansen and Hokkaido Shinkansen and the Kagayaki trains on the Hokuriku Shinkansen are fully reserved and do not carry non-reserved seating. All seats in Green Cars are reserved. Bilingual signs indicate whether a Shinkansen carries reserved or non-reserved seats. Advance seat reservations are required to use a seat in a reserved car. A fee of a few hundred yen applies for making seat reservations. Japan by Rail Pass holders can make seat reservations for free.

Regular tickets

Your Shinkansen ticket is made up of several fees:

  • Base fare

    The fare to be paid to get from A to B. Increases step wide according to the distance travelled. Issued as a base fare ticket. (乗車券、joshaken)

  • Shinkansen supplement (limited express fee)

    The supplement fee to be paid for using a Shinkansen train. The fee increases step wise according to the distance travelled. The express supplement is issue as a limited express fee ticket.（特急券, tokkyuken）

  • Seat reservation fee

    320, 520, 720 yen depending on whether it is low season, regular season or high season respectively. An additional supplement (100-620) depending on the distance travelled) applies for using reserved seats on Nozomi, Mizuho, Hayabusa and Komachi trains. The seat reservation fee is usually combined with the express supplement into a single ticket.

  • Green car fee

    The supplement fee for riding the green car. Increases step wise according to the distance travelled. It is usually combined with the express supplement into a single ticket.

Rail Passes

The Japan Rail Pass can be used on all Shinkansen trains except Nozomi and Mizuho trains and covers all the fees involved. Seat reservations can be made for free at ticket counters. Pass holders will receive a seat reservation ticket that indicates the reserved seat. They need no tickets besides their rail pass when using non-reserved seats. Similar to the nationwide Japan by Rai Pass, there are numerous regional passes that also cover some Shinkansen trains.

Other discount ticket

Small discounts are available for set ticket （回数券、kaisuken） and round trip tickets (往復割引、ofukuwaribiki) that are available for selected sections. Other tickets provide a discount when purchased in advance. Discount ticket shops around major stations also sell Shinkansen tickets at small discounts. Travel packages such as the various Shinkansen tour packages by Japanican or the Puratto Kodama Economy Plan (for travel along the Tokkaido Shinkansen by Kodama) can provide more substantial savings, but have to be purchased in advance.

Seat Reservations

Seat reservations allow you to secure a seat and travel with peace of mind. They can be made for all Shinkansen trains, but are not mandatory on the trains that also carry non-reserved seating. Only the Hayabusa, Hayate and Komachi trains along the Tohoku Shinkansen and Hokkaido Shinkansen and the Kagayaki trains along the Hokuriku Shinkansen require seat reservations.

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JR Rail pass

Exchange in Japan

You require an exchange coupon departing Australia (we will post it to you), as you will need to exchange this for your actual Rail Pass in Japan. Your exchange coupon must be exchanged within 3 months from when the exchange coupon is issued. The exchange order is valid for three months from the date of issue. You must exchange it in Japan at a valid exchange office within these three months in order to receive your actual Pass. If you fail to make the exchange within the three months your exchange coupon will no longer be valid and you will not be able to receive the actual Pass. To exchange date of the pass, once the pass has been obtained, can no longer be changed. Please find below official website to refer detail of JR exchange offices: http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/exchange.html

Eligibility for use

The Japan Rail Pass is valid for the railways as below:

  • All JR group railways Shinkansen bullet trains (except Nozomi and Mizuho bullet trains, Please use “HIKARI,” “SAKURA,” “KODAMA,” and “TSUBAME” trains) limited express trains, express trains, and rapid or local trains, and the BRT. (With some exceptions)
  • Japan Rail Pass holders can also use the Tokyo Monorail.

Seat Reservations

After turning in your Exchange Order for a JAPAN RAIL PASS, you can make seat reservations at a “Midori-no-madoguchi” (ticket office).

  • There is no additional charge for making seat reservation. To make a reservation, go to any Travel Service Center or a “Midori-no-madoguchi” (ticket office) at a JR station, or to the sales office of a JR-associated travel agency. There, show your PASS, and obtain your reserved-seat ticket before the boarding.

    *Seat reservations cannot be made at unmanned stations or stations without reservation capability.

  • Shinkansen, most limited express and ordinary express trains have reserved Green Car seats and both reserved and non-reserved ordinary car seats

    Some trains have no non-reserved seating (all seats are reserved).

  • It may take time to make a seat reservation if the service counter is busy. Please ensure you leave enough time to make your reservation.

    *Note: Do not use an automatic ticket gate with a JAPAN RAIL PASS or a reserved-seat ticket. Please show the PASS at a Staff Attended Gate.

Baggage on Train

There is little room for large suitcases on urban and long-distance trains especially during rush hours. Overhead shelves on shinkansen trains are about 40cm high and 60cm deep and cannot accommodate large items. There is usually space for two to three large suitcases behind the last row of seats in each car on most long distance trains. Furthermore, on many shinkansen trains the leg room is large enough to place a suitcase in front of you, although this may not be the most comfortable solution.

According to JR regulations, each passenger may bring up to two pieces of luggage onto trains, not including smaller bags. Each piece of luggage may not weight more than 30kg and its three dimensions (length, width and depth) may not add up to more than 250cm, while its length may not exceed 200cm.

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Limousine bus

Limousine Bus

We can help you arrange a limousine bus for your transfers from the airport to your hotel or we can provide you the information to book this on your own. There are many limousine bus services from the airport to Tokyo city. We recommend searching for some of these online and reserving before you get to Japan. You can pay by credit card and can choose your drop off station. Make sure you know which area your hotel is or the place you would like to stop. This is one of the limousine companies we recommend:

https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

They have limousine buses going from Haneda Airport to Tokyo city and Narita Airport to Tokyo city as well as many other day tour offers. This website is in English and they have Free Wifi on all buses too.

Haneda Airport (T1 to T2)

Below is some information for you to travel from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 at Tokyo Haneda AIrport. The two terminals are very close and it is within walking distance. A free shuttle bus also operates between the International Terminal and the Domestic Terminals and buses run every 4 minutes. Hours of Operation 04:48〜24:00, 24:40 * The departure time of the last bus from International terminal is 23:56. * From April 1st, 2018, the bus departing at 00:40 leaves from the bus stop No.0. Route International Terminal → Domestic Terminal No. 2 → Domestic Terminal No. 1 → International Terminal Time Required International Terminal → Domestic Terminal No. 1: approx. 10 minutes International Terminal → Domestic Terminal No. 2: approx. 7 minutes Shuttle buses to the domestic terminals leave from Bus Stop No. 0 on the 1st floor of the passenger terminal. Tokyo Haneda Airport website also provides a video guide showing the route from the arrival lobby on the 2nd floor to the Domestic Terminal shuttle bus stop. Please click here to find out more details.