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Shinkansen seat classes, explained with real fares

Five ways to sit on a bullet train, from the cheapest non-reserved seat to a private cabin. The price gap between them is set by fixed JR rules, so you can work out any route once you know them.

Seat classes at a glance

Cheapest
Non-reserved: reserved charge minus ¥530, any day
Standard
Reserved seat (Tokyo – Kyoto on Hikari: ¥13,850)
First class
Green Car (Tokyo – Kyoto on Hikari: ¥18,720)
JR Pass
Ordinary and (with a Green pass) Green seats on all trains except Nozomi and Mizuho

One adult, one way, normal season. Fares from JR's fare guide; rules from JR Central and JAPAN RAIL PASS pages.

The five classes

Shinkansen seat classes
ClassWhat it isJR Pass
Non-reserved seat (jiyuseki)Any free seat in a non-reserved car. Not every train has non-reserved cars, and Nozomi trains are all-reserved during JR Central's peak periods.Usable with the pass alone, except on Nozomi and Mizuho.
Reserved seat (shiteiseki), ordinary carA numbered seat on one train. The charge moves with the seasonal calendar.Reservations are free with the pass on covered trains.
Green CarJR's first-class car, for which a Green Car charge is paid on top of the fare and limited express charge.Covered by a Green Car pass. With an ordinary pass you pay the Green Car charge plus the limited express charge.
GranClassA class above the Green Car on some Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen trains. The GranClass charge differs by train. Worked example in JR's fare guide: the Kagayaki GranClass (A) charge for Nagano - Tokyo is 11,190 yen, against a Green Car charge of 4,190 yen for the same section.Not included: a pass holder pays the GranClass charge and the limited express charge.
Supreme Class (Tokaido Shinkansen, from 1 October 2026)Private cabins on Nozomi: car 7 (up to two guests) and car 10 (one guest). Booked only on smartEX.The JR Central page does not say whether the JR Pass can be used; Nozomi itself is not covered by the pass.

What each class costs on real routes

Every price below is computed from the official fare table this site uses for its fare finder, so it matches the route guides exactly. "Not yet verified" means the official table we read does not give that price for the pair (for example, non-reserved prices on the all-reserved Hayabusa and Kagayaki).

Shinkansen fares by seat class, one adult, one way, normal season
RouteTrainNon-reservedReservedGreen CarNozomi reservedNozomi Green
Tokyo – KyotoHikari¥13,320¥13,850¥18,720¥14,170¥19,040
Tokyo – Shin-OsakaHikari¥13,870¥14,400¥19,270¥14,720¥19,590
Tokyo – HiroshimaHikari¥18,380¥18,910¥26,170¥19,760¥27,020
Tokyo – SendaiHayabusanot yet verified¥11,630¥15,290——
Tokyo – KanazawaKagayaki / Hakutakanot yet verified¥14,600¥21,060——

Green Car total = basic fare + (the ordinary reserved-seat limited express charge that applies on the travel date - 530 yen) + Green Car charge. Tokaido/Sanyo Green Car charges by operating distance: up to 100 km 1,300 / 200 km 2,800 / 400 km 4,190 / 600 km 5,400 / 800 km 6,600 / 801 km or more 7,790 yen (same for Nozomi and Hikari/Kodama; adults and children pay the same). JR Central and JR West will raise the Tokaido/Sanyo Green Car charge for travel from 15 Dec 2027 (e.g. 7,790 to 12,300 yen for 801 km+). "—" = Nozomi does not run on that line. Reserved and Green prices are ¥400 higher on the busiest days and ¥200 lower on off-peak days; non-reserved prices never change.

Non-reserved seats

Any free seat in a non-reserved car. Not every train has non-reserved cars, and Nozomi trains are all-reserved during JR Central's peak periods. In a non-reserved car you take any free seat if one is open. The limited express charge is the normal-season reserved charge minus ¥530, whatever the date, so it is the cheapest way to ride.

On Tokyo – Kyoto the saving is ¥530 against a reserved seat on the same Hikari (¥13,320 vs ¥13,850).

You cannot bring baggage over 160 cm in total into a non-reserved car on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines; see oversized baggage.

Reserved seats

A numbered seat on one train. The charge moves with the seasonal calendar. A reserved seat guarantees you a numbered seat on one specific train, and on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines it is the only way to bring an oversized bag. Families and groups who want to sit together should reserve. The seasonal calendar is on the seasonal charges page.

Green Car

JR's first-class car, for which a Green Car charge is paid on top of the fare and limited express charge. Covered by a Green Car pass. With an ordinary pass you pay the Green Car charge plus the limited express charge. Children pay half the fare and limited express charge but the full Green Car charge (see child fares).

Worked example, Tokyo – Kyoto on Hikari: basic fare ¥8,360 + (reserved charge ¥5,490 − ¥530) + Green Car charge ¥5,400 = ¥18,720.

GranClass

A class above the Green Car on some Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen trains. The GranClass charge differs by train. Worked example in JR's fare guide: the Kagayaki GranClass (A) charge for Nagano - Tokyo is 11,190 yen, against a Green Car charge of 4,190 yen for the same section. Not included: a pass holder pays the GranClass charge and the limited express charge.

We have not transcribed the full GranClass table because its layout could not be read reliably; the worked example above is quoted from the same page.

Supreme Class (from 1 October 2026)

Private cabins on Nozomi: car 7 (up to two guests) and car 10 (one guest). Booked only on smartEX. The JR Central page does not say whether the JR Pass can be used; Nozomi itself is not covered by the pass.

Supreme Class fares compared with the Nozomi Green Car
RouteCar 7 cabin (up to 2)Car 10 cabin (1)Nozomi Green Car (for comparison)
Tokyo – Nagoya¥47,060¥32,660¥14,960
Tokyo – Shin-Osaka¥60,790¥42,390¥19,590
Tokyo – Okayama¥74,440¥51,840¥23,840
Tokyo – Hiroshima¥86,620¥60,020¥27,020
Shin-Osaka – Hakata (Fukuoka)¥72,690¥50,090¥22,090

Seasonal adjustment: 200 yen less in the off-peak season, 200 yen more in the peak season, 400 yen more in the super-peak season. A companion in car 7 must buy a Shinkansen ticket for the same train (any seat class); companions aged 6 or younger need no ticket.

Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama

On the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen the same seat classes come on three kinds of train: Nozomi (the fastest), Hikari and Kodama. The difference matters most for JR Pass holders, because the pass covers Hikari and Kodama but not Nozomi.

Tokyo to Kyoto by train type
TrainDirect runs (weekday)TimeReserved fareJR Pass
Nozomi113fastest 2 h 7 min¥14,170Not covered (NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket ¥4,960)
Hikari28typically 2 h 36 min¥13,850Covered
Kodama11not yet verified¥13,850Covered

Tokyo – Nagoya for comparison: 113 Nozomi, 30 Hikari and 29 Kodama direct runs a weekday. Counts are from the official Tokyo Station timetable for Wednesday 4 November 2026.

  • Nozomi and Mizuho are not covered by the JAPAN RAIL PASS (not even non-reserved seats); Hikari, Kodama, Sakura and Tsubame are.
  • During JR Central's peak periods all seats on Nozomi trains are reserved (the 165 non-reserved seats become reserved seats). Holders of non-reserved tickets may still board Nozomi and stand in the aisle, except in the Green Cars (cars 8 to 10). Hikari, Kodama, Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubame keep their non-reserved seats, which can be overcrowded at those times.
  • JR-WEST RAIL PASS products that include the Sanyo Shinkansen can be used on Nozomi and Mizuho within their area.

Kodama and Hikari cost the same as each other

JR's fare table prints one limited express charge for Hikari and Kodama, and a higher one for Nozomi and Mizuho on the Tokaido and Sanyo lines. Choosing Kodama over Hikari does not change the price.

FAQ

How much more is the Green Car than a normal seat?

On Tokyo – Kyoto (Hikari, one adult, normal season) a non-reserved seat is ¥13,320, a reserved seat ¥13,850 and the Green Car ¥18,720: ¥4,870 more than a reserved seat. The Green Car total is the basic fare + (reserved charge − ¥530) + the Green Car charge (¥5,400 for this distance).

Is a non-reserved seat cheaper?

Yes, where the train has non-reserved cars: the limited express charge is the normal-season reserved charge minus ¥530, on any date. Some trains have no non-reserved cars, and Nozomi is all-reserved during JR Central's peak periods.

Which seat classes does the JR Pass cover?

An ordinary pass covers ordinary-car reserved and non-reserved seats on all Shinkansen except Nozomi and Mizuho, with free seat reservations. A Green Car pass also covers Green Cars. GranClass needs the GranClass charge and the limited express charge even with a pass.

What is the difference between Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama?

They are the three train types on the Tokaido Shinkansen, Nozomi being the fastest. Tokyo – Kyoto: the fastest scheduled Nozomi takes 2 h 7 min, a typical Hikari 2 h 36 min. On a weekday 113 Nozomi, 28 Hikari and 11 Kodama run directly from Tokyo to Kyoto. The JR Pass covers Hikari and Kodama but not Nozomi.

What is Supreme Class and how much is it?

Private cabins on Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi trains from 1 October 2026: car 7 for up to two guests and car 10 for one. Tokyo – Shin-Osaka costs ¥60,790 (car 7) or ¥42,390 (car 10) per adult one way in the regular season, basic fare and limited express charge included. It is booked only on smartEX.

How much is GranClass?

The charge depends on the train and section. JR's fare guide gives an example: the Kagayaki GranClass (A) charge for Nagano – Tokyo is ¥11,190, against a Green Car charge of ¥4,190 for the same section. As with the Green Car, it is added to the fare and the limited express charge minus ¥530.

Shinkansen practical guides

All sources for this page

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