Hey all! Can’t find this question on here so just checking if anyone knows about this. I am booking the Hayabusa train from Ueno to Shin Aomori and it is a reserve-seat-only type train.
Due to possible flight or train delays, I will never know if I’ll be late or not, so I wanted to check on the worst case scenario here and what do you think is the best possible option I should take?
The date for this is 22 Apr. I’m landing in NRT at 9am, and I intend to try for the 1126am Shinkansen from Ueno. The next possible timing is 1226pm.
by harugamaru
5 comments
Refunds cannot be made for issued seat tickets after the train departure time.
If you miss the train – it becomes an unreserved ticket for any Shinkansen that day that has unreserved carriage, OR, in the case of a ticket for an all-reserved train like Hayabusa, it becomes a standing ticket (yes, as in you have to stand) for any all-reserved Shinkansen later in the day.
Anyway, I wouldn’t bother buying this ticket ahead of time.
Just buy it from station. 22th is just a normal day and trains won’t be full.
I wish I’d known all of this before travelling. Yes….missed our reserved train by seconds. Ran back to the JR office to reserve a seat on the next one. Lol guy was like no. Just catch the next one no need to reserve ….literally 3 people in each carriage
As I understood it, you also cannot make a new reservation while the missed one is still active, i.e. You can’t just make a new reservation right after you missed it. I don’t remember for how long, maybe a whole day? .. Somebody please correct me if I’m mistaken.