What this solves / who it's for

Most first-time visitors only ever take the Tokyo↔Kyoto Shinkansen and never realize the system is a network of ten lines covering most of Honshu and the north of Kyushu. This tool lets you pick any city pair and shows you the realistic route (which Shinkansen line, any required transfer, total time, reserved-vs-unreserved reality, and whether there's a Limited Express surcharge beyond the base fare). It also answers the question every traveler asks the first time they walk onto a Shinkansen platform: where do I stand on this massive platform to board efficiently? — with a unique departure-platform cheat sheet for the three terminals that confuse people most (Tokyo, Shin-Osaka, Kyoto). Best for: visitors planning a multi-Shinkansen itinerary who want to understand the network as a network, not as one route.

Find your route

From

How to interpret the result

The "trains" line tells you the exact Shinkansen service names you'll board (e.g., Nozomi 21 → Hikari 503), in order, including any transfer at a station like Shin-Osaka or Tokyo. "Total time" is the door-to-door estimate including transfer buffer — add 15 minutes if it's a tight transfer during rush hour. The "limited express surcharge" line shows whether the second leg of your route (e.g., a Hakata Super Kamui, or a JR East Hayabusa extension) requires an additional ticket — most JR Pass holders pay nothing extra, while pay-as-you-lying travelers pay ~¥4,000–6,000 per surcharge. The "platform" cheat sheet below tells you where to stand on each platform so you can board fast and walk the least.

Pro tips & common pitfalls

• Tokyo Station is a maze — Shinkansen platforms are on the B1 level, far from the Marunouchi exit. Walk to your platform at least 15 minutes before departure.
• "Reserved seat" is the default recommendation; unreserved cars (cars 1–3 usually) are free but you can be denied boarding at peak hours (Golden Week, Obon, year-end).
• Nozomi/Mizuho are the fastest but JR Pass holders need the ¥4,180 supplement per leg — only worth it if you're tight on time.
• Japan Rail Pass holders: do not try to ride Nozomi/Mizuho with a regular pass — JR will check your reservation slip.
• When transferring at Shin-Osaka between two Shinkansen lines, give yourself at least 12 minutes. The concourse is wide but signage is not great in the connecting passage.

Frequently asked questions

How fast is a Shinkansen really?

Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi services cruise at 270 km/h; the limit drops to 285 km/h on parts of the Hokuriku and Tohoku lines. Tokyo↔Kyoto on Nozomi is 2h15m door-to-platform. Hikari takes 2h45m with more stops. Kodama stops at every station and is rarely worth it — use a Limited Express instead.

What is the difference between Hikari, Sakura, Kodama, Tsubame?

They're all service names for different stop patterns on the same lines. Hikari = Tokaido fast service. Sakura = Kyushu fast service (Hakata–Kumamoto). Kodama = local, stops everywhere. Tsubame = local service on the Tokaido / Sanyo. Hayabusa / Hayate serve Tohoku/Hokkaido; Komachi serves Akita.

Can I board without a reservation?

On most Shinkansen, yes — unreserved cars (usually cars 1–3, sometimes 4–6) let you board any service with an open seat. During peak travel (Golden Week, Obon, New Year) you'll often be denied. Reserved seats cost ¥0–1,320 extra depending on distance and are recommended for travelers who don't speak Japanese.

What if I miss my reserved train?

A reserved ticket is valid for that specific train only. If you miss it, hop into any unreserved car on the same line within the same hour, or pay a small fee at the JR office to change the reservation — JR staff in green are very accommodating about same-day same-route switches.

Can I bring luggage on a Shinkansen?

Yes — bags up to 160 cm total (length + width + height) fit in the overhead rack or end-of-car luggage area. Bags with total dimension 161–250 cm require a reserved seat with an oversized luggage area (cars 5, 10, 15 depending on train). Bags over 250 cm must be sent as Takkyubin. There is no checked-bag service.

Known limitations

Departure times shown are illustrative, not real-time. JR adjusts timetables seasonally (mid-March, mid-December, mid-summer) and on special event days — always confirm with Jorudan, Navitime, or the JR East/West/Central apps the day before. This tool doesn't model the Japan Rail Pass upgrade path for Nozomi/Mizuho in cost — that's a JR Pass Break-Even Calculator job. It also doesn't model platform renumbering during station renovation (Tokyo Station has shuffled the Shinkansen platform assignments twice in the last decade).