SmartEx is a Shinkansen high-speed rail reservation app that enables seamless booking, changes, and cancellations (subject to a fee) for the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu (latest addition) Shinkansen. It covers the major lines connecting key Japanese cities such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. Tickets purchased via the SmartEx app are at least 200 yen cheaper than those bought at train stations.
SmartEX is accessible via its app or website. To register, you only need a credit card and an email address. After completing registration, you can begin making reservations. Although changing tickets is possible through SmartEX, cancellations incur a fee of 320 yen.
Between 2022 and 2023, JR Central adjusted its discount offerings, with some changes being less favorable. Despite this, I still consider SmartEX worth exploring.
Booking:
Once registered and logged in, you can start making reservations, with the ability now to book up to one year in advance.
Simply click the reservation button to access the reservation screen, where you can select your departure date and time. If you have checked luggage, open the drop-down menu under ‘Seat Type’ and choose the ‘Use Oversized Baggage Area’ option. After selecting all required fields, click ‘Continue’.
On the next screen, you will select a fare class for the train. I selected Nozomi No. 233, which indicated that a discount was available for this train.
The next step involves selecting a fare class for the train, where numerous discount options are available. Notably, the “S Work Seat” discounts and the Hayatoku 28 discount were introduced between 2022 and 2023. For my journey, I selected Nozomi No. 233 and found that the Hayatoku Green discount was available for this train. After selecting the fare class, you can choose your seat from the seat map by clicking the ‘View Seat Map’ button.
The seat map allows you to select both the car number and seat. Row 16 is blocked off, reserved for passengers with large-sized luggage. To book these seats, simply return to the booking page and select the ‘large luggage’ option. For views of Mt. Fuji, choose DE seats in ordinary cars and CD seats in green cars.
After selecting your seat and proceeding to ticket purchase, you have several options: receiving a QR code, picking up the ticket from a vending machine, or linking a transit IC card (e.g., Suica, PASMO, ICOCA). By linking an IC card, you can conveniently tap it at the turnstile to board the train, eliminating the need to pick up a physical ticket. This method offers the most seamless travel experience.
Latest Update (2024)
JR Central has recently updated the SmartEX website, making several changes that negatively affect solo travelers using the busy business corridor between Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. These changes aim to maximize profits from business travelers by requiring bookings to be made at least 21 days in advance to qualify for discounts. Additionally, the original Hayatoku fare has been discontinued. Now, travelers covering long distances to Okayama, Hiroshima, and Hakata need to book their tickets 7 days before their trip, a change from the previous 3-day requirement, which is a disappointing development for many.
Type of Trains
There are various types of trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. On the Tokaido Shinkansen, running between Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka, all trains have 16 cars. On the Sanyo Shinkansen, which extends from Shin-Osaka to Okayama, Hiroshima, and Hakata, only the Nozomi and selected Hikari trains offer 16 cars, making seat availability more limited on this line. On the Kyushu Shinkansen, trains have either 8 or 6 cars.
- Fastest
- Nozomi: The quickest service on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, featuring 16 cars
- Mizuho: The quickest service on the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines, with 8 cars
- Faster
- Sakura: A faster service on the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines, available with 8 or 6 cars
- Hikari (Tokaido):A faster service on the Tokaido Shinkansen, with 16 cars
- Hikari (Sanyo): Serves almost as a local train on the Sanyo Shinkansen, with configurations of 16 or 8 cars
- Local
- Kodama: The local service on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, with either 16 or 8 cars
- Tsubame: The local service on the Kyushu Shinkansen, available with 8 or 6 cars
Available Discounts (Regular Seat)
Different types of discounts are available through SmartEX, with a general rule being that early booking can secure a discount on your ticket. However, it’s important to note that discounts are not offered during peak holiday seasons, including New Year’s Day, Golden Week (late April to early May), and Obon (mid-August). Below is a list of discount products offered by SmartEX.
- Hayatoku 28 Wide
- Booking Window: Up to 28 days before departure
- Eligibility: Up to 6 adults (no child fare available)
- Applicable Trains: Nozomi only
- Discount Range: Approximately 14-18%, with the best rate for Tokyo to Kyoto
- Restrictions: Reservations cannot be changed
- Hayatoku 21 Wide (former Hayatoku 21)
- Reservation is available upto 21 days before departure
- Upto 6 adults (No child fare)
- Nozomi only
- Discounts around 13-29% (Best rate Tokyo – Hakata)
- Hayatoku 7
- Reservation is available upto 7 days before departure
- Upto 6 adults/ children
- Nozomi, Mizuho and Sakura trains
- Weekday fare is more expensive than weekend
- Discounts between 18-26% (Best rate Tokyo and Nagoya to Hakata on weekends)
- Hayatoku 3
- Reservation is available upto 3 days before departure
- Upto 6 adults/ children
- Nozomi (Green car, first class, only), Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubame
- Only available between Hakata and Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo
- Discounts between 7 – 18% (Best rate Hakata – Kumamoto)
- Family Nozomi 3
- Reservation is available upto 3 days before departure
- 2 – 6 adults/ children
- Only on Nozomi trains
- Discounts between 12-18% (Best rate Tokyo – Shin-Osaka)
- Family Kodama 3
- Reservation is available upto 3 days before departure
- 2 – 6 adults/ children
- Only on Kodama trains
- Discounts between 21-36% (Best rate Nagoya – Shin-Osaka)
Hayatoku 28 Wide
- Booking Window: Up to 28 days before departure
- Eligibility: Up to 6 adults (no child fare available)
- Applicable Trains: Nozomi only
- Discount Range: Approximately 14-18%, with the best rate for Tokyo to Kyoto
- Restrictions: Reservations cannot be changed
Hayatoku 21 Wide
- Booking Window: Up to 21 days before departure
- Eligibility: Up to 6 adults (no child fare available)
- Applicable Trains: Nozomi only
- Discount Range: Approximately 13-29%, with the best rate for Tokyo to Hakata
- Restrictions: None specified
Hayatoku 7
- Booking Window: Up to 7 days before departure
- Eligibility: Up to 6 adults or children
- Applicable Trains: Nozomi, Mizuho, and Sakura
- Pricing Detail: Weekday fares are higher than weekend fares
- Discount Range: Between 18-26%, with the best rates from Tokyo and Nagoya to Hakata on weekends
- Restrictions: None specified
Hayatoku 3
- Booking Window: Up to 3 days before departure
- Eligibility: Up to 6 adults or children
- Applicable Trains: Nozomi (Green car, first class only), Mizuho, Sakura, and Tsubame
- Service Area: Only between Hakata, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima-Chuo
- Discount Range: Between 7-18%, with the best rate for Hakata to Kumamoto
- Restrictions: None specified
Family Nozomi 3
- Booking Window: Up to 3 days before departure.
- Eligibility: 2 to 6 adults or children
- Applicable Trains: Nozomi only
- Discount Range: Between 12-18%, with the best rate for Tokyo to Shin-Osaka
- Restrictions: None specified
Family Kodama 3
- Booking Window: Up to 3 days before departure
- Eligibility: 2 to 6 adults or children
- Applicable Trains: Kodama only
- Discount Range: Between 21-36%, with the best rate for Nagoya to Shin-Osaka
- Restrictions: None specified
The Hayatoku 28 Wide, while being the most restrictive and cheapest option requiring a 28-day advance booking and offering no refunds or child fares, may not be the best choice for all travelers. In contrast, the Hayatoku 21 and the Nozomi Family Discount are more versatile options.
For trips from Tokyo or Nagoya to Okayama, Hiroshima, or Hakata, the Hayatoku 7 offers a reasonable compromise, needing only a 7-day advance booking.
The Hayatoku 21 is particularly appealing for solo travelers on the Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe route, requiring 21-day advance booking for any discount. For group travel on the same route, the Family Nozomi 3, with its child fare inclusion and a 3-day advance booking requirement, is recommended.
Interestingly, for travel from Shin-Osaka to Okayama, Hiroshima, or Hakata, JR West’s one-way ticket offers a cheaper alternative than SmartEX, highlighting a regional pricing variation between JR Central and JR West.
Lastly, the Kodama Family Hayatoku is tailored for Kodama travelers but is less appealing due to the crowding in limited cars for those seeking budget options as there are only 3 reserved cars out of 16 cars. With the 2020 luggage rule changes requiring advance booking for a designated seat to avoid fees, this ticket’s value is nuanced, potentially favoring those with large luggage or preferring green car seats over the more cramped conditions of non-reserved seating on Kodama trains.
First Class Seat (Green car)
If you’re seeking extra comfort, the Green Car is your first-class option. Green Car seats are not only wider than those in regular class but also offer more legroom (1160mm vs. 1040mm). Additionally, these seats come equipped with a leg rest and footrest. For Green Car seats, two types of discounts are available, subject to the same blackout periods during busy travel seasons as regular seats.
- Hayatoku Green 3 Wide
- Reservation is available upto 3 days before departure
- 1 – 6 people but no child fare
- Nozomi and Hikari trains
- Discounts between 13-26% (Best rate Nagoya – Hakata)
- Hayatoku Green Kodama 3
- Reservation is available upto 3 days before departure
- 1 – 6 people but no child fare
- Kodama train only
- Discounts between 19-42% (Best rates Tokyo to Atami, Mishima, Nagoya and Shin-Osaka)
Hayatoku Green 3 Wide:
- Booking Window: Up to 3 days before departure
- Eligibility: 1 to 6 people, no child fare available
- Applicable Trains: Nozomi and Hikari
- Discount Range: 13-26%, with the best rate from Nagoya to Hakata
Hayatoku Green Kodama 3:
- Booking Window: Up to 3 days before departure
- Eligibility: 1 to 6 people, no child fare available
- Applicable Trains: Kodama only
- Discount Range: 19-42%, offering the best rates for travel from Tokyo to Atami, Mishima, Nagoya, and Shin-Osaka
The Hayatoku Green 3 discount, available for Hikari and select Nozomi trains, offers great value, especially if you’re open to traveling on a Hikari or taking an early morning Nozomi. Please note, however, that this discount does not include a child fare option.
If you have flexibility in your travel schedule, the Kodama train, coupled with the Hayatoku Green Kodama discount, can offer good savings. A prime example of this ticket’s value is the Tokyo to Atami route, where the discount is exceptionally beneficial for such a brief journey. While Shinkansen competes with JR East’s local trains and the Odoriko limited express on this route—with these alternatives being slightly cheaper but taking 80-120 minutes—the Shinkansen reduces the travel time to just 45 minutes.
Another advantageous route for this discount is Tokyo to Nagoya. However, beyond Nagoya, the journey lengthens, and as half of the Kodama services terminate there, fewer options are available for extended travel.
For those considering the Kodama service, another option is JR Tokai Tours’ Platt Kodama one-way discount ticket. Available up to 24 hours before departure, it’s slightly pricier than the Hayatoku Green Kodama but includes a drink voucher, offering the added perk of enjoying a beverage, like a can of beer, during your journey.
Conclusion:
SmartEX has been adjusting its discount offerings, and despite some negative changes, I still find it extremely useful. Its ease of booking, canceling, and changing tickets is a significant advantage, especially since ticket booths often get crowded.
SmartEX, a convenient and efficient Shinkansen ticket booking service offered by JR Central, a major Shinkansen operator, has significantly simplified the online booking process. It benefits travelers to and from cities such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. With features like diverse ticketing options and significant discounts, SmartEX is an easy choice for both solo and group travelers.
Recent updates and discount adjustments on SmartEX reflect a strategic shift to cater more to the business travel segment, especially on the busy corridors connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. While some changes may seem less favorable, discounts like the Hayatoku 21, Green Car discounts, and family-oriented deals still offer considerable savings for travelers planning ahead.
The competition with JR East (Tokyo – Odawara – Atami), Kintetsu (Nagoya – Osaka), and airlines (Tokyo – Osaka – Hiroshima – Hakata) has made Shinkansen tickets booked via SmartEX cheaper than purchasing them at ticket booths. Therefore, using the SmartEX app or website to book Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen tickets is a no-brainer.