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Shinkansen: Does "Unreserved Seat" means "No Seat"?


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Shinkansen: Does "Unreserved Seat" means "No Seat"?

 

For my Hakuba trip I think I will skip the direct bus and take the Shinkansen via Nagano. Is it required to reserve a seat?

 

I guess since I leave on a Saturday morning it's adviseable, or?

 

BTW, I am not in Japan and have no clue.

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unreserved pretty much means that. If the train is going to be busy (leaving Tokyo 6am or leaving Yuzawa, Nagano at 5pm) then you will want a reserved seat or to get on the platform 30 minutes early to line up at the train carriage door opening points. There is a line for every carriage door, but you don't know what carriage it is before the train arrives (unless you read Japanese) If you are at the end of that line you may not get a seat, or a seat with your kids. Or even worse, you will end up standing in the smoking carriage (hardcore stuff).

 

I recommend reserving a numbered seat, casually arriving without a fight and taking your seat whilst the munters fight for what they want.

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I went unreserved from Tokyo to Nagano on the 29th of December (I think) and there were barely any people on the train. Had a triple seat to myself, with my board bag taking the seat next to me. I guess that there will be a load more people going by shink on weekends, but it's not always neccessary to reserve for this journey.

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Thanks to all! I am thinking of Saturday, 28th, the 07:18 one to Tokyo to Nagano. I guess I may be not the only person going to ski from Tokyo on that Saturday. So i will consider..... But in the worst case, that train is only 1 hour....

 

But standing in the smoking section would be a worst case scenario....

 

How about the Nagano>Hakuba bus? I guess that will be full too. Should those tickets be bought in andvance?

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No need to buy your bus ticket. Just have correct money and pay at the end of your trip. 1300-1400 yen. I have only seen it full once, last bus on a friday night. Give yourself plenty of time to make your way around Tokyo station to catch your train. It can be a bit of a maze.

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I am a bit confised now, I checked times with http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperd01.cgi

 

There are non stop trains from Tokyo which take 90-110 Minutes

 

But I searched from Shinjuku (I probably stay in this dreadfull prince shoebox) and got a connection with a change in "OMIYA(SAITAMA)", from there it's another 60 Minutes.

 

Or is there another Shinjuku somewhere in the cuntryside? Anyway, I will buy my ticket one day in advance.

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Omiya is on the shinkansen line. You'll save money if you get the fast train (Saikyo line or whatever line it is) to Omiya and pick up the shink there cos the shink fare is lower from there. I'm not sure how much time you'd save or lose - probably wouldn't make that much difference.....

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if u decide to gamble and go for the unreserved what you can do is line up with everybody and when the train arrives scan for an open doorway. ie entering via the reserved carriage and scooting through to the unreserved will get you in faster than all the sheep lining up.

but that is a hardcore gaijin move...if you're up to it!

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Kuma, I don't think that's a hardcore gaijin move. That would be just buying the entrance ticket (to send off a friend from the platform), riding the shink and pretending to be asleep or hide in the toilet when the conductor comes around to check the tickets :p

 

Using Omiya instead of Tokyo only saves 1000 yen on the tokkyu-ken side of the 8000 yen 1.5-2 hour ticket. Whether that is considered significant enough savings compared to the smooth ride all the way from Tokyo depends on your values.

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Haha, softcore gaijin.

 

When trains depart from Tokyo, that means Tokyo station usually. If it's from Shinjuku (where there are no Shinkansens), it should say so. A bit confusing because the big city is also Tokyo..

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Yep, when train schedule says 'Tokyo', usually it means Tokyo station.

Stations in Japan are not described like

 

Paris-Nord

Roma-Termini

Madrid-Atocha

Hamburg-Altona

 

If JR tried to do that, it would be

 

Tokyo-Tokyo

Tokyo-Shinjuku

??

 

A bit confusing

 

wakaranai.gif

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With that schedule link I checked from Tokyo and Shinjuku. But since I stay in Shinjuku I probably prefer the train from Shinjuku to the countryside, and then change there. I guess there will be a much smaller trainstation with a lesser chance of getting lost.

 

Kuma

I collected lots of transport combat experience in China, I think I will opt for a reserved seat and watch the fight from a distance.

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I remember I really enjoyed the Matsumoto-Hakuba leg of the train journey with a beautiful view of the lake just before Hakuba. That was much more fun than the Bullet train to Nagano and bus to Hakuba.

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