JR Central and JR West reported the availability of bookable seats on Shinkansen trains during the Golden Week holidays from April 28, 2010 through May 5. As of April 15, 2010, about 30% of bookable seats were occupied and enough seats were still available except only a fraction of trains. They said that the estimated peak date would be May 1 for westbound trains and May 5 for eastbound.

For the seat availability of-the-moment, watch JR Cyber Station (JRサイバーステーション).

JR West said they will put a baggage room and Kid's Space in Hiroshima Station during the Golden Week holidays.

The cloakroom will be placed at the approach for conventional train's tracks on the second floor. Passengers, changing trains at this station, can lightly enjoy short visit in Hiroshima with checking their baggages.

And the Kid's Space, usually set up during the busy season , will once again be available free of charge at the back of Shinkansen Concourse.

Overview of cloakroom

• Imprementation period: 10:00 - 18:00 of May 1, 2010 through May 5
• Located at: the approach for conventional train's tracks on the second floor of Hiroshima Station
• Fee: JPY 400 or 600 according to baggage size

Overview of Kid's Space

• Implementation period: 10:00 - 18:00 of April 29, 2010 through May 5
• Located at: Shinkansen Concourse of Hiroshima Station
• Fee: free of charge
• Intended for: children of elementary-age or younger

Hiroshima Branch of JR West announced that they will accept advanced booking applications for travels during the Golden Week period from April 28 through May 5, 2010. Passengers, who have plans to travel in this period, may be free from making queue on ticket release days.

brief overview of advanced booking application

• Travel Dates: April 28, 2010 - May 5
• Period of acceptance: March 6, 2010 - March 25
• Handling At: 76 stations with JR trains booking counters (みどりの窓口) within district boundary of Hiroshima Branch of JR West
• How to subscribe:
  • Go to a JR trains booking counter in one of 76 stations noted above.
  • Go to the special counter at JR trains booking counter in Hiroshima Station.
  • Place a call to the special counter at JR trains booking counter in Hiroshima Station.
  • FAX an order to one of major 17 stations like Mihara and Shin-Yamaguchi.

JR Central and JR West released the outlines of train schedule for this spring, from March 1, 2010 through June 30.

According to them, many extra trains will run during busy days and hours. They said up to 9 Nozomi services per hour on Tokaido Shinkansen and 5 direct services to Sanyo Shinkansen will be available in Friday evenings, three-day weekends and Golden Week holidays. The number of direct Nozomi services scheduled is 107 a day on average during the spring and 121 a day on average during Golden Week holidays.

Additionally more N700 series, most comfortable and energy saving vehicles on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen, will go into the service and 126 Nozomi trains in N700 series will run a day at the end of June. The number of Kodama trains of 700 series is also increased.

On March 1, Nozomi 29 and 6, the last Nozomi services of 500 series, will start to run in N700 series. This means regular Nozomi service in 500 will be finished at the end of February.

Westbound Nozomi Trains newly using N700 series

• Nozomi 29, changed from 500 series to N700 on March 1 (Tokyo 12:30 → Hakata 17:44)
• Nozomi 249※, changed from 700 series to N700 on April 15 (Tokyo 18:00 → Shin-osaka 20:36)
• Nozomi 221※, changed from 700 series to N700 on June 25 (Tokyo 10:00 → Shin-osaka 12:36)
• Nozomi 263※, changed from 700 series to N700 on June 25 (Tokyo 20:20 → Shin-osaka 22:56)

※ Nozomi 249, 221 and 263 are on new schedule reviced on March 13.

Eastbound Nozomi Trains newly using N700 series

• Nozomi 6, changed from 500 series to N700 on March 1 (Hakata 07:00 → Tokyo 12:13)
• Nozomi 220※, changed from 700 series to N700 on April 15 (Shin-osaka 09:07 → Tokyo 11:43)
• Nozomi 228※, changed from 700 series to N700 on June 25 (Shin-osaka 11:47 → Tokyo 14:23)
• Nozomi 254※, changed from 700 series to N700 on June 25 (Shin-osaka 18:47 → Tokyo 21:23)

※ Nozomi 220, 228 and 254 are on new schedule reviced on March 13.

Westbound Kodama Trains newly using 700 series

• Kodama 679※, changed from 300 series to 700 on April 15 (Tokyo 18:26 → Nagoya 21:16)

※ Kodama 679 is on new schedule reviced on March 13.

Eastbound Kodama Trains newly using 700 series

• Kodama 644※, changed from 300 series to 700 on April 16 (Nagoya 10:28 → Tokyo 13:17)

※ Kodama 644 is on new schedule reviced on March 13.

Westbound Nozomi Trains using 500 series in February

• Nozomi 29 runs in 500 series daily until February 28 (Tokyo 12:30 → Hakata 17:44)
• Nozomi 193 runs in 500 series on February 5 and 10 (Tokyo 18:13 → Hakata 23:31)

Eastbound Nozomi Trains using 500 series in February

• Nozomi runs in 500 series daily until February 286 (Hakata 07:00 → Tokyo 12:13)
• Nozomi 152 runs in 500 series on February 5 and 10 (Hakata 07:12 → Tokyo 12:30)

JR West announced that a "kids space" will be placed in the Shinkansen concourse of Hiroshima Station during the period of Golden Week from April 25 to May 06. It is for elementary school children and under from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily within that period at no fee. Children may be able to escape boredom there until the departure time!

JR companies announced the availability of reserved seats on Shinkansen trains during the period of Golden Week from April 24 to May 06, as of April 16.

According to JR Central, 1,120,000 of available 4,050,000 seats on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen trains have been reserved already. And JR West said 570,000 of 2,190,000 seats on Sanyo Shinkansen trains have been reserved. In shortly, about 27% of available seats are now occupied and 73% still remain vacant. And they said the peak of crowding will be on May 02 for westbound trains and on May 05 and 06 for eastbound.

At the same time, JR Central released additional 6 Nozomi services between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka running on May 03, 05 and 06. The seat reservation on these trains has been available since April 18. Of course this site Shinkansen Timetable provide travel plans to you including these additional trains. The 6 trains are shown below.

Westbound

• Nozomi 325 on May 03, from Tokyo (dept. at 10:23) to Shin-Osaka (arrv. at 13:00)
• Nozomi 363 on May 06, from Tokyo (14:20) to Shin-Osaka (16:56)

Eastbound

• Nozomi 318 on May 03, from Shin-Osaka (dept. at 09:43) to Tokyo (arrv. at 12:20)
• Nozomi 354 on May 05, from Shin-Osaka (13:27) to Tokyo (16:03)
• Nozomi 408 on May 05, from Shin-Osaka (20:47) to Tokyo (23:19)
• Nozomi 402 on May 06, from Shin-Osaka (20:07) to Tokyo (22:43)

About the acceptance of advanced application for tickets during the Golden Week period, on the previous article (「広島支社がGWのきっぷを事前受付」posted on 2008/02/21) I reported "only Hiroshima Branch announced such acceptance at the date of 21 February". I am sorry that I passed over the release from Okayama Branch of JR West.

Okayama Branch announced that they would accept advance application for the Golden Week period's tickets.

• Period of acceptance: March 01, 2009 through April 05, 2009
• Travel Dates: April 24, 2009 through May 06, 2009
• Handling at: 32 stations with JR trains booking counters (みどりの窓口) within district boundary of Okayama Branch of JR West
• How To Subscribe:
  • Go to the JR trains booking counter in one of 32 stations noted above
  • Place a cell to the counter described above

I am going to report you the similar handling announcement in other districts.

Hiroshima Branch of JR West announced that they would accept advanced application for tickets during the Golden Week period from 24 April to 06 May. If you travel in this period, you may be free from making queu at the windows to book seats.

• Period of acceptance: March 01, 2009 through March 21, 2009
• Travel Dates: April 24, 2009 through May 06, 2009
• Handling At: 76 stations with JR trains booking counters (みどりの窓口) within district boundary of Hiroshima Branch of JR West
• How To Subscribe:
  • Go to the JR trains booking counter in one of 76 stations noted above.
  • Go to the special counter at JR trains booking counter in Hiroshima station.
  • Place a call to the special counter at JR trains booking counter in Hiroshima station.
  • Fax an order to one of major 17 stations like Mihara, Shin Yamaguchi, etc.

Though only Hiroshima Branch [CORRECTION on 2009/02/26: also Okayama Branch released similar announcement on February 20] announced such acceptance at the date of February 21, I am expecting similar handling will be done in other districts.