JR Central and JR West released the train schedule for October and November. According to them, 1,515 extra train on Tokaido Shinkansen and 400 on Sanyo Shinkansen will run for weekends and three-day weekends during the period. 91 Nozomi trains of series N700 cars runs a day at the end of September and they said 100 of N700 Nozomi will run at the end of November. The number of Hikari and Kodama trains of series 700 cars is also increased.

Nozomi trains of fighter jet-like series 500 cars are making 2 round trips everyday between Tokyo and Hakata. It will be one round trip a day after November 10, because Nozomi 51 for Hakata and Nozomi 28 for Tokyo will be changed to N700 on that day.

Westbound Nozomi Trains newly using Series N700 cars

• Nozomi 215, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on October 02 (Tokyo 09:00 → Shin-Osaka 11:36)
• Nozomi 219, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on November 24 (Tokyo 09:40 → Shin-Osaka 12:16)
• Nozomi 51, changed from series 500 cars to N700 on November 10 (Tokyo 17:30 → Hakata 22:44)
• Nozomi 255, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on October 01 (Tokyo 18:40 → Shin-Osaka 21:16)
• Nozomi 263, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on October 02 (Tokyo 20:00 → Shin-Osaka 22:36)

Westbound Hikari and Kodama Trains newly using Series 700 cars

• Kodama 695, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 02 (Shizuoka 06:38 → Shin-Osaka 09:03)
• Kodama 641, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 01 (Tokyo 08:56 → Shin-Osaka 12:56)
• Kodama 665, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 02 (Tokyo 14:56 → Shin-Osaka 18:53)
• Kodama 667, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 01 (Tokyo 15:26 → Nagoya 18:16)
• Hikari 483, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 01 (Tokyo 18:03 → Okayama 22:11)

Eastbound Nozomi and Hikari Trains newly using Series N700 cars

• Hikari 502, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on October 02 (Nagoya 06:38 → Tokyo 08:40)
• Nozomi 232, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on November 24 (Shin-Osaka 14:07 → Tokyo 16:43)
• Nozomi 28, changed from series 500 cars to N700 on November 10 (Hakata 12:00 → Tokyo 17:13)
• Nozomi 242, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on October 01 (Shin-Osaka 15:47 → Tokyo 18:23)
• Nozomi 250, changed from series 700 cars to N700 on October 02 (Shin-Osaka 17:07 → Tokyo 19:43)

Eastbound Hikari and Kodama Trains newly using Series 700 cars

• Kodama 802, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 02 (Mishima 06:56 → Tokyo 07:50)
• Hikari 470, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 02 (Okayama 10:26 → Tokyo 14:40)
• Kodama 662, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 01 (Shin-Osaka 13:50 → Tokyo 17:47)
• Kodama 690, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 02 (Shin-Osaka 19:50 → Mishima 22:44)
• Hikari 532, changed from series 300 cars to 700 on November 02 (Shin-Osaka 20:23 → Tokyo 23:10)

Nozomi Trains of Series 500 Cars Between Tokyo and Hakata After November 10

• Nozomi 29 (Tokyo 12:30 → Hakata 17:44)
• Nozomi 6 (Hakata 07:00 → Tokyo 12:13)

JR groups announced that Full Moon Fufu Green Pass (フルムーン夫婦グリーンパス meaning Mature-year Couple's Green Pass) will be started to sell from September 1. This pass allows unlimited travel by green cars, but it NOT valid for Nozomi trains.

• Name of the ticket
  • Full Moon Fufu Green Pass (フルムーン夫婦グリーンパス meaning Mature-year Couple's Green Pass)
• Travel dates
  • 5, 7 or 12 consecutive days during October 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, unless December 28, 2009 to January 6, 2010, March 21 to April 5 nor April 27 to May 6.
• Period of selling
  • September 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010
• Maximum period of travel
  • 5, 7 or 12 days
• Prices
  • for a couple of over 88 years old combining ages of both
  • for 5 days 80,500 JPY
  • for 7 days 99,900 JPY
  • for 12 days 124,400 JPY
  • for a couple of over 88 years old combining ages of both and one is over 70
  • for 5 days 75,500 JPY
  • for 7 days 94,900 JPY
  • for 12 days 119,400 JPY
• Available sectors
  • Whole of JR lines
• Purchasable at
  • a major JR station and JR travel counter
  • a major travel vendor
• Remarks
  • This ticket is for couples of 88 years old combining ages of both and traveling along.
  • This ticket allows unlimited travel by green cars and class B sleepers on Shinkansen excepting Nozomi, limited express, express and local trains of JR lines.
  • This ticket is Not valid on out of JR lines like Izuhakone Raiway (伊豆箱根鉄道), Kitakinki Tango Railway (北近畿タンゴ鉄道), Chizu Express Line (智頭急行), JR Bus lines, etc. even though trains go directly from JR lines to those railway company lines. However, it is valid for Hokutosei (北斗星) getting through between Morioka and Hachinohe and JR Miyajima Ferry between Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima.
  • Passengers are required to carry formal age-identifying documents with them when they purchase this ticket and travel.
  • Special discount of rent-a-car at stations (駅レンタカー) is available.
  • Passengers will be given a 5,000 JPY off coupon for the other one of this pass of this or next season if they respond to the questionnaire which is given at purchasing the pass.

New moving safety fences on Shin-Yokohama Station's platform will be built on 1.7 m closer to the train tracks and the platforms will grow wider.

JR Central announced that they will replace safety fences on platform No. 2 and 3 in Shin-Yokohama, because the existing fences were installed about 24 years ago and are now on the time for replacement. And they said that the new ones will be placed 1.7 m closer to the train tracks, because no trains pass this station at high velocities. With this replacement, platforms get more 1.7 m width and the usable areas within the fences are enlarged 30%. They said it will help to decrease congestion on the platform.

The new fence will be installed, however, at the same place of existing ones around the stopping place of car 11 for a while, because there is the door positions difference between series 300 cars and the others. Yes, it will be for a short while. When series 300 cars end its service within Tokaido Shinkansen, the odd installation will be resolved.

The new moving safety fences on platform No. 2 will start to use in March, 2010 and on platform No. 3 in July, 2010.

JR West released Nishi-nihon Pass (西日本パス meaning West Japan Pass) for travelling after late August.

Motorists can travel expressways in most of Japan with a maximum toll of 1000 yen for an unlimited distance on weekends and national holidays from this March and JR West released this pass against that. Once the pass ended August 03 and started to sell again for travelling between August 21 and October 26. The new pass has extended its riding sectors to whole of JR Kyushu lines and Chizu Express line. Also, it has extended quietly its allowance of riding reserved seats or Green cars.

The new pass is 2,000 - 6,000 JPY more expensive than the old one. But the pass is still a great saver, because the new cheapest pass for 2 days on 2nd class costs 18,000 JPY. That is cheaper than a return trip between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima by Nozomi trains which costs 20,300 JPY.

It is valid for travelling from August 21 through October 26, but invalid between September 18 through 21.

• Name of the ticket
  • Nishi-nihon Pass (西日本パス meaning West Japan Pass) (for using on August 21 or later)
• Travel dates
  • 2 or 3 consecutive days of Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon., during August 21, 2009 through October 26, unless September 18 to 21.
• Period of selling
  • after August 04 and a month - 7 days before the departure date
• Maximum period of travel
  • 2 or 3 days
• Prices
  • 18,000 JPY for 2 days on 2nd class reservation cars
  • 20,000 JPY for 3 days on 2nd class reservation cars
  • 20,000 JPY for 2 days on Green-cars
  • 22,000 JPY for 3 days on Green-cars
• Available sectors
  • Whole conventional line of JR West, JR Shikoku, JR kyushu, and Chizu Express Line including express trains on them
  • Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata and Kyushu Shinkansen Shin-Yatsushiro and Kagoshima-Chuo
  • JR Miyajima Ferry between Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima
• Purchasable at
  • a major station in JR West or JR Kyushu
  • a major travel vendor
  • Remarks
  • This ticket is for at least 2 persons traveling along.
  • This ticket allows unlimited travel by 2nd class non-reservation cars within the sectors.
  • A ticket for 2 days on 2nd class resv. cars allows booking seats up to 6 times or for 3 days 8 times.
  • A ticket for 2 days on Green-cars allows seating in Green-cars up to 6 times or for 3 days 8 times.
  • Special discount of rent-a-car at station (駅レンタカー), 2,000 JPY for 24 hrs for a class S car in Hokuriku, Kansai, Sanin, and Chugoku areas or 3,000 JPY for a calendar day in Kyushu, is available.
  • Only for members of Zipangu Club or Club DISCOVER WEST and their companion, the tickets are good for 2 or 3 consecutive days, including Mon. through Thu.
  • This ticket is NOT valid on Tokaido Shinkansen.
  • This ticket is NOT valid on Kitakinki Tango Railway (北近畿タンゴ鉄道), Tosa Kuroshio Railway (土佐くろしお鉄道), etc. even though express trains go directly from JR lines to those railway company lines.

JR Central and JR West said that the peak of crowding in this bon period will be on August 12 for westbound and August 16 for eastbound, according to the availability data as of July 30. This site "Shinkansen Timetable" checked the hourly availability of Tokyo and Shin-Osaka departing/arriving "Nozomi" and "Hikari" trains on or about the peak day. The charts shown below means which date and which departing hour will be nice. "○" means enough seats are remained, "△" means a little are available, and "×" means almost full.

This research was taken at around 22:00, August 10 by JR Cyber Station.

Westbound Departing Tokyo

Eastbound Arriving Tokyo

Westbound Departing Shin-Osaka

Eastbound Arriving Shin-Osaka

JR Central and JR West reported the seat booking availability during the bon period from August 07, 2009 to August 18, as of July 30. They said the peak of crowding will be on Ausut 12 for westbound and Ausugt 16 for eastbound.

This site "Shinkansen Timetable" checked the hourly availability for trains on or about the peak day. The charts shown below means which date and which departing hour will be nice. "○" means enough seats are remained, "△" means a little are available, and "×" means almost full.

This research was taken at around 12:00, August 08 by JR Cyber Station.

Westbound Departing Tokyo

Eastbound Arriving Tokyo

Westbound Departing Shin-Osaka

Eastbound Arriving Shin-Osaka

JR Central announced that an average of 380 trains a day in the bon period from August 07 to 18 will run for Tokaido Shinkansen. And recently they released that they scheduled additional 9 Nozomi trains to increase available seats for reservation.

Additional Westbound Nozomi Trains (Tokyo → Shin-Osaka)

• August 08 [Sat]
  • Nozomi 329 (Tokyo 10:47 → Shin-Osaka 13:23)
  • Nozomi 339 (Tokyo 11:47 → Shin-Osaka 14:23)
• August 16 [Sun]
  • Nozomi 357 (Tokyo 13:40 → Shin-Osaka 16:16)
  • Nozomi 399 (Tokyo 19:47 → Shin-Osaka 22:23)
  • Nozomi 401 (Tokyo 20:13 → Shin-Osaka 22:50)

Additional Eastbound Nozomi Trains (Shin-Osaka → Tokyo)

• August 15 [Sat]
  • Nozomi 374 (Shin-Osaka 16:20 → Tokyo 18:56)
  • Nozomi 376 (Shin-Osaka 16:43 → Tokyo 19:20)
• August 16 [Sun]
  • Nozomi 376 (Shin-Osaka 16:43 → Tokyo 19:20)
  • Nozomi 406 (Shin-Osaka 20:27 → Tokyo 23:03)