JR Central said that Numazu Shizuoka Shinkansen Kippu (沼津・静岡新幹線きっぷ meaning Shinkansen Special Ticket between Numazu and Shizuoka) will be available beyond this April. Numazu doesn't have Shinkansen station and this ticket allows travel on the detouring but quicker way between Numazu and Shizuoka via Mishima.

Overview of Numazu Shizuoka Shinkansen Kippu

• Name of the ticket
  • Numazu Shizuoka Shinkansen Kippu (沼津・静岡新幹線きっぷ meaning Shinkansen Special Ticket between Numazu and Shizuoka)
• Travel dates
  • from April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011
• Period of selling
  • purchasable only on the travelling day
• Maximum period of travel
  • one day
• Available sectors and prices
  • between Numazu and Shizuoka via Mishima: JPY 3,800
• Purchasable at
  • station counters between Mishima and Shizuoka, and shops of JR Tokai Tours
• Remarks
  • This ticket allows double travel between Numazu and Mishima by local trains on Tokaido Line, and between Mishima and Shizuoka by Hikari or Kodama trains. Second class non-reservation seats are available.
  • The ticket is sold as two pieces. These two tickets allow round trip for one passenger or single for two.
  • Numazu Shizuoka Shinkansen Jiyuseki Kaisuken (沼津・静岡新幹線自由席回数券) is available until March 31, 2010.

JR Central and West released that Nozomi Hayatoku Oufuku Kippu (のぞみ早特往復きっぷ meaning Nozomi Early Booking Discount Round Trip Ticket) will be good until September 30, 2010.

Overview of Nozomi Hayatoku Oufuku Kippu

• Name of the ticket
  • Nozomi Hayatoku Oufuku Kippu (のぞみ早特往復きっぷ meaning Nozomi Early Booking Discount Round Trip Ticket)
• Travel dates
  • from April 01, 2010 through September 30, 2010
• Priod of selling
  • from March 11, 2010 through September 23, 2010, 21 - 7 days before the departure date
• Maximum period of travel
  • 7 days
• Major available sectors and prices (e.g.)
  • from/to Naoya and other stations within the city to/from Kokura and Hakata, and other stations within the cities: JPY 25,000
  • from Okayama to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama, and other stations within the metoro. district and the city: JPY 26,000
  • from Hiroshima and other stations within the city to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama, and other stations within the metoro. district and the city: JPY 30,000
  • from Hakata and Kokura, and other stations within the cities to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama, and other stations within the metoro. district and the city: JPY 32,000
• Purchasable at
  • a major JR station, travel center and a major travel vendor around the departing area
• Remarks
  • From Hiroshima and other stations in Hiroshima city to Tokyo and Shinagawa, and other stations within the metro. district, the ticket of Green Cars Edition (JPY 40,000) is also available.
  • This ticket allows roundtrip by second class reservation seats of Nozomi trains within the sectors. The ticket of Green Cars Edition is good for Green-car seats on Nozomi trains of both-way.
  • The trains and seats of both-way must be assigned at the time of purchase. Changes are not permitted.
  • If Nozomi trains don't stop at the destination or home station, second class non-reservation seats on Hikari or Kodama trains are available.
  • This discount availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.

JR West said trains arriving / departing at platform 14 will be moved to platform 12 on March 31, due to construction of Kyushu Shinkansen.

JR Central released that Shinkansen Nagoya Oufuku Kippu Towers Pack (新幹線名古屋往復きっぷタワーズパック meaning Shinkansen Nagoya Return Trip Ticket Towers Pack) is available until May. This is a special discount ticket including round trip Shinkansen tickets and, JPY 1,000 gift/meal voucher for shops and restaurants in JR Central Towers. This ticket is sold at JPY 2,900. Withholding JPY 1,000 of the voucher, single trip on Shinkansen between Toyohashi and Nagoya costs only JPY 950.

Overview of Shinkansen Nagoya Oufuku Kippu Towers Pack

• Name of the ware
  • Shinkansen Nagoya Oufuku Kippu Towers Pack (新幹線名古屋往復きっぷタワーズパック meaning Shinkansen Nagoya Return Trip Ticket Towers Pack)
• Travel dates
  • March 13, 2010 through May 9
    good for both of weekdays and weekends
• Period of selling
  • March 13, 2010 through May 9
    purchasable only on the travelling day
• Maximum period of travel
  • 1 day
• Price and sectors
  • from a station between Toyohashi and Toyokawa, and Futagawa to Nagoya city: JPY 2,900
    Round trip by Shinkansen is available between Toyohashi and Nagoya.
    Not available passengers "from" Nagoya and for child travelers.
• Purchasable at
  • Station counters and vending machines of reservation ticket in Toyohashi, Futagawa, Ushikubo and Toyokawa, and Toyohashi Branch of JR Tokai Tours
• Remarks
  • The price of JPY 2,900 is including JPY 1,000 voucher for shops and restaurants in JR Central Towers.
  • Shinkansen Nagoya Oufuku Kippu (新幹線名古屋往復きっぷ meaning Shinkansen Nagoya Return Trip Ticket, JPY 2,800 for weekday and 2,260 for weekend travel) not including the gift/meal voucher carries on being available.

JR West said that they equipped Shin-Yamaguchi Station with barrier-free facilities and it has been in-service since March 2, 2010.

This improvement project was for the second and third floor in that station and the access to the ground floor was not improved. Passengers in wheelchairs are still required to use a freight elevator from the ground floor to the third floor.

Major Improvement

• instalation of 2 elevators between concourse (2F) and platform (3F)
• instalation of doubled handrails and acoustic guiding equipments for stairs between concourse (2F) and platform (3F)
• instalation of multifunctional toilet
• instalation and renovation of textured paving blocks

JR West said they start to sell Kodama Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu (こだま指定席往復きっぷ meaning Roundtrip Ticket for Reservation Seats on Kodama Trains) again for the travels between March 13, 2010 and May 31. This ticket allows round trip within specific sectors on Sanyo Shinkansen by reserved seats on Kodama and some Hikari trains. The price for a child is flat fare of JPY 3,000 regardless of actual travel distance and with no blackout dates even during spring vacation and Golden Week holidays. So this helps families to go together.

Overview of Kodama Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu

• Name of the ticket
  • Kodama Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu (こだま指定席往復きっぷ meaning Roundtrip Ticket for Reservation Seats on Kodama Trains)
• Travel dates
  • from March 13, 2010 through May 31
• Period of selling
  • from March 5, 2010 through May 24
    ※ Tickets are available 21 - 1 days before departure.
• Maximum period of travel
  • 7 days
• Prices (e.g.)
  • JPY 6,880 for round trip between Shin-Osaka and Okayama (saving about 41%)
  • JPY 11,920 for round trip between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima (saving about 40%)
    ※ Shown discount rates are against regular season's fare.
    ※ The price for a child is flat fare of JPY 3,000 regardless of actual travel distance.
    ※ See the web site of JR Odekake Net (by JR West) for other sectors and prices.
• Available sectors (e.g.)
  • from stations in Osaka and Kobe city to Shinkansen stations between Himeji and Hiroshima, including stations in Hiroshima city
  • from Okayama to Shinkansen stations between Shin-Osaka and Himeji or Shin-Onomichi and Shin-Yamaguchi, including stations in Osaka, Kobe and Hiroshima cities
  • from Hiroshima city to Shinkansen stations between Shin-Osaka and Mihara or Tokuyama and Hakata, including stations in Okayama and Kobe cities
  • from Hakata to Shinkansen stations between Shin-Onomichi and Shin-Yamaguchi, including stations in Hiroshima city
    ※ vice versa
• Terms of use
  • This ticket is for at least 2 persons traveling along.
• Purchasable at
  • Major stations and travel vendors around the departure area
• Remarks
  • This ticket allows roundtrip by second class reserved seats by Kodama and specific Hikari trains within the sectors.
  • The trains and seats of both-way must be assigned at the time of purchase. Changes are not permitted.
  • This ticket availability is limited.
  • 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, is available for a group of 2 or more adults. This offer's blackout dates are from April 27 to May 5.

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said verbal and data communications on mobile phones in Shinkansen tunnels will be available between Himeji and east end of Okayama Pref. from March, 2011.

Antenna installation for tunnels were completed between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka by 2003 and the installation reaching Himeji by the end of this month. Improved zones are extended and in a year it will have been to the east end of Okayama Pref.

At this moment, any antenna installation plans for sections west of Okayama Pref. are not announced. And the providing zone of internet access service through N700 series in-vehicle wireless LAN will have been restricted within Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka for a while, because its communication method and required equipments are different from the antennas for the mobile communication.

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.