JR Central and JR West said that EX Odekake Hayatoku (EXお出かけ早特) will be sold again in this autumn and the winter holidays.

Overviews of EX Odekake Hayatoku

• Name of the deal: EX Odekake Hayatoku (EXお出かけ早特 meaning EX Outing Early Booking Discount)
• Travel dates: Saturday, Sunday and holidays between October 8, 2011 and December 18 and days from December 23, 2011 - January 9, 2012
• Period of selling: October 1, 2011 - January 6, 2012
• Tickets are availabe from 10:00 on the day of a month to 23:30 of three days before departure.
• Effects of the ticket: This deals allows one-way travel by one of Nozomi, Hikari or Kodama train with no transferring. Two types of tickets are available, one is for second class and the other is for first class (Green car).
• Available sectors:
  • Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama ⇔ Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura and Hakata
  • Shizuoka and Hamamatsu ⇔ Kyoto and Shin-Osaka
  • Nagoya, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe ⇔ Kokura and Hakata
• Prices (e.g.):
  • for second class
    • Tokyo and Shinagawa - Shin-Osaka [one way] JPY 13,100, saving about 7%
    • Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe - Kokura and Hakata [one way] JPY 11,650, saving about 15-21%
  • for Green Car
    • Tokyo and Shinagawa - Shin-Osaka [one way] JPY 14,500, saving about 22%
    • Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe - Kokura and Hakata [one way] JPY 15,350, saving about 16-26%
  # Shown discount rates are against regular season's fare.
• Terms of use: Only members of Express Reservation Service (エクスプレス予約) can buy and get tickets of this deal.
• Purchasable at: Available only online. Access the site of Express Reservation Service through a PC or mobile, including smartphones.
• Remarks:
  • Reservations for up to six persons traveling along will be acceptable at once. The accompanying passengers can be non-member of Express Reservation Service.
  • This discount's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.
  • Reservations are conditioned changeable.
  • EX-IC Cards are not accepted for boarding.

JR West announced that Mine Line's restoration work, recovering from the damage of heavy rain in July, 2010, will be finished soon and the service will be resumed on September 26, 2011. The number of trains is as same as that of before the disaster, and the schedules of each train will be changed with consideration for connections. The prevention works for rockfall and mudslide, taken at the same time, reduced the travel time of trains.

In commemoration of the reopening, they will sell an unlimited ride pass for Mine Line.

JR West released new discount ticket of Tokyo Oufuku Super Hayatoku Kippu (東京往復スーパー早特きっぷ) for round trips from stations between Okayama and Hiroshima to the metropolitan area. This ticket is available 28 - 22 days before departure date and has greater discount than Nozomi Oufuku Hayatoku Kippu (のぞみ往復早特きっぷ) which is available until seven days prior to the departure. This ticket may be suitable for family trip because fares for child are also available.

Overview of Tokyo Oufuku Super Hayatoku Kippu

• Name of the ticket: Tokyo Oufuku Super Hayatoku Kippu (東京往復スーパー早特きっぷ meaning Ultra Early Booking Discount Round Ticket to Tokyo)
• Travel dates: October 14, 2011 - December 31 (Final departure date is December 29.)
• Period of selling: September 16, 2011 - December 7 (Tickets are available 28 - 22 days before the departure.)
• Maximum period of travel: three days
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows roundtrip by Nozomi train's assigned seats in second class cars. Tickets for Green-car travelers are also available.
• Major available sectors and prices (e.g.):
  • for second class
    • from Okayama to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 24,000 JPY, saving about 24%
    • from Hiroshima to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 26,000 JPY, saving about 25%
  • for Green-car
    • from Okayama to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 32,000 JPY, saving about 26%
    • from Hiroshima to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 35,000 JPY, saving about 28%
  # Shown discount rates are against regular season's fare and calculated with assuming "Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama" is Tokyo.
  # Local stations in the cities are included in the available sectors, like stations in Hiroshima city are described as "Hiroshima" and Tokyo's 23 wards as "Tokyo, Shinagawa" above.
  # The price for a child is half of the fare for an adult.
  # See the web site of JR Odekake Net (by JR West) for other sectors and prices.
• Purchasable at: a major JR station and a major travel vendor around the departing area
• Remarks:
  • 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, Sakura or Kodama trains are available.
  • This ticket's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.

JR Central and JR West extended the the selling period and travel dates of Nozomi Hayatoku Oufuku Kippu (のぞみ早特往復きっぷ). That will be good until January 6, 2012. The set of valid legs has no changes, but ticket prices for some leg are increased.

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: October 1, 2011 - January 6, 2012 (Final departure date is December 31.)
• Priod of selling: September 10, 2011 - December 24 (Tickets are available 21 - 7 days before the departure.)
• Maximum period of travel: seven days
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows roundtrip by Nozomi train's assigned seats.
• Major available sectors and prices (e.g.)
  • from/to Naoya to/from Kokura and Hakata (RT): 26,000 JPY, saving about 23%
  • from Okayama to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 28,000 JPY, saving about 12% (increased by 1,000 JPY)
  • from Hiroshima to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 31,000 JPY, saving about 11%
  • from Hakata and Kokura to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 33,000 JPY, saving about 21%
  • from Yonago, Matsue, Izumoshi to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama (RT): 30,000 JPY, saving about 17-19%
  # Shown discount rates are against regular season's fare and calculated with assuming "Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama" is Tokyo and "Hakata and Kokura" is Hakata.
  # Local stations in the cities are included in the available sectors, like stations in Nagoya city are described as "Nagoya" and Fukuoka city as "Hakata" above.
• Purchasable at: a major JR station, travel center and a major travel vendor around the departing area
• Remarks:
  • Fares for a child are not available.
  • 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.
  • Tickets from Sanin area allow traveling by limited express train's reservation seats between home station and Okayama.
  • This ticket's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.

JR West released that "Kodama Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu" (こだま指定席往復きっぷ) will be available until next February. This ticket is for passengers at least two taking round trip toghether between Sanyo Shinkansen stations by Kodama trains. Its discount ratio of the fare for an adult is around 4% - 45% (saving 240 - 7,980 JPY). The longer travel distances get, the greater the ratios are.

In addition, "Kodama and Yakumo Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu" (こだま＆やくも指定席往復きっぷ) for travelers to Sanin and "Kuroshio Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu" (くろしお指定席往復きっぷ) for Wakayama will also be extended their period of selling. And "Kounotori Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu" (こうのとり指定席往復きっぷ) for north part of Hyogo will be available until this December.

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: through March 7, 2012
  # Final departure date will be March 1, 2012.
• Period of selling: through February 29, 2012
  # Tickets are available 21 - 1 days before departure.
• Maximum period of travel: seven days
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows roundtrip between Sanyo Shinkansen Stations by Kodama and specific Hikari train's assigned seats.
• Major available sectors and prices (e.g.):
  • Shin-Osaka - Okayama [RT] JPY 6,880, saving about 41%
  • Shin-Osaka - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 11,920, 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.
• Terms of use: This ticket is for at least two persons traveling along.
• Purchasable at: Major stations and travel vendors around the departure area.
• Remarks:
  • The trains and seats of both-way must be assigned at the time of purchase. Changes are not permitted.
  • This ticket's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.
  • Special discount of rent-a-car at station (駅レンタカー), JPY 2,000 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 December 28, 2011 through January 6, 2012.

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, 2011, again. This pass allows unlimited travel throughout Japan by green cars, but it NOT valid for Nozomi and Mizuho trains.

Overviews of Full Moon Fufu Green Pass (フルムーン夫婦グリーンパス)

• 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, 2011 through June 30, 2012,
  unless December 28, 2011 - January 6, 2012, March 21 - April 5, April 27 - May 6
• Period of selling: September 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012
• Maximum period of travel: 5, 7 or 12 days
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows unlimited travel by Green cars and class B sleepers on Shinkansen excepting Nozomi and Mizuho, limited express, express and local trains of JR lines.
• Available sectors: Whole of JR lines throughout Japan
• Prices:
  • for a couple of over 88 years old combining ages of both
    • for 5 days 80,500 JPY/2p
    • for 7 days 99,900 JPY/2p
    • for 12 days 124,400 JPY/2p
  • for a couple of over 88 years old combining ages of both and one is over 70
    • for 5 days 75,500 JPY/2p
    • for 7 days 94,900 JPY/2p
    • for 12 days 119,400 JPY/2p
• Terms of use: This ticket is for couples of 88 years old combining ages of both and traveling along.
• Purchasable at: major JR stations, travel centers and travel vendors
• Remarks:
  • This ticket is Not valid on out of JR lines like 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 IGR Iwate Galaxy Railway (IGRいわて銀河鉄道) and Aoimori Railway (青い森鉄道) under certain conditions and for JR Miyajima Ferry between Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima.
  • Passengers are required to carry formal age-identifying documents at purchasing and while traveling.
  • 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.