JR Kyushu said they decided the names of stations on Kyushu Shinkansen between Hakata and Shin-Yatsushiro. This section is being built and will go into service in March, 2011.

All stations on Kyushu Shinkansen are shown below including existing stations between Shin-Yatsushiro and Kagoshima-Chuo.

• Hakata (Fukuoka city): Through service to Sanyo Shinkansen and transferring to Hakata-Minami, Kagoshima line and subway
• Shin-Tosu ("新鳥栖", newly built in Tosu city): Transferring to Nagasaki line
• Kurume (Kurume city): Transferring to Nagasaki and Kyudai line
• Chikugo-Funagoya ("筑後船小屋", moved and renamed Funagoya Station): Transferring to Kagoshima line
• Shin-Omuta ("新大牟田", newly built in Omuta city)
• Shin-Tamana ("新玉名", newly built in Tamana city)
• Kumamoto (Kumamoto city): Transferring to Kagoshima and Hohi line and streetcars
• Shin-Yatsushiro(Yatsushiro city): Transferring to Kagoshima line
• Shin-Minamata (Minamata city): Transferring to Hisatsu Orange Railway line
• Izumi (Izumi city): Transferring to Hisatsu Orange Railway line
• Sendai (Sendai city): Transferring to Kagoshima line and Hisatsu Orange Railway line
• Kagoshima-Chuo (Kagoshima city): Transferring to Kagoshima and Ibusuki Makurazaki line and streetcars

When the entire portion of Kyushu Shinkansen opened in the spring of 2011, Tsubame trains travel between Hakata and Kagoshima-Chuo in about an hour and 20 minutes and Sakura trains travel between Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chuo in 4 hours.

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)

EX-IC service will be available for Willcom users since February 14.

The service will be released on 2 models of Willcom PHS, WX340K and BAUM (WX341K).

Mobile Suica users are required to register for the special contract of View-Express (ビュー・エクスプレス特約) for JR East View Card members or the Express Reservation service membership for JR Central Express Card members.

JR Central and West released new schedule's outline of Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen which will be revised on March 13, 2010. The points of new schedule are expansion of opportunity for getting series N700 new model cars, boosting convenience of early-morning eastbound Nozomi service and growing in frequency of direct Nozomi service between Tokyo and Hakata.

All direct Nozomi services between Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen are in series N700!

The procurement of late model Shinkansen series N700 cars which are comfortable and enhancing energy conservation is now going in gear. With the new schedule, all of 101 direct Nozomi services between Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen will be in series N700. Between Tokyo and Shin-osaka, about 70% of Nozomi trains will be in series N700.

Early-morning eastbound Nozomi service gets more convenient!

In weekday early-morning, 6 Nozomi trains in row leaving Shin-osaka and Kyoto and 7 leaving Nagoya will be in series N700. The travel time of some train will be reduced and operation intervals equalized. Nozomi 298 from Nagoya will be in series N700 and its departure time of Nagoya put off by 5 minutes without change of its arrival time for Shin-yokohama, Shinagawa and Tokyo. Also Nozomi 100 from Nishi-akashi will be in series N700 and it will arrive at Tokyo 7 minutes earlier than before. It means passengers from Nishi-akashi and Shin-kobe can arrive Tokyo before 9:00 with the new schedule.

3 Nozomi services an hour between Tokyo and Hakata is aveilable in more hours!

In addition to two Nozomi services an hour between Tokyo and Hakata, some Nozomi train will be expanded its travel reach to/from Hakata. The number of Nozomi trains between Tokyo and Hakata is 57 a day and it will be 65. In more hours of morning and evening, three Nozomi services an hour between Tokyo and Hakata is available. And some Nozomi train's travel span will be shortened because it will run shortly before/after the travel range expanded Nozomi.

Revision of Hikari and Kodama services

One Kodama train between Tokyo and Shin-osaka will finish its travel at Nagoya and the following Hikari train will stop at Gifu-hashima and Maibara. The daily service of Hikari Rail Star in off season will be reduced by 5 round trips. Three Kodama trains between Okayama and Hiroshima, one between Hiroshima and Hakata and three between Kokura and Hakata will be omitted.

JR West released a special discount ticket for New Year's Day in 2010. It is Ganjitsu JR West Norihodai Ticket (元日・JR西日本乗り放題きっぷ meaning JR West Unlimited Ride Ticket on New Year's day) and it allows unlimited travel on January 1, 2010. They are offering first visit to a distant shrine and some benefit for ticket holders are available at major 10 shrines.

Though most special discount tickets released by JR West in these days are for travelers at least two persons traveling along, this ticket is good for also a traveler.

Overview of Ganjitsu JR West Norihodai Ticket

• Name of the ticket
  • Ganjitsu JR West Norihodai Ticket (元日・JR西日本乗り放題きっぷ meaning JR West Unlimited Ride Ticket on New Year's day)
• Travel dates
  • January 1, 2010
• Period of selling
  • December 17, 2009 through December 30
• maximum period of travel
  • 1 day
• Prices
  • JPY 14,000 for second class reservation seats (JPY 7,000 for a child)
  • JPY 17,000 for Green cars (JPY 8,500 for a child)
• Effects of the ticket
  • This ticket allows unlimited ride of Shinkansen, limited express, express, local trains on whole lines of JR West and Chizu Express Line.
  • The ticket for second class allows seating in reservation and non-reservation second class seats.
  • The ticket for Green cars allows seating in Green car, reservation and non-reservation second class seats.
• Effective sectors
  • whole lines of JR West
  • whole lines of Chizu Express Line
  • JR West Miyajima Ferry
• Purchasable at
  • major stations of JR West
  • major travel vendors
• Remarks
  • Seat reservation is available as many times as needed.
  • Some benefit like freely drawing omikuji and admission charge discounts are offered at major 10 shrines in JR West area.
  • This ticket is NOT valid on Tokaido Shinkansen.
  • This ticket is NOT valid on JR Kyushu lines even between Hakata and Kokura.
  • This ticket is NOT valid on Kitakinki Tango Railway (北近畿タンゴ鉄道) etc. even though express trains go directly from JR lines to those railway company lines.

JR West announced that they extended the selling period and travel dates of Kodama Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu (こだま指定席往復きっぷ meaning Roundtrip Ticket for Reservation Seats on Kodama Trains). It will be good until March 7, 2010. And its validity period is also extended to 7 days.

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
  • until March 7, 2010
• Period of selling
  • until February 28, 2010
    * Tickets are available 21 - 1 days before departure.
• Maximum period of travel
  • 7 days
    * Tickets for travels until December 23 are good for 2 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
  • from Shin-Osaka or Shin-Kobe to a station between Himeji and Hiroshima
  • from Nishi-Akashi to a station between Aioi and Hiroshima
  • from Himeji to a station between Okayama and Hiroshima
  • from Aioi to a station between Shin-Kurashiki and Hiroshima
  • from Okayama to a station between Shin-Onomichi and Shin-Yamaguchi
  • from Shin-Kurashiki or Fukuyama to a station between Higashi-Hiroshima and Shin-Yamaguchi
  • from Shin-Onomichi or Mihara to a station between Hiroshima and Hakata
  • from Higashi-Hiroshima to a station between Shin-Iwakuni and Hakata
  • from Hiroshima to a station between Tokuyama and Hakata
  • from Shin-Iwakuni to a station between Shin-Yamaguchi and Hakata
  • from Tokuyama or Shin-Yamaguchi to a station between Shin-Shimonoseki and Hakata
    * 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 in JR West district
  • Hakata and Kokura stations and travel vendors around them in JR Kyushu district
• 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. (Blackout dates are from December 28 to January 6.)

JR Group will conduct a campaign to encourage visiting Kyoto in winter from January 1, 2010 to March 22. During the period, many projects to know true identities of Kyoto will be held. Special exhibition of unpublicized cultural properties is one of these projects and its theme is "The Winter to Find the Last Days of Edo Period and World Heritages". Many revealed properties are located around JR and other rail stations. JR West is selling Nozomi and Kyoto Free Ticket including Nozomi tickets to and from Kyoto and one-day passes which are useful for visiting the assets.

Brief Overview ofNozomi and Kyoto Free Ticket

• Name of the ticket
  • Nozomi and Kyoto Free Ticket (のぞみ＆京都観光フリーきっぷ meaning Unlimited Ride Ticket for Kyoto Trip by Nozomi)
• Travel dates
  • December 05, 2009 through March 31, 2010
• Period of selling
  • November 26, 2009 through March 28, 2010
    * The ticket is available 25 - 1 day(s) before departure.
• Maximum period of travel
  • 3 days
• Effects of the ticket
  • This ticket allows traveling by Nozomi trains (second class reserved seats) between the departure point and Kyoto.
  • This ticket includes vouchers for one-day passes of Keihan (京阪電車), Kyoto Municipal Bus and Subway (京都市交通局), Randen (嵐電), Eizan Rail (叡山電車).
  • This ticket allows unlimited ride for three days on JR line around Kyoto.
• Effective sectors and prices
  • JPY 15,900 for departing from Okayama
  • JPY 17,300 for departing from Shin-Kurashiki (traveling by second class unreserved seeat of Kodama between Shin-Kurashiki and Okayama)
  • JPY 17,900 for departing from Fukuyama
  • JPY 18,500 for departing from Shin-Onomichi (traveling by second class unreserved seeat of Kodama between Shin-Onomichi and Fukuyama)
  • JPY 22,600 for departing from Hiroshima [city]
  • JPY 25,800 for departing from Tokuyama (traveling by second class unreserved seeat of Kodama between Tokuyama and Hiroshima)
  • JPY 27,700 for departing from Shin-Yamaguchi
  • JPY 28,300 for departing from Kokura [Kita-Kyushu city]
  • JPY 28,300 for departing from Hakata [Fukuoka city]
  • JPY 23,600 for departing from Yonago (traveling by second class reserved seeat of Yakumo between Yonago and Okayama)
  • JPY 24,600 for departing from Matsue (traveling by second class reserved seeat of Yakumo between Matsue and Okayama)
  • JPY 25,300 for departing from Izumoshi (traveling by second class reserved seeat of Yakumo between Izumoshi and Okayama)
• Purchasable at
  • major stations of JR West around the departure area
  • major travel vendors
• Remarks
  • The trains and seats of both-way must be assigned at the time of purchase. Changes are not permitted.
  • This ticket availability is limited.

Willcom said Express Yoyaku (エクスプレス予約 meaning Express Reservation) will be available on their PHS from December 5, 2009. The path is following; Willcom Official Site, Menu List, Life Information, Transportation and then Railroad/Bus/Boat.

By the way, enrollment of Willcom is about 4.39 million at the end of October, 2009. At the same time, DoCoMo is 55.24 million, au 31.26 and softbank 21.41. These figures mean Willcom users are not so large among mobile phone carriers but unignorable. As my own personal feeling, Willcom doesn't have a large users who are for Express Yoyaku. What is the reality?

In pararell with EX-IC Hayatoku (EX-IC Early Booking Discount, shortly called "IC Hayatoku") will be good for travels including train changings booked after December 5, 2009, the number of setting sectors for the service will be grown up. The setting sectors after this December are shown below and no new sectors from/to Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Nishi-Akashi, Himeji and Okayama are available.

Setting Sectors of EX-IC Hayatoku after this December

• from/to Tokyo to/from stations between Mishima and Hakata (newly to/from Higashi-Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Asa and Shin-Shimonoseki)
• from/to Shinagawa to/from stations between Mishima and Hakata (newly to/from Higashi-Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Asa and Shin-Shimonoseki)
• from/to Shin-Yokohama to/from stations between Shin-Fuji and Hakata (newly to/from Higashi-Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Asa and Shin-Shimonoseki)
• from/to Odawara to/from stations between Kakegawa and Shin-Osaka, Okayama and Hakata (newly to/from Higashi-Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Atami to/from stations between Kakegawa and Shin-Osaka, Okayama and Hakata (newly to/from Shin-Kurashiki, Fukuyama, Shin-Onomichi、Mihara, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Mishima to/from stations between Tokyo and Shinagawa とKakegawa and Shin-Osaka, Okayama and Hakata (newly to/from Shin-Kurashiki, Fukuyama, Shin-Onomichi、Mihara, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Shin-Fuji to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama, Hamamatsu and Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kurashiki and Hakata (newly to/from Shin-Kurashiki, Fukuyama, Shin-Onomichi、Mihara, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Shizuoka to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama, Toyohashi and Kyoto, Fukuyama and Hakata (newly to/from Shin-Onomichi、Mihara, Higashi-Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Kakegawa to/from stations between Tokyo and Mishima, Higashi-Hiroshima and Hakata (newly to/from Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Hamamatsu to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Fuji, Higashi-Hiroshima and Hakata (newly to/from Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Toyohashi to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka, Hiroshima and Hakata (newly to/from Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Mikawa-Anjo to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka, Tokuyama and Hakata (newly to/from Tokuyama, Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Nagoya to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka, Tokuyama and Hakata (newly to/from Asa and Shin-Shimonoseki)
• from/to Gifu-Hashima to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka, Shin-Yamaguchi and Hakata (newly to/from Shin-Yamaguchi, Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Maibara to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka, Asa and Hakata (newly to/from Asa, Shin-Shimonoseki, Kokura and Hakata)
• from/to Kyoto to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka, Kokura and Hakata
• from/to Shin-Osaka to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Fuji, Kokura and Hakata
• from/to Shin-Kobe to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama, Kokura and Hakata
• from/to Nishi-Akashi to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama
• from/to Himeji to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama
• from/to Aioi to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama
• from/to Okayama to/from stations between Tokyo and Mishima
• from/to Shin-Kurashiki to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Fuji (newly to/from Atami, Mishima and Shin-Fuji)
• from/to Fukuyama to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka (newly to/from Atami, Mishima and Shin-Fuji)
• from/to Shin-Onomichito/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka (newly to/from Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji and Shizuoka)
• from/to Mihara to/from stations between Tokyo and Shizuoka (newly to/from Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji and Shizuoka)
• from/to Higashi-Hiroshima to/from stations between Tokyo and Hamamatsu (newly to/from Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa and Hamamatsu)
• from/to Hiroshima to/from stations between Tokyo and Toyohashi (newly to/from Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu and Toyohashi)
• from/to Shin-Iwakuni to/from stations between Tokyo and Toyohashi (newly to/from Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu and Toyohashi)
• from/to Tokuyama to/from stations between Tokyo and Nagoya (newly to/from Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi and Mikawa-Anjo)
• from/to Shin-Yamaguchi to/from stations between Tokyo and Gifu-Hashima (newly to/from Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Mikawa-Anjo and Gifu-Hashima)
• from/to Asa to/from stations between Tokyo and Maibara (newly to/from Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Mikawa-Anjo, Nagoya, Gifu-Hashima and Maibara)
• from/to Shin-Shimonoseki to/from stations between Tokyo and Maibara (newly to/from Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Mikawa-Anjo, Nagoya, Gifu-Hashima and Maibara)
• from/to Kokura to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Kobe (newly to/from Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Mikawa-Anjo, Gifu-Hashima and Maibara)
• from/to Hakata to/from stations between Tokyo and Shin-Kobe (newly to/from Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Mikawa-Anjo, Gifu-Hashim and Maibara)

Though EX-IC Hayatoku (EX-IC Early Booking Discount, briefly called "IC Hayatoku") is now available for travels with single legs of direct trains, the discount will be also available for train changing travels booking after December 5, 2009. Journeys with up to 3 trains will be good for the service. It means the number of combination of departure place and destination will be enlarged and to get tickets will be easier than at present.

EX-IC Hayatoku rules are complicated. Because the prices and discounts are shown with additional statement of "until March 31, 2010" on the Express Yoyaku official site, the discount rules may be reviewed after next April. Personally speaking, the rules are too complicated to see and I anticipate an adoption of new simplified rules for EX-IC Hayatoku before too long.

This site "Shinkansen Timetable" is now developing to support the new EX-IC Hayatoku including train changing.

Brief Overview of EX-IC Hayatoku after this December

• Available for the person with membership of EX-IC service.
• Available for travels by up to three trains. But following sectors with EX-IC Hayatoku will be restricted to travel by a direct train; traveling from/to Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama to/from Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, traveling from/to Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura, Hakata, and Green Car travel on Kodama train of Tokaido Shinkansen.
• Purchasable by 23:30 on three days prior to the travel dates.
• Changes are permitted until 23:30 on three days prior to the travel dates.
• On each train, assigned number of seats for the discount is limited.