The Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company announced that EX-IC Hayatoku (EX-IC早特), a discount offer for early purchasing EX-IC members, is continuously available after this July. Its available sectors and prices will be the same as going. They have released these announcements on a quarterly basis, but said they will continue to sell this ticket until further notice.

Overview of EX-IC Hayatoku

• Name of the deal: EX-IC Hayatoku (EX-IC早特 meaning EX-IC Early Booking Discount, shortly called "IC Hayatoku")
• Travel dates: Mon, July 1, 2013 -
• Period of selling: Sat, June 1, 2013 -
  * Tickets are available from 10:00 on the day of a month to 23:30 of three days before the departure.
• Effects of the deal: This deal allows one-way travel on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen by Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama trains.
• Available sectors:
  1. for long-distance travel striding over Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen; Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura and Hakata, and Shizuoka to/from Hiroshima, Kokura and Hakata, and Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata, etc.
  2. for travel by Nozomi trains on Tokaido Shinkansen (including Shin-Kobe) departing by 6:59 or all Hikari trains; Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama to/from Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe.
  3. for travel by Kodama train's Green Car between stations on Tokaido Shinkansen separated at least 100 km and excluding Tokyo to/from Atami; Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka, etc.
• Prices (e.g.):
  [for second class]
  • Tokyo, Shinagawa - Shin-Osaka [one way] JPY 12,000, saving about 14%
  • Tokyo, Shinagawa - Hakata [one way] JPY 19,300, saving about 13%
  • Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe - Kokura, Hakata [one way] JPY 11,450, saving about 16-23%
  [for Green Car]
  • Tokyo, Shinagawa - Shin-Osaka [one way] JPY 14,000, saving about 25%
  • Tokyo, Shinagawa - Hakata [one way] JPY 29,250, saving about 14%
  • Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe - Kokura and Hakata [one way] JPY 14,950, saving about 18-27%
  * Shown discount rates are against regular season's fare.
• Terms of use: Only members of EX-IC Service can buy and use tickets with this deal.
• Purchasable at: Available only online. Access the site of Express Reservation through a PC or mobile, including smartphones.
• Remarks:
  • EX-IC Hayatoku will not be good for Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubame for through service to Kyushu Shinkansen.
  • Travels by up to three connecting trains are allowed within the sectors (1) shown above, except from/to Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata.
  • Travels within the sectors of (1)'s from/to Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata, (2) and (3) are for direct service only. No connections are permitted.
  • Changes are permitted before the departure time of the train, if the passenger doesn't enter the gate with EX-IC card and not receive a boarding bill.
  • This discount's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.

The JR companies released the overview of special operational trains in this summer, from July 1, 2013 to September 30. According to them, many extra trains will run during the Bon holiday period and weekends.

Additionally, the Central Japan Railway Company said that they will put two new sets of N700A cars into service during this summer and have eight sets of N700A by the end of September. Because 96 sets of Series N700, JR Central's 80 and JR West's 16, are now enrolled in, through the joining of this new two N700A, the proportion of N700A among of Series N700 typed cars will be raised from 5.9 % to 7.7 %.

One of these sets of N700A, having a registration code of "G7", has already been brought to Torikai Depot in Osaka, in this March. So it will be in service in the near future after July. And the remaining five sets of N700A to be delivered in this year will be put in service one by one, after this October.

This site “Shinkansen Timetable” is now preparing for providing the train schedule of July. The data will be released by the end of May.

Aiming to provide delightful use of stations for both of smoking/non-smoking passengers, JR West also started a project for building smoking rooms on Shinkansen platforms and station concourses. They announced the smoking rooms will be built on the platforms of Shin-Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima and Kokura.

Overview of new smoking rooms

• Placed at:
  • [Shin-Kobe Station] on the two platforms
  • [Okayama Station] on the two platforms
  • [Hiroshima Station] on the two platforms
  • [Kokura Station] on the two platforms
• Construction Plan: After July, 2013, the smoking rooms will be placed in service.
• Remarks:
  • With this installation work, all open-air smoking facilities on platforms in these stations will be closed.
  • Himeji and Hakata Station already have smoking rooms on the platforms and in the concourse.

JR Central released that they added 14 extra Nozomi services between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka/Hisoshima during Golden Week holidays. Especially at the end of holidays, the afternoon service, which can be nice for returning from the leisure, will be greatly enhanced.

The availability of bookable seats was increased by about 15,000, including 2,800 of Green cars. Shince April 18, it is already possible to reserve the seats on these trains.

Additional Westbound Nozomi Trains (from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka )

• Sat, April 27
  • Nozomi 355, Tokyo 13:13 → Shin-Osaka 15:47
• Mon, May 6
  • Nozomi 377, Tokyo 15:20 → Shin-Osaka 17:53
  • Nozomi 383, Tokyo 16:13 → Shin-Osaka 18:47
  • Nozomi 387, Tokyo 16:47 → Shin-Osaka 19:23
  • Nozomi 395, Tokyo 17:53 → Shin-Osaka 20:30

Additional Eastbound Nozomi Trains (from Hiroshima/Shin-Osaka to Tokyo)

• Sat, Aprl 27
  • Nozomi 322, Shin-Osaka 10:20 → Tokyo 12:56
• Sun, May 5
  • Nozomi 350, Shin-Osaka 13:10 → Tokyo 15:43
  • Nozomi 356, Shin-Osaka 13:47 → Tokyo 16:20
  • Nozomi 360, Shin-Osaka 14:10 → Tokyo 16:43
• Mon, May 6
  • Nozomi 340, Shin-Osaka 12:10 → Tokyo 14:43
  • Nozomi 352, Shin-Osaka 13:20 → Tokyo 15:56
  • Nozomi 166, Hiroshima 12:28 → Tokyo 16:30
  • Nozomi 366, Shin-Osaka 14:47 → Tokyo 17:20
  • Nozomi 388, Shin-Osaka 18:20 → Tokyo 20:56

The limited combos of hot tea and fine sweets, sent to the Confection Expo 2013 in Hiroshima (ひろしま菓子博2013), will be available as in-car sales on limited Sanyo Shinkansen trains.

The combination of tea and sweets, Atarashi-Momiji of Lemon from Osaki-Kamijima (あたらしもみじ 大崎上島のレモン) and Unbaked Momiji Manju with koshi-an (生もみじ(こしあん)) from Nishiki-do, will be sold from April 18 to May 12, priced at JPY 400. In Sanyo Shinkansen zone between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, it is available on Nozomi, Sakura and Hikari regular trains which depart Shin-Osaka or Hakata during 10:00 - 15:59, and Nozomi and Hikari regular trains originated at Okayama or Hiroshima during 10:00 - 15:59.

The Confection Expo 2013 in Hiroshima is a confectionery exposition which will be held at Hiroshima City Central Park from April 19 through May 12, 2013. This traditional exposition has been taken every few years since the first exhibition was held at Tokyo in 1911. In Hiroshima, it is for the first time in 92 years. The venue of the last time was Hiroshima Prefectural Marchandise Display Center, the present Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome).

Enjoy your Shinkansen travel with hot tea and fine sweets.

JR West started to operate Series 500 cars with posters of "Kansenger", the Sanyo Shinkansen's official hero. They said they are planning two Kansenger appearing events in this April and May.

The life-sized Kansenger illustrated posters and its logos are stuck beside driver's doors of car 1 and 8 of Series 500. The first train was Kodama 744 (Hakata 13:22 - Shin-Osaka 18:05) on April 10 and the poster vehicles will be kept in service for the meantime. Kodama trains often stop for following Nozomi, but the time for overtaken is also a good chance for breath-fresher on platform and taking photos. When you take pictures before boarding or during overtaken, you should be aware of the time and that the Series 500 cars don't have passenger's doors in the cab side.

The two events to actually meet Kansenger are planned.

On April 28, Kansenger will be aboard on Kodama 740, a regular service train operated by Series 500 (Hakata 11:23 - Shin-Osaka 16:05). He will visit car 8 and 7 from Okayama to Aioi, and car 4, 3, 2 and 1 from Aioi to Shin-Kobe. He will get off at Shin-Kobe, and see off the train. Afterwards, in the concourse he will shake hands with fans and join commemorative pictures taking. This is unusual to be held certain character's in-car event of regular service train.

On May 18, a unique tour to visit the Hakata depot with Kansenger by special trains will be held. The tour is planned as starting at Shin-Osaka, directly traveling by special train to Hakata depot, visiting the depot for about two hours and returning. To join the tour from Shin-Osaka (departing at 09:15 and arriving at 18:54), Shin-Kobe (09:29 - 18:40), Okayama (10:24 - 18:04) and Hiroshima (11:10 - 17:27) are available. JR West officially released that Kansenger will appeal improving manners of riding during the travel. That is his important mission, because he is originally a character to call for safe and good-mannered riding.

There's no doubt we have to keep an eye on Kansenger, an JR West's official hero fighting for maintaining peace on earth.... and promoting travels by Sanyo Shinkansen.

JR West is selling nice discount tickets to go watching the game at Mazda Stadium in Hiroshima. The one is Aka-Hel Ticket (赤ヘルきっぷ), and the other is Aka-Hel Katamichi Express Ticket (赤ヘル片道特急券).

Aka-Hel Ticket allows a round trip from a station between Okayama and Hakata to Hiroshima. Only ticket holders of the games at Mazda Stadium can buy this ticket. Because it is good for two days, it is possible to stay one night in Hiroshima after the game and return on the next day. The departure dates are restricted to be the days of games. So the plan to stay before the game is not accepted.

Aka-Hel Katamichi Express Ticket allows a one-way trip to Hiroshima from Mihara, Higashi-Hiroshima and Shin-Iwakuni. Only season pass holders for the travel sectors can buy this ticket. Because it is NOT necessary to have Mazda Stadium's game ticket, this ticket can be also used as a rewarding for daily long commutes or a trial of Shinkansen commuting.

Overview of Aka-hel Ticket

• Name of the ticket: Aka-Hel Ticket (赤ヘルきっぷ meaning Red Helmet Ticet)
• Travel dates: Tue, March 5, 2013 - Thu, October 31
  * Departure dates are only on the game days at Mazda Studium.
• Period of selling: Fri, March 1, 2013 - Thu, October 31
• Maximum period of travel: two days
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows a round trip by Shinkansen train's non-reserved seats, including Nozomi and Mizuho.
• Available sectors: From one station between Okayama and Hakata to Hiroshima
• Prices (e.g.):
  • Okayama - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 8,000
  • Fukuyama - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 6,300
  • Mihara - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 3,300
  • Higashi-Hiroshima - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 2,100
  • Shin-Iwakuni - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 2,300
  • Shin-Yamaguchi - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 6,800
  • Kokura - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 10,000
  • Hakata - Hiroshima [RT] JPY 12,000
• Terms of use: At the time of purchase, showing the ticket of exhibition games or regular season ones at Mazda Stadium is required.
• Purchasable at: major station's ticket offices in departure area or major travel vendors

Overview of Aka-Hel Katamichi Express Ticket

• Name of the ticket: Aka-Hel Katamichi Express Ticket (赤ヘル片道特急券 means Red Helmet One Way Express Ticket)
• Travel dates: Tue, March 5, 2013 - Thu, October 31
  * Departure dates are only on the game days at Mazda Studium.
• Period of selling: Tue, March 5, 2013 - Thu, October 31
• Maximum period of travel: one day
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows a single trip by Shinkansen train's non-reserved seats.
• Available sectors and prices:
  • Mihara - Hiroshima [one way] JPY 700
  • Higashi-Hiroshima / Shin-Iwakuni - Hiroshima [one way] JPY 500
• Terms of use: At the time of purchase, showing season pass for travel sector's local train service is required. Season passes on ICOCA are not accepted.
• Purchasable at: departing station's ticket offices
• Remarks:
  • At the time of purchase, not to be asked the ticket of games at Mazda Stadium.
  • This ticket is NOT good for Nozomi and Mizuho trains.

JR West released Kodama Hayatoku Oufuku Ticket, an early booking round trip discount ticket for Kodama travelers.

This ticket allows a round trip by Kodama directly traveling between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Regularly eight services to Hakata and ten to Shin-Osaka is available. The most fastest one is Kodama 762, Hakata 19:08 to Shin-Osaka 23:19, traveling for 4 hours 11 minutes. Some of Kodama trains takes to travel more than five hours, and Nozomi trains connect Tokyo and Hakata for the same hours. So, this ticket must be one for curious travelers.

Because stopover and connecting are not permitted, travelers must spend about half of their day time in Shinkansen trains. It is favorable that this ticket costs only 7,500 JPY for a leg and is usable for seven days. But the travelers may be requires to be certainly prepared. Enjoy your travel!

Overview of Kodama Hayatoku Oufuku Ticket

• Name of the ticket: Kodama Hayatoku Oufuku Ticket (こだま早特往復きっぷ meaning Kodama Round Trip Early Booking Discount Ticket)
• Travel dates: Departing on Fri, April 26, 2013 - Sat, July 6
• Period of selling: Fri, April 5, 2013 - Sat, June 22
  * Tickets are available 21-14 days before the departure.
• Maximum period of travel: seven days
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows a round trip by Kodama train's assigned seats.
• Available sectors: Shin-Osaka (Osaka City), Shin-Kobe, Nishi-Akashi and Himeji (Kobe-Himeji Zone) to Kokura (Kitakyushu City) and Hakata (Fukuoka City)
  * Kobe-Himeji Zone includs Shin-Kobe, Nishi-Akashi and Himeji on Sanyo Shinkansen and local stations between Tachibana and Himeji, and Wadamisaki.
• Prices: 15,000 JPY [round trip], saving about 44-47%
  * Shown discount rates are against regular season's fare.
• Available westbound Kodama trains (from Shin-Osaka to Hakata)
  • Kodama 731 Shin-Osaka 06:59 → Hakata 11:31 (traveling for 4 hrs. 32 min.)
  • Kodama 733 Shin-Osaka 07:41 → Hakata 12:24 (traveling for 4 hrs. 43 min.)
  • Kodama 737 Shin-Osaka 09:38 → Hakata 14:21 (traveling for 4 hrs. 43 min.)
  • Kodama 739 Shin-Osaka 10:33 → Hakata 15:21 (traveling for 4 hrs. 48 min.)
  • Kodama 741 Shin-Osaka 11:33 → Hakata 16:21 (traveling for 4 hrs. 48 min.)
  • Kodama 753 Shin-Osaka 16:38 → Hakata 21:50 (traveling for 5 hrs. 12 min.)
  • Kodama 755 Shin-Osaka 17:38 → Hakata 22:48 (traveling for 5 hrs. 10 min.)
  • Kodama 757 Shin-Osaka 18:40 → Hakata 23:25 (traveling for 4 hrs. 45 min.)
• Available eastbound Kodama trains (from Hakata to Shin-Osaka)
  • Kodama 730 Hakata 06:34 → Shin-Osaka 11:05 (traveling for 4 hrs. 31 min.)
  • Kodama 740 Hakata 11:23 → Shin-Osaka 16:05 (traveling for 4 hrs. 42 min.)
  • Kodama 742 Hakata 12:22 → Shin-Osaka 17:05 (traveling for 4 hrs. 43 min.)
  • Kodama 744 Hakata 13:22 → Shin-Osaka 18:05 (traveling for 4 hrs. 43 min.)
  • Kodama 746 Hakata 14:22 → Shin-Osaka 19:05 (traveling for 4 hrs. 43 min.)
  • Kodama 748 Hakata 14:54 → Shin-Osaka 20:04 (traveling for 5 hrs. 10 min.)
  • Kodama 752 Hakata 16:22 → Shin-Osaka 21:04 (traveling for 4 hrs. 42 min.)
  • Kodama 756 Hakata 17:13 → Shin-Osaka 22:08 (traveling for 4 hrs. 55 min.)
  • Kodama 758 Hakata 17:55 → Shin-Osaka 22:38 (traveling for 4 hrs. 43 min.)
  • Kodama 762 Hakata 19:08 → Shin-Osaka 23:19 (traveling for 4 hrs. 11 min.)
• Purchasable at: Major JR stations and a major travel vendors around the departing area
• Remarks:
  • This ticket is NOT good for Nozomi, Hikari, Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubame trains.
  • Traveling by direct Kodama service only. No connections are permitted.
  • The trains and seats of both-way must be assigned at the time of purchase. Changes are not permitted.
  • This discount's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.

JR Central and JR West released "EX Odekake Hayatoku" (EXお出かけ早特) again for this spring. The tickets of "Tokyo / Shinagawa / Shin-Yokohama - Shizuoka / Hamamatsu", started to be sold from the last season, are also available. The other available sectors and prices are the same as before.

For Example, the regular ticket of from Tokyo and Shinagawa to Shin-Osaka costs 14,050 JPY, and this ticket 13,100. But EX-IC fare for this sector is only 13,000 JPY. While this ticket is cheaper than the regular fare for the travels including Sanyo SHinkansen zone, within Tokaido Shinkansen zone between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, this ticket is more expensive than the regular fare. Because this ticket is also good for non-member traveling companion, invite them of out of membership and enjoy discounted travel!

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 during the period of Sat, April 6, 2013 - Sun, May 26
• Period of selling: Mon, April 1, 2013 - Thu, May 23
  * Tickets are available from 10:00 on the day of a month to 23:30 of three days before departure. Tickets for April 6 - 29 is available from 5:30 on April 1.
• 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 / Shin-Yokohama - Shizuoka / Hamamatsu / Nagoya / Kyoto / Shin-Osaka / Shin-Kobe / Okayama / Hiroshima / Kokura / Hakata
  • Shizuoka / Hamamatsu - Kyoto / Shin-Osaka
  • Nagoya / Shin-Osaka / Shin-Kobe - Kokura / Hakata
• Prices (e.g.):
  for second class
  • Tokyo / Shinagawa - Shin-Osaka [one way] JPY 13,100, saving about 7%
  • Shin-Osaka / Shin-Kobe - Kokura / Hakata [one way] JPY 11,650, saving about 15-21%
  for Green Car
  • Tokyo / Shinagawa - Shin-Osaka [one way] JPY 14,500, saving about 22%
  • Shin-Osaka / Shin-Kobe - Kokura / 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.
  • Connections are not permitted. Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubame trains are not available.
  • 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 release a new discount ticket for members of "e5489" to travel between Shin-Osaka or Kokura and Kokura or Hakata.

The new ticket is "Super Hayatoku Ticket", available until 14 days before the travel date. It allows one-way travel on Sanyo Shinkansen by 10,000 JPY. For example, traveling between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, regurally costs 14,890 JPY by Nozomi or Mizuho trains as full fare, will be saved about 33% with this ticket. This is cheaper than 11,450 JPY of IC Hayatoku for members of Express Reservation Service. The ticket is good for Nozomi, Mizuho, Sakura etc. trains, while IC Hayatoku is invalid for Mizuho and Sakura. Though it must be purchased 14 days before traveling, this ticket, it may be a good deal for travelers.

Overview of Super Hayatoku Ticket

• Name of the ticket: Super Hayatoku Ticket (スーパー早特きっぷ, meaning Super Early Booking Discount Ticket)
• Travel dates: Fri, April 26, 2013 - Mon, September 30
• Period of selling: Tue, March 26, 2013 - Mon, September 16
  * Tickets are availabe from 10:00 on the day of a month to 23:00 of 14 days before traveling.
• Maximum period of travel: one day
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows one-way travel by a Nozomi, Mizuho, Sakura etc. train's reserved seat.
• Available sectors: Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe - Kokura and Hakata
• Prices: 10,000 JPY for an adult, 4,990 JPY for a child
• Terms of use: Only members of "e5489", an online train booking service by JR West, can buy this ticket.
• Purchasable at: Available only online. Access the site of "e5489" through a PC or smartphone.
• Remarks:
  • Traveling by direct service only. No connections are permitted.
  • The trains and seats of both-way must be assigned at the time of purchase. Changes are not permitted.
  • This discount's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.