JR Central and JR West released the train schedule for this summer from July 1, 2010 through September 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 Bon holiday period. The number of direct Nozomi services scheduled is 109 a day on average during this summer and 130 a day on average during Bon holiday period.

Additinally more N700 series, most comfortable and energy saving vehicles on Tokaido Shinkansen, will go into the service and 128 Nozomi trains in N700 series will run a day at the end of September. The number of Hikari and Kodama trains of 300 series is also increased. On Sanyo Shinkansen, some Kodama trains of four-car or six-car 100 series will start to be in service of six-car 100 series or eight-car 500 series.

Westbound Nozomi Trains newly using N700 series

• Nozomi 221, changed from 700 Series to N700 Series on June 25 (Tokyo 10:00 → Shin-Osaka 12:36)
• Nozomi 263, changed from 700 Series to N700 Series on June 25 (Tokyo 20:20 → Shin-Osaka 22:56)
• Nozomi 237, changed from 700 Series to N700 Series on August 01 (Tokyo 16:00 → Shin-Osaka 18:36)

Eastbound Nozomi Trains newly using N700 series

• Nozomi 228, changed from 700 Series to N700 Series on June 25 (Shin-Osaka 11:47 → Tokyo 14:23)
• Nozomi 254, changed from 700 Series to N700 Series on June 25 (Shin-Osaka 18:47 → Tokyo 21:23)
• Nozomi 222, changed from 700 Series to N700 Series on August 02 (Shin-Osaka 09:47 → Tokyo 12:23)

Westbound Hikari and Kodama Trains newly using 700 and other series

• Kodama 747, changed from 100 Series of four-car set to 100 Series of six-car set on June 30 (Okayama 13:51 → Hakata 17:22)
• Kodama 771, changed from 100 Series of six-car set to 500 Series of eight-car set on June 30 (Shin-Osaka 20:22 → Shin-Yamaguchi 23:51)
• Kodama 853, changed from 100 Series of six-car set to 500 Series of eight-car set on July 01 (Shin-Yamaguchi 06:00 → Hakata 07:17)
• Kodama 721, changed from 100 Series of four-car set to 100 Series of six-car set on July 01 (Okayama 06:00 → Hiroshima 07:04)
• Kodama 863, changed from 100 Series of six-car set to 500 Series of eight-car set on July 01 (Kokura 08:49 → Hakata 09:09)
• Kodama 831, changed from 100 Series of four-car set to 100 Series of six-car set on July 01 (Hiroshima 18:49 → Hakata 20:57)
• Kodama 761, changed from 100 Series of six-car set to 500 Series of eight-car set on July 01 (Shin-Osaka 17:38 → Hakata 22:50)
• Kodama 639, changed from 300 Series to 700 Series on August 01 (Tokyo 08:26 → Nagoya 11:16)
• Hikari 523, changed from 300 Series to 700 Series on August 01 (Tokyo 17:33 → Shin-Osaka 20:30)
• Hikari 511, changed from 300 Series to 700 Series on August 02 (Tokyo 11:33 → Shin-Osaka 14:30)

Eastbound Hikari and Kodama Trains newly using 700 and other series

• Kodama 736, changed from 100 Series of four-car set to 100 Series of six-car set on June 30 (Hakata 07:18 → Okayama 10:53)
• Kodama 752, changed from 100 Series of six-car set to 500 Series of eight-car set on June 30 (Hakata 14:51 → Shin-Osaka 20:05)
• Kodama 764, changed from 100 Series of four-car set to 100 Series of six-car set on June 30 (Hakata 18:17 → Okayama 21:35)
• Kodama 856, changed from 100 Series of six-car set to 500 Series of eight-car set on July 01 (Hakata 08:14 → Kokura 08:35)
• Kodama 746, changed from 100 Series of six-car set to 500 Series of eight-car set on July 01 (Hakata 12:21 → Shin-Osaka 17:05)
• Kodama 660, changed from 300 Series to 700 Series on August 01 (Nagoya 14:28 → Tokyo 17:17)
• Kodama 696, changed from 300 Series to 700 Series on August 01 (Shin-Osaka 22:03 → Nagoya 23:05)
• Kodama 636, changed from 300 Series to 700 Series on August 02 (Nagoya 08:28 → Tokyo 11:17)
• Hikari 522, changed from 300 Series to 700 Series on August 02 (Shin-Osaka 15:13 → Tokyo 18:10)

JR Central and West announced that EX-IC Hayatoku (EX-IC早特), the discount offer for early purchasing EX-IC members, will be good until September 30, 2010.

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: July 1, 2010 through September 30
• Period of selling: June 1, 2010 through September 27
• 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 on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen.
• Available sectors:
  1. for long-distance travel striding over Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen; from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura and Hakata, from/to Shizuoka to/from Hiroshima, Kokura and Hakata, from/to 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; from/to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama to/from Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe, etc.
  3. for travel by Kodama train's Green car between stations on Tokaido Shinkansen separated at least 100 km and excluding from/to Tokyo to/from Atami; from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka, etc.
• Prices (e.g.):
  [for second class]
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Shin-Osaka (one way) JPY 12,000, saving about 14%
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Hakata (one way) JPY 19,300, saving about 13%
  • from/to Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata (one way) JPY 11,450, saving about 16-23%
  [for Green car]
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Shin-Osaka (one way) JPY 14,000, saving about 25%
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Hakata (one way) JPY 29,250, saving about 14%
  • from/to Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata (one way) JPY 14,950, saving about 18-27%
• 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 mobile or PC.
• Remarks:
  • 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 (1)'s from/to Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata, sectors(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 don'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.
    

JR Central and West said EX Odekake Hayatoku (EXお出かけ早特) will be sold again in this summer. This deal is only for the members of Express Reservation Service (エクスプレス予約), but the traveling companions don't have to be the members. That means the deal will be usable for family vacations in this summer season.

Overview of 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 July 17, 2100 and September 26
• Period of selling: June 26, 2010 through September 23
  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 and Kodama trains with no transferring.
• Available sectors:
  • from/to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama to/from Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe
  • from/to Shizuoka and Hamamatsu to/from Kyoto and Shin-Osaka
  • from/to Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata
• Prices (e.g.):
  [for second class]
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Shin-Osaka (one way) JPY 13,100, saving about 7%
  • from/to Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata (one way) JPY 11,650, saving about 15-21%
  [for Green car]
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Shin-Osaka (one way) JPY 14,500, saving about 22%
  • from/to Shin-Osaka and Shin-Kobe to/from Kokura and Hakata (one way) JPY 15,150, saving about 17-26%
  Shown one-way price including fare. The one-way ticket will also be issued at the time of purchase.
• 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 through a mobile or PC.
• Remarks:
  • Reservations for up to 6 persons traveling along will be acceptable at once. All of the accompanying passengers are not required to be a member of Express Reservation Service.
  • Reservations are changable before issue and 23:30 of three days prior to the departure.
  • This discount's availability is limited on a train-to-train basis.
  • EX-IC Cards are not accepted for boarding.

Media reports said JR Central's 300 series will retire until March of 2012. And 100 series will also retire until the spring of 2012.

The third generation Shinkansen 300 series started to run as a special vehicles for Nozomi service in 1992, and now those are for some Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama services. Until 1998, 1,120 cars of 300 series had been made and those of JR Central's have steadily retired from 2007 in accordance with the repletion of N700 series. According to the article, aging cars and quick increase of N700, most-advanced energy-saving cars, triggered the retirement.

JR West also has 144 cars (9 sets of 16 cars) of 300 series and no announcements for retirement are available at this moment. And the article didn't say that 300 series will disappear from Tokaido Shinkansen. Those mean that JR West's 300 series cars will continuously run on Tokaido Shinkansen for a while.

100 series are the second generation Shinkansen cars, started to run in 1985. In their prime, 100 series had double-decker Green cars in its train set of 16 cars. Now they were shortened to 6 or 4 cars and run for Kodama services on Sanyo Shinkansen. On Sanyo Shinkansen, in addition to 100 series, 8 cars train of 500 series run as Kodama trains. When the entire portion of Kyushu Shinkansen opened in 2011, 8 cars train of 700 series will turn to work as Kodama trains which are now running as Hikari Rail Star. Then the 100 series, having lowest maximum speed, were decided to have retired.

And now no official announcement for these retirement schedules are available from neither JR Central nor West.

JR West said that they will extend the selling period and travel dates of "Kodama and Yakumo Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu" (こだま＆やくも指定席往復きっぷ meaning Roundtrip Ticket for Kodama and Yakumo Roundtrip Ticket for Reservation Seats on Kodama and Yakumo Trains). It will be good until September 30, 2010.

This ticket is for passengers at least two taking round trip together from Osaka or Hyogo area to Sanin district by Kodama and Yakumo trains. Because the ticket is good for 7 days, it will be useful for not only weekend trip but travel in summer holidays. The price for an adult depends on travel distance but that for a child is flat of JPY 3,000 for second class or JPY 4,000 for Green car. It means this ticket has a great advantage for a family trip.

Overview of Kodama and Yakumo Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu

• Name of the ticket: Kodama and Yakumo Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu (こだま＆やくも指定席往復きっぷ meaning Roundtrip Ticket for Kodama and Yakumo Roundtrip Ticket for Reservation Seats on Kodama and Yakumo Trains)
• Travel dates: through September 30, 2010
  Final departure date will be September 24, 2010.
• Period of selling: through September 23, 2010
  Tickets are available 21 -1 days before departure.
• Maximum period of travel: seven days
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows roundtrip from Osaka and Hyogo are to Sanin district by Kodama and Yakumo train's assigned seats. Two types of ticket are available, one is for second class and the other for Green car.
• Major available sectors and prices (e.g.)
  [for second class]
  • from Osaka and other stations within the city to Yonago (RT): JPY 12,000, saving about 38%
  • from Osaka and other stations within the city to Izumo-shi (RT): JPY 13,600, saving about 36%
  [for Green car]
  • from Osaka and other stations within the city to Yonago (RT): JPY 14,000, saving about 42%
  • from Osaka and other stations within the city to Izumo-shi (RT): JPY 15,600, saving about 45%
  Shown discount rates are against regular season's fare. The price for a child is flat fare of JPY 3,000 for second class and JPY 4,000 for Green car 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), 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 August 11 through 20.

JR West said that they will extend 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 September 30, 2010.

This ticket is for passengers at least two taking round trip together between Sanyo Shinkansen stations by Kodama trains. Because the ticket is good for 7 days, it will be useful for not only weekend trip but travel in summer holidays. The price for an adult depends on travel distance but that for a child is flat of JPY 3,000. It means this ticket has a great advantage for a family trip.

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 September 30, 2010
• Final departure date will be September 24, 2010.
• Period of selling: through September 23, 2010
• 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 to Okayama (RT): JPY 6,880, saving about 41%
  • Shin-Osaka to 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), 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 August 11 through 20.