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 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. This pass allows unlimited travel by green cars, but it NOT valid for Nozomi trains.

• 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, 2009 through June 30, 2010, unless December 28, 2009 to January 6, 2010, March 21 to April 5 nor April 27 to May 6.
• Period of selling
  • September 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010
• Maximum period of travel
  • 5, 7 or 12 days
• Prices
  • for a couple of over 88 years old combining ages of both
  • for 5 days 80,500 JPY
  • for 7 days 99,900 JPY
  • for 12 days 124,400 JPY
  • for a couple of over 88 years old combining ages of both and one is over 70
  • for 5 days 75,500 JPY
  • for 7 days 94,900 JPY
  • for 12 days 119,400 JPY
• Available sectors
  • Whole of JR lines
• Purchasable at
  • a major JR station and JR travel counter
  • a major travel vendor
• Remarks
  • This ticket is for couples of 88 years old combining ages of both and traveling along.
  • This ticket allows unlimited travel by green cars and class B sleepers on Shinkansen excepting Nozomi, limited express, express and local trains of JR lines.
  • This ticket is Not valid on out of JR lines like Izuhakone Raiway (伊豆箱根鉄道), 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 Hokutosei (北斗星) getting through between Morioka and Hachinohe and JR Miyajima Ferry between Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima.
  • Passengers are required to carry formal age-identifying documents with them when they purchase this ticket and travel.
  • 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.

The schedule for Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen has been revised on March 14, 2009.

Since this revision, Nozomi trains have increased its frequency. 9 Nozomi trains between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, 5 through to Hiroshima from Tokyo, and 4 through to Hakata from Tokyo are available in an hour. It is easier to get ticket and seat in the hours when you want to travel than before.

The frequency of Nozomi served with series N700 cars also gets expansion. 2 Nozomi trains of N700 run in an hour. 1 runs between Tokyo and Hakata, and the other between Tokyo and Hiroshima. It is easier to find an opportunity to travel by the latest comfortable vehicles.

Not only Nozomi, but some Hikari trains speed up and more Kodama trains service are offered.

In addition to the schedule for Shinkansen in itself, connection of Shinkansen and local trains has been modified. Then the whole destinations along Shinkansen lines get more accessible!