JR West said that they equipped Shin-Yamaguchi Station with barrier-free facilities and it has been in-service since March 2, 2010.

This improvement project was for the second and third floor in that station and the access to the ground floor was not improved. Passengers in wheelchairs are still required to use a freight elevator from the ground floor to the third floor.

Major Improvement

• instalation of 2 elevators between concourse (2F) and platform (3F)
• instalation of doubled handrails and acoustic guiding equipments for stairs between concourse (2F) and platform (3F)
• instalation of multifunctional toilet
• instalation and renovation of textured paving blocks

JR West said they start to sell Kodama Shiteiseki Oufuku Kippu (こだま指定席往復きっぷ meaning Roundtrip Ticket for Reservation Seats on Kodama Trains) again for the travels between March 13, 2010 and May 31. This ticket allows round trip within specific sectors on Sanyo Shinkansen by reserved seats on Kodama and some Hikari trains. The price for a child is flat fare of JPY 3,000 regardless of actual travel distance and with no blackout dates even during spring vacation and Golden Week holidays. So this helps families to go together.

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
  • from March 13, 2010 through May 31
• Period of selling
  • from March 5, 2010 through May 24
    ※ Tickets are available 21 - 1 days before departure.
• Maximum period of travel
  • 7 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 (e.g.)
  • from stations in Osaka and Kobe city to Shinkansen stations between Himeji and Hiroshima, including stations in Hiroshima city
  • from Okayama to Shinkansen stations between Shin-Osaka and Himeji or Shin-Onomichi and Shin-Yamaguchi, including stations in Osaka, Kobe and Hiroshima cities
  • from Hiroshima city to Shinkansen stations between Shin-Osaka and Mihara or Tokuyama and Hakata, including stations in Okayama and Kobe cities
  • from Hakata to Shinkansen stations between Shin-Onomichi and Shin-Yamaguchi, including stations in Hiroshima city
    ※ 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
• 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. This offer's blackout dates are from April 27 to May 5.

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said verbal and data communications on mobile phones in Shinkansen tunnels will be available between Himeji and east end of Okayama Pref. from March, 2011.

Antenna installation for tunnels were completed between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka by 2003 and the installation reaching Himeji by the end of this month. Improved zones are extended and in a year it will have been to the east end of Okayama Pref.

At this moment, any antenna installation plans for sections west of Okayama Pref. are not announced. And the providing zone of internet access service through N700 series in-vehicle wireless LAN will have been restricted within Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka for a while, because its communication method and required equipments are different from the antennas for the mobile communication.

Hiroshima Branch of JR West announced that they will accept advanced booking applications for travels during the Golden Week period from April 28 through May 5, 2010. Passengers, who have plans to travel in this period, may be free from making queue on ticket release days.

brief overview of advanced booking application

• Travel Dates: April 28, 2010 - May 5
• Period of acceptance: March 6, 2010 - March 25
• Handling At: 76 stations with JR trains booking counters (みどりの窓口) within district boundary of Hiroshima Branch of JR West
• How to subscribe:
  • Go to a JR trains booking counter in one of 76 stations noted above.
  • Go to the special counter at JR trains booking counter in Hiroshima Station.
  • Place a call to the special counter at JR trains booking counter in Hiroshima Station.
  • FAX an order to one of major 17 stations like Mihara and Shin-Yamaguchi.

"e5489plus", JR West's online booking service, will be temporarily stop for maintenance. The suspension will go on up to 24 hours depending on the service.

Services and Hours for Suspension

• reservation, settlement, changing, refunding and inquiry on "e5489plus"
  • [suspended] 21:00 on March 6, 2010 to 9:00 on March 7
• services for members on JR Odekake Net (JRおでかけネット)
  • initial registration and correct information for J-WEST online members and e-Oyado (e-お宿) use
    • [suspended] 21:00 on March 6, 2010 to 9:00 on March 7
  • checking and exchanging accumulated points, inquiry for SMART ICOCA usage history, checking of J-WEST Premier Program
    • [suspended] 21:00 on March 6, 2010 to 21:00 on March 7

Services with No Pauses

• Express Reservation services (エクスプレス予約)
• picking up tickets previously reserved through "e5489plus"
• JR Odekake Net services for non-members