How to Buy a Shinkansen Ticket at Vending Machines

Example of buying round-trip reserved seats on Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kanazawa

*Shinkansen tickets are available only at ticket machines marked ”Shinkansen”.

1. Select your language (Japanese, English, Chinese [Simplified/Traditional], Korean)
2. Select “Reserved Seat”
3. Select “For seat reservation on Shinkansen”
4. Select “Joetsu, Hokuriku” (Here you will select which Shinkansen you take.)
5. Select “From Tokyo” (Here you will see the nearest station name. If you board from Tokyo Station, select “other stations”.)
6. Select “KANAZAWA” (Here you will select the station you get off.)
7. Select the date
8. Select the time
9. Select number of passenger
10. Select the Shinkansen and “Ordinary car”
11. Select the seat
12. Select a ticket from “Tokyo – Kanazawa” or “Your station – Tokyo – Kanazawa”
13. Select “Purchase return ticket also” (If you need a one-way ticket, you select “Purchase outbound ticket only”.)
14. Select “Purchase limited express ticket, etc. for left section”
15. Select the date for return trip
16. Select the time for return trip
17. Select the Shinkansen and “Ordinary car” for return trip
18. Select the seat for return trip
19. Confirm information
20. Insert money or credit card

If you find it complicated, we recommend you buy tickets at Ticket Office (Midori-no-Madoguchi)!