JR Tokai and JR West announced that the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi trains will operate with all reserved seats (no non-reserved seats) during the three peak periods of GW, Obon and year-end and New Year holidays. The service will begin during the year-end and New Year period of this year (December 28 to January 4, 2024).
In the past, during the three major peak periods of the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, boarding and alighting took time due to reserved seats filling up early and long waiting lines for non-reserved seats, which sometimes caused train delays.
Therefore, by eliminating the non-reserved seats normally provided in Nozomi cars 1-3, the number of reserved seats will increase by approximately 20% per train, making it easier for more passengers to make reservations and be seated for travel even during the three major peak periods.
The subject is all Nozomi trains operating between Tokyo and Hakata. During the period, seating is not permitted even for holders of unreserved seat express tickets, etc., including Shinkansen commuter pass “FREX/FREX Pal” (standing seating in ordinary cars is permitted, or seating is permitted with the prescribed reserved seat express fare).
Non-Nozomi trains (Hikari, Kodama, Mizuho, Sakura) will have unreserved seats as usual. In addition, “EX Service” will allow passengers to make reservations for reserved seats up to one year in advance from October 1.
© Source travel watch