Gran Class is a new ultra-luxury shinkansen service in east Japan and Hokkaido. There’s even meal service on par with a good international flight.
Gran Class Shinkansen interior – JR East Photo
Gran Class is a new ultra-luxury service on the Tohoku, Hokuriku, Joetsu and Hokkaido shinkansen lines (central/northeast Honshu and Hokkaido). While Green Cars correspond roughly to business class seats on airplanes, Gran Class is clearly first class. With only 18 seats per car, there’s plenty of room to relax and recline.
On longer routes, your fare includes a meal and beverage service. For a luxurious trip from Tokyo to Kanazawa or Northern Honshu, Gran Class is the way to go! And since it’s a JR train, it’s utterly painless to get tickets.
Gran Class Shinkansen Route Map
This map summarises the different routes taken by the Gran Class shinkansen. You can also find an interactive Google map further down the page.
Schedules
- Gran Class shinkansen run daily, morning to evening.
- Download a PDF of Gran Class shinkansen timetables from JR East.
- You can also check Google Maps, Jorudan, or any JR ticket counter.
E5 series shinkansen with Gran Class seats – JR East Photo
Reservations and Tickets
- Buy at any JR Station in Japan.
- Buy online at the JR East Reservation site.
Gran Class Shinkansen Google Map
You can zoom into this Google map of the different Gran Class shinkansen train routes, as well as using it to get directions to different points along the route.
Sample Fares
The following are total fares, including fare ticket and Gran Class surcharge.
Tokyo to Shin-Aomori (3 to 3.5 hours) on the Tohoku Shinkansen:
- Ordinary car: ¥17,670
- Green car: ¥23,740
- Gran Class car: ¥28,980
Tokyo to Kanazawa (2.5 to 3 hours) on the Hokuriku Shinkansen:
- Ordinary car: ¥14,380
- Green car: ¥20,840
- Gran Class car: ¥29,220
Japan’s Special Trains
Here are the other special luxury, sleeper, cuisine and sightseeing trains:
- Gran Class Shinkansen (JR East)
- Saphir Odoriko (JR East)
- 36+3 (JR Kyushu)
- Aru Ressha (JR Kyushu)
- Fuji Excursion (JR East)
- Kyo Train Garaku (Hankyu Line)
- Resort Shirakami (JR East)
- Shimakaze (Kintetsu Line)
- Shikoku Cuisine Trains (JR Shikoku)
- Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumi (JR Central and West)
- Kurobe Gorge Railway (Kurobekeikoku Tetsudo)
- Sagano Romantic Train (Sagano Scenic)
- Train Suite Shiki-Shima (JR East)
- Twilight Express Mizukaze (JR West)
- West Express Ginga (JR West)
- Seven Stars in Kyushu (JR Kyushu)
- Japan Special Trains home page
Kyoto Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Kyoto guide
- Check Kyoto accommodation availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Osaka and Kyoto to Tokyo
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Kyoto
- See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at Tokyo's Narita or Haneda Airports or Kansai International Airport. You can also rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- Compare Japan flight prices and timings to find the best deals
- If you're making frequent train journeys during your visit, you might save money with Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- A prepaid Welcome Suica card makes travelling around Kyoto easy – here's how
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
