How to Use JR Online Booking Systems

Japan’s regional JR online booking systems are easy to use once you understand how JR train tickets work. This guide uses the JR East booking system as an example, but the same basic process applies to most regional JR booking systems in Japan, including JR West, JR Kyushu and others.

Note: 
This guide does not apply to the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines (Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka–Hiroshima–Fukuoka), which are handled by the separate SmartEX system. Here, I’ll walk you through using the JR East online booking system, which you can use to buy tickets on the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kanazawa, among other lines.

Which Trains Use Regional JR Booking Systems?

Regional JR booking systems are commonly used for:

• Hokuriku Shinkansen
• Tohoku Shinkansen
• Hokkaido Shinkansen
• Thunderbird (Osaka to/from Tsuruga)
• Hida (Nagoya to/from Takayama)
• Azusa (Tokyo to/from Matsumoto)
• Narita Express (Narita Airport to/from Tokyo)
• many regional limited express trains

Before You Begin

Before using a JR booking system, it helps to understand Japan’s two-part JR ticket system.

Many long-distance JR trains use:

• a basic fare ticket (jōsha-ken)
• plus a limited express ticket (tokkyūken)

If those terms are unfamiliar, read How to Understand and Use JR Train Tickets in Japan first.

Once you understand that basic concept, the booking systems become much easier to understand. In order to use the system, you’ll have to create an account and then log in. Note that most regional JR booking sites can only be used between 5:00am and 11:50pm Japan Standard Time.

And keep in mind that if you find the JR regional online booking systems too hard to use and understand, there are easier options like Klook and SmartEX. See How to Buy Japan Rail Tickets and Shinkansen Tickets Online for details.

Step 1: Choose Purchase Tickets

Once you’ve logged in, you will see a screen that offers three options. The first two apply to people who want to buy a rail pass or reserve seats after they have purchased a pass. If you just want to purchase individual tickets, choose Purchase Tickets. I will walk you through the process of purchasing individual tickets.

Step 2: Search by Station

After selecting Purchase Tickets, you will be given the option of Searching by Station or Search by Train Line. I suggest choosing Search by Station.

Step 3: Ticket and Seat Options

After inputting station names and dates/times, will be shown the available ticket options.

Step 4: Basic Fare Option Box

This is the step that confuses most people. Here, you are asked to check a box if you only want to “purchase tickets such as Super (Limited) Express Train tickets only.” Here’s what they mean: Do you already have a basic fare ticket or do you intend to buy one separately? Or, do you have an IC card like Suica that you can use as your basic fare ticket? Most people will have an IC card that they can use to cover their basic fare ticket, so most people will check this box.

If you have any questions or doubts, do this: Check this box and just buy your express train ticket with this system. This guarantees you a reserved seat on the train you want. Then, on the day in question, pick up your ticket from a machine using your QR code then bring it to a manned ticket booth and ask if you need to buy a separate basic fare ticket and/or if you can use your IC card (like Suica) as your basic fare ticket. It sounds fiddly, but it won’t take long and you can rest easy knowing you’ve got a train reservation.

Step 5: Seat Selection

The next step is selecting seats. If you choose “Any Seat,” the system will choose for you. I prefer the “Select seat from map” option.

Step 6: Review Reservation Details

After selecting your seat(s), click the Review reservation details button and see that all the details are correct.

Step 7: Payment Information

After confirming details, you will need to enter your payment information.

Step 8: QR Code and Email Options

Once you’ve completed payment, you will see a screen offering you the option of emailing the ticket information and QR code to yourself or others in your party, or showing you the QR code and ticket number on screen. I like to send myself an email with the information and also to screen cap the QR code they show me on the screen.

Step 9: QR Code Screen

This is what the QR code looks like on screen.

Step 10: QR Code Email

If you choose to send yourself or others in your party an email with the QR code and ticket information, the email will look like this:

Should You Use Regional JR Booking Systems?

For many travelers, these systems are:

• convenient
• reliable
• useful during busy seasons

They are particularly helpful when:

• reserving seats during holidays
• traveling in groups
• booking oversized luggage seats
• traveling on popular routes

However, outside peak travel periods, many travelers still simply buy tickets after arriving in Japan. For more about Japan train reservations and whether you need them or not, please see How to Make Japan Train Reservations.

More Information

• How to Understand and Use JR Train Tickets in Japan
• How to Make Japan Train Reservations
• How to Buy Japan Rail Tickets and Shinkansen Tickets Online

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