How to Board the Shinkansen: QR, Paper Tickets & Platforms
Start with the boarding method on your issued ticket. A gate-ready QR ticket, a ticket-collection QR code and a payment confirmation are different things. Before leaving for the station, confirm your travel date, boarding station, train, departure time, car and seat, plus whether you must collect paper tickets.
Your five-step boarding checklist
- Obtain the valid boarding ticket or collect paper tickets as instructed.
- Find the correct Shinkansen line and gate area.
- Use the gate method for your actual ticket.
- Match the departure display to your train and find the car marker.
- Let passengers leave, then board and use your assigned seat and luggage space.
Allow extra time at an unfamiliar station, with children, or when collecting tickets. Arriving around 30 minutes ahead can be a useful planning margin when you already have tickets, but it is not an official check-in rule or a guarantee that a ticket-counter queue will be short. Trains do not wait for late passengers.
1. Check what your booking provides
| Credential | What to do |
|---|---|
| Gate-ready QR ticket | Use a compatible QR gate as directed; keep the QR available for arrival. |
| Pickup QR code or voucher | Collect the required paper tickets at an eligible machine or counter first. |
| IC card linked to a confirmed reservation | Use the designated linked card according to that reservation service's instructions. |
| Paper ticket | Use the issued magnetic ticket or ask staff if it is not suitable for the automatic gate. |
A payment receipt or order number alone does not prove that a railway ticket has been issued. Read the delivery and collection instructions from the seller. Our ticket pickup guide explains the distinction. Do not assume that a guide to SmartEX applies to a ticket bought through a different channel.
For example, SmartEX provides a boarding QR-Ticket as well as a separate pickup code. The pickup code can itself be a QR code, but it is used to collect tickets. See the official QR boarding guide and pickup-code explanation.
2. Find the right station and Shinkansen gates
Check the station name carefully: the Shinkansen serves Shin-Osaka rather than Osaka Station, and Hakata is the main Shinkansen station for Fukuoka. Shinjuku and Shibuya are not Tokaido Shinkansen stations; make the appropriate local connection to Tokyo or Shinagawa.
Follow the line name, operator and Shinkansen symbol, rather than relying on one sign color. At Tokyo Station, the Tokaido/Sanyo area and the JR East Shinkansen area are separate. Depending on how you arrive, you may use a direct entrance from outside or a transfer gate from conventional JR lines. Consult the Tokyo Station guide when planning a connection.
3. Use the correct gate method
Paper tickets: a journey may be issued on one combined ticket or as separate basic-fare and limited-express tickets. When instructed, insert the relevant magnetic tickets together and retrieve those returned after entry. A transfer can also involve the ticket used on the local train. Do not insert an order printout, non-magnetic voucher or QR seat-information slip into a paper-ticket slot. Ask gate staff if your combination is unclear; JR Central explains paper-ticket gates.
SmartEX QR-Ticket: use a gate with the QR mark and collect the Seat Information slip dispensed on entry. Each seat needs its own QR ticket. Keep the QR for the exit gate; the Seat Information slip is for onboard reference and does not open the gate. Transfers involving a local IC card or local paper ticket follow a different sequence, so use the official instructions for that combination.
Linked IC card: only use this method when the reservation is linked to the specific card. A normal stored-value IC card balance alone does not provide an unbooked Shinkansen journey. If a gate rejects your credential, move aside and ask staff instead of repeatedly trying unrelated codes.
4. Find your platform and car
Match the train name and number, departure time and destination on the electronic display. The final destination may be farther along the line than your own stop. Check the platform shown for your train rather than following another departure to the same city.
On the platform, use the car-number signs or floor markings for your train's formation. Different services can have different lengths and queue positions. Stay behind the safety line, keep luggage clear of walkways and let arriving passengers leave before boarding.
5. Find your seat and store luggage
Match the car, row and seat letter to the issued reservation. Seat letters and layouts vary by class and train, so do not assume every car has seats A–E. A non-reserved ticket is valid only under its conditions and does not assign an empty reserved seat. Nozomi has all-reserved seating during specified peak periods; check before choosing a flexible ticket.
For Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi Kyushu services, an ordinary suitcase with total dimensions over 160 cm and up to 250 cm requires a seat with an oversized baggage area. Exactly 160 cm does not exceed the threshold. Use the area associated with your reservation, not another passenger's back-row space. The reservation-free deck-storage trial does not remove the oversized-suitcase requirement. See official luggage guidance.
During the journey and at arrival
Keep aisles clear, silence audible notifications and follow crew announcements. Keep your ticket and any required seat-information slip accessible. Before your stop, check you have your bags and travel documents. Use the correct credential at the exit or transfer gate; retain any ticket the gate returns for an onward journey.
If you miss the train, ask the seller or railway staff about the conditions of that specific ticket. Discount products and reservations can have different rules; do not assume a later train or seat is automatically covered. Review seat classes and the online booking guide when preparing your trip.
