Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka Shinkansen: Nozomi, Booking

Take the Nozomi. Its fastest runs between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka take 2 hours 21 minutes, as in the timetable of Nozomi 293 and Nozomi 516.^[1] Hikari takes about 3 hours and Kodama about 3 hours 54 minutes in the October 2026 timetable.^[1] The Shinkansen is a daytime service: the last Nozomi leaves Tokyo at 21:24 and Shin-Osaka at 21:30 in the October 2026 timetable, so there is no night train.^[1]

A reserved Standard Class seat on the Nozomi costs 14,520 yen one way in the regular season, against 14,200 yen on Hikari and Kodama.^[2] Most travellers book it on Smart EX and walk to the gate with a QR code.

Which train to take

Nozomi has the fewest stops and runs most often. JR Central says Nozomi trains leave every few minutes at peak times.^[3] The first Nozomi leaves Tokyo at 06:00 and reaches Shin-Osaka at 08:22.^[1] Between them Nozomi stops at Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya and Kyoto.^[1]

Hikari and Kodama use the same line with more stops, and Kodama stops at the smaller stations such as Odawara, Atami and Kakegawa. Take Kodama only if you need one of those stations or a cheaper package fare.^[4] JR Central sells Kodama travel packages from Tokyo to Osaka, listed at 11,360 yen at the time of checking.^[4]

Classes and prices

There are three ordinary choices: Standard Class reserved seat, Standard Class non-reserved seat and Green Car, which is first class.^[5] The Green Car fare from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka is 19,070 yen on Hikari and Kodama and 19,390 yen on Nozomi.^[6] Reserved Standard seats cost 200 yen less in the off-peak season and 200 or 400 yen more in the peak and top seasons.^[5]

Supreme Class private cabins run on the Nozomi. A cabin in Car 10 for one guest costs 42,390 yen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, and a cabin in Car 7 for up to two guests costs 60,790 yen, both in the regular season.^[7]

Non-reserved cars are typically cars 1 and 2 on Nozomi, cars 1 to 5 on Hikari, and cars 1 to 6 and 13 to 16 on Kodama.^[3] During the major peak periods all Nozomi seats are reserved, and a non-reserved ticket holder can only stand on the deck.^[8]

How to book

Smart EX is JR Central's online booking service. It sells tickets from 05:30 one year before the boarding date until 4 minutes before departure, although only some products and a limited number of seats are released that early.^[5] You can change a reservation as often as you like before you enter the gate.^[5] The Smart EX app can be downloaded only in the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand.^[3]

At stations, reserved seats go on sale from 10:00 one month before the departure date.^[8] Ticket machines have multilingual menus.^[3]

Japan Rail Pass

Japan Rail Pass holders can buy a special Nozomi Mizuho ticket for 4,960 yen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka to ride the Nozomi.^[9]

Stations

Trains for Osaka run to Shin-Osaka, not to Osaka Station, so allow a short local train if your hotel is near Osaka Station. In Tokyo, most trains leave from Tokyo Station, and many also stop at Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama. For Kyoto, any of the three train types works, and Nozomi reaches it in 2 hours 8 minutes after leaving Tokyo on the 06:00 service.^[1]

On board

Free Wi-Fi is available on all Tokaido Shinkansen trains, and smoking is not permitted anywhere on the train.^[3] Standard Class has no food or drink sales, so buy refreshments before boarding.^[3] Toilets are in the odd-numbered cars.^[3] For Mount Fuji, JR Central suggests seat E in Standard Class or seat D in Green Class.^[3]

If you miss your train

With a QR or paper ticket you can board the non-reserved section of any later train on the same day on the same route.^[3] If you cancel a Smart EX reservation before departure, the refund fee is 320 yen.^[5]