Shinkansen to require reservations for large suitcases from next May

[bill937ca]

Japan Today reports that the allowed size of suitcase is not very large and those with unreserved seats will be hit with a 1000 Yen penalty.

 

TOKYO

The great thing about the shinkansen, Japan’s bullet train network, isn’t just how fast the trains move, but how convenient they are to use for long-haul travel. If you’re an overseas traveler in Japan, odds are you’re going to have a suitcase or two with you, so it’s especially nice that on the shinkansen there are no baggage check-in procedures or luggage fees to deal with.

 

Well, it was especially nice. Unfortunately, the free shinkansen ride for all luggage is about to become a thing of the past on the most popular shinkansen lines. Starting in May, passengers planning to take “large suitcases” aboard will have to make reservations for their luggage ahead of time on the Tokkaido Shinkansen, which runs between Tokyo and Shin Osaka, and includes the stop in perennial traveler favorite Kyoto. The restriction will also be introduced on the Sanyo Shinkansen (which runs from Shin Osaka to Hakata, in Fukuoka, and includes Himeji and Hiroshima) and the Kyushu Shinkansen (which runs from Hakata to Kagoshima Chuo).

 

https://japantoday.com/category/national/shinkansen-to-require-reservations-for-large-suitcases-from-next-may?

Edited September 1, 2019 by bill937ca

[Yavianice]

Would be nice if instead they open nozomis and mizuhos for tourists. If you have a large suitcase and it’s a long holiday in Japan, then you are SOL as a tourist with large luggage.

 

Fortunately I never bring large luggage with me to Japan.

[katoftw]

It is an interesting concept.  And probably really an attempt to get travelers to not bring huge suitcases onto the shinkansen.  And considering the tourist boom in place.  And 60% of those tourists come from Asia.  I am doubtful it will make a difference.

 

My last trip(SEP-OCT),  there was a couple from SE.Asia somewhere, and the have two (one each) large suitcases, they were the 120x60x40cm kind.  I mean supa doopa large.  He had his at his knees and she held hers by the handle in the walkway.  You had to get on your toes to slide past that suitcase in an attempt to walk past.

 

People like this that don't take consideration of others in normal situations, will be the same people that attempt to save a buck and dodge these rules they will feel as they wont apply to them.

 

It you be better to make a ruling on large suitcases that don't fit in the overheads just be not allowed.  They can use some form of luggage delivery service instead.  Whether it be a from the known current service providers or some new JR service.

Edited September 1, 2019 by katoftw

[Keith]

I was lucky, we spent 3 weeks in Japan Dec/Jan and I convinced my wife to only have a suitcase that could taken onto the plane as handheld luggage, it’s not hard to find laundry’s and most of our hotels had them. 

We centred our trip around Osaka, Hiroshima, Tokyo and Kyoto so only 3 long trips with luggage. I did look into luggage transfer but couldn’t find one that went to Hiroshima.

I had looked before we left and just wanted to make life easy with luggage that fitted in the overhead racks on the trains and didn’t offend anyone. One of my daughters was the worst after her visit to Takeshita Dori, she ended up with part of my bag. 

Next time it will be even easier as I didn’t realise the extent that we could leave luggage at hotels and the number of lockers around the place.

My main purpose was to visit Japan rather than it being a shopping trip, at the airport when we left there were so many people coming back from check in trying to lighten their bags and the size of the bags and the contents were amazing.(so much food) 

 

[Martijn Meerts]

It makes sense really.. I travel every day on a train between Roermond and Venlo. Roermond has a large retail park that's popular amongst Germans, Venlo is where trains to Germany leave from. A lot of people bring large suitcases to more easily carry everything they buy. Quite a lot go overboard and have multiple large suitcases. The trains have a row of 6 seats on 1 side, and 4 seats on the other, with hardly any luggage space (my regular backpack won't even fit in the overhead luggage space), so it's very common for 2 people with several suitcases to use up 6 seats, often during rush hour, since that's when people go home from their shopping spree.

 

 

[katoftw]

This shouldn't affect too many people.  I've just been reading up on it.

 

On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu shinkansens, L+W+Dcm up to 160cm requires no reservations, eg a 80 x 30 x 20cm bag fits well into this, with 20cm to spare.  160cm up to 250cm requires reservations.  Over 250cm is not allowed.

 

All JR East shinkansens, under 250cm has no reservation requirements.  Over 250cm is not allowed.

 

250cm dimensions would be a huge bag, eg 150 x 50 x 50cm.  If a bag that size even exists???  What would people bring on shinkansens that are this big???

 

Surfboards 180x30x25 and bikes in bags 120x100x25 eg size of bags will be the ones that attract attention.  But still just under 250cm.

Edited September 8, 2019 by katoftw

[IST]

I have just measured our biggest suitcase and its size is 155 cm including all of the wheels and added some extra centimeters. I can not imagine a suitcase that are bigger than 250 cm. I think it will not affect the majority of the passengers.