Shinkansen Luggage Rules You Need To Know For Traveling On Japan’s Bullet Trains

The Shinkansen, or bullet train, is as much a means of transportation as it is a cultural touchstone, demonstrating Japan’s technical prowess. Boarding the train with a bento box and traveling across the country at speeds of up to 200 mph has become an attraction in its own right, sparking an influx of YouTube vlogs on how to have the best Shinkansen experience. But as travel to Japan continues to grow – it’s the world’s most popular country for repeat visitors – the company is watching tourist etiquette more closely. This partly helped lead the country to revise baggage rules for its Shinkansen trains.

The rules are pretty basic and cover size limitations, storage instructions, and reservation requirements. But Japan is a strictly rule-oriented country, and not adhering to a rule, even if it seems harmless, could fuel rising anti-tourist sentiment in some parts of the country. Articles titled “The 10 Most Embarrassing Behaviors of Foreign Tourists on Trains, Chosen by the Japanese” or “Should Tourists Be Fined for Stealing Reserved Seats on the Shinkansen?” » are now unfortunately commonplace. You don’t want to be the unwitting subject of one of these pieces.

The point is, you’ll probably want to use the Shinkansen. It’s a cool experience, especially if you’re used to basic intra-city commuter trains. Moreover, the efficiency, punctuality, cleanliness and regularity of high-speed trains put other national rail networks to shame. Additionally, if you are a tourist, you will have access to the Japan Rail Pass, which, despite occasional price hikes, makes the Shinkansen a very affordable way to travel around Japan. Ultimately, the best way to enjoy your Shinkansen ride is to rest easy, and the best way to do that is to make sure your luggage is in order.

Read more: Subtle Airplane Cabin Features Are Only for Frequent Flyers

What type of luggage is allowed on a Shinkansen?

Shinkansen travelers are allowed two pieces of luggage, excluding handbags, small backpacks, tote bags and other personal items. If the total dimensions of each piece of luggage (i.e. height + length + width) are 160 centimeters (63 inches) or less, then you should be able to store them on the upper shelves or, if necessary, in the space between your legs and the seat in front. It’s best to avoid the latter if you’re sitting in the middle or aisle seat, as other passengers may have to move ahead. In addition, train drivers are starting to get tired of suitcases rolling around idly in the aisles.

This is a fairly generous limitation. Medium-sized suitcases tend to measure 70 x 30 x 50 centimeters (for a total of 150 centimeters or 60 inches), which is a bit roomier than your average airline-approved carry-on. Some airlines even require checked bags to be no longer than 158 centimeters (62 inches). Baggage with total dimensions between 160 and 250 centimeters (63 and 98 inches, respectively) is considered oversized. These items are allowed on the train but must be stored in the areas reserved for oversized baggage. If you have a huge baggage whose total dimensions exceed 250 centimeters, you will not be allowed to take it on the Shinkansen.

If your baggage is below the oversized baggage threshold but there is no space left in the designated storage or legroom areas, you can also place it in the oversized baggage areas. In this case, you must notify a driver and pay additional fees. For this reason, it’s best to pack wisely before setting off across the country on a Shinkansen.

Oversized luggage on Japanese bullet trains

Oversized luggage usually only applies to larger suitcases. For these items, you will need to reserve either a seat in the back of the car with an oversized luggage space behind it – although this will prevent you from lying down – or a special luggage compartment located between the cars. These special luggage compartments are connected to specific seat numbers in the car and you will need an IC card (a digitized travel card used for buses and commuter trains) to lock them in place.

You can reserve either type of seat at ticket machines at stations or from staff members at official ticket counters. There is no additional fee to reserve these seats, but if you are traveling with oversized luggage and don’t have a reservation, you may have to pay a ¥1,000 ($6.40) fee to store it. If there are no oversized luggage seats left, a third option is to reserve a similar seat in the train’s premium green car, which is technically business class, but the seats are not much more expensive than those in the standard cars.

When the train is busy, like if you’re traveling to Japan to admire the cherry blossoms or during the chaos of Golden Week, you can instead send your luggage via Yamato Transport’s super efficient and user-friendly TA-Q-BIN service. TA-Q-BIN also places limits on sending packages measuring more than 200 centimeters (78 inches) or weighing more than 30 kilograms (66 pounds), but it can often guarantee door-to-door delivery within 24 hours, or 48 hours for more remote locations.

Are there any exceptions to the rules?

At the time of writing, baggage reservations only apply to travelers on four bullet train routes: the Tokaido Shinkansen, traveling from Tokyo to Osaka; the Sanyo Shinkansen, from Osaka to Fukuoka; the Kyushu Shinkansen, from Fukuoka to Kagoshima; and the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, from Takeo-Onsen to Nagasaki.

The Tokaido is the busiest route that the majority of new travelers will take, running along Japan’s most densely populated urban belt and featuring destinations like Yokohama, Mount Fuji, Nagoya and Kyoto. The Sanyo Shinkansen, connecting two of Japan’s busiest cities and making stops in Himeji and Hiroshima, also transports many tourists across the country. What is somewhat confusing is that trains on these routes operate a trial period of unknown duration – in operation at the time of writing – during which luggage can be stored in the compartments between carriages, free of charge and without prior reservation, if there is sufficient space.

For special luggage – strollers, skis, musical instruments, bicycles, surfboards – you currently do not need a reservation on any Shinkansen train, regardless of the size of the luggage or the irregularity of its dimensions. That said, reserving oversized luggage space for a snowboard, for example, is probably a good idea. This will keep it from getting in the way of you or passengers around you, and is a safer way to store equipment. If you’re heading to the slopes in a remote mountain town, like Zao Onsen or Minakami, you can either reserve an extra seat for said snowboard or use the TA-Q-BIN delivery service, as noted above.

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