Key facts
- JR Central and JR West will raise reserved-seat fares on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen trains.
- The fare increase is scheduled to take effect in July 2027.
- The companies attribute the hike to rising inflation and service improvements.
Japan's two major bullet train operators, JR Central and JR West, announced on Friday that they will increase reserved-seat fares on their Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi and Sanyo Shinkansen Mizuho trains. The companies stated that the fare hikes, set to begin in July 2027, are a response to rising costs driven by inflation and investments in service improvements. The increase will apply to reserved seats on the popular Tokyo-Shin-Osaka route.