Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen Booking App: smartEX App
You can use this app even before coming to Japan to buy tickets and reserve seats for Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen on Japan’s Golden Route connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and more.
Service is provided in: United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand
▼Overview
- You can make a reservation straight after membership registration (no registration/annual fee).
- You can buy tickets or reserve seats from one month before departure date. You can reserve Shinkansen seats from the comfort of your own home or office. No need to queue up at the ticket office at stations!
- You can buy tickets and reserve seats for up to 6 persons at one time.
- Tickets can be purchased at lower prices, such as round-trip discount fare, etc.
- If done before picking up the tickets, you can make changes as many times as you need.
- Tickets for the most frequent trains, such as “Nozomi”, can be purchased.
- If 1 person is using the service, he/she can travel ticketless when registering a Japanese prepaid IC card for public transportation (*) before departure.
(*) Kitaca, PASMO, Suica, manaca, TOICA, PiTaPa, ICOCA, Hayakaken, nimoca, SUGOCA
▼ Main features
- Membership registration
- Purchase ticket/Reserve seats (time designation, train name designation, easy free seat reservation)）
- Confirm reservation
- Change and refund reservation
- Purchase history, Receipt display service
- Check, change customer information
- Service status information (Link)
▼ Notes
- Membership registration is required to use this app. For registration, personal information is required, such as member name, date of birth, and a valid credit card (*), etc.
(*) Visa, MasterCard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club
- Ticket purchase (reservation) payment will be taken from the credit card registered on the account.
- There are various restrictions such as those on hours for reservation/changes (5:30 am - 11:30 pm Japan Standard Time）.
- To pick up tickets and get on the train, you will be required to have the credit card used in the app to pay for the tickets. Tickets can be picked up from ticket vending machines, etc., at major ticket offices for the Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen, such as Tokyo Station, Kyoto Station, Shin-Osaka Station, Hiroshima Station, etc.
- If using Japan Rail Pass for Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen reserved seat, please go to the station ticket office, etc. to get a reserved seat ticket. Please do not use this app.
- This service is displayed entirely in English.
- For more details on this service, please see the website. (https://smart-ex.jp/en/)
Category : Travel & Local
Reviews (30)
Worked smooth for a while, but now when I try to login it won't let me even though I know the password is correct. It doesn't even let me reset my password, in both cases I just get a non-sensical "Please use the application you used for the Membership registration". Edit: turns out, you cannot use the English version if your registered with the Japanese app, and viceversa. You need two different accounts. I'm baffled at this stupidity.
The app worked perfectly for me, i didn't encounter any of the issues other users have mentioned. Just note that you cant make new reservations during afternoon hours (eastern US time), so if you sign up and can't buy tickets right away this may be why. Set your password to something simple because you may have to enter it into an actual ticket machine at some point.
This app has improved support for English language compared to when I first used it a year or two ago. Now it is very easy to use in English, and very efficient for booking travel. The integration with my IC card makes riding the Shinkansen as easy as any local train in Tokyo.
It was really easy to use the app and receive my tickets at the station. Just make sure you remember your password and username since you'll need to login again each time you use the app. Not a bad thing for safety really.
I installed the app, but like someone suggested I waited until 8pm Eastern Time to set it up and had no problems at all. I haven't yet purchased a ticket but was easily able to search for a train and select seats.
I reserved a train from osaka to nagoya and i had to pick up my ticket but the receptionist wasn't help full at all. i had virtual debit card app which i used to reserve my train. the receptionist told get real card and that is all he didnt searched for any other option except rebook the train. if i didnt figured out to get new IC card i would be stuck there. when the service under unusual conditions, they wont bother to help you than just telling you redo your reserve from beginning.
Tried with 6 different credit cards, Japanese and international. Despite successfully charging 1 yen to several, it refused every card when trying to book.
I was finally able to sign up after a while, but now every time I try to log in I get a "Operation Failure" message saying, "We are sorry, this service is not available now. Please see the website for detail." I'm coming to Japan in about a week and I'm planning to take the Shinkansen from Sendai to Tokyo during my time, so I want to book now ㅠㅠ
System does not retain nor recognize the password. System fails to process re-registered of password once you are locked out. App still retains information but refuses log in. Warned CC company to reject any charges form App and I will delete. Stay safe and do the same.
Just used the app with my Amex (it shows JCB, don't know why). When trying to pick up tickets it says no reservation from this card?? So I went to the ticket booth and the freaking agent says the same! He then told me this is not the right card as he sees JCB on the receipt I've shown him. And that's it, he doesn't care, give me back my card! Told him and i insist it is correct card just that it doesn't show Amex. Anyway he tries again after insisting and now he sees the 3 tickets I bought
I entered 2 credit card information and still error occur and couldn't complete registration. I felt very insecure and regret to have done that. Just warn everyone not to register with this app
I get a failed registration everytime I try to make an account. I have tried multiple payment methods and all of them come back with an error.
Attempted to sign up for more than 3 times with my credit card info. Kept saying error. Wondering if my credIt card details are captured. OMG.
keep kick me out after entered the credit card information during sign up. thus not able to register up to now. please fix the bugs.
Why are there two versions for this app, and why would they be separated based on whether someone is a foreigner or not? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
CC auth bugs out even if my CC is fine and registered correctly. Unusable.
Be aware of the acceptable passwords. I had gotten stuck at the password creation until I noticed it
Cannot sign up after submit credit card information, it just show "operation failure" and ask me login again...
Refuses to try to authenticate credit card information, which means you cannot get past step one to start searching for tickets
Can I use this app to reserve luggage space on the Shinkansen if I have the JR Pass?
Demanding credit card details before the user even has a chance to search for a seat? No thanks. Uninstalled.
Will not let me log in despite all details being correct. No customer service number provided.
unable to register. please fix it. tq
I'm trying to update app but not allowing me to do so.
Not usable with JR Pass
Liked it
Liked it
Loved it
Love the app, made it very easy to book the shinkansen. Also very easy to pick up the tickets with no hassle. You simply insert the credit card you used to book the tickets into the ticket machine in Japan, type in your password and then print your tickets, very easy. I only wish I could use it to book all the shinkansen in Japan and not just the Tokaido Shinkansen
Loved using this app. Found it very user friendly. I took a trip from Tokyo to Osaka as I planned a trip to Universal studios. It was very easy to use. I know some have had trouble when accessing the stations but I think that had more to do with language barriers than anything. This was all straight forward to me and I got my ticket for the bullet train and arrived at the times I was shown.