Guide > Boarding the Train

Oversized Baggage

What are "seats with oversized baggage areas"/"seats with oversized baggage compartment"?

These seats can be used with an oversized baggage area at the back or a baggage compartment, which is installed near the train doors together.

Passengers who reserve these seats in advance can use the oversized baggage area or compartment.

Non-reserved cars and some reserved cars do not have seats with oversized baggage areas.

Passengers traveling with oversized baggage without a reservation will be charged a baggage fee (1,000 yen including tax).

１. Seats with oversized baggage areas

These seats are located at the back of certain cars.

* These seats are located in the back row of the car and come with an oversized baggage area that is shared by the passengers who have reserved them. Please be considerate of others when using this area.

Size	Overall dimensions of less than 250cm

2. Seats with oversized baggage compartment (From May 24, 2023)

These seats come with an oversized baggage compartment, which is installed near the train doors.

*You can lock in your bagagge since the corner is located away from the seat. You will need to use your own contactless IC card such as a transportation IC card to lock your bagagge in.

*Please use a seat with oversized baggage area when your baggage is oversized.

Size	Upper：The dimensions of 80×60×50 cm or less of each Lower：The dimensions of 80×60×40 cm or less of each

When traveling with oversized baggage

1.Reserve "a seat with oversized baggage area" or "a seat with oversized baggage compartment" before boarding.

Seats with oversized baggage areas can be reserved online* or using ticket machines at stations.

When purchasing a ticket at a ticket office, inform the member of staff that you will be traveling with oversized baggage.

Tickets are the same price as reserved seats in ordinary cars and green cars.(Your seat reservation will not cost more even if it includes an oversized baggage area.)

Passengers traveling with oversized baggage without a reservation will be charged a baggage fee (1,000 yen including tax). In this case, store your baggage as instructed by the train crew.

Seats with oversized baggage areas are limited, so book your reservation early. If no seats are available, please make a reservation on an earlier or later train.

* "EX RIDE(Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Internet Reservation Service)" "Smart EX" "e5489" "JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation". At JR KYUSHU RAIL PASS Online Booking site, you cannot reserve seats with allocated luggage space. Please make seat reservation at ticket counter for JR Kyushu Rail Pass user.

2.After boarding, place your luggage in the oversized baggage area or compartment

The changes do not affect passengers traveling with baggage with total dimensions of 160cm or less.

On Shinkansen trains, baggage with total dimensions of 160cm or less can be stored in the luggage rack.

FAQ

Q

Why do we need to make a reservation for the oversized baggage?

A

In recent years, as the number of customers from abroad has also increased, more customers are boarding Shinkansen with big baggage. Due to that fact, when baggage above a certain size are brought inside the train, a set reservation of the baggage area and reserved seat is necessary, and the advance reservation system for this has been started.
Q

Can we reserve "seats with oversized baggage area" or "seats with oversized baggage compartment" on all trains and in all cars?

A

①seats with oversized baggage area
*Regarding trains of Tokaido Shinkansen & Sanyo Shinkansen, please check on the website of each company.

TRAIN	Car Number / The number of seats
N700 Series Shinkansen ("MIZUHO", "SAKURA", "TSUBAME")	Reserved seats of normal cars No.4, No.5, No.6 & No.8, and seats at the back of Green cars (20 seats)
800 Series Shinkansen ("SAKURA", "TSUBAME")	Reserved seats at the back of normal car No.6 (2 or 4 seats)
N700S Series Shinkansen ("KAMOME")	Reserved seats at the back of normal car No.1, No.2 (16 seats)

②Seats with oversized baggage compartment
Shinkansen tirans operated by JR Kyushu do not have seats with oversized baggage compartment.
*Regarding trains of Tokaido Shinkansen & Sanyo Shinkansen, please check on the website of each company.

Q

Can I reserve a seat with oversized baggage area even if I don't have oversized baggage?

A

Passengers who do not have oversized baggage can reserve these seats, for example if they require extra luggage space or are traveling with someone who has oversized baggage. However, due to limited availability and the fact that it may not be possible to recline your seat when oversized baggage is stored, passengers are advised to reserve other seats wherever possible.
Q

Will it still be possible for any passenger to put baggage behind the last row seats once the reservation scheme has started?

A

This area is for passengers who have reserved seats with oversized baggage areas and may not be used by other passengers. In addition, passengers on Japan Railway trains are asked to keep their luggage near them at all times. In cars that do not have oversized baggage area seats, the space behind the back row is reserved for use by passengers seated in that row.
Q

Will there be any changes to the rules regarding the weight limit and amount of baggage on Shinkansen trains? In addition, will the baggage size limits for conventional lines be changed?

A

No （This is not applied to Local trains.）, you will still be allowed to carry two pieces of baggage weighing less than 30kg and with total dimensions of less than 250cm and a maximum height of 200cm. However, it is necessary to reserve "seats with oversized baggage areas" or "seats with oversized baggage compartment" in advance.
Q

What happens if all the seats with an oversized baggage area are taken?

A

In case "seats with oversized baggage areas" or "seats with oversized baggage compartment" are all occupied, please kindly consider using the trains at an earlier or later time, or please divide your baggage into small ones so they are not counted as an oversized baggage. Depending on the trains, as "seats with oversized baggage areas" or "seats with oversized baggage compartment" can be very crowded, please make reservations as quickly as possible. (Like other reserved seats, they are available one month in advance.)
Q

Are there any tickets for which an oversized baggage area or compartment cannot be reserved?

A

In principle you can reserve an oversized baggage area or compartment for any ticket where it is possible to reserve a seat. However, from “JR KYUSHU RAIL PASS Online Booking”, online reservation service, it cannot reserve the seats with allocated luggage space for certain system reasons. For JR Kyushu Rail Pass users who will take Shinkansen with oversized baggage, please make seat reservation at station.
Q

Why must I pay the oversized baggage carry-on fee if I have not made a prior reservation for oversized baggage?

A

This service was launched because of the increasing number of passengers, including visitors from overseas, who board Shinkansen trains with oversized baggage. Making a prior reservation enables passengers to secure baggage space near their seat before commencing their journey, and it also enables passengers to board and disembark more smoothly since their baggage is stored in a space near the door. In addition, it makes the trip more pleasant for passengers who do not have oversized baggage with them, and ensures that they too can board and disembark smoothly. If you bring oversized baggage onto the train without a prior reservation, you will be asked to store it in a space designated by the conductor in order to avoid inconveniencing other passengers, and a carry-on fee is charged accordingly. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Q

What should I do if I absolutely must board a particular train?

A

We understand that circumstances may be complicated, but we ask you to understand the situation and cooperate by making a prior reservation if you have oversized baggage that cannot be stored in the luggage rack.