I purchased a 7-day JR pass from the local JTB office and understand that the JR pass purchased in the US does not allow rides on the Nozomi train. The JTB travel agent mentioned it was because Nozomi is an express, with limited stops, and "goes fast".
I wanted to take the 300kph bullet train to Nagoya (from Tokyo), so did I purchase the wrong JR pass?
I purchased a 7-day JR pass from the local JTB office and understand that the JR pass purchased in the US does not allow rides on the Nozomi train. The JTB travel agent mentioned it was because Nozomi is an express, with limited stops, and "goes fast".
I wanted to take the 300kph bullet train to Nagoya (from Tokyo), so did I purchase the wrong JR pass?
No matter where was JR Pass purchased, it's not allowed to ride Nozomi with JR Pass. If you want to ride Nozomi, it would be required to purchase a ticket, which is unreasonably expensive. You didn't purchase a wrong JR Pass at all, you just simply shouldn't have purchased it.
Note that not all Nozomi travel at 300km/h. Only 500-series trains operate with the maximum speed of 300km/h.
If I were you, I would go to Europe and purchase EUrail pass. More reasonable price with first-class access. Or if you're looking for a cheap rail pass for 300km/h train, South Korea is the place. I believe not even 100 bucks for seven days.
There are three types of bullet trains on that route: Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama.
The Nozomi is the super fast one and no, with a JR Rail pass you can't ride it. The Hikari is just a little slower (and often stops at the same stations the Nozomi does, it just goes fractionally slower) and can be used with a JR Rail Pass. The Kodama is the 2nd generation rolling stock and stops at all stations and you wouldn't really want to ride that.
In essence, if you ride the Hikari, you wouldn't really notice the difference in speed over the Nozomi. On the 500 km between Tokyo and Osaka there is about 30 minutes difference and whether you are travelling at 320 or 250...you don't really notice the difference.
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If the user REALLY wants to ride Tokyo to Nagoya on the Nozomi, they could purchase a one way ticket for that journey only. Green class (first) would be more expensive but would be even nicer. I am not sure if there are any First class cars that are unreserved .. so check.
Could the poster go to the ticket station and ASK about an additional fare collection for a Nozomi? Since my tickets were purchased by the hotel .. I did not deal with the pass. I only know I enjoyed my ride Nagoya to Oaska.
BTW .. it would be a true WASTE to take any Shinkansen at night. All you see are a blur of lights. My 7:30am departure was most interesting .. seeing people in the fields in the morning .. and the wonderful countryside.
N227UA mentioned going to Europe and riding trains there. Um .. about 10 years ago I did the Chunnel and connected to the then-new TGV double decker trains (FAST!!) to Lyon. It was an interesting ride being much higher up .. on a single seat by the window.
I will 'neutralize' my next comments! I found the Shinkansen FAR MORE enjoyable (leaving it at that) where the conductor and the attendant who brought me a wash-up towel and the young lady who seved from the trolley ALL bowed to the passengers before the left the carriage .. and bowed when they served you. The French alternative (at least to an English speaker) was not enjoyable ... the local children on the train were unruly and as I recall animals (little doggies) were allowed on the train. I literally hid by my window seat not the be called an ugly American.
I wanted to take the 300kph bullet train to Nagoya (from Tokyo), so did I purchase the wrong JR pass?
While Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama are the 3 categories of trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka, the actual trainsets (300/500/700) assigned to each vary. 300 (mostly Hikari, some short-distance Nozomis) is fairly classic-looking, 500 (all long-distance Nozomis) has a 'fighter jet' look, 700 (mostly Nozomis) a duckbill nose, but all run at 270km/h on that stretch, and are similar inside, except for the slightly more cramped interior (2cm less pitch and more rounded cross-section) on the most exotic 500 series trains.
It is only on the Sanyo Shinkansen (Osaka-Hakata) that the newer 500 and 700 series trains can reach their top speed (resp. 300 and 285km/h).
If you really want to try a 700 series train with the JR pass, take the Hikari Railstar southwest from Osaka.
To my knowledge JR doesn't sell any pass which includes Nozomi travel. Getting on one will entail paying full fare, not some supplement in combination with the JR Pass.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N227UA
Or if you're looking for a cheap rail pass for 300km/h train, South Korea is the place.
The KTX hits the 300 km/h for about 1 minute and then slows down as it approaches Dongdaegu. After that, it is pokey, at least for the foreseeable future. In terms of "truth in advertising" it is almost as bad as the Acela. But then again, it must hit 300 km/h at least momentarily, Korea's can-do spirit forbids Koreans from acknowledging any technological inferiority against the Japanese. It is also based on Alsthom TGV technology, which means that is isn't as sleek or as high-tech as the Shinkansen.
If you really want to know about Shinkansen, check out Dave Fossett's byun byun shinkansen.
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Both the KTX and the various Shinkansen are wonderful means to get to the middle of those two molochs called Seoul and Tokyo. If they do 300kph or "just" 250kph has absolutely no importance to me. I'm just happily munching my Korean rice porridge or Japanese bento box and reading the papers instead of being stuck in some endless traffic jam or fighting for cabs against hardened corporate warriors at GMP or HND.
And of course the most decadent way use a rail pass is on business trips commuting Tokyo - Shin-Yokohama or Shin-Osaka - Shin-Kobe on the Shinkansen in 15 minutes.
BTW, Off-topic, but if any of you guys are visiting the new KINTEX convention center in Ilsan (Seoul), don't bother to do lunch there. The food is disgusting and the 1h queues complete the experience.
And if you REALLY want to experience a fast train ride, go to Shanghai and just take the maglev from the airport. Gets up to 425km/hr for all of two minutes.
I thought that Hikari went just as fast as Nozomi between Tokyo and Osaka and the only difference was that Hikari all make one or two more stops (usually for a few minutes to let Nozomis pass). Monahos just confirmed that for me, thanks.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tfong007
The Maglev makes the bullet train look like slow motion
Yes, the one in Shanghai-Pudong. Real PITA to get to (long walk from the airport, and then you have to hail a cab to anywhere else), so that the time/cost is the same as taking a cab. But worth the ride for the experience. If you think about it, when running at 450 km/hr, its speed differential against the Nozomi is still Acela's average speed in the "high speed" Boston-Providence segment.
Ride it now before it (a) has a catastrophic accident from the lack of maintenance, Chinese style, (b) is shut down due to parts and maintenance availability, (c) goes broke. Or all three.
Ride it now before it (a) has a catastrophic accident from the lack of maintenance, Chinese style, (b) is shut down due to parts and maintenance availability, (c) goes broke. Or all three.
Sigh. I'm still hoping against hope that Expo 2010 in Shanghai will spur them to extend the line to the expo site (on the west side) and/or all the way to Hangzhou.
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I do not know if this is the case anymore but as of a couple years ago it was with very high probability that one could ride on the standard Nozomi train-set though the timetable showed it as a Hikari -- I believe it was Hikari 200-270 or so which used Nozomi trainsets to operate as a Hikari. Can someone verify if this is still the case? This may be a way for the OP to ride on a Nozomi trainset with their RailPass without ponying up the extra yen....
The Nozomi 500 is really cool....... especially at 300kph passing Himeji Castle is a thrill.
This was done away with last fall's schedule restructuring, which saw a great number of Hikaris renamed as Nozomis, incidentally putting them off limits to JR Pass holders
The 100 series Tokyo-Hakata Grand Hikari with the double decker Green car was unfortunately phased out at the same time, further devaluating the JR Pass (no Green cars on Hikaris past Okayama now).
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Quote:
Originally Posted by monahos
This was done away with last fall's schedule restructuring, which saw a great number of Hikaris renamed as Nozomis, incidentally putting them off limits to JR Pass holders
The 100 series Tokyo-Hakata Grand Hikari with the double decker Green car was unfortunately phased out at the same time, further devaluating the JR Pass (no Green cars on Hikaris past Okayama now).
this really does suck...... but thanks for the info!!
My feeling is that the schedule change was the beginning of a gradual program to end the JR pass. They really need to allow the use of Nozomis if they intend to keep this pass, long term. I wrote JNTO about this, but Japan isn't really into tourism, so I doubt that JNTO could influence anything even if they wanted to.
I'm just happily munching my Korean rice porridge or Japanese bento box and reading the papers instead of being stuck in some endless traffic jam or fighting for cabs against hardened corporate warriors at GMP or HND. 
