Originally Posted by
bocastephen
Is there a step by step guide for using the Eki-net IOS app to get the seat reservation fee paid? It's confusing for two passengers, one with mobile SUICA and one with mobile PASMO on how to handle the seat reservation fee on the app for both - although my understanding is one is detached from the other, the SUICA just gives you access to the train and the conductor doesn't see that, but the seat reservation confirmation is what they see on their tablet as they walk through the train.
Is the total cost (SUICA + seat fee) more expensive vs just buying a paper ticket? We can't do the discount round trip (AFAIK) because we are buying the first leg to NRT and the second leg is from NRT instead of the reverse.
I just want to figure out how to avoid that mob at the train station - I've seen it before and it's insanity.
Your understanding is basically right. If you go to
https://www.eki-net.com/en/jreast-tr...tion/top/Index and choose the "purchase a ticket" option, it will let you search for the stations and date/time you want. Then it will give you the option to either buy a paper ticket (which you will have to pick up at the station), or buy an e-ticket (which has to be used in conjunction with a Pasmo/Suica). If you choose the latter, you enter the station with your respective Suica/Pasmo cards (whether physical or in a phone/watch), then the base fare will be paid from the Suica/Pasmo and the express supplement and seat fee will be charged to the credit card registered with Eki-net. You can buy multiple e-tickets at once and none of them will be linked to any particular Suica/Pasmo, so you could also buy a paper ticket from the ticket machine for the base fare and use that to get into the station, or borrow someone else's transit card, etc. It is slightly cheaper to use the e-ticket option, but only by like 100 yen each way. They have some even cheaper tickets that are 35% off the usual express/seat fee, but I believe those are only sold through the Japanese version of eki-net.
Keisei also has a very similar (but completely separate) service for booking Skyliner e-tickets online.