McG

Saw this on Twitter today:




Can someone who reads Japanese confirm that the whiteboard says the ticket office is closing?

KI-NRT

Yep, that's exactly what it says.

AlwaysAisle

JR East has said they are going to close 300 ticket offices (みどりの窓口) by 2025. This is part of cost cutting by JR East by reducing number of employees.

In greater Tokyo area number of ticket offices will be reduced from 231 to about 70. In Tohoku area number of ticket offices will be reduced form 207 to about 70.

JR East wants to promote use of online ticket service such as Eki Net (えきネット). There are a lot of discount and package deals available by JR East but pretty much most of them are available via online service only, and not available by in person ticket purchase.

Reserved tickets are also available from ticket machines and JR East is increasing ticket machines which is possible to talk live with a person at a central office. However, there have been already situations where live person was not available on a ticket machines due to being too busy.

McG

Thank you both for the info.

Sounds similar to what has already happened to a lot of smaller stations in the UK, however in the UK the government are now talking about doing away with all ticketing offices - even at major stations.

antonius66

So, are Japan Rail Pass holders still required to go into an office to make reserved seats for Shinkansen, or is that available online in an easier way now? It has been, well obviously 3 years so I am not clear on the current way it is done, as I understand the rail pass itself is now no longer a paper you show after trading in your voucher, so I am trying to get caught up on other details and changes. Obviously a material reduction in ticket offices would have a real impact and require planning if you still have to go into them to get your seats for your shinkansen trips on your rail pass.

AlwaysAisle

I kind of remember that if Japan Rail Pass was purchased online from the specific site, then you can reserve seats online, will receive QR code for that reservation, scan the QR code on the ticket vending machine at stations and the ticket will be dispensed. But I vaguely remember that this is only available if Japan Rail Pass was purchased online form the specific site. All other cases seat reservation on Japan Rail Pass needs to be done old fashion way.

McG

Link below to JR online ticketing site. Purchasing online is more expensive than getting the exchange voucher from an agency.
The link explains all and also details how to use a ticket machine to make seat reservations with your pass.

https://japanrailpass.net/en/purchase.html

AlwaysAisle

I do think this is a reduction in service. Some more complicated routing, such as milt cities, cannot be done online nor on ticket vending machines at stations. I do think there are still enough situations where in person ticketing is required. Also, not everybody, actually majority, are not that savvy in knowledge of rail service. In person ticketing was the place many people could ask questions about routing, train information, ticket restrictions, etc.

Also, elderly are not internet savvy nor ticket machine savvy. But retired elderly is one of target demographic for rail companies. I think move to reduce in person ticket purchase can isolate some key demographic JR companies need to focus on.

Pickles

Those are pretty substantial reductions. It's one of the things about Japan that I always liked, that not everything was some machine-mediated impersonal transaction. Although this is obviously not a mom-and-pop dango stand, it's representative of Japan's way of doing things. Sad to see this change.

antonius66

Thanks. I bought it this time through jrpass.com and apparently they don't have the ability for advanced online reservations yet, so I guess I will have to trade in my vouchers like normal and then book on arrival. I actually tried to book through the japanrailpass website but for some reason it would never let me finish the purchase. Good to know regardless though...at least I know I will have to do a little more planning about making my bookings when I arrive.

FindingFoodFluency

At a few ticket machines throughout the country, I saw a station employee pop out of the wall to help befuddled customers. That was trippy.

YariGuy

Haha I've seen that too. Trippy indeed.

jib71

If they address availability issues, this can work well. I recently made a fairly complicated booking from Shikoku to Tokyo on a machine with support from an agent via video chat. I was quite impressed with it.

5khours

Never tried it online but for several years now you've been able to reserve Shikansen seats at any ticket machine by inserting your rail pass and entering your passport number on the keypad. Super simple.