dukkar

Hi:

I have finalized my itinerary (March '13). I don't mind buying the Green Seat Pass, but my only problem now is that I do not know if the trains that I will be travelling on will have Green seats!! These are the seven trips that I will be making and I have listed the individual trains as well. Can you please tell me which trains will have Green seats thus justifying the extra money that I will be spending? I got this information from the Hyperdia web site.

SHINJUKU (JR) - NIKKO [roundtrip]
JR Saikyo Line Rapid
SHINKANSEN YAMABIKO 127
JR Nikko Line

SHINJUKU(JR) - KAMAKURA [roundtrip]
JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line (Via Tokaido Line)
JR Yokosuka Line

SHINJUKU(JR) - KYOTO [one-way]
JR Chuo Line Rapid Service
SHINKANSEN HIKARI 479

KYOTO - IGAUENO - UENO-SHI [one way]
JR Nara Line Local
JR Yamatoji Line Rapid Service
JR Kansai Line
Iga Tetsudo Iga Line

UENO-SHI - IGAUENO - NARA [one way]
Iga Tetsudo Iga Line
JR Kansai Line
JR Yamatoji Rapid Service

NARA- KYOTO [one-way]
JR Nara Line Rapid Service OR JR Nara Line Local

KYOTO - SHIMBSHI [one-way]
SHINKANSEN HIKARI 474
JR Tokaido Line

Thanks,
D

mrwunrfl

Not really. The only green cars would be on the two Hikari shinkansen trains.

mrwunrfl

That is not quite right. Green cars also on Yamabiko shinkansen. The Shonan-Shinjuku Line has green cars at least for Shinjuku to Omiya. The locals and, I think, the special rapids don't have green cars.

You can answer your question on hyperdia which you apparently are using to get the routing. Over to the right of each train name look for a dropdown that, by default, says "Reserved seat ...". Click on the dropdown and look for Green Seat.

dukkar

mrwunrfl:

Thanks for your replies. I thought looking at the dropdown was the right way to use Hyperdia too, but when I saw the SHINJUKU(JR) - KAMAKURA schedule, the drop-down for the "Green seat" was next to the city name (TOTSUKA or OFUNA) instead of being next to the train name. How do I interpret that?

[http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/se...&sum_target=7]

mrwunrfl

Search for each segment, e.g. Shinjuku(JR) to Totsuka (shows green seat).

I don't think the green car is worthwhile (except maybe in some peak domestic travel times like Obon), in general, especially as I am a solo traveler. I rode in a green car by accident once, on a Yamabiko, I think, and it was just me and two UK football hooligans (this was just before World Cup in Japan-Korea). YMMV.

dukkar

Thanks. After searching for each segment, here's what I came up with: Basically, except for my Kyoto-Igaueno-Nara-Kyoto trip, I do have Green seats on all other trains (at least for the longer duration ones). Since I am going during Cherry Blossom time (March end- early April) and travelling with a seven-year old, I think it makes sense to get a JR Pass for Green seats... ...especially since I'm not breaking the bank to buy them. Any thoughts?

SHINJUKU (JR) - NIKKO [roundtrip]
JR Saikyo Line Rapid
SHINKANSEN YAMABIKO 127 [GREEN SEAT available]
JR Nikko Line

SHINJUKU(JR) - KAMAKURA [roundtrip]
JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line (Via Tokaido Line) [GREEN SEAT available]
JR Yokosuka Line [GREEN SEAT available]

SHINJUKU(JR) - KYOTO [one-way]
JR Chuo Line Rapid Service OR JR Yamanote Line(Inner loop)
SHINKANSEN HIKARI 479/521 [GREEN SEAT available]

KYOTO - IGAUENO - UENO-SHI [one way]
JR Nara Line Local
JR Yamatoji Line Rapid Service
JR Kansai Line
Iga Tetsudo Iga Line

UENO-SHI - IGAUENO - NARA [one way]
Iga Tetsudo Iga Line
JR Kansai Line
JR Yamatoji Rapid Service

NARA- KYOTO [one-way]
JR Nara Line Rapid Service OR JR Nara Line Local

KYOTO - SHIMBASHI [one-way]
SHINKANSEN HIKARI 474/528/476 [GREEN SEAT available]
JR Tokaido Line [GREEN SEAT available] OR JR Yokosuka Line [GREEN SEAT available] OR JR Yamanote Line(Inner loop)

Thanks,
D

hawaiiantraveler

to the right under seat fee it has the toggle for unreserved seat, press that to find green seat fee

dukkar

hawaiiantraveler:

Thanks for your reply. I am not sure I understand how finding the green seat fee would help me? If I buy the 7-day JR pass for green seats, then whichever dropdown has the "green seat" option means I can use my JR Pass without having to pay that fee, correct?

dukkar

Also, when I see the dropdown menu, I see the following options with amounts next to it:
- Green seat
- Reservesd seat (High season)
- Unreserved seat

How are any of these applicable to me if the reservations are free for JR Pass holders?

hawaiiantraveler

no you do not have to pay the green seat fee with the JR green pass but this should tell you that green cars are available on this route. Most long distance routes have green cars with the exceptions being that there are no Green Cars on most HIKARI and KODAMA trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen line (Shin-Osaka ·Hakata), or on TSUBAME trains on the Kyushu Shinkansen line(Shin-Yatsushiro – Kagoshima- chūō ). That said I have gotten green cars on all train travel I have made on the Sanyo shinkansen. When you make your reservation the clerk will try to book you on green cars close to your travel times but with your itinerary this info may be moot. The JR local short distance trains have only one level of service, economy.

Aloha!

hawaiiantraveler

You do not pay any seat reservation fees with the JR Pass

dukkar

Thanks everyone. I did the math. Without JR Pass, the ordinary seat train tickets with reservations cost me $411, while green seat train tickets with reservations cost me $510. I can but the 7-day JR pass from JTB USA (http://www.jtbusa.com/en/jr/j-all-1.asp) for $306 (ordinary seat) or $409 (green seat).

I will be going for the 7-day JR pass (green seat).

Cheers,
D