JR East Proposes to Pay Half of Shinkansen Ticket Prices

Good news: East Japan Railway Company (JR East) is offering a 50% discount on Shinkansen tickets, and even selected limited express train tickets! This lucrative promotion will be running from 20 August this year to 31 March 2021 on all JR East Shinkansen lines. The only exception is the Hokuriku Shinkansen’s Kagayaki and Hakutaka trains, which will be half-price only until 30 September this year.  

Note: Although this promotion is targeted at boosting domestic tourism, a rail pass might still be cheaper for foreigners for travels that are of longer distances or to more destinations.

Dreaming of frolicking in Hokkaido’s breathtaking flower fields, or sipping on Tokyo’s best brews? These are just but a few of your dream destinations which JR East can bring you to! Only a limited number of seats per train will be sold at the promotional price; so why not book now and travel later? Offers like this don’t come by every day! The tickets, which are being offered as part of JR East’s “Let’s Go on A Journey” campaign, can be purchased through the official website here. 

Note: Do remember that this promotion only applies to tickets purchased 20 to 30 days before departure.

Which trains and destinations are part of the promotion?

Shinkansen

• Hayabusa, Hayate: Between Tokyo and Morioka/Shin-Aomori/Shin-Hakodate Hokuto
• Nasuno: Between Tokyo and Nasushiobara
• Yamabiko: Between Tokyo and Koriyama/Fukushima/Sendai/Morioka
• Tsubasa: Between Tokyo and Yamagata
• Komachi: Between Tokyo and Akita
• Toki, Tanigawa: Between Tokyo and Jomokogen/Niigata
• Hakutaka: Between Tokyo and Itoigawa/Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen/Toyama/Shin-Takaoka/Kanazawa
• Kagayaki: Between Tokyo and Toyama/Shin-Takaoka/Kanazawa
• Asama: Between Tokyo and Nagano

Limited Express Trains

• Hitachi: Between Tokyo and Haranomachi/Soma/Watari/Iwanuma/Sendai
• Kaiji: Between Tokyo and Kofu/Ryo
• Azusa: Between Tokyo and Haranomachi/Chino/Kami-Suwa/Matsumoto
• Wakashio, Shinjuku-Wakashio: Between Tokyo and Oamishirasato/Ohara/Katsuura/Awa-Kamogawa
• Shiosai: Between Tokyo and Sakura/Yachimata/Naruto/Yokaichiba/Asahi/Choshi
• Sazanami, Shinjuku-Sazanami: Between Tokyo and Goi/Anegasaki/Kisarazu/Kimitsu/Tateyama
• Inaho: Between Tokyo and Tsuruoka/Amarume/Sakata
• Nikko, Kinugawa, Spacia Kinugawa: Between Tokyo and Tobu-Nikko/Kinugawa Onsen

For more information, you can check out its official website here.

We sure miss hopping aboard JR East’s Shinkansens and exploring the Land of the Rising Sun! So, let’s wait patiently until Japan gives the green light to resume foreign tourism. We’ll keep you posted! 

Information extracted from JR East.