Booking Shinkansen

[princesscinderella]

I was just there in February and we did not run into this... I'm not talking about behind the seats, but in the luggage compartment by the doors. If that is the rule for this spot as well they did a terrible job of communicating that... there were no signs, announcements either over the intercom or on the LED signs at the front, nor did they mention it at all at the several JR Rail counters we visited! And we had all our luggage there with us... Is it maybe because we had reserved seats (regular, not oversize) so the luggage reservation was implied?

Thanks for the info I’m looking into all options. I think we may bring ikea collapsible zippered bags as most of our extra space we will need will come at the end of our trip with souvenirs from TDL resort so we wouldn’t need the extra space at the beginning of the trip. My girls plan to only pack half the clothes they normally do so they can buy outfits there.

 

[soniam]

I was just there in February and we did not run into this... I'm not talking about behind the seats, but in the luggage compartment by the doors. If that is the rule for this spot as well they did a terrible job of communicating that... there were no signs, announcements either over the intercom or on the LED signs at the front, nor did they mention it at all at the several JR Rail counters we visited! And we had all our luggage there with us... Is it maybe because we had reserved seats (regular, not oversize) so the luggage reservation was implied?

Looking at the website, it seems you are supposed to even reserve that area with the locks. Maybe they don't enforce it if no one has reserved the space. It's in the oversized luggage ticket option.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I was just there in February and we did not run into this... I'm not talking about behind the seats, but in the luggage compartment by the doors. If that is the rule for this spot as well they did a terrible job of communicating that... there were no signs, announcements either over the intercom or on the LED signs at the front, nor did they mention it at all at the several JR Rail counters we visited! And we had all our luggage there with us... Is it maybe because we had reserved seats (regular, not oversize) so the luggage reservation was implied?

To be clear, you are talking about the shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka right?

On the locking bar, there should be a label with instructions which states that the top rack is for aisle seats with oversized baggage reservations and the bottom rack is for window seats with oversized baggage reservations. It's in both Japanese and English but people often don't read this and just put their stuff there. Each car has one designated window seat and one designated aisle seat that can use these spaces.

Staff aren't checking these spaces at every station so it usually comes up when someone who reserved the seat finds their luggage spot has already been taken.

 

[AquaDame]

To be clear, you are talking about the shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka right?

On the locking bar, there should be a label with instructions which states that the top rack is for aisle seats with oversized baggage reservations and the bottom rack is for window seats with oversized baggage reservations. It's in both Japanese and English but people often don't read this and just put their stuff there. Each car has one designated window seat and one designated aisle seat that can use these spaces.

Staff aren't checking these spaces at every station so it usually comes up when someone who reserved the seat finds their luggage spot has already been taken.

Not that specific route, no. We were headed north to Hokkaido so that must be why. I didn’t realize it was route specific, thank you!

 

[gelatoni fan]

Not that specific route, no. We were headed north to Hokkaido so that must be why. I didn’t realize it was route specific, thank you!

Yeah. Reservations for oversized baggage are not required when going North from Tokyo.