Nagano Shinkansen, direct access to Nagano and Karuizawa from Tokyo.

Joetsu, Nagano and Hokuriku
Nagano Shinkansen (copyrights :shibainu)
2010.01.10
Most of train is operated by this fleet, E6 / W6 series.

Most of train is operated by this fleet, E6 / W6 series.

*Nagano Shinkansen will be extended to Kanazawa in March 2015 and now it is called Hokuriku Shinkansen. Please see the link below to learn more:

Hokuriku Shinkansen, direct access to Kanazawa, Nagano and Toyama from Tokyo

This Shinkansen services are operated between Tokyo and 1988 Olympic winter game host city, Nagono via Ueno, Omiya, Takasaki and Karuizawa. This Shinkansen will be extended to Kanazawa by 2014 and this route is the original plan. This Shinkansen share the rail with Joetsu Shinkansen between Omiya and Takasaki. If you travel from Niigata to Nagano, you can transfer to Shinkansen at Takasaki station.

Route, schedule and trip time

Nagono Shinkansenā€™s train is given the name, ā€œAsamaā€. ā€œAsamaā€ is named from the active volcano, ā€œMt. Asamaā€ near Karuizawa. It takes about 1 hour 23 minutes from Tokyo to Nagano by the fastest Asama. But it takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Tokyo to Nagano on the average. This train services are operated mostly every 20 minutes. But there are many types of Asama are operated. Stop stations are different by the trains. Please make sure which station your Asama will stop at before on board.


View Nagano Shinkansen (Bullet Train) in a larger map

Stations

StationAsama
Tokyo (ę±äŗ¬)x
Ueno (äøŠé‡Ž)*
Omiya (大宮)x
Kumagaya (ē†Šč°·)=
Honjo-Waseda (ęœ¬åŗ„ę—©ēزē”°)=
Takasaki (高哎)*
Annaka-Haruna (安äø­ę¦›å)=
Karuizawa (č»½äŗ•ę²¢)*
Sakudaira (佐久平)*
Ueda (äøŠē”°)*
Nagano (長野)x

x:All train stop *:Most of Asama stop =:Some of Asama stop

Accommodation

All trains are operated by E2 series. E2 series gives you 2+2 seat configuration for Green class and 2+3 for Ordinary class. The seat pitch in Green seat is 1160mm and 980m in Ordinary seat. This series is the most common train in Tohoku and Nagano Shinkansens.

Train formation

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NRNRNRNRRRGR

This train formation is very typical one. The extra cars maybe added in peak season.
R:Ordinary class reserved seat NR:Ordinary class non-reserved seat G:Reserved Green class (First class seat)
*This train is all non smoking.

Find your hotels in 500 cities throughout Japan!!!

Hotels in Nagano
Hotels in Karuizawa

Images

*Sonic Rail Garden has copyright for all images below.

Green seat (Seat pitch 1160mm/Seat configuration 2+2)
Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Green seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Green seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Green seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Green seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Green seat

Ordinary seat (Seat pitch 980mm/Seat configuration 2+3.)
Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Ordinary seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Ordinary seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Ordinary seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Ordinary seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Ordinary seat Nagano Shinkansen E2 series Ordinary seat

Sanitary space
Nagano Shinkansen E2 series sanitary space Nagano Shinkansen E2 series sanitary space Nagano Shinkansen E2 series sanitary space Nagano Shinkansen E2 series sanitary space Nagano Shinkansen E2 series sanitary space

Other facilities
vending machine and luggage space.
Nagano Shinkansen E2 series other facilites Nagano Shinkansen E2 series other facilites Nagano Shinkansen E2 series other facilites

Comments

  1. Mark says:
    February 28, 2015 at 5:59 pm

    Hi I would like some info on getting from Narita to Hakuba via the bullet train.I fly into Narita at 5.05pm what times etc and and changing trains etc.I would like to travel Granclass also what is the price and how do I book.Thanks

  2. Emma says:
    February 20, 2015 at 10:06 pm

    Hi there,

    We are flying into Tokyo Narita airport early saturday morning and plan to get the shinkansen to Nagano then bus on to Hakuba. We are in Hakuba for 10 days then back to Tokyo for 4 days before flying out. Would you recommend any kind of rail pass or just single tickets?

    Thank you!

    Emma

  3. Peter says:
    February 16, 2015 at 5:23 am

    Hi Takeshi!

    Will JR Pass cover way from Karuizawa to Narita Airport (or at least to Tokyo)? i wonder because Karuizawa is probably last spot on my route through Japan (Tokyo-Kyoto-Nara-Hiroshima-Takayama-Shirakawago-go-Karuizawa-Narita) and Iā€™m curious if my 14day JR Pass will cover it all up. Thanks!

  4. Ghaleon says:
    February 6, 2015 at 7:49 pm

    Hi,

    I will be buying a 14-day JR Rail Pass for my coming trip to Japan. My itinerary is as follows:

    Tokyo -> Nagano -> Kyoto -> Osaka -> Tokyo

    Are there any parts of the above which, to your knowledge, are covered by the JR Rail Pass?

    Thank you.

    • Takeshi / JPRail says:
      February 6, 2015 at 9:46 pm

      Hi Ghaleon,

      Your trip will be covered by JR pass other than local transportation, such as subway in Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo.
      However if you use JR pass just for your itinerary, itā€™s way more expensive than single fare actually. If you have a plan to use the pass for long distance day trip, like day trip to Hiroshima from Osaka, it will work. Roughly your itinerary is almost same as 7 days pass price.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  5. Jummy says:
    January 28, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    Hi,

    My flight arrive to Nagoya airport. I plan to Nagano ā€“ Tokyo ā€“ Kawakuchiko and then leave from Haneda Tokyo back to home.

    At Nagano I plan to take Shinkansen from Saku-Daira station to Tokyo. So I would like to buy and use JR Kanto Area Pass from Saku-Daira.

    Could you please advise ā€¦ where I can buy JR Kanto Area pass?

    Thank you in advance.
    Jummy

  6. Nelly says:
    December 16, 2014 at 3:07 am

    Hello,
    We, family of 2 adults and 2 children aged 11 years, will be traveling from Narita Airport to Hakuba for 5 days, then back to Tokyo for 6 days, before heading home through Narita airport. What would be the most economical and simple ways to travel? Thank you very much!

  7. Matt doyle says:
    November 16, 2014 at 10:37 pm

    Hi,

    Iā€™m going from Nagano to tokyo on 11 th January 2015 on bullet train and then 4 days tokyo doing day trips on the subway around tokyo, what pass do you suggest? 3 adults and 1 kid,

    Thanks matt

  8. Poky says:
    March 31, 2014 at 7:18 pm

    Hi Takeshi / JP Rail

    I will go to Tokyo in late June for sightseeing (from Australia).

    But on 1 July will go to Karuizawa, and back to Tokyo on 4 July 2014.

    Most of my friends suggested me to buy JR East Flex Pass for 5 days with Ā„22000.

    But Hyperdia gives me the info of single journey ASMA fare costing Ā„5910. All up (plus return) would be Ā„11820.

    So do you think buying the return tickets are better than the pass?

    I appreciate for your reply

  9. lise.poirier says:
    March 26, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    WE ARE ARRIVING IN TOKYO ON JULY 20TH.
    VISITING THE TSUKIJI FISH MARKET ON THE MORNING OF THE 21ST.
    WOULD LIKE TO GO TO NADANO TO SEE THE SNOW MONKEYSā€¦.
    VIA A NON-STOP BULLET TRAIN. SPEND ONE NIGHT.21ST.

    NEXT, WOULD LIKE TO GO TO SEE MT. FUJI AND SURROUNDING AREA
    AND SPEND ONE NIGHT.22ND.
    TAKING A LOCAL BUSā€¦.OR TOURā€¦.
    NO TRAIN POSSIBILITY???

    MY QUESTION IS WOULD BUYING A RAIL PASS BE A GOOD IDEA.
    WE HAVE TWO MORE DAYS ā€¦..AVAILABLE.
    LEAVING ON THE 25TH.

    THANK YOU,
    LISE POIRIER

  10. Richard says:
    March 25, 2012 at 9:34 pm

    Trains on this route have extra luggage space near the entrance doors (there is a picture above). This is quite unusual for shinkansen (I have not seen it on other routes) but I think is added due to people heading for the mountains with skis and snowboards.

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