Shinagawa is one of the terminal station in Tokyo. It is the transfer point of Tokaido Shinkansen (Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka), Keihin Kyuko (Haneda airport), Narita Express (Narita airport), Yamanote line (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo) and many more lines.
There are many railway lines and it seems to make you be overwhelmed. But this is not very complicated, actually. In this post, I will show you how to transfer among these trains in this station, Shinagawa.
- Station structure, tracks and platforms
- Ticket gate/Exit
- How to transfer between the Shinkansen and JR lines (Yamanote line, Narita Express, other than Shinkansen)
- How to transfer between JR trains and Keihin Kyuko Railway
- JR Pass, JR East Pass and Tokyo Wide Pass sales and exchange place
- Minimum connection time
Station structure, tracks and platforms
Please see the map at JR East official website.
At Shinagawa station, there are three railway companies, JR Central (Tokaido Shinkansen to Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka), JR East (Yamanote line, Tokaido line, Yokosuka line, Narita Express) and Keihin Kyuko Railway (a.k.a Keikyu to Haneda airport, Yokohama).
On the ground floor, all JR companies’s platforms are located. Only Keihin Kyuko Railway’s platforms are located at overhead. All platforms are connected with overpass. All ticket gates and exits are located at overpass too. All ticket gates and exits are located on pedestrian walkway. You can access both west (Takanawa exit) and east (Konan exit). You can go through this walkway without ticket.
All platforms and tracks of Shinagawa station are the following:
Keihin Kyuko Railway
| Track# | Lines/Trains | Destination |
| 1 | Keihin Kyuko Railway | Keikyu-Kamata, Haneda Airport, Yokohama, Misakiguchi |
| 2 | Keihin Kyuko Railway | Sengakuji, Asakusa, Osiage, Aoto, Narita Airport |
| 3 | Keihin Kyuko Railway | Peak hours trains only |
All JR lines
| Track# | Lines/Trains | Destination |
| 1 | Yamanote line | Inner loop to Tokyo, Akihabara, Ueno |
| 2 | Yamanote line | Outer loop to Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro |
| 4 | Keihin Tohoku line | Tokyo, Ueno, Omiya |
| 5 | Keihin Tohoku line | Kamata, Yokohama, Ofuna |
| 6,7 | Ueno Tokyo line | Tokyo, Ueno, Omiya, Utsunomiya, Takasaki |
| 6,7 | The limited express Odoriko, Super View Odoriko | Tokyo |
| 8 | Seasonal operation or special train only | |
| 9 | Ueno Tokyo line (limited express to Joban line) Limited Express Hitachi, Tokiwa | Tokyo, Ueno, Kashiwa, Tuchiura, Mito, Iwaki |
| 10,11 | Ueno Tokyo line (to Joban line) | Tokyo, Ueno, Matsudo, Kashiwa, Toride, Tuchiura, Mito, Takahagi |
| 11,12 | Ueno Tokyo line Tokaido line The limited express Odoriko, Super View Odoriko | Yokohama, Odawara, Atami, Ito Izukyu-Shimoda, Shuzenji |
| 13,14 | Sobu-Yokosuka line Narita Express | Tokyo, Chiba, Narita Airport |
| 14,15 | Sobu-Yokosuka line | Yokohama, Kamakura, Zushi, Kurihama |
| 21,22 | The Tokaido Shinkansen | Tokyo |
| 23,24 | The Tokaido Shinkansen | Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, Hakata |
So basically you can transfer any trains at same level. This is the biggest reason why I recommend you to transfer from Narita Express to Shinkansen. If you transfer at Tokyo station, Narita Express arrive at deep underground platform. And also it is located at the west side of Tokyo station. On the other hand, Shinkansen’s platform is located at the east end. So you have to take escalator to go up and go through Tokyo station from west end to east end. I think minimum transfer time is 15 minutes.
If you transfer at Shinagawa station, 5 minutes is enough as long as you have a ticket for Shinkansen. You can book Shinkansen ticket at Narita Airport station too.
Ticket gate/Exit
Now I explain you how to transfer among Shinkansen, other JR lines (Yamanote line, Narita Express, etc) and Keihin Kyuko Railway.
How to transfer between the Shinkansen and JR lines (Yamanote line, Narita Express, other than Shinkansen)
Please see the movie below to find how to transfer from Narita Express to the Shinkansen which is bound for Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka.
Please see the movie below to find how to transfer from Yamanote line to the Shinkansen which is bound for Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka.
There is the Shinkansen transfer gate between Tokaido Shinkansen and other JR lines. If you transfer between JR trains and the Shinkansen, you do not have to exit the ticket gate. Just go through Shinkansen transfer gate. The Tokaido Shinkansen (JR Central) and other JR trains (JR East) are strictly the different companies. But both companies are under JR group and you can use one same base fare ticket for both JR trains and the Shinkansen. If you use JR Pass, both trains are covered except Nozomi that is the fastest train of the Tokaido Shinkansen.
You can find Shinkansen transfer gate at the bottom of JR East Shinagawa station map. You will find two gates, “Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen South Transfer” and “Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen North Transfer”
How to transfer between JR trains and Keihin Kyuko Railway
These are completely different companies. But you don’t need to exit. For example, if you take Keihin Kyuko train at Haneda airport station, you can purchase one ticket for both JR and Keihin Kyuko Railway.
There is a transfer gate. If you have a ticket for both JR and Keihin Kyuko Railway, you just go through the machine gate. You can find it at the top of JR East Shinagawa station map. It says “Keikyu transfer only” in the map.
The movie below shows you from Keihin Kyuko to the Shinkansen platform.
If you want to take the Shinkansen from Keihin Kyuko Railway, you can go through transfer gates twice, Keihin Kyuko gate and Shinkansen transfer gate.
JR Pass, JR East Pass and Tokyo Wide Pass sales and exchange place
Please see JR East Shinagawa station map again. Both JR Pass and JR East Pass exchange place are shown by red star beside Central gate. There is one more place to exchange JR Pass. That is JR Central ticket office beside Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen north gate. It’s shown by green solid color at the bottom of the map. Both place are open from 9:00 to 19:00.
If you purchase JR East Pass or Tokyo Wide Pass on the spot, you have to go to JR East Travel Center that is called “びゅうプラザ” (View Plaza). It is located in front of Central gate and it is shown by blue star.
Minimum connection time
These times are minimum. That means you just need to transfer. If you need to purchase a ticket, you have to add some more time.
- Keihin Kyuko Railway to/from Yamanote line or Keihin Tohoku line (to Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Akihabara) – 5 minutes
- Narita Express to/from Shinkansen – 5 minutes
- Keihin Kyuko Railway to/from Shinkansen – 10 minutes
Comments
Hello, I’ll be travelling from Shinjuku to Kyoto, and still unsure about transferring from JR Yamanote Line to Tokaido Shinkansen at Shinagawa station.
I will not be using JR Pass.
Do I go to the JR ticket office at Shinjuku to purchase the shinkansen ticket (stating to travel from Shinjuku to Kyoto, and by the way, is it necessary or advisable to reserve seat?), and then just proceed to take JR Yamanote Line to Shinagawa station and transfer to Tokaido Shinkansen? Should I purchase the ticket in advance or it’s fine to get the ticket right before we step through the station gates?
I was a little confused because on Hyperdia, it seems to suggest that I should be taking JR rapid lines to go back to Tokyo station from Shinjuku to take the Shinkansen, while the fares remain the same…
Hi Susan,
You may purchase one ticket from Shinjuku to Kyoto via Shinagawa. You can purchase a ticket in advance at any major JR stations. You don’t need to purchase it at Shinjuku.
As you think, you can take Yamanote line from Shinjuku to Shinagawa. You just need to change the train at Shinagawa. You don’t need to exit the station but you will go through Shinkansen transfer gate before you take Shinkansen.
Reserved seat is recommended especially if you travel with someone. You may get a seat even if you take Shinkansen at Shinagawa. But it may be hard to find the seat side by side. But if you take a Shinkansen from Tokyo, it’s much easier to get a seat in non reserved car. Otherwise you may purchase a reserved seat.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hello,
I plan to take the shinkansen from shinagawa station to Kobe on Wednesday 20 April. What is the schedule like and do I need to purchase the ticket in advance? Thanks in advance for helping.
Hi, Ying,
Please see the link below to find the timetable:
http://english.jr-central.co.jp/info/timetable/_pdf/westbound.pdf
You can purchase a ticket in advance at any major JR stations. You don’t need to purchase at Shinagawa. But you may purchase a ticket at Shinagawa before on board.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi,
I will be coming to Japan next month and was wondering is it possible and/or faster to take a metro from Shiodome Stagtion to Shinagawa to get the NEX or to go by taxi from Shiodome to Shinagawa?
Hi Stash,
It’s hard to say. Taxi trip may be effected by traffic congestion. Taxi may be faster but subways is more solid.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi JR Pass,
Does the JR East Travel Center on Narita airport open on sunday? What is business hours of this center on Narita airport Terminal 1? Could I exchange my JR Pass voucher and make a seat reservation to Narita Express at this center?
Thank you!
Hi Silvio,
Please see the following link:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/customer_support/service_center.html
You can exchange JR pass and book train at regular ticket window outside business hours of this travel center.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi,
I’m meeting my aunt who will be arriving in Shinagawa Station from Odawara, since it’s her first time in Japan do you have any idea what track/platform the Shinkansen will be from? And what is the nearest exit so I can meet her?
Hi Anne,
Please see the map below:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e788.html
Shinkansen from Odawara will arrive in either 21 or 22. But as you see, those are same platform. And you can choose either Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen North Gate or South Gate for the meeting place. There are also Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen Transfer North and South Gate. Don’t mix up.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Arriving at Shinagawa Station on Shinkansen from Osaka. Need to get to Terminal 2 at Narita airport.
1. How can I find Narita Express tracks at Shinagawa?
2. Can I purchase Narita Express tickets when I purchase Shinkansen in Osaka?
3. In Osaka, do I get on the Shinkkansen in Osaka or Shin-Osaka?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Sally,
1. You can find it at departure/arrival information board.
2. Yes, you can.
3. Shin-Osaka. There is no Shinkansen station at Osaka.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi,
I’m taking Keihin Kyuko train from Haneda to Shinagawa. Then I will take Shinkansen to Kakegawa. Can I buy Shinkansen ticket + reserve seat at Haneda or I must buy at Shinagawa? If yes, please let me know is the place in Haneda International terminal. Thank you.
Hi Benny,
You can purchase it there at day time only.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/customer_support/service_center_haneda.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi, I am travelling from Haneda Airport to Osaka, and am planning to use the Suica card to travel from Haneda Airport to Shinagawa station, then using the JR Rail pass to travel from Shinagawa station onwards to Osaka.
How do I make the connection without incurring extra cost?
Since from what I understand is that when using the JR pass, use enter through the manned gate, but what happens since I’m already in the station?
Hi Tyler,
If you arrive in Haneda for day time, you can exchange the pass at Haneda.
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/exchange.html
If you exchange JR pass at Haneda, you don’t need to exit the station. However you will use Suica to Shinagawa and start using JR pass from Shinagawa. When you go through the transfer gate, you have to explain to use Suica and JR pass. If you just tap your suica at transfer gate, JR fare will be charged to your Suica.
If you cannot exchange JR pass at Haneda, you need to exit at Shinagawa station to exchange your JR pass there anyway.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
i am thinking bout getting a morning shinkansen to kyoto from shibuya for day trip, whats the best way to do so ? especially in the morning rush hours ? whats the best time to go ?
i was thinking bout taking NEX from shibuya to shinagawa station and taking shinkansen from there to avoid morning rush, just wondering if that’s possible? btw i’ll using JRpass
Hi Tap,
That is a good idea. You can use Narita Express for just Shibuya to Shinagawa only. If you take Yamanote line for this segment in peak hours from 7:00 to 9:00, it’s crazy. Narita Express save you from this chaos.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
thanks for your info, btw are there really any NEX train running early in the morning from Shibuya like around 8 am ?
Hi Tap,
You can find the timetable of Narita Express at the link below:
http://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/english/wb/common/timetable/index.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hello, thank you for your detailed description. I plan to buy the JR Rail Pass and take NEX to Shinagawa then Keikyu to Haneda. Do I need to purchase a Keikyu ticket at Shinagawa before taking Keikyu train? Thanks!
Hi Grace,
Yes. You have to purchase Keihin Kyuko Railway ticket. Otherwise you cannot enter Keihin Kyuko train’s Shinagawa station.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com