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 currently have a Nozomi ticket from Kyoto station to Tokyo station, but I really need to go to Haneda airport. Can I use this ticket to transfer at Shinagawa station to Haneda on the Keikyu express train? Or, do I need to buy a new ticket from Shinagawa to Haneda?
Also, I think the Nozomi arrives in platform 21-22 at Shinagawa. What platform number do the Keikyu trains depart to Haneda? Is there a transfer gate I should use?
Thank you!
Hi New2Haneda,
You need to buy a ticket for Shinagawa to Haneda airport. Keihin Kyuko is different train company and you cannot use JR ticket to take this train. Platform number is different from JR train platform. As I explained in the post above, there are transfer gate to enter Keihin Kyuko railway. You can purchase Keihin Kyuko railway ticket there.
There are lots of signage and you can find easily where Keihin Kyuko railway platform is.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hello
Can I use a Suica to get from Shinagawa station to Haneda Airport on the Keikyu line?
Thanks!
Hi Tom,
Yes, you can.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Dear Takeshi,
I am travelling with family and will arrive at Haneda airport int he morning. We will be travelling from the airport straight to Izu-kogen. We would like to take the chance to ride the Odoriko line for the view. Could you please provide guidance on what tickets we should be purchasing and where from.
Regards,
Aileen
Hi Aileen,
If you have round trip to Izu-Kogen from Shinagawa or Tokyo in 3 days, you can use Tokyo Wide Pass.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/tokyo-wide-pass-is-newer-version-of-kanto-area-pass-nikko-fuji-gala-yuzawa-and-odaiba-are-covered-by-this-pass.html
If you stay in Izu-Kogen more than 4 days, single ticket is only choice. But if you have any other trips by train, other deals may be considerable. Please make sure whole part of your trip plan.
You can book your seat online in the link below:
https://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/common/Menu/Menu.aspx?_ga=1.4778995.1325107855.1421419524
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi San,
I will arrive at Haneda Airport and will buy PASMO card for Keikyu train to Shinagawa and transfer to JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku. Do i scan the card at the transfer gate mentioned above and go onto platform 2?
Secondly, I will be traveling from Shinjuku to Kyoto using JR pass. The JR train LTD. EXP NARITA EXPRESS 11 is stopping at platform 2 right. I will then go to platform 23,24 to take Shinkansen Hikari. Do I need to pass through any transfer gate?
Thank you.
Hi Jo san,
When you use Pasmo at Shinagawa station, you have to tap your Pasmo at JR-Keikyu transfer gate.
When you use JR pass at Shinagawa, you have to go through Shinkansen ticket gate. You can show your JR pass at man gate to get Shinkansen platform.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hello,
Can I know which train I should take to go to Osaka & Kyoto from Tokyo if I have purchased a JR Pass. Will there be a direct train Osaka?
Hi Ruby,
You can take Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari. Please see the link below to find more info:
https://jprail.com/trains/sort-by-departure-arrival-stations/stations-in-tokai/nagoya-toyohashi/what-is-shinkansen-bullet-train.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi,
I am arriving in Tokyo next month and staying around Shinagawa Station. I have purchased a JR Pass for trips to Kyoto, Hiroshima and Mount Fuji. Would it be worthwhile also to purchase a Plasmo card for the Tokyo subway system while I’m over there.
Thanking you in advance,
David
Hi David,
You may have Pasmo or Suica or other IC card. But it does not give you any discount and unlimited ride. It just give you convenience. If you take subway lots, Tokyo Subway Ticket is better choice.
But please remember there is no subway stations in Shinagawa. Whenever you take subway, you need to take JR train or Keihin Kyuko train. These are not covered by subway pass. But if you have Suica or Pasmo, you can take these trains. And also if you start using JR pass when you are in Shinagawa, you can take JR train by JR pass.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
If I by JR Rail Pass, I can use it to go on both the Narita Express,get off at Shinagawa Station and take the Shinkansen ? If I book the seats and miss the shinkansen, can I still go on the next shinkansen or we have to pay additional amount?
Hi Nurul,
You can take both by JR pass. If you miss it, you can return your original ticket and book next train. No extra charge is required.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi
My flight will arrived at 10.30 pm thru Haneda International airport. I don’t think I can catch the train to Shibuya. What other option can I use to go to Shibuya at midnight beside using taxi? Is the bus available?
Hi Siti,
Please refer the links below:
https://jprail.com/trains/sort-by-type/subway/how-to-take-tokyo-monorail-or-keihin-kyuko-for-late-arrival-and-early-departure-at-haneda.html
http://hnd-bus.com/airport/route/nightmorningbus.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
I hope this is still an active site.
-We will arrive at Narita from Sapporo on Feb 28/17 at 1555h and will take NEX to Shinagawa station.
-We want to go to Kyoto.
-We will have a JR 7 day pass.
– Do we go to platform 23,24 to catch Hikari Shinkansen?
Thank you!
Hi Bonny,
That’s right. You can move to #23 or #24.
You can book both Narita Express and Shinkansen Hikari at Narita airport station or other major JR stations in advance. So you can just change the trains at Shinagawa and save your time.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Dear Takeshi San,
I will be coming to Shinagawa Station tomorrow afternoon.
Can I please know if I could go to OSAKI station, if I get in to Yamanote -Shibuya Shinjuku train as mentioned in the schedule given here? Is it Track 1?
Hi Su san,
You have to take Yamanote line at track #2. Train comes almost every 5 minutes.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Thank you Takeshita San
No worries, Su san.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com