JR trains’ seat guide, Gran class, Green class and Ordinary class seats. Guide to buy JR Pass Green or Ordinary

Green class interior of Narita ExpressRail pass for visitors
Green class interior of Narita Express
1024px-JRW_series283_inside-greencar.jpg
Green seat car of the Limited Express Kuroshio by 287 series. It offers very comfortable 2+1 seat layout with large panoramic windows. (C) w0746203-1

When you travel by the JR express train in Japan, you have a few choices of the seat. Most of the JR express trains offer two classes, Green and Ordinary. Those are like business class seat and economy class seat on the fight. And the highest class seat, “Gran class” is available on some of the Shinkansen lines. Some express trains in Kyushu offer Deluxe Green class. And there are some trains which offer the compartment.

Green class is better than Ordinary class definitely. But it is pricey. Before choosing the class of seat, you should know how much better Green class is than Ordinary class. And you should know what the benefit of Green class is. Especially if you intend to buy JR Pass, you will consider which you will get, Green seat pass or Ordinary seat pass.

In this post, I would like to focus on the seat of JR trains. You will know the layout of the seat, a leg space, benefit of higher class seat. I believe you can judge which seat is your choice after reading this post.

The types of JR train’s seat

Gran class seatThe Tohoku Shinkansen,
The Hokkaido Shinkansen,
The Hokuriku Shinkansen
DX Green class seatSome of the Limited Express trains in Kyushu area
Green compartmentLimited Express Super View Odoriko
Some of the Limited Express trains in Kyushu area
Green class seatMost of the Shinkansen trains
Most of the Limited Express trains
Rapid trains in Greater Tokyo area
Ordinary compartmentResort Shirakami
Ordinary class seatAll trains

Gran class seat

The seat of Gran class (C) Asacyan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Gran class is the highest category of seat in all JR trains. It is like First Class seat on the train in Japan. There are only 18 seats in the car. And the seat layout is 2+1.

  • Leg space – 1,300 mm
  • Width – 520 mm
Gran Class seat on E5 series (C) Sonic Rail Garden
Gran Class seat on E5 series (C) Sonic Rail Garden

There is an exclusive staff in Gran class car. The light meal is served on board. You can choose Japanese style or western style. The amount of the food is very small. Please do not expect a full size of meal.

Japanese style light meal on board (C) Kurumi1211 [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Coffee, tea, green tea, pop, juce, beer, Japanese sake and wine are also included. You can drink as much as you can. And the tea snack is served too.

Green class seat

Green seat on Super Ozora by 283 series (C) Sonic Rail Garden
Green seat of 283 series in Hokkaido (C) Sonic Rail Garden

Gran class is the highest category of JR trains’ seats but it is available on the specific trains only. Green class is more common choice for the passenger who wants the higher class seat. Green class seat has more spacious in the leg space than Ordinary class seat. Green class seat has nicer head rest, the leg rest and this seat reclines much deeper than Ordinary class seat. Green class does not offer any meal and/or drink services on board.

Since Green class seat is available on most of limited express trains, the seat size, the leg space and the seat functions are varied by the train.

  • Leg space – 1,100 to 1,200 mm
  • Width – 460 to 490 mm
  • Seat layout – 2+2 or 2+1

2+1 layout is more spacious definitely. I would like to show you some of Green seat.

Green class seat on the Shinkansen

Green class seat of N700 series on the Sanyo Shinkansen and the Kyushu Shinkansen

All Green class seat on the Shinkansen has 2+2 layout and this layout is the standard of the Shinkansen. The Shinkansen train fleet is wider than the trains on the conventional lines. This 2+2 seat layout on the Shinkansen lines offers same amenity as 2+1 seat layout on the conventional trains.

However the Akita Shinkansen and the Yamagata Shinkansen are different. These two Shinkansen train fleets are same width of the conventional trains.

Green class seat of the Akita Shinkansen fleet E6 series.

As you saw the photo above, everything is more narrow than the standard of the Shinkansen. The seat itself is not bad. This seat has lots of the leg space. But the armrest is narrow.

If you take Akita Shinkansen “Komachi” or Yamagata Shinkansen “Tsubasa”, Green class seat is smaller than other Shinkansen trains. Please expect this and do not disappoint.

Green class seat of the limited express train on the conventional lines

The limited express train is the fastest and most comfortable train on the conventional line. This train runs on the route which the Shinkansen does not run. The seat layouts of the limited express trains are 2+2 or 2+1 as I mentioned above.

2+1 seat layout of Green seat of 287 series. This fleet runs in Kansai region as Limited Express Kuroshio, Konotori, and more.

This 2+1 seat layout is very nice and so comfortable. It offers same amenity as 2+2 seat layout on the Shinkansen line.

2+2 seat layout of Green class seat of E353 series. This fleet runs as Limited Express Azusa (C) Toshinori baba (own work) / Wikimedia Commons

Obviously 2+1 looks more spacious. This E353 series runs on Chuo line between Shinjuku and Matsumoto as the Limited Express Azusa. Actually this fleet is one of the newest fleets in all JR train cars.

This difference is caused by the value and the way of thinking of each train companies. JR East and JR Central place more importance on the capacity. Other JR companies place more importance of the comfort.

I would like to show you the major limited express trains which have 2+2 Green class seat layout:

Some of Wide View Hida have 2+1 seat layout Green class car.

Green class seat on the ordinary train

Green class seat of the commuter suburban train

Some local trains have Green class seat. In Greater Tokyo area, the train for suburban area offers Green class seat.

This seat is actually very similar to the limited express train’s Ordinary class seat. The leg space is only 960 mm which is much smaller than Green class seat standard on the limited express train, 1,100 mm to 1,200 mm. However the regular car on the local train is very crowded and it is hard to find the seat in many situation. And the seat is not like this in the regular car.

The commuter train regular car is always like this. It may be even more crowded.

This type Green class seat is available for the commuter who want to avoid the crowded train. Please do not expect the same amenity of other express train’s Green class seat.

DX Green class seat

This Green class is available on 787 series in Kyushu region.

There are only three seats of DX Green in one train set. (C) Sonic Rail Garden

This seat is much bigger than common Green class seat. It is 5 cm wider, 1 cm longer in the depth and 3 cm higher than common Green class seat on 787 series. You recline the seat deeply and it is almost flat. Each seat has two power outlets

Green compartment

Green class seat compartment is available on the Limited Express Super View Odoriko (Shinjuku – Izukyu Shimoda) and JR Kyushu’s 787 series.

Limited Express Super View Odoriko offers a few compartments in Green class car. (C) Sonic Rail Garden
JR Kyushu’s 787 series Green compartment is also called “Salon Space”. (C) Sonic Rail Garden

Most compartments accommodate 4 passengers.

Ordinary class seat

This is most common seat for most travelers.

  • Leg space – 910 to 1,200 mm
  • Width – 440 to 480 mm
  • Seat layout – 2+3 on the Shinkansen or 2+2 on the limited express train on the conventional line

There are also many kinds of Ordinary class seat. However there is no big difference between many Ordinary class seats. Some trains offer better seat on the reserved Ordinary class car.

I like to show you several samples.

Ordinary class seat on the Shinkansen

2+3 seat layout is the standard of Ordinary class seat on most of the Shinkansen line.

Ordinary class seat of N700 series on the Sanyo and the Kyushu Shinkansen lines. This is the standard layout of the Shinkansens’ Ordinary class seat.

The Shinkansen fleet is wider than the trains on conventional trains. This is the reason why the layout is 2+3. You can recline the seat. Green car seat is way better but the ordinary class seat is not a bad choice.

Some Shinkansen trains have 2+2 seat layout. The Akita Shinkansen and the Yamagata Shinkansen have 2+2 seat layout.

The Akita Shinkansen E6 series Ordinary class seat (C) Sonic Rail Garden

These Shinkansen line trains go through the conventional line. The size of the fleet is smaller than the standard Shinkansen fleet size. This is a reason why these Shinkansen fleets have 2+2 seat layout. It does not mean that this 2+2 seat layout is better other Shinkansen 2+3 seat layout. The width of the seats are almost same .

There are several more Shinkansen fleets which have 2+2 seat layout in Ordinary class on the Sanyo and the Kyushu Shinkansen lines. These are better 2+2 seat layout which is different from Ordinary class seat on the Akita Shinkansen and the Yamagata Shinkansen.

The first one is 800 series on Kyushu Shinkansen. All Ordinary class seats are provided by 2+2 seat configuration.

800 series of the Kyushu Shinkansen does not Green class seat. (C) Sonic Rail Garden

And the other one is N700 series, 700 series and 500 series of the Sanyo Shinkansen and the Kyushu Shinkansen. N700 series usually runs as “Mizuho” or “Sakura”. 700 series and 500 series usually runs as Kodama. These series provide 2+2 seat for only RESERVED Ordinary class seat.

Ordinary class seat in reserved car on N700 series (C) Sonic Rail Garden

As you see the photo above, the seat looks Green class seat. If you take a seat in non reserved car, the seat layout is 2+3. If you take Sakura or Mizuho, I highly recommend you to reserve your seat. And Kodama offers 2+2 seat layout in the reserved car. However this seat is offered on Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata only. Kodama which runs on Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka does not offer any 2+2 seat layout. All Ordinary class seats are 2+3.

Ordinary class seat of the limited express train on the conventional line

All Ordinary class seats on the conventional lines’ limited express train are 2+2 seat layout.

If you take a seat on most of economy class seat on the flight, the leg space is around 800 mm. Even the smallest leg space on Ordinary class seat is 910 mm. It is way bigger than the flight economy class seat. My height is 184 cm (6 feet) but I am okay with Ordinary class seat.

What is the difference between Green and Ordinary?

If you are thinking to buy JR Pass, you may be wondering that you should buy Ordinary or Green pass.

The difference is basically amenity and the functions. Green class seat offers bigger leg space. And it offers lots of functions, such as the head rest, the leg rest and recline much deeper than ordinary seat. As I mentioned above, Green class seat does not include any meal services.

Usually Green class seat car is quieter than Ordinary class seat car. I do not mean that Ordinary class seat car is very noisy. But Green class seat is very expensive. Most of family travelers with small child avoid to take Green class seat. Many Green class seat passengers pay for this atmosphere.

And if you use JR Pass Green, you can book a seat on either Green or Ordinary. This gives you a bigger chance to book a seat. Especially if you travel in the busy period, this may be a big advantage. However some trains do not have any Green class seats. Even the train has it, the space may be very limited.

In my opinion, JR Pass Green is very good deal. As long as you can pay for it, you should go for it. But as I mentioned, JR trains’ Ordinary class seat is not a bad choice. If you are very sensitive with your budget, you can go for JR Pass Ordinary. That is not such a bad choice.

Green class of JR Hokkaido trains

Green seat on Super Ozora by 283 series (C) Sonic Rail Garden
Green seat on Super Ozora by 283 series (C) Sonic Rail Garden

If you have a plan to travel in Hokkaido, I recommend to buy Green pass. JR Hokkaido provides you the best service in Japan Railways Group (six companies = JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central, JR Shikoku, JR Kyushu).Green class of all JR Hokkaido limited express train give you 2+1 seat configuration. “Twincle Lady” who is an attendant just for Green class on limited express “Hokuto/Super Hokuto” (Hakodate-Sapporo), “Super Tokachi/Super Ozora” (Sapporo-Obihiro/Kushiro) provide you soft drink, new paper (maybe Japanese only), magazine (maybe Japanese only too), blanket and steam hot towel. Twincle lady do not attend on the other limited express train, but the attendant provide you very similar service. (This service was discontinued in March, 2015.)

Comments

  1. Ann baldwin says:

    arrive 9may-11 may haneda – tokyo
    I am travelling 11 may Tokyo-hakodate
    14 may hakodate-sopporro
    17may sopporo-Tokyo
    18may tokto-Osaka/Kyoto/Hiroshima
    22 mayosaka-Tokyo
    26 may Tokyo to haneda

    Thinking to get 14 day pass startin from 11th May
    What do you think?
    best regards

  2. Marcin says:

    Hello there.

    Takeshi, if you could advice whether I and my wife should take Green or stick to the Ordinary pass?

    Our route is 18-24 July and covers Tokyo-Kyoto-Himeji- Hiroshima-Miyajima-Kumamoto-Yufuin-Fukuoka-Kiso Valley-Tokyo.

    I suppose we will take two medium-sized wheelie luggage + 2 bags (for wandering around the city etc.).

    I’m a little worried about the luggage and their storage… e.g. on the round from Kyoto do Hiroshima we want to visit Himeji and Okayama (garden) and just hope that the coin lockers would be available at that time 🙂

    Any advice would be very much appreciated!

    Thank you!

  3. Thao says:

    Dear Takeshi-san
    I plan to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto/Hirojima and to Ashikaga for flower festival. The period is from April 12 to April 19. Do you think the green pass is worthwhile from the stand point of crowd, luggge space, availability of seats? I think there may be more crowded during this period because of spring flowering. Please give me your opinion. Thank you.
    Thao

    • Hi Thao san,

      Actually mid April is not a peak season. It’s just as usual because it’s just after spring break and before Golden week. Of course you may use Green pass but in my opinion, it’s not required.

      Cheers,

      TAkeshi / JPRail.com

      • Thao says:

        Thank you for your advice Takeshi-san!

        Also, I will arrive in Hadena airport at 5:00am morning of April 12 and will exchange the Japan Pass order at 7:45 when the JR Service Center opens. Then I plan to take the Hikari 505 from Tokyo-Kyoto at 8:33. Since the schedule is a bit tight, do you think I can find seat at that time without reservation in advance?

        In general, do you think I should be able to get seat on Shinkansen without reservation during the period from April 12 to 17?

        Best regards,
        Thao

        • Hi Thao san,

          You may be able to find the seat. But if you travel with someone, you may not be able to find the seat side by side. I recommend you to reserve your seat because JR pass covers reserved seat.

          I don’t think you can catch 8:33. It takes at least 30 minutes to get Tokyo by monorail and Yamanote line. But you will spend 10 minutes to transfer at Hamamatsucho and Tokyo. It’s not possible in my opinion. You may take one later Shinkansen.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

  4. David Fielder says:

    Your advice is excellent. However, one aspect of “Green vs. Regular” appears to be crowded trains and ease of access. We are touring Japan Kyushu & Honshu during late March – height of Cherry Blossom season apparently.

    I’d appreciate your thoughts on the posting I’m copying here?

    Thanks, David

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-north-east-asia/topics/green-or-ordinary-jr-rail-pass-traveling-in-western-honshu-and-kyushu

    This is several months after my trip, but I would like to give an update on how things turned out. The green pass was DEFINITELY WORTH IT. Our trip started on Monday, July 18th a national holiday, and there was a huge line near the ticket office for the bullet trains. A train worker told us at 2 in the afternoon that all of the bullet trains were full for the rest of the day. I said, “we have the green pass” and she looked surprised and proceeded to book us for a train 30 minutes later. This was a reoccurring theme throughout our trip, had we not had the green pass during the busy summer travel season we would have been screwed.
    So the green pass is more about availability than comfort. It’s great for people who don’t make reservations before hand, or are worried about availability if they miss a train (happend to us once).
    As far as comfort, it’s a only a little better than the regular cars, I hear the seat reclines slightly more, although I would think it depends on the model of the bullet train. As 90% of the seats in the green car were usually empty, and I could always put my luggage behind the last row of seats, rather than in the rooms between the cars. By the way, I added it up, without the bullet train pass my trip would have cost $885 (USD). Instead I paid $472 for the green car pass, not bad.

    • Hi David,

      I totally agree with it. However many travelers complains even ordinary pass is expensive.
      And even Green car is packed in peak season. I have heard that some of Green pass holders could not get even reserved ordinary seat.
      So I like Green pass but I don’t not recommend it very strongly.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  5. JEN says:

    Hello Takeshi san,

    As I have purchased a green car ticket, will there be a good variety of ekiben that I can purchase from attendant? Or will it be better to purchase before boarding? I would like to try the regional ekiben as much as possible.
    Thank you for

    • Hi Jen san,

      It’s nothing different between Green and ordinary.
      In these days, many wagon services are discontinued. I recommend to buy it before boarding.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • JEN says:

        Thank you for your reply Takeshi san. I will purchase before boarding.

      • Independencer says:

        Seriously, Takeshi-san!? I love to buy it on board since my first time to Japan.
        Sometimes, actually in my very first trip from Tokyo to Nikko years ago, I did not have enough time to buy it before boarding. Having to take some hours on the trip without food will be exhausted for me. (T-T)
        But as you say, thinking my last trip months ago, I have really seen less wagon services… too bad.

        • Hi Independencer,

          Yes. Because there are many shops in the stations in these days. They have many more kinds of items than wagon service.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

          • Independencer says:

            Arigatou gozaimasu, Takeshi-san.
            However, any chance on Shinkansen and (Super) Hokuto?
            This mid-July, I will have to take a long one from Tokyo to Hakodate (and return) in the brand new Hokkaidō Shinkansen, then more to Sapporo. Just in case I would not have enough time at some points…
            Shorter routes from Sapporo to Otaru and Furano will still be ok without wagon services.

            Just one more question to your topic, I am really considering buying Green JR (nationwide) Pass this time since it is quite a peak time for Hokkaidō (and first summer after Shinkansen’s launch). My group is my family of 4.
            I have not had any problems reserving the seats (never pre-booked, but right at Midori no Madoguchi) for Ordinary Pass every time before, though we might not have sit together, but still always in the same car. However, please consider that our trips have never crashed into peak seasons or holidays.

            It will be my first time in Hokkaidō, as well. So please advise us.
            Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

  6. Lars says:

    Hi Takeshi-san,
    thanks for the excellent page, really helpful for my plans. One thing I have not figured out yet: In the information on the Japan Rail Pass Green Class that I got it says that most Hikari and Sakura Shinkansen on the Sanyo and Kyushu lines do not carry Green Class. Is that still up to date? And is there a way to see which train actually has Green Class?
    Thanks for your help,
    Lars

  7. JEN says:

    I am sorry for the auto spellcheck. I meant Takeshi San and not Takeshita.

  8. JEN says:

    Dear Takeshita,

    I realize the earlier inquiry of the trains I will be taking does have Green but as you had mentioned prior that the configuration isn’t much different from Ordinary. So I plan to change the Yamagata course using Yamabiko to Fukushima then transferring to Yamagata. How does this sound? I welcome any suggestions. Thank you very much.

  9. JEN says:

    I used Hyperdia to make a schedule of trip using JR Green Pass. Please inform me whether all the trains or most I plan to use has a Green Car. I read that the Tsubasa does not have a Green Car but using the Hyperdia drop bar it seems to have Green Car. I have listed the trains I plan to use. Please inform me whether they have Green Cars.

    Hikari 461, 501, 530, 532
    Kodama 740
    Kagayaki 503, 512
    Nasuno 251,278
    Azusa 3, 14
    Tsubasa 127, 135, 146

    Thank you very much.

  10. Jesi says:

    Hi Takeshi san,

    Thank you for the informative site.
    I would like to get your advise on which pass to use. I will be in Japan in the following dates
    March 24 Tokyo to Kyoto
    March 27 Nara
    March 28 Osaka
    March 29 to April 3 Tokyo
    Will be traveling once I arrived from Tokyo airport to Kyoto (via shinkansen) then day tour to Nara afterwards.
    Do you think its worth to get the 14days jr pass or is there other pass to use?
    Thank you,
    Jesi

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