A new link-up between Japan’s railway operators and a global travel service agency will make it possible for visitors to buy tickets for Japan’s Shinkansen, or bullet trains, on-line and in advance.
The deal links Trip.com with the four companies that operate the trains, East Japan Railway Company, Central Japan Railway Company, West Japan Railway Company, and Kyushu Railway Company.
It marks the first time that travelers have been able to order all types of tickets in advance in their preferred language, potentially drawing more visitors to bullet train destinations.
Despite having a single way to buy tickets, differences among the four companies will make the process not quite uniform, at least yet. Some tickets will arrive in the form of QR codes that will operate ticket gates, while others will use the electronic ticket to collect physical tickets from a machine at the station.
