JR East Fare Increase for the First Time in 31 Years

On March 14, 2026, JR East implemented a fare revision. Excluding adjustments related to consumption tax increases, this marks the first fare hike since 1995, a span of approximately 31 years.

Railway fares, long regarded as a “model of price stability,” have finally reached a major turning point. This revision is not a simple across-the-board increase, but is characterized by a combination of multiple system changes. Overall, fares have risen by an average of 10.9%.

  • Standard passenger fares (tickets and IC): approximately 11% increase
  • Commuter passes: approximately 13% increase
  • Student commuter passes: unchanged (excluded this time as a consideration for household burden)

Initial fare (within the Yamanote Line area)

  • Before revision: 150 yen (ticket)
  • After revision: 170 yen (ticket)

    *Meanwhile, the “barrier-free surcharge” (10 yen) introduced in 2023 has been incorporated into the base fare and abolished, meaning the actual increase is more moderate than it appears in some sections.

The last time JR East raised fares for reasons other than consumption tax adjustments was in 1995 (Heisei 7). At that time, management efforts following privatization and the deflationary economy after the collapse of the bubble made it possible to keep fares unchanged. However, in recent years, declining ridership due to population decrease, rising electricity costs, and the cost of renewing aging infrastructure have overlapped, finally bringing corporate efforts to their limit.

2026年3月26日
鉄旅ライフ編集部
過去のコラムはこちら

Hokuriku Shinkansen Fare Chart – Quick Reference (March 2026 Update)

Top row Base fare
Bottom row Shinkansen surcharge (non-reserved seat)

Kagayaki, Hakutaka, Asama & Tsurugi Shinkansen Fare Chart – Quick Reference

Fares and surcharges are shown separately.
Add the top and bottom amounts to get the total price.

Distance from
Tokyo (km)		Station NameTokyoUenoOmiyaKumagayaHonjo-WasedaTakasakiAnnakaharunaKaruizawaSakudairaUedaNaganoIiyamaJoetsumyokoItoigawaKurobe-UnazukionsenToyamaShin-TakaokaKanazawaKomatsuKaga-OnsenAwara-OnsenFukuiEchizen-Takefu
3.6 Ueno200
※880
30.3 Omiya620
※1,090		530
※880
64.7 Kumagaya1,230
2,610		1,230
2,400		620
※880
86.0 Honjo-Waseda1,600
2,610		1,600
2,400		1,040
2,400		440
※880
105.0 Takasaki2,090
3,040		2,090
2,830		1,410
2,400		810
2,400		350
※880
123.5 Annakaharuna2,420
3,040		2,420
2,830		1,790
2,400		1,040
2,400		720
2,400		350
※880
146.8 Karuizawa2,750
3,380		2,750
3,170		2,090
3,170		1,600
2,400		1,230
2,400		810
2,400		440
※880
164.4 Sakudaira3,190
3,380		3,190
3,170		2,420
3,170		1,790
2,400		1,410
2,400		1,040
2,400		810
2,400		350
※880
189.2 Ueda3,520
3,380		3,520
3,170		2,750
3,170		2,420
3,170		2,090
3,170		1,600
2,400		1,230
2,400		810
2,400		440
※880
222.4 Nagano4,180
4,270		4,180
4,060		3,520
3,170		2,750
3,170		2,420
3,170		2,090
3,170		1,790
2,400		1,410
2,400		1,040
2,400		620
※880
252.3 Iiyama4,620
4,270		4,620
4,060		4,180
4,060		3,520
3,170		3,190
3,170		2,750
3,170		2,420
3,170		2,090
3,170		1,600
2,400		1,230
2,400		530
※880
281.9 Joetsumyoko5,390
4,270		5,390
4,060		4,620
4,060		3,850
4,060		3,520
3,170		3,190
3,170		2,750
3,170		2,420
3,170		2,090
3,170		1,790
2,400		1,040
2,400		530
※880
318.9 Itoigawa5,720
5,700		5,720
5,490		5,280
4,730		4,620
4,730		4,180
4,730		3,850
4,730		3,520
3,830		3,190
3,830		2,750
3,830		2,410
3,830		1,740
3,070		1,190
3,070		680
※880
358.1 Kurobe-Unazukionsen6,270
6,030		6,270
5,820		5,830
5,820		5,280
5,050		4,950
5,050		4,620
5,050		4,180
5,050		3,850
5,050		3,520
4,160		3,180
4,160		2,360
4,160		2,000
3,830		1,340
2,400		680
※880
391.9 Toyama6,820
6,360		6,820
6,150		6,490
6,150		5,830
6,150		5,610
6,150		5,280
5,390		4,950
5,390		4,620
5,390		4,180
5,390		3,840
5,390		3,130
4,160		2,330
3,830		1,980
3,170		1,340
2,400		590
※880
410.8 Shin-Takaoka7,150
6,900		7,150
6,690		6,710
6,150		6,160
6,150		5,830
6,150		5,610
6,150		5,280
5,390		4,950
5,390		4,620
5,390		4,170
5,390		3,460
4,160		2,660
3,830		2,310
3,170		1,690
2,400		990
2,400		330
※880
450.5 Kanazawa7,700
6,900		7,700
6,690		7,260
6,690		6,710
6,150		6,490
6,150		6,160
6,150		5,830
6,150		5,610
6,150		5,280
5,390		4,940
5,390		4,120
5,050		3,430
3,830		3,080
3,170		2,310
3,170		1,690
2,400		990
2,400		680
※880
477.6 Komatsu7,920
6,900		7,920
6,690		7,590
6,690		7,040
6,690		6,710
6,150		6,490
6,150		6,160
6,150		5,830
6,150		5,610
6,150		5,270
5,390		4,560
5,050		4,090
4,730		3,410
3,170		2,640
3,170		1,980
3,170		1,520
2,400		1,170
2,400		510
※880
492.1 Kaga-Onsen8,250
6,900		8,250
6,690		7,810
6,690		7,260
6,690		7,040
6,690		6,710
6,150		6,490
6,150		6,160
6,150		5,830
6,150		5,600
6,150		4,890
5,050		4,090
4,730		3,740
4,060		3,080
3,170		2,310
3,170		1,980
3,170		1,520
2,400		770
2,400		240
※880
508.4 Awara-Onsen8,580
7,230		8,580
7,020		7,810
6,690		7,590
6,690		7,260
6,690		7,040
6,690		6,710
6,150		6,490
6,150		6,160
6,150		5,600
6,150		5,220
5,050		4,530
4,730		4,070
4,060		3,410
3,170		2,640
3,170		1,980
3,170		1,690
2,400		990
2,400		590
2,400		330
※880
526.4 Fukui8,800
7,230		8,800
7,020		8,140
6,690		7,810
6,690		7,590
6,690		7,260
6,690		7,040
6,690		6,490
6,150		6,490
6,150		5,820
6,150		5,550
5,820		4,860
4,730		4,510
4,060		3,740
4,060		3,080
3,170		2,310
3,170		1,980
3,170		1,340
2,400		860
2,400		590
2,400		330
※880
545.4 Echizen-Takefu9,130
7,230		9,130
7,020		8,470
7,020		8,140
6,690		7,590
6,690		7,590
6,690		7,260
6,690		6,710
6,150		6,710
6,150		6,150
6,150		5,770
5,820		5,190
4,730		4,840
4,060		4,070
4,060		3,410
3,170		2,640
3,170		2,310
3,170		1,690
2,400		1,170
2,400		990
2,400		680
2,400		330
※880
575.6 Tsuruga9,350
7,230		9,350
7,020		9,020
7,020		8,470
7,020		8,140
6,690		7,810
6,690		7,590
6,690		7,260
6,690		7,040
6,690		6,700
6,150		6,100
5,820		5,740
5,500		5,170
4,060		4,510
4,060		3,740
4,060		3,410
3,170		3,080
3,170		2,310
3,170		1,690
2,400		1,520
2,400		1,170
2,400		860
2,400		590
1,410

Smart EX is not available on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

This route is operated by JR East and JR West, and is outside the Smart EX service area.

Tickets can be purchased through:

  • JR East online reservation (Eki-net)
  • JR West online reservation (e5489)
  • Ticket machines or JR stations in Japan

You can board using a “Shinkansen e-ticket” or a regular paper ticket.

Types of Hokuriku Shinkansen Trains

The Hokuriku Shinkansen operates four types of services: Kagayaki, Hakutaka, Asama, and Tsurugi.
Seat availability varies depending on the train, with some services offering non-reserved seats and others being fully reserved.

  • Kagayaki
    Kagayaki is the fastest service, connecting Tokyo with Kanazawa and Tsuruga.All seats are reserved, and there are no non-reserved seats.
  • Hakutaka
    Hakutaka is a semi-fast service that stops at major stations along the route.It operates between Tokyo, Nagano, Kanazawa, and Tsuruga, and includes both reserved and non-reserved seating.
  • Tsurugi
    Tsurugi is a shuttle service operating within the Hokuriku area, mainly between Toyama, Kanazawa, and Tsuruga.
    It is designed for short-distance connections.
  • Asama
    Asama is a local service operating between Tokyo and Nagano.It stops at all stations along this section of the line.