Shinkansen_Discount_Tokyo_Osaka.md

Platto Kodama - Discount Shinkansen Tickets Between Tokyo and Osaka

Platto Kodama (ぷらっとこだま) Regular Car; Reserved seat plan

Outline

• Overview
  • Travel time between Tokyo & Kyoto
• Naming
• Pricing
• Restrictions
• Is it worth it?
• Details
• Booking Methods
  • In-Person Booking
  • Online Booking
    • Search Query
    • Online Booking Steps
• Vouchers You Will Get
• Platt Free Drink
• Pick Up The Platt Kodama Tickets
  • Prep - Getting the ticket's pickup QR Code and confirmation code
  • Pickup - Using the Ticket Machine
  • Pickup Locations
  • Pick Up at Tokyo Station
  • Pick Up at Shinagawa station
  • Pick Up at Shin-Yokohama station
  • Pick Up at Nagoya station
  • Pick Up at Kyoto Station
    • 1st Floor Kyoto Branch
    • 2nd Floor Kyoto Branch
  • Pick Up at Shin-Osaka Station
• Call JR Tokai Tours Support
• Sources
• ⚠️ JR Central's servers are down from 23:30 ~ 5:00 JST ⚠️

Overview

Travel time between Tokyo & Kyoto

Name	JP	Time	Note
Nozmoi	のぞみ	2.25 hrs	Fastest, Cannot use JR Pass
Hikari	ひかり	2.67 hours	Can use JR Pass
Kodama	こだま	3.62 hours	Slowest (1.37 hours slower), Can use JR Pass

Naming

• Japanese: ぷらっとこだま普通車指定席プラン
• Google Translate: Plattokodama Regular Car Reserved Seat Plan
• English: Platt Kodama

Pricing

• Platto Kodama + Ordinary car plan -> 10,600 yen
• Platto Kodama + Green car plan -> 12,100 yen
• Comparison (Regular Prices):
  • Nozomi Ordinary car; reserved seat -> 14,170 yen (+3,670 yen)
  • Hikari or Kodama Ordinary car; reserved seat -> 13,850 yen (+3,350 yen)

Restrictions

• Platto Kodama tickets MUST be purchased the day BEFORE the travel date.
  • It cannot be bought on the day of travel
• Fixed trip plan - you cannot take any other trains.
• Seat assigned - you cannot use any other seat or change the seat.
• No stopover allowed - your ticket expires once you get off the train.
• A handling charge is charged when issuing a refund

Is it worth it?

Trip	Savings	Added Travel Time
Tokyo ↔ Shin-Osaka	4,020 yen	+1.5 hrs
Tokyo ↔ Kyoto	3,670 yen	+1.5 hrs
Tokyo ↔ Nagoya	2,800 yen	+1 hr 10 mins
Nagoya ↔ Shin-Osaka	2,180 yen	+21 mins
Nagoya ↔ Kyoto	1,510 yen	+21 mins

Details

Japanese

• Homepage: ぷらっとこだま - JR東海ツアーズ
• Where and How to Pick up the tickets: 受取箇所 - JR乗車票の受取箇所・受取方法 - 新幹線のお得なツアーはJR東海ツアーズ

English

• Homepage: https://www.jrtours.co.jp/kodama/english/

Booking Methods

In-Person Booking

Go to a JR Tokai Tours branch office and book the ticket in person.

• Tokyo station branch location
• Shinagawa station branch location
• Shin-Yokohama station branch location
• Nagoya station branch location
• Kyoto station branch location
• Shin-Osaka station branch location

Online Booking

• Only via the Japanese website 😭
  • https://www.jrtours.co.jp/kodama ⚠️
  • ⚠️ Google Translate will break the website

⚠️ Warning for Online Booking! ⚠️

• Their website is terrible and can run into bugs!
• Some credit cards are denied without reason given.
• Reservations on this site are ONLY available from 5:30 to 23:30
  • Apparently, their servers need to sleep...

⚡ Tips for Online Booking:

• Create an account first (it is buggy )
  • It is called My Page (マイページ) account
• Reserve tickets well ahead of 23:30
• Prepare multiple credit card options

Search Query

Japanese	English	Example Values
乗車日	Boarding date	2020/01/01
乗車駅	Boarding station	東京 (Tokyo)
降車駅	Arrival station	京都 (Kyoto)
出発時刻	Boarding time	Select the earliest desired boarding time

Online Booking Steps

1. 商品選択 - Product selection
2. 選択内容確認 - Confirm your selection
3. 取引条件確認 - Confirm transaction conditions
4. 申込情報入力 - Enter application information
5. 申込情報確認 - Confirm application information
6. 申込完了 - Application completed

Vouchers You Will Get

With Platt Kodama, you will get the following vouchers/documents the following:

• Platt Itinerary - i.e., receipt
• Kodama Coupon - Train ticket for the Kodama Express Shinkansen
• Platt Drink Voucher

What is the Kodama Coupon?

• Use Kodama Coupon as a ticket for the Kodama Express train.
  • You do not need to exchange the coupon for a ticket.
• Only use ticket gates for JR Tokai's SHINKANSEN train!
  • Show the Kodama Coupon at the gates.
  • ⚠️ Do not use automatic gates.

Platt Free Drink

Get a free drink at shops with the following conditions:

• In the Tokaido Shinkansen Stations (Tokyo ~ Shin-Osaka Stations)
• Shops with this sticker
• ⚠️ The voucher cannot be exchanged on Kodama Express as there is no wagon service.

Pick Up The Platt Kodama Tickets

Two Steps:

1. Prep - Get your Platt Kodama ticket's pickup QR Code and confirmation 6-digit code ready!
2. Pickup - Scan the QR Code and input the confirmation code to get your tickets from the Ticket Machine

Prep - Getting the ticket's pickup QR Code and confirmation code

1. Navigate to the JR Tokai Tours's Reservation Confirmation Page (予約内容確認): https://ec.jrtours.co.jp/ec/member/InquirySelect
2. Log in to your My Page (マイページ) account
3. Click the 一覧 (List) or 一覧を表示する (Display list) button
4. Click the 詳細 (Details) button
5. Navigate to the 選択ツアー詳細 (Select tour details) column
6. Click the JR乗車票 受取コード 確認コード表示 (JR boarding pass receipt code/confirmation code display) button
7. A Platt Kodama ticket's pickup QR Code and confirmation 6-digit code will be displayed
8. {Optional} Repeat the process to display the return trip's Platt Kodama ticket pickup QR Code

Step	ScreenShot
3 ~ 4
5

Pickup - Using the Ticket Machine

⚠️ Navigate to the Correct Ticket Machine

✅ Correct Ticket Machines	❌ Incorrect Ticket Machines

Steps	Screenshots	Description
1		Please press the "Pick up JR TOKAI TOURS tour ticket" button
2		Scan the Platt Kodama ticket's pickup QR Code
3		Input the confirmation 6-digit code and press the "Confirm" button
4		Confirm the ticket details and press the "Print" button
5		Please take all the vouchers/documents: Platt Itinerary (1x), Kodama Coupon (number of passengers), Drink Voucher (number of passengers)

Pickup Locations

(As of September 2020)

• Tokyo Station
• Shinagawa Station
• Shin-Yokohama Station
• Shizuoka Station
• Hamamatsu Station
• Nagoya Station
• Kyoto Station
• Shin-Osaka Station

⚠️ Tickets cannot be picked up by Ticket Machines inside the JR East, JR West, or JR Kyushu stations.

Pick Up at Tokyo Station

Branch Location:

• Next to the ticket gate at the South Yaesu Exit of Tokyo Station
• Google map
• 

Hours:

• Mon - Fri: 10:00-18:00
• Sat/Sun/Holidays: 10:00-18:00

Pick Up at Shinagawa station

Branch Location:

• Next to the Shinkansen South exit in JR Shinagawa Station
• Google map
• 

Hours:

• Mon - Fri: 11:00-18:00
• Sat/Sun/Holidays: 11:00-18:00

Pick Up at Shin-Yokohama station

Branch Location:

• Next to Shinkansen West exit in JR Shin-Yokohama Sta.
• Google map
• 

Hours:

• Mon - Fri: 10:00-17:00
• Sat/Sun/Holidays: 10:00-17:00

Pick Up at Nagoya station

Branch Location:

• Central concourse in JR Nagoya Sta.
• Google map
• 

Hours:

• Mon - Fri: 10:00-18:00
• Sat/Sun/Holidays: 10:00-18:00

Pick Up at Kyoto Station

1st Floor Kyoto Branch

Branch Location:

• 1st Floor of JR Kyoto Station - Hachijo exit
• Google map
• 

Hours:

• Mon - Fri: 10:30-18:00
• Sat/Sun/Holidays: 10:30-18:00

2nd Floor Kyoto Branch

Branch Location:

• 2nd Floor of JR Kyoto Station - Shinkansen Central exit
• Google map
• 

Hours:

• Mon - Fri: 9:30-17:30
• Sat/Sun/Holidays: 9:30-17:30

Pick Up at Shin-Osaka Station

Branch Location:

• Next to Shinkansen central exit
• 
• Google map

Hours:

• Mon - Fri: 10:00-17:30
• Sat/Sun/Holidays: 10:00-17:30

Call JR Tokai Tours Support

• JR Tokai Tours / JR東海ツアーズ
• Platto Travel Support / ぷらっと旅・コールセンター
• Platto Kodama "Online Reservation" Tour Desk / ぷらっとこだま"ネット予約"ツアーデスク
• Business days: Open all year round (excluding year-end and New Year holidays)
• Business hours: 10:00-18:00
• Phone number: 03-6854-4160

Sources

• 東京・京都のお得な利用法 - 新幹線旅行研究所
• Platt Kodama, one-way deal among Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka by the Shinkansen - JPRail.com

⚠️ JR Central's servers are down from 23:30 ~ 5:00 JST ⚠️

You cannot book tickets during this time.