From Kyoto to Hiroshima, shinkansen is the way to go. The Kyoto to Hiroshima rail route consists of two sections, which are on different shinkansen routes. The Kyoto to Osaka section is on Tokaido Shinkansen. The Osaka to Hiroshima section is on Sanyo Shinkansen. But you can take the train directly between these two cities with one ticket, or JR Pass.
Journey |
Time by Nozomi |
Time by Hikari |
Train Frequency |
One-Way Fare |
Kyoto to Hiroshima |
1 h 36 min |
1 h 59 min |
Every 15-30 minutes |
11,300 yen |
There are three types of trains in service on Kyoto to Hiroshima shinkansen with different running speeds and the number of intermediate stations. They are Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama.
1. Nozomi train: this is the fastest train with limited stops only at major stations along the way including Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya and Kyoto. Most Nozami trains run from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka and further into Tohoku Shinkansen. Most services on Tokaido Shinkansen are Nozomi trains, with a maximum of 8 pairs of trains per hour. Japan Rail Pass cannot be used to take Nozomi trains.
2. Hikari train: this is the second fastest rail service from Kyoto to Hiroshima shinkansen. They have more intermediate stops than Nozami. Hikari runs two shifts per hour. Passengers holding Japan Rail Pass can take Hikari trains.
3. Kodama train: this is the slowest high-speed service. Kodama trains run two shifts per hour. They stop at every station along the Tokyo - Shin-Osaka route. Japan Rail Pass can be used to take Kodama trains.
Ordinary class on shinkansen trains and limited express trains have reserved cars and unreserved cars. Thus ticket for ordinary class are sold as reserved or unreserved.
A reserved seat on ordinary class comes with an allocated seat. A reserved ticket fee will be added to the basic ticket fare. Seats need to be reserved in advance at a JR ticket office before boarding.
An unreserved seat on ordinary class doesn’t have an allocated seat. You can sit on at any available seats you like. Tickets on unreserved cars have unlimited number. In most cases you can find a seat on the unreserved car easily. But during peak travel seasons like Spring Break (late March to early April), Golden Week (April 28th to May 6th) and New Year (December 29 to January 2nd), you may find that all seats are taken and you will have to stand for your whole train journey.
Green car is equivalent to first class in Japan. You can identify the green car by the symbol of clover next to the door. The green car seating is more spacious, with more leg and elbow room. There are four seats (2+2) in a row on shinkansen trains, and 3 seats (2+1) in a row on limited express trains.
The green car gives you a more comfortable train travel experience. The seats are softer and can be reclined up to 40 degrees. Green cars are always quiet, even during peak seasons and holidays.
Green car seats are expensive than ordinary seats. All green car seats are reserved. Seats can be reserved a month prior to departure.
Tokyo Station is one of the largest and busiest train stations in Japan. Over 3,000 trains stop at this station per day.
Trains in Japan offer three classes of seat: ordinary seat, green car seat and gran class seat.
If you plan to take trains in Japan, JR Pass is an incredibly good value for money and can save you a lot of hassle.