Shinkansen smartEX App

Shinkansen smartEX App

Tokaido/Sanyo/KyushuShinkansen

607 ratings
373 reviews
#131 in free Travel
✈️ Travel
Free

Details

Released
October 30, 2017
Updated
October 26, 2026

Features

Shinkansen smartEX App screenshot #1 for iPhone
Shinkansen smartEX App screenshot #2 for iPhone
Shinkansen smartEX App screenshot #3 for iPhone
Shinkansen smartEX App screenshot #4 for iPhone
Shinkansen smartEX App screenshot #5 for iPhone
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About

Easily reserve Shinkansen seats, hotels, and activities. Enjoy discounts for early bookings and flexible changes. Access station and train service information, and use QR tickets or designated IC cards for seamless travel.

✓Reserve Shinkansen seats
✓Book hotels and activities
✓Early booking discounts
✓Free reservation changes
✓Select seats from map
✓QR-Ticket and IC card boarding
✓Fingerprint authentication login
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What's New in Shinkansen smartEX App

10.1.5

October 26, 2026

▼Ver. 10.1.5 - You can check Tracks in "Seat Information".

Charts

Top Free

📈 131+7

Travel

This app rose +7 positions in Travel chart.

Last updated on November 1, 2026.

User reviews

Disappointment

It’s such a shame for Japan as this is one of the first things that you interact with to buy train tickets. I’ve tried 3 different cards and all failed authorizations. Only AMEX worked but this is not mentioned anywhere on the app. After managing to purchase my ticket, when I tried to log in again to my account, they permanently suspended my account and I had to make an international phone call. They didn’t reverse the decision and I was told my tickets are invalid. However a refund was never issued. I have to wait another month to be able to request a refund. It’s insane, such a shame and disappointing welcoming to Japan.
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Unable to go through credit card charge!

Tried both Visa and Master card. No success! Failed to charge into my credit card account. Don’t know how to fix it.

App and website are both terrible.

You would think for a country that is so advanced, the app and website would be useful. You cannot change the freaking credit card. I don’t have that card anymore. This is a giant problem. Terrible app.

Painful

This app is so painful to use, beginning with the account set up, I assume they hate tourists. The bullet trains, once you’re on them, are fast and efficient. But whether you’re buying tickets at the station or trying to online using this app, it is just incredibly painful and difficult. Just one example: they limit passwords to eight characters, but also insist that there be upper and lowercase letters and a number. It’s as if they are begging for their users to be hacked. My workaround: arrive at the station half an hour at least before the train departs, so you can navigate the confusing and inexplicable ticketing process.
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Doesn’t work

Trying to access. Won’t accept the password I’m sure
I set.
Fine.
I will reset password. Stuck in never ending loop of OTPs and failures. Only option given to solve is to phone a non toll free number. Terrible design.

Developer apps

FAQ

What can I do with the Shinkansen smartEX App?

The app allows you to easily reserve Shinkansen seats, book hotels and activities, and access information about services in stations and on trains. You can also take advantage of early booking discounts and make free changes to your reservations before boarding.

How do I pay for tickets and reservations?

Ticket purchases and reservations are charged to the credit card registered to your account. Membership registration, which requires personal information and a valid credit card, is necessary to use the app for booking.

Can I use this app with a Japan Rail Pass?

No, this app is not intended for making seat reservations with a Japan Rail Pass. It is designed for direct ticket purchases and reservations for the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines.

How do I board the train with the app?

You can board the train using a QR-Ticket displayed within the app, or by designating and registering an IC card for public transportation. This allows for ticketless travel with compatible IC cards.

Is the app available in languages other than English?

Currently, this service is only available in English. For more detailed information about the service, please refer to the official website.