Standard Compartment

Compartment seating was once commonly used for train travels. In the early days of railway history, compartment coaches were used even for short-distance trains on London Underground. Compartment coaches are rare in the United Kingdom these days except a few special trains, but they are widely used in the Continent even today.

Many long-distance trains in Japan including bullet trains once had compartments as well, but they have mostly disappeared. In Japan, compartments are mainly used only by one group or family of three to six, but the demand for them declined after the 1960s as large-group trips became out of date. Today, more than 99% of regular trains are open-coach, and just a handful of limited express services have compartments.

Special fares are applied in most cases, but there are a few exceptions. This article focuses on two train types on JR network that have standard-class compartments.

700 series bullet train has four compartments in coach 8. Compartments on bullet trains were mostly Green Car (first class) until 2004, but the ones on the 700 series are standard class. Each compartment is for three or four passengers, so an individual or a group of two cannot make a reservation. Furthermore, the compartments are available on just a few services listed below, making it difficult to enjoy a trip.

• Westbound
• Kodama 847, Shin-Osaka (10:37) ⇒ Hakata (14:51)
• Kodama 865, Shin-Osaka (18:37) ⇒ Hakata (22:51)
• Eastbound
• Hikari 590, Shin-Shimonoseki (6:11) ⇒ Okayama (8:23)
• Kodama 840, Hakata (6:21) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (10:25)
• Kodama 856, Hakata (13:51) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (18:25)
• Kodama 860, Hakata (15:54) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (20:25)
• Kodama 866, Hakata (17:55) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (22:12)

However, when the 700 series runs Hakata-Minami Line, compartments are generally left open, which might sound an alternative option, though it is not always valuable for outsiders as Hakata-Minami station is not a place for tourists.

Another option is 373 series. It is not well known that this short and old limited express train actually has compartments. They are available on Limited Express Fujikawa (Shizuoka – Kofu) and Inaji (Toyohashi – Iida), Homeliner services that run either between Numazu and Shizuoka or Shizuoka and Hamamatsu, and a few stopping services on Iida and Tokaido Main Lines. Those on limited express and Homeliner services require seat reservation. Note that the compartments are not for sale on internet, so you have to go to a ticket office and tell staff that you would like to book a compartment.

Compartment seating is generally more expensive than ordinary seating on a limited express service but these two are reasonable as they do not charge extra fares. Those who wish to make a trip with more than three people are recommended to consider booking one…even though none of them are necessarily useful for tourists.