How to board the Shinkansen using your SmartEX QR ticket. Each traveler needs their own QR code on their own phone. Read this before arriving at Shinagawa.
Before You Leave the US
- Distribute QR codes: After booking, open SmartEX → My Trips → Details → email the QR code to each traveler. Each person needs their own code — you cannot share one phone at a group gate.
- Screenshot each QR as a backup image in your camera roll. If the app fails at the gate, the screenshot works.
- Apple Wallet (iOS): QR codes can be added to Apple Wallet for fast access without opening the app.
- Screen protectors: Some screen protectors block the QR scanner. Test before departure. If yours is thick or privacy-coated, lean on the screenshot backup or the staffed gate window.
At the Station — Step by Step
Step 1 — Find a QR-Compatible Gate
Not all Shinkansen gates accept QR. Look for gates with a QR symbol on the reader panel. At Shinagawa, these are clearly marked. If you can’t find one, go to the staffed gate window — show the attendant your QR code and they’ll pass you through manually.
Step 2 — Display Your QR Code
Open the SmartEX app:
- My Trips
- Details
- Display QR-Ticket
- Select your seat
Or open Apple Wallet if you added it there.
Step 3 — Scan at the Gate
Hold your phone screen against the QR scanner. The gate opens. Walk through.
Step 4 — Collect the Seat Information Receipt
Do not skip this. A small receipt prints after you pass the gate. Take it. This is your proof of reservation for that train — without it, the train conductor can charge you the base unreserved fare on top of what you already paid. Keep it until you exit at Shin-Osaka.
Step 5 — Find Your Car
Signs above the platform show car positions. You are in Car 9. Green Car cars are typically toward the middle of the 16-car train. Your seat is in rows 7–8.
If Arriving by Keikyu (IC Card Line)
The Keikyu line exit and the Shinkansen gate are separate.
- Exit the Keikyu line by tapping your IC card (Suica) at the Keikyu exit turnstile
- Walk to the Shinkansen concourse — follow 新幹線 signs
- Scan your SmartEX QR at the Shinkansen gate
Do not tap your IC card at the Shinkansen gate. The QR handles the Shinkansen leg. Your IC card is only for the conventional (local) lines.
Changing Your Train (If Customs Runs Late)
SmartEX allows free same-day changes before the train departs:
- Open SmartEX → My Trips
- Select the booking
- Change departure time to the next available Nozomi
- New QR codes are issued — distribute again if needed
Nozomi trains run every 10–15 min during peak hours. Missing the 17:37 is not a crisis — the next one works.
Quick Reference Card
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Before leaving US | Email QR to each traveler; screenshot backup |
| At gate | Find QR-symbol gate; scan phone |
| After gate | Take Seat Information receipt |
| IC card transfer | Exit Keikyu first, then scan QR at Shinkansen gate |
| If gate won’t scan | Use staffed window with QR visible |
| If train missed | Change via SmartEX app before departure |
Links
- Train & Pass Strategy - full booking details, seat numbers, trip tables
- IC Cards - Suica setup and usage guide
- First 48 Hours - full April 8 arrival day timeline