Shinagawa Station vs. Tokyo Station: Which is Closer?
When heading westward to places like Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, when it comes to the Shinkansen station in Tokyo on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, many people might envision Tokyo Station.
Especially for foreign tourists who might not be familiar with Tokyo's geography, when planning a Shinkansen trip, they tend to choose "Tokyo Station" as the departure or arrival station.
However, did you know that there's another Shinkansen stop within Tokyo called "Shinagawa Station"?
When departing from Tokyo Station, the starting point, all Tokaido Shinkansen trains stop at the next station, "Shinagawa Station," about 7 minutes after departing from Tokyo Station (the next station after Shinagawa is Shin-Yokohama Station).
On the other hand, Shinkansen trains heading towards Tokyo Station will stop at "Shinagawa Station" approximately 7 minutes before reaching the final destination, Tokyo Station.
Shinagawa Station is located about 7 kilometers southwest of Tokyo Station. It is 6 stops away on the JR Yamanote Line (local line), and you can reach it in about 13 minutes.
If your accommodation is located in the following areas within Tokyo, using Shinagawa Station might offer better transportation convenience than Tokyo Station:
- Shibuya Area - Choose Shinagawa Station without hesitation.
- Shinjuku Area - While taking a local train might get you to Tokyo Station faster, Shinagawa Station is closer in distance, particularly if you plan to use a taxi.
- Roppongi Area - Accessible from both Shinagawa Station and Tokyo Station.
As a comparison, the areas where Tokyo Station might be more convenient are:
- Ginza Area
- Asakusa Area
- Roppongi Area - Accessible from both Shinagawa Station and Tokyo Station.
Below, we provide a simple route map and show the relative positions.
It's worth noting that Shinagawa Station is smaller in scale compared to Tokyo Station, so it's not as crowded, and you can quickly access the Shinkansen platforms. However, if you're looking for a variety of souvenir shops and restaurants, Tokyo Station offers more choices.
Below are the list of our ticket items departing from Shinagawa station.
If you're staying especially in Shibuya area, it's worth considering the use of Shinagawa Station.
https://shinkansen-ticket.com/collections/from-shinagawa
If you have already purchased a ticket either from or to Tokyo Station, there are no additional charges for riding from or getting off at Shinagawa Station. The ticket fare from Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station to/from other stations is the same.
Map of Shinagawa Station's premises (JR Official)
Map of Tokyo Station's premises (JR Official)
Seat guide
Ordinary Seat
Regular seats used on Reserved cars and Unreserved cars of Shinkansen. Consider it as "economy class" seat.
Green Seat
Better seats with more space than ordinary seats. All Green Seats are reserved only. Consider it as "business class" seats.
Reserved Seat (Ordinary Reserved Seat)
Your seat is reserved and secured when you book your tickets. Head to the station with a peace of mind.
Seats are the same as Ordinary Seat.
Green Reserved Seat
Better seats and free blankets. Popular among Japanese business persons, executives and people who
GranClass
Know as "First Class" of Shinkansen seats. Only available on Hokuriku and Tohoku Shinkansen lines.
Unreserved Seat
You can take any open seats in unreserved cars of any train on the departure date. (No departure time will be indicated on your tickets.)
The best seat type if your priority is the cost and are traveling during less-crowded season/time.
For further information and photos, please visit official page at http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/ticket/types.html