JR East to roll out new ticket machines designed to be easier for tourists
The East Japan Railway Company (JR East) has announced that it will be introducing a new model of its reserved seat ticket vending machines.
The changes are aimed at simplifying the process for all users, especially international tourists.
The new machines are designed with a more intuitive user interface and expanded capabilities, a welcome change for visitors who may find Japan’s complex rail ticketing system difficult to navigate.
A key change is a redesign of the machine’s top menu screen.
The new interface will be purpose-based, with simple options like “Buy a ticket” and “Change a ticket,” a format that is much more straightforward for those unfamiliar with Japanese ticket types like “Reserved Seat” or “Unreserved Seat.”
A major new hardware feature will be added to the machines located at Shinkansen transfer gates, a common point of confusion for travelers.
These new machines will be equipped with a dedicated reader for the “Mobile Suica” digital transit card.
This will allow tourists and other passengers who use their smartphones for local train travel to easily purchase a separate Shinkansen ticket at the transfer gate without having to queue at a staffed ticket office.
JR East also announced a significant expansion of the automated refund services, providing more peace of mind for travelers.
Starting on the 1st of October, customers will be able to process their own refunds at the machines for trains suspended due to events like typhoons, which can be a major concern for tourists during certain seasons.
The system for processing refunds for major delays will also be expanded to cover other popular tourist routes, including the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.
The deployment of these new machines is scheduled to begin this month.
Approximately 160 new units are planned to be installed at about 20 major stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area during the 2025 fiscal year.
In addition, the software on the existing, older models of the ticket machines will be updated to the new, simpler interface on the 1st of October.
This news comes as Tokyo Metro has announced a new initiative to simplify travelling on their subway trains, which will see the rollout of contactless payment across all of their stations by 2026.
Source: Press Release
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