Japan Railway To Revive Private Compartments On Bullet Trains

After a hiatus of approximately 23 years, passengers on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train will once again have the option to travel from point A to B in the comfort of a private compartment starting in 2026, as announced by Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Central) recently, according to a report by Kohei Shinkai for Mainichi Japan.

With the reintroduction of private compartments, the train operator aims to offer a higher level of service and amenities compared to Green Car (first-class) seats. I Photo: MaedaAkihiko Wikimedia Commons

With the reintroduction of private compartments, the train operator aims to offer a higher level of service and amenities compared to Green Car (first-class) seats.

These compartments will feature reclining seats with leg rests, dedicated Wi-Fi, customizable lighting, air conditioning, and announcement volume. Two of these rooms per train are planned for some N700S trains.

On April 17, JR Central stated that the new seats have been "designed for a variety of users and situations, such as business people who want to hold meetings online and customers who value privacy or wish to relax without being disturbed by their surroundings."

According to the company, the first private Shinkansen compartments were introduced in 1985 in its 100 Series trains, which were phased out in 2003.