Photo/Illutration An artist’s rendition of a single-person compartment on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line (Provided by Central Japan Railway Co.)

Passengers on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line willing to pay more for privacy can travel in comfort and style in their own compartments starting from fall as they did decades ago.

Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) will introduce the fully private compartment-style seats on the Tokaido bullet train in phases from Oct. 1, President Shunsuke Niwa announced in an interview with media outlets.

While pricing has yet to be determined, Niwa said, “We will need to charge a fare substantially (higher) than that of Green Car seats.”

The compartments will be created by refurbishing the vestibule area. Each train set will feature two rooms, one for single occupancy and the other for two people.

The compartments will be equipped with a dedicated Wi-Fi network and individually adjustable lighting and air conditioning.

JR Tokai announced in spring 2024 that it would install compartments on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line within fiscal 2026.

The planned compartments mark the return of fully private rooms on the line for the first time in 23 years, since the double-decker 100 Series trains from the era of the now-defunct Japanese National Railways retired in 2013.

In the past, the Tokaido Shinkansen Line, which links Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations, also offered dining cars, buffets and cafeterias.

Reflecting on the history of the high-speed rail line, Niwa said the company has worked hard primarily to expand transport capacity by increasing the frequency of train services.

The Nozomi service operated a maximum of seven trains per hour in one direction in 2003. By 2020, it became capable of running up to 12.

“That marked a sort of milestone,” Niwa said. “We have tried to improve convenience by raising the overall standard through uniform service, but we will now advance initiatives to provide services tailored to diverse travel purposes.”

In 2021, JR Tokai began trial operations of the S Work car, which allows business travelers to more comfortably use their laptop computers and cellphones.

The company also introduced the S Work P seat, which offers a wider space in three-seat rows by keeping the middle seat vacant and fitted with a partition, in 2023.

Following the rollout of compartments, JR Tokai plans to install semi-private premium seats in some Green Cars within fiscal 2027.

The company also intends to introduce new services for Green Car passengers to boost revenue.

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