Departures and Schedule
The Hello Kitty Shinkansen operation schedule changes monthly. It operates on most days of the month, but a few days are designated when the Hello Kitty Shinkansen is not available. The calendar is periodically updated on their website.
The Shinkansen goes between Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka and Hakata Station in Fukuoka with one departure from each destination daily.
Hakata Station (departs 7:04 AM) to Shin-Osaka Station (arrives 11:25 PM)Shin-Osaka Station (departs 11:37 AM) to Hakata Station (arrives 3:51 PM)
As the Shinkansen is classified as a Kodama Shinkansen bullet train, they will stop at a number of different stations along the way, including the following:
Shin-Yamaguchi (Yamaguchi)Hiroshima (Hiroshima)Shin-Kurashiki (Okayama)Okayama (Okayama)Himeji (Hyōgo)Shin-Kobe (Hyōgo)Shin-Osaka (Osaka)and more!Riding the Hello Kitty Shinkansen
The Hello Kitty Shinkansen operates as a Kodama service on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Tickets can be purchased like any other Shinkansen train—at JR ticket offices (Midori no Madoguchi), ticket machines, or online through JR West’s reservation systems—and there is no special surcharge for the themed train.
Travelers using the Japan Rail Pass can ride the Hello Kitty Shinkansen at no extra cost by simply boarding unreserved cars, while pass holders with seat reservations included may also reserve seats in advance. Because the train runs only on select Kodama departures, it’s best to check the timetable ahead of time to match your travel plans.
AloJapan.com