Shinkansen smartEX App
Tokaido/Sanyo/KyushuShinkansen
How much does Shinkansen smartEX App cost?
Prices are current as of 11 Sept 2026.
Shinkansen smartEX App has no in-app products on record in the United States.
10+ alternatives to Shinkansen smartEX App
| Shinkansen smartEX App |   GO / Taxi app for Japan visit |   ANA |   Universal Studios Japan |   Japan Airlines |   Japan Transit Planner - Travel |   Klook: Travel & Activities |   LUUP - RIDE YOUR CITY |   Ubigi: Travel eSIM mobile data |   Japan Wi-Fi auto-connect |   Japan Travel - Smart Transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating / 5 | 1.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 854 | 912K | 536K | 472K | 462K | 398K | 283K | 100K | 46K | 22K | 20K |
| Released | 2017 | 2017 | 2010 | 2012 | 2010 | 2008 | 2015 | 2020 | 2018 | 2019 | 2013 |
| Monthly price | — | — | — | — | — | $2.99 | — | — | — | — | — |
| One-time price | — | — | — | — | — | $2.99 | — | — | — | — | $16.99 |
The going rate for each plan in United States, in its own currency, shaded from the cheapest price on the row to the dearest.
Shinkansen smartEX App reviews
1.7 out of 5, based on 854 reviews.
What people like
- Links easily to Suica cards.
- Book tickets from your hotel.
- No physical tickets needed.
- Works well once set up.
What they complain about
- Logs you out constantly.
- No Face ID login support.
- Credit cards often get declined.
- Confusing instructions for ticket pickup.
Amazing app
I dont know why this app only has 2 stars. It is amazing. I have never had a problem with it. I have never bought a physical ticket in Japan. I always just use the the app and link it to my Suica. It makes it so much more easy and convenient
You don’t earn points!
Be aware that if you happen to reside in Japan, and use this app to purchase Shinkansen tickets you will not accumulate points through their EX point system. This was not mentioned anywhere and I have been missing out on probably thousands of points because I was purchasing it through the English app. If I had known, I would’ve downloaded the Japanese version of the app and set up a proper Japanese account. Waste.
It Works Enough
Compared to other Japanese apps, it’s very good. Compared to American apps, it’s trash. It had enough functionality for me to work through it. It looks like it was made in 2005 though.
log in many times
the application keeps logout many times and you have to log in again and again
Improvement need to be made
1. Support back (hanji) display or change to Japanese language. For easier finding stations 2. Login by face-id and able to save password to iCloud easily , no one will remember password these days !!! 3. Allow end Apple Pay supported card (e.g. suica) easily by few click, instead of need to find back number and copy and paste
Great
Bought tickets on two separate occasions using the app, account creation and linking my existing suica card in my Apple wallet was quick and easy, the tickets linked instantly to my suica, and I was able to just tap my phone on the IC lane and pick up my receipt. Overall it was a super smooth and easy experience. Are bad reviews trying to keep this app a secret? Or maybe it’s hard to follow simple instructions lol
Terrible app
This is the worst transportation app I have ever downloaded. Multiple one time passwords, frequent re log ins and basically unable to validate domestic AND international credit cards. Just awful. I want to give you my money, just take my money! Whoever is responsible for this app should be fired.
Warning
I tried to use my credit card to purchase tickets. My credit card called me to worn me that someone tried to put through a phony charge. They told me lately they are getting a high number of scammers breaking into the SmartEX app.
改善してください
このアプリ、Face ID と Apple Pay に対応していれば最高なのに。 自分の銀行アプリでさえ毎回パスワードを入力する必要はないし、もっとお金を使っている他のアプリでも、こんな面倒な確認フローなしで簡単に支払えるのに。
Destination Sendai impossible!
There is a bug in this app that it does not let book a stop at Sendai (Miyagi prefecture). It will lead you to Sendai (Kagoshima prefecture) which is thousands of kms away. So beware !!
Flawless Convenience
As others have said, this app works perfectly and there is no reason it should be rated so low. Very easy to link my Suica card as well as get QR code tickets onto my Apple wallet. I was able to get the tickets to my family member’s Apple wallets as well with the share feature. I felt like the expert during my travels
Cannot buy tickets
The point of the app is to buy tickets for the Shinkansen. I can do everything except make the purchase. I am not in Japan, but planning for my upcoming trip. I would love to have my tickets and reserved seating. Can’t do it.
why does this app have low ratings?
as an american i find many websites/apps in japan a bit convoluted. but i got this app to work just fine to buy tickets and load to ic cards.
Credit card issues
I tried putting in my credit cards in but a message popped up saying it’s not valid. My partner’s Amex card worked fine. Two stars.
Much to improve
It’s a good start to provide convenience for travelers especially tourists. However the entire system is still not fully digitized eg you will have to “pickup” passenger info after you passed the gate, there is no explanation of how to “pickup” this info and it’s really confusing . And then I found out , you will have to go to the human counter to have the staff print out the ticket info for you so that in case inspections happens on train there’s something to show them. And then the app logs you out like after only a few minutes! So annoying I mean doesn’t an app meant to stay logged in because it’s an app not a browser ?!
Don’t understand the negative reviews . You guys have not been paying attention!!
Tips for first time user – 1. please set up account on PC browser . [preferably before arriving in Japan.] 2. American Express credit card works. 3. Please make sure that credit card is set up in the PC browser. 4. Then it’s good to go. This works well for me, and I never had problems with it.
Impossible to use
It crashes as soon as i enter credentials, or click forgot my password, or click register
Works well!
Great app, used it to book tickets and pick up reserved tickets at the station as well. QR code ticket option is a bit troublesome because you need to show it to the station staff first and not just scan at the gate. I recommend using this app to book tickets and use the pick-up code in your profile to pick up the physical tickets at the station, smoother that way. Also VISA credit card doesn’t work as payment for me, I used my AMEX and it works fine
Can’t sign up
Every data is collected for card information, but can’t sign up , shown error.
Payment didn’t go through
The app looks smooth and easy to use but after I clicked the purchase ticket option, I waited over 10 minutes for the process to complete but it didn’t. The app logged me out and no tickets were booked. The worry is now to check that my credit card was not charged even without any tickets being issued to me. Update second time it worked and process lasted a few seconds so increased stars.
It works
The UI is a bit basic but the app definitely works well in my experience. Not sure why there are so many negative reviews. It’s very easy to connect your account to IC card (Suica, Pasmo etc) as well, which will let you just use your phone to enter Shinkansen areas. Also, remember your login information. Write it down. The app won’t remember automatically and it doesn’t use Face ID.
Doesn't work
Why create an app, and a desktop version that doesn't work? Multiple cards, multiple attempts. Desktop. Safari. Chrome. And doesn't work. Thanks for wasting 40 minutes of life!
Get credit card working
For those having trouble registering through the app. Register through the webpage: global.jr-central.co.jp. Once done, you can use those credentials to sign in via the app and everything will work. Hope this helps.
Buggy app
Bought a ticket over the app but it hung on the payment processing page several times. Sometimes you have to wait for a few minutes before the app lets you open it due to user traffic
語言選擇
希望有不同國家的語言選擇方便購買車票 I hope there are language options for different countries to conveniently purchase tickets.
Great app
I do t know why it’s rated so low, I’ve used this app to buy tickets several times during the last 2 years and it’s so much easier than buying at stations and I love that you just scan the QR code, no keeping track of physical tickets and worrying about loosing them.
Doesn’t work
The app doesn’t allow me to select a password that it accepts… Extremely odd.
Can’t sign up my account
I can’t verify my credit card because that page shows nothing!
Registration Problem!!!
It's very frustrating. When you registered it showed your name is longer than 20 characters, pls register with less. After you incorrect your name to be less than 20 characters, you can't move on. It again showed "Please check your input". What do you expect with global customer especially from Thailand? We don't always have short name and last name!!! Pls make a clear suggestion ASAP!
Decent app
It’s not bad. Sometimes a little confusing to use. Please add FaceID login support.
Super Convenient!
I don’t know why it’s so poorly rated because this app was super handy during my two week trip to Japan. Bought all my tickets and seats ahead of time and was able to tie them to my Suica. Definitely recommend if you’re visiting!
Should be much better
Nothing works the way it should. If you take longer than a couple minutes to make a decision, the app logs you off and you’ll need to start over. My credit card was authenticated when I added it to my profile, but then was denied when I tried to buy tickets… and then I was logged off and forced to start over. I tried to filter my search by trains with available “oversized luggage” seats, but it showed me countless trains with no seats available.
Cannot register
After you key in credit card info. Credit card authentication will appear then you click continue, and nothing come out but just a cancel word on top
Very convenient!
The app works flawlessly. I’m assuming the bad reviews were before a rework.
Doesn’t accept US credit cards
As title says, useless for American cards. Also UI is confusing l, I don’t even see a way to update payment method besides creating a new account.
App Works Well!
I have been using this app now for a couple of years. It is essential for getting around Japan and being able to connect my IC card makes it even easier. It admittedly takes a few minutes to get your account and payment set up as a foreigner but once it’s done, it works well!
Update broke the app… again…
I’ve used this app for years now, or have at least attempted to do so for a long time, was finally able to for a while, and am now unable to do so yet again. For the longest time, it seemed like the app had an issue with foreign cards when it came to payment, usually making it impossible to finalize a purchase of tickets. Then randomly, it finally worked. It was then incredibly convenient to simply show up at my local station (Nagoya), boot up the app, and purchase a ticket for the next available Shinkansen without having to go to the kiosk. I then made the mistake to “update” the app last week or so, despite not having issue with it. Well, yesterday I did my usual strategy of showing up at the station, started the process of buying a ticket for the next nozomi to Kyoto, only to have my card declined during the “authentication” process. This was the exact issue I had years ago, and I was relieved to see it was no longer an issue. I don’t know why it’s an issue yet again. I checked my account to make sure it wasn’t blocking the purchase (it wasn’t, and it’s the same card I’ve used for quite a while now to make similar purchases), re-entered the card, tried adding another card, to no avail. This happened both during my day trip towards Kyoto, and my return trip to Nagoya. I had to use the kiosk both times to purchase the ticket (which were surprisingly a bit more expansive than what it costs on the app), essentially rendering this app absolutely useless once again. As the old adage goes “don’t fix what isn’t broken”, as you will most likely end up making it worse. Hopefully the app will work again one day, but I definitely won’t be relying on it anymore.
Don’t let the negative reviews put you off. Try it.
I had no issues at all with registration or using a Mastercard. Easy to use. Booked a Shinkansen from my hotel bed and now have a QR ticket ready to use in a couple of days. Maybe your bank wont let you register a card, ah well, go buy a ticket :)
Horrendous, Needs to be Replaced
The app logs you out genuinely every single time you close it. Tickets pretty much never tell you what your platform is or any real information. Never tells you that you have to print out tickets regardless of having them on your phone. Also makes no mention that you need to buy multiple tickets for the same train. Do your research before visiting Japan.
Shinkansen smartEX App FAQ
- Is Shinkansen smartEX App free?
- Yes. The app is free, in all 7 countries it sells in, and it sells nothing inside it.
- Does Shinkansen smartEX App have a free trial?
- No. None of its offers (US) come with a free trial.
- What are the best alternatives to Shinkansen smartEX App?
- GO / Taxi app for Japan visit (4.7 from 911,626 reviews), ANA (4.5 from 536,247 reviews) and Universal Studios Japan (4.7 from 472,465 reviews).
Shinkansen smartEX App download
Last updated 1 month ago.
Shinkansen smartEX App sells in 7 countries. It was released 8 years and 11 months ago, on 30 Oct 2017. It holds a 1.7 rating from 854 reviews.
Supports 1 language: English.
How much does Shinkansen smartEX App make?
Third-party estimates for the last 30 days, worldwide — not the store's own figures, which Apple publishes for nobody.