Some trains have private room settings. However, when the air around you is tense and tense, you may be a little hesitant to get excited with your group or family. This is a problem because of the so-called open rooms. If a group or family can have a separate compartment, they are less likely to feel self-conscious about their surroundings. In short, it is a private room (compartment). In Japan, however, few cars have private compartments. They do appear from time to time, but the reality is that they have not taken root. Nevertheless, as of early 2025, some trains will have private rooms. Excluding so-called sightseeing trains, cruise trains, and sleeper trains, and limiting the list to regularly scheduled day trains, the following trains have private rooms. Some of them are treated as standard cars, while others are treated as green cars or other advanced equipment. Series E261 “Saphir Odoriko” (JR East)
N100 Series “Spacia X” and 100 Series “Spacia” (Tobu Railway)
・Sanyo Shinkansen and Hakata South Line Series 700 “Kodama” (JR West)
Green car of Series 787 “Relay Kamome” etc. (JR Kyushu)
Series 50000 “Shimakaze” (Kinki Nippon Railway)
There are also some examples of “semi-private” seating for groups of passengers, although they are not completely private rooms. Series 273 “Yakumo” (JR West)
Series 787 “Relay Kamome” and other ordinary cars (JR Kyushu)
Series 23000 “Iseshima Liner” (Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd.)
Series 30000 “Vista EX” (Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd.)
Series N100 “Spacia X” (Tobu Railway)
The “Vista EX” is a little unusual in that it has two intermediate cars with a downstairs compartment in the center of the car, one in front of and one behind the entry/exit platform. Since it is a dead end, no other passengers can pass through it. In addition, there are also cars with independent box seats at the end of the car, such as the 373 Series used on JR Tokai’s “Inaji” and “Fujikawa” trains.
Finding a train that has private rooms. This depends on the train. For example, in the case of JR Kyushu’s 787 Series, if a train has a note in the paper timetable that says “DX Green Car” is available, it has a private green room and a box seat in a standard car. The Sanyo Shinkansen “Kodama” 700 series may or may not have private rooms depending on the train. According to “JR Odekake Net,” there are only eight “Kodama” trains (as of January 2025) that offer private rooms: 845, 847, 865, 840, 856, 858, 860, and 866. Other trains have private room facilities but do not operate them.
Advantages and disadvantages of using a private room The greatest advantage of using a private or semi-private room for a group of tourists or visitors is that they do not have to worry about their surroundings. In addition, many of the private rooms are set up with a large table between two opposite sitting areas, making it convenient for spreading out lunch boxes, snacks, and beverages. However, space is limited, so it may be difficult to bring in large luggage. Some cars do not have overhead racks, so in such cases, luggage can only be placed at the feet or on the seat. On the other hand, some trains, such as the salon seats in Kintetsu’s “Iseshima Liner” or the semi-compartments in Series 273 “Yakumo” trains, have a space between the backrests, which serve as the boundary of the compartment, to allow large luggage to be placed. And in these days of reduced ticket windows, the biggest obstacle may be the lack of online reservations in many of the private compartments. For example, the 700 Series “Kodama” private rooms are not an option on either the EX Service or e5489. The green private rooms and box seats of the 787 series and regular carriages also did not appear as options when we tried JR Kyushu’s online reservation service. However, some trains have unreserved seats, which can be used if available. On the other hand, I checked the online reservation screen for Kintetsu limited express trains, and found that salon seats and other seats were available. In most cases, there is a limit to the number of passengers in such private or semi-private rooms. For example, box seats in the 787 Series regular carriages have the condition that they are only available when there are three or more passengers. Other airlines also follow the same trend.
© Source travel watch
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