- My husband and I paid $230 for Gran Class tickets on the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan.
- On our way from Tokyo to Nagano, we enjoyed complimentary snacks and drinks.
- Overall, we thought the premium travel experience was worth the money.
My husband and I have talked about going to Japan for years. Last year, we finally made solid plans to visit Hakuba, a popular ski destination near some of Japan’s mountain ranges.
We planned to spend a few days in Tokyo first, so we researched Japan’s famous high-speed bullet trains. Eventually, we landed on a Shinkansen line that could take us 138 miles from Tokyo to Nagano, a town an hour’s drive from Hakuba, in under two hours.
After some research, we opted for the premium Gran Class. Our two tickets aboard the Kagayaki train from Tokyo to Nagano cost 34,480 yen, or about $230. Standard seats would’ve been closer to $55 a piece, but we were intrigued by the premium perks, like comfy seats and additional amenities and services.
I’m so glad we upgraded — our time spent in the luxury of the Shinkansen Gran Class was a highlight of our Japanese vacation.
