Name: Shinkansen smartEX App
Rating: 2 (45 reviews)

Updating

Shinkansen smartEX App

Central Japan Railway Company

Released: 2018-12-21

Free 0%

Version 8.1.19

Free 0%

Version 8.1.19

Released: 2018-12-21

iPhone Screenshots

Description

▼With the EX app, you can:

- Reserve Shinkansen seats through the app easily

- Discount for early booking

- Reserve Shinkansen seats up to 1 year in advance

- You can make as many changes as you need, free of charge, before getting on the train

- Reserve a set of Shinkansen seats and hotel rooms!

- Reserve activities, hotels and car rentals!

- Select any seat from the seat map (*reserved seats only)

- Information on services available in stations and trains

- You can log in quickly by using fingerprint authentication.

(only for compatible models)

▼ Main features

- Membership registration

- Purchase ticket/Reserve seats (time designation, train name designation, easy free seat reservation)）

- Confirm reservation

- Change and refund reservation (reducing the number of persons)

- Display purchase history and receipt

- Check, change member information

- Display QR-Ticket for boarding

- Designate or register IC card for boarding

- Service status information (Link)

▼ Notes

- Membership registration is required to use this app. For registration, personal information is required, such as member name, date of birth, and a valid credit card, etc.

- Ticket purchase (reservation) payment will be taken from the credit card registered on the account.

-- You need to register or designate IC card for public transportation (*) to travel ticketless with IC card.

(*) Kitaca, PASMO, Suica, manaca, TOICA, PiTaPa, ICOCA, Hayakaken, nimoca, SUGOCA

- You need the pickup code to pick up tickets from ticket vending machines, etc., at main stations of Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen, such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata, Kumamoto etc.

- Please do not use this app to make a seat reservation for Japan Rail Pass.

- This service is available only in English.

- For more details on this service, please see the website.

*The email address below is for inquiries about application specifications. Please note that we cannnot answer inquiries about the service.

What's New in Version 8.1.19

▼Ver. 8.1.19

- Performance improvements

Seller

Name

Central Japan Railway Company

URL

https://smart-ex.jp/en/lp/app/

Information

Developer

Central Japan Railway Company

Version

8.1.19

Size

47.3 MB

Game Center

VPP Device Licensing

Yes

Rating

Rated: 4+

Compatibility

iOS 17.0 or later

Devices

iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone SE (3rd generation), iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, iPad (5th Generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (6th generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro, iPad Pro (Cellular), iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad Pro (9.7-inch) (Cellular), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (10.5-inch), iPad Pro (10.5-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (11-inch), iPad Pro (11-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air (Cellular), iPad Air 2, iPad Air 2 (Cellular), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini Retina, iPad mini Retina (Cellular), iPad mini 3, iPad mini 3 (Cellular), iPad mini 4, iPad mini 4 (Cellular), iPad mini (5th Generation), iPad mini (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (7th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (4th Generation) (Wi-Fi), iPad Air (4th Generation) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad (8th generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (8th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (9th Generation), iPad (9th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (6th Generation), iPad mini (6th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (5th generation), iPad Air (5th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (10th generation), iPad (10th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 11-inch (M2) Wi-Fi, iPad Air 13-inch (M2) Wi-Fi, iPad Air 13-inch (M2) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) Wi-Fi, iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) Wi-Fi, iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (A17 Pro) Wi-Fi, iPad mini (A17 Pro) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (A16) Wi-Fi, iPad (A16) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 11-inch (M3) Wi-Fi, iPad Air 11-inch (M3) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 13-inch (M3) Wi-Fi, iPad Air 13-inch (M3) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPod touch (6th Generation), iPod touch (7th generation)

Languages

English

App Store: Customer Ratings

Ratings & Reviews

2.0 of 5 (45 Ratings)

App Store: Customer Reviews

2025-02-10

Keeps Crashing

I have used this app successfully in the past without issue. I tried using it again recently for my upcoming trip but unfortunately the app keeps crashing when I try to login. I’ve had to resort to using the online web browser version to take care of my Shinkansen booking needs.

2025-01-26

Lot of improvements needed

no tablet resolution

cant search train hours/prices without login

ask credit card number and exp at registration, usually it should not be stored outside of transaction processing time.

I had a few times "system busy alert" forcing you to wait but I don't understand why this happens after login. It should be before or else, find a good way to not ask again authentication. Or allow better authentication mechanisms like passkeys.

Allow to filter out train for which no fare available.

No cache or favorite of recent/frequent search

2025-01-09

CC issues

Frustrated, none of my CC’s work. I’m in Canada.

2024-12-30

Account temporary suspended after purchasing tickets

Account got “temporary suspended” the day after successfully purchased tickets when I was in Hong Kong using a Canadian Amex. Luckily I saved all the QR codes to my apple wallet right after the purchase and exiting the app. So now I have no idea if these tickets are still valid because there no way I can login to the app again to check. You can ONLY call them on phone with account issues which I have yet to do. Anyway I am travelling in three days and I will just head to a JR office to see if these tickets are still valid.

2024-11-09

Terrible

Need to add credit card but cannot process any credit cards from Canada or the USA, simply terrible design and even less user friendly than the terminals

2024-10-10

Works fine

I used in Japan to buy some shinkansen tickets. It worked perfectly. I used a canadian mastercard. Maybe you need to be in Japan to make it works. Adding the tickets to my Apple Wallet was a little bit tricky, but when I figure out how to do it, it was fine.

2024-07-09

Canadian cc worked

Surprised that my Canadian cc registered except prices seemed better on klook

2024-05-15

Terrible app

Will not work without adding credit card details. Does but accept any card outside of Japan so Canadian and American cards do not work. Terrible app, avoid

2024-04-17

Made me wonder whether this is a scheme app

No credit cards worked - some don’t even ask for cvc code. What a poorly developed app!

2024-04-09

So many problems, where do I begin…

First off, I tried 5 different Canadian credit cards and the only one I could get to work was a Gold AMEX (my dad’s card which we won’t even be bringing on the trip).

Second, I have tried on several attempts to login to the app, but no matter what time of day (JST or EST), the app seems to be under maintenance.

Fast forward to 30 days before my first shinkansen ride, I planned to reserve an oversized baggage seat. I logged in fine, and was able to see what trains were available. However, the app timed out when I had to figure something out. And when I tried to log back in and try to make the reservation again, the app had gone back into maintenance and I have been unable to login in since. I’ve downloaded this app for about 2 months now, and I’d say of all the times I’ve tried to log in, I’ve only been successful maybe 3 times.

Overall poor experience with attempting to book shinkansen tickets overseas, especially with the SmartEX app. Especially since I had higher expectations for this app after people and their website raved about its convenience.

2024-03-23

壊れたアプリ

このアプリの製作者は、その家名と先祖に恥をかかせます。クレジットカード認証は明らかに破綻しています。

2024-03-20

App does not work

I was hoping to be like that one person in the review who says they got the credit card registration to work, but alas.

2024-03-20

Useless app for travellers

This app can never authenticate a credit card issued outside of Japan. It is useless to even put on the App Store. I would put no star if possible.

2024-03-04

Was not able to register my credit card

The card worked for every other japanese train website.

2024-02-26

Same issue with Canadian credit card

😟

2024-02-18

Error when checking credit cards

I can’t register because no Canadian credit card is accepted (error message).

2024-02-11

Credit card check failure

The credit card check method that the back end system is using is flawed.

I have used my credit card on other Japanese websites with no issues but if I try to register for the app on my phone via the app or via a browser on my laptop it fails 100% of the time

2024-01-19

Why?

As other reviews have stated, the credit card authorization step fails, rendering the app absolutely useless. This is a terrible experience.

2023-12-31

Unable to Sign up Due to Credit Card Check

I don’t understand why it didn’t ask for my security code and then just tell me Authentication Error. I don’t understand this at all.

2023-11-30

Doesn’t even check credit cards.

I get an error right away entering my credit card (which is needed before you even get to see whether the app is worth using). No ability to enter 3 digit security code. Doesn’t work with different cards from different Canadian financial institutions. Same problem on desktop.

If you are going to pretend this app works for Canadians, you should make sure you have a proper setup to process Canadian credit cards from major Canadian banks. As it is, this is a total waste of time and a massive inconvenience to being able to properly prepare for a trip.

2023-04-14

Works fine for me

Got discounted tickets on here, super easy to use. I usually book my tickets right at the gate and it’s easy to put the ticket onto my IC card and use that to travel.

UX can be a bit better and you can’t use it during certain times while they update, but for Japan standards this is pretty good.

2023-03-28

Trash

Come on Japan, ive seen you done better in everything else. This one is total trash. Cant login on the app while i can on my laptop

Do better boys...

2023-01-21

It just doesn’t work.

It didn’t work last year when I tried it and it still doesn’t work.

Shinkansen smartEX App

iPhone Screenshots

Description

What's New in Version 8.1.19

Seller

Name

URL

Information

Developer

Categories

Version

Size

Game Center

VPP Device Licensing

Rating

Compatibility

Devices

Languages

App Store: Customer Ratings

Ratings & Reviews

Keeps Crashing

Lot of improvements needed

CC issues

Account temporary suspended after purchasing tickets

Terrible

Works fine

Canadian cc worked

Terrible app

Made me wonder whether this is a scheme app

So many problems, where do I begin…

壊れたアプリ

App does not work

Useless app for travellers

Was not able to register my credit card

Same issue with Canadian credit card

Error when checking credit cards

Credit card check failure

Why?

Unable to Sign up Due to Credit Card Check

Doesn’t even check credit cards.

Works fine for me

Trash

It just doesn’t work.