Japan railway guide: Hokuriku Shinkansen services and Green Car pricing

Travelers using the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kanazawa can choose between two primary services: the Kagayaki and the Hakutaka. The Kagayaki is the fastest option, reaching Kanazawa in approximately 2 hours and 24 minutes, though it consists entirely of reserved seats. The Hakutaka is a semi-express service with more frequent stops, taking between 2 hours and 50 minutes to 3 hours and 20 minutes, and offers non-reserved seating.

Regarding premium travel, Green Car fares in Japan are calculated as a fixed surcharge added to the base fare and limited express fee, determined by the distance traveled. For Shinkansen services, the Green Car surcharge starts at 1,300 yen for distances up to 100 km. While JR East Shinkansen lines cap the Green Car surcharge at 6,600 yen regardless of distance, other lines such as the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen can reach up to 7,790 yen for journeys exceeding 801 km.