Shinkansen will require reservations for large suitcases, charge penalty fees for those without soranews24.com

Unfortunately, the free Shinkansen ride for all luggage is about to become a thing of the past on the most popular Shinkansen lines.
Starting in May, passengers planning to take “large suitcases” aboard will have to make reservations for their luggage ahead of time on the Tokkaido Shinkansen, which runs between Tokyo and Shin Osaka, and includes the Shinkansen stop in perennial traveler favorite Kyoto.
That’s because to reserve a spot for a large suitcase, you also have to be travelling by a reserved-seat ticket, which costs a premium over the less expensive non-reserved-seat tickets.
OK, but what if you show up with a non-reserved-seat ticket and large suitcase?
For purposes of the new regulations, “large suitcases” are described as those with collective length, width, and depth measurements between 160 and 250 centimeters (63 and 98.4 inches).