How to Use Trains in Japan | japan-guide.com

If you travel in Japan, it's highly likely that you'll end up using the country's extensive railway network. Known for being reliable, punctual, and convenient, train travel is an integral part of life in Japan. Despite being 61st globally in land mass and 11th in population size, Japan is number one worldwide for the number of passengers carried by rail transport each year. Since the first railway opened in 1872, connecting Tokyo and Yokohama, train lines have stretched across all four of the main islands and now cover the entire country. Every major metropolitan area has an intricate grid of local lines, high-speed trains like the Shinkansen make long-distance travel convenient, and even most populated rural areas can be reached by rail. However, there are some aspects of train travel in Japan that can be confusing or intimidating, like buying the right tickets, finding the correct platform, practicing proper train etiquette, and others. And in this video, we're going to cover all these topics and more, so that by the end, you're fully up to speed about how to use trains in Japan. Buying and using train tickets. Of course, riding trains costs money. The base fare of any train ticket is generally determined by the distance traveled. There are three main ways to pay for this base fare ticket. Prepaid IC cards, rail passes, and of course, good old paper tickets. Prepaid IC cards. The most convenient method is to use a prepaid IC card, which removes the need to buy tickets and allows you to travel more efficiently. Creating an IC card is an easy process that can be done in English at most ticket machines. To use an IC card, all you have to do is touch it to the sensors of the ticket gates at your start and end stations. And assuming there's enough money on the card, that's it. The system automatically calculates the fare and deducts it from the value of the card. If you don't have enough money left on the card to cover the trip, you can charge it at a nearby fare adjustment machine. It's also important to point out that although IC cards can be used at almost all train stations in major cities, IC coverage is not yet nationwide. So be careful when planning your trip that IC cards are accepted at both ends of the route. Rail passes. Next in the order of convenience are rail passes. There are dozens of different rail passes which cover different regions of Japan and are offered by different companies. Some of these passes can be an amazing value while others may not pay off as easy. It really depends on your trip. We should mention up front that almost all the most useful passes can only be purchased and used by temporary visitors. So, sorry residents, but this excludes you. The most popular of all the passes is called the Japan Rail Pass which covers any train operated by the JR companies. Since roughly 70% of all trains nationwide and 100% of bullet trains are run by JR, the Japan Rail Pass can be an extremely valuable option for visitors traveling long distances on the Shinkansen. To use the pass, simply show it to a station master at the ticket gates and you'll be let through to the platforms. Paper tickets. Lastly, you can always buy a paper ticket. To do this, find your destination on the map near the ticket machines which will tell you how much the journey will cost. At the ticket machine, select the number of people, the correct fare amount, and insert at least this amount of money. The tickets along with any change will be dispensed. From here, insert the ticket into the gate, collect it when it appears on the other side, and proceed to the platforms. It's very important to keep the ticket for the duration of the ride. At your end stop, simply put the ticket into the gate and walk through. This time, it will not reappear. If you bought the wrong ticket or got off at the wrong stop, you can always use the nearby fare adjustment machine to correct the mistake. And that's it. Congratulations, now you know everything there is to know about buying and using train tickets in Japan. Happy travels. But wait, what about riding faster trains like the Shinkansen? Or making seat reservations? And what even is a green car anyway? Needless to say, there is an iceberg worth of train information beyond the tip we just covered. Although it's beyond the scope of this video to cover everything, here's just a bit more that may help you when buying tickets for faster trains. On top of the base fare ticket, whose price is calculated on distance, additional fees might be charged depending on a variety of factors. One of the most important being the train category of the train you intend to ride. You see, trains are divided into multiple categories, which correspond to how quickly they'll get you to your destination. The slower categories are local trains, also called kakueki or futsu in Japanese, which stop at every station. Rapid trains, or kaisoku, which skip some stations but are still fairly slow. And express trains, or kyukou, which skip additional stations. These three are fully covered by the base fare ticket we talked about earlier, and are the categories you'll commonly use when traveling shorter distances or staying within a city. Above these are limited express trains, or tokkyuu, which travel over longer distances and stop only at major stations. Many companies, like JR, require an additional fee to be paid for riding limited express trains. And finally, the fastest category is the super express, or shinkansen, which always costs a supplemental fare. It's also worth noting that the Japan Rail Pass and many other passes cover the supplemental fares for many trains in these last two categories. Other things which impact the cost are reserved versus unreserved seating. Available on most long distance trains, reserved seats are slightly more expensive than unreserved ones, and seat reservations are typically made at the same time as purchasing tickets. Also, an additional fee is required if you'd like to ride in the green car, which is like the business class of train travel in Japan and available on most long distance trains. We've also made a separate video all about riding the shinkansen specifically. Now that we know how to buy and use tickets, let's go over the basics of actually riding the trains. Once through the ticket gate, you'll need to find the correct platform. At small countryside stations, there may only be one platform. But at larger stations, it can be confusing. Near the ticket gate, there are electronic sign boards displaying which trains are departing from each track, their time of departure, and their category. Often, these displays rotate between Japanese and English. Also, if you don't know any Japanese, if you politely tell a station master the name of the station you want to reach, they can often direct you to the right platform. Once on the platform, there are a few things to keep in mind. Often, trains on either side of the platform will be running at the same time, but going in opposite directions. You can tell which direction each side is heading by train line signs that have the end stop written on them. Keep in mind that only local trains stop at all stations, but rapid, express, and limited express skip stations. Beware of boarding a train that is going to skip your stop. Often, signage and maps on the platform can provide this information. When waiting to board the train, join one of the lines in front of where the train doors will open. If you are the first in line, you can tell where the doors will open based on markings near the yellow line. As the train stops in front of you, move to the side so that alighting passengers have a clear path to exit, and then follow the line as it moves into the car. As a word of caution, if you're traveling during rush hours in a downtown metro area, be prepared that trains may be extremely crowded with people literally packed in and pressed against each other. Once on the train, it's important to know when you've arrived at your stop. In urban areas, announcements about upcoming stops are often made in Japanese and English, and there are usually electronic displays on the doors. Also, in most cars, you can usually find train line maps, and as you stop at each station, the station name signs will say which station is next in each direction. At your stop, leave the train and exit the station through the appropriate ticket gate. Lastly, here are six brief points of etiquette that would be useful to keep in mind and help you have a smooth journey when riding trains in Japan. Point one. Often, popular train stations in Japan can be congested with large numbers of people. It's especially important to be aware and considerate of the people around you, and also not to block passageways where people are trying to walk, either with yourself or with your luggage. Point two. Especially when the train is crowded, if you're wearing a backpack, either put it up on the luggage storage area, carry it in front of you, or put it close to your feet on the floor where it won't bother others around you. Point three. In train cars, talking on the phone is considered rude because it may disturb other passengers. Point four. For similar reasons, if you're going to talk with those around you, it's polite to talk quietly. Point five. Eating and drinking are commonly done on long-distance trains, but they are considered inappropriate on urban and suburban trains. Point six. Priority seats are meant for passengers who need them. Of course, there's much more we could say about train travel in Japan, but for now, hopefully you feel confident buying and using tickets and riding the train. For more information or to watch another video, click the links on the screen now or head over to JapanGuide.com, your comprehensive, up-to-date travel guide firsthand from Japan. Thanks for watching. Be sure to subscribe and click the notification bell for more videos about Japan. Happy travels.