Japanese Train Systems: The American's Guide
20 Dec 2006
If you visit Japan for even just a day, chances are you will ride on a Japanese train. The Japanese train system is fun and easy to use as long as you follow a few simple guidelines and learn a few good tricks. Knowing Japanese is not a requirement to ride a Japanese train, but it is a lot easier if you can recognize the Kanji of any suburban stations you may need. I am going to give you a short guide for a more successful train trip in Japan.
First, if you have ridden on trains in another country (somewhere in Europe, for example), congratulations! You will already have an easy time on the Japanese trains. If you haven't used another train system before, please do not worry. It can be scary the first time, but after a few trips it will feel natural.
The process in Japan for riding a train is simple. You get to the train station, find the ticket machines for the train line you wish to take, calculate the cost in Yen to the destination with the map above the machines, and buy a ticket for that amount (with cash Yen only). You do not need to buy a ticket for your specific destination or direction. Slide the ticket, arrow-side first, into a ticket stall displaying a green arrow (signifying the stall is open for incoming traffic). Pass through the stall and make sure to keep your ticket. You will need it to exit the rail system. Go to the platform heading towards your destination and get on the appropriate train when it comes.
The schedule for the train is located on the platform. There will be a board with two sides and a clock. The side with blue lettering shows a timetable for weekday trains and can be read by finding the hour in the first column and then the minutes of the hour at which the train departs. Japanese trains are never late and the doors are only open for about 30 seconds at most stations. Expect a train exactly when the clock next to the time table shows the indicated time. The side of the table with pink writing shows the train schedule for weekends and Japanese holidays.
Once on board the train, there will be a map showing the sequence of stops. These usually have Romaji (roman character representation of Japanese words) translations. Also, most times there is an electronic display above the doorways showing the next train stop in Kanji and Romaji. If all else fails, every train stop has a sign in Romaji showing its name upon arrival, so just pay attention to the signs at each train stop.
Be careful of the train you take to areas outside the center of Tokyo. There are four types of trains-Local (with a black or green sign in the front of the train) and three types of Express (with a red sign in front), Express, Rapid Express, and Limited Express. There are also Shinkansen, or bullet, trains which are expensive and quick between two distant destinations. The local trains stop at all stops on the line between your stop and the destination (usually written on the front of the train and displayed on the reader boards at the train station). The Express trains only stop at certain major train stations and may not stop at your particular destination (but will save you a lot of time on those longer trips like Yokohama to Tokyo). Also, some train lines split into separate destinations (the Odakyu line, for example, splits to the Odakyu-Enoshima line and the Odakyu-Odawara line at Sagami-Ono station). Make sure the final destination of a particular train is in the same direction and not before your destination before boarding. If in doubt, ask someone else getting on the train (point to the train and state the name of you destination in a questioning voice). If you end up going the wrong direction, don't worry. Just get off the train and switch platforms to the correct direction. As long as you do not go through a ticket stall, you will not be charged for the extra mileage in the wrong direction.
When you arrive at your destination, leave the train and follow the traffic to the ext stalls. Pass your ticket through the machine (arrow-side first) and walk through. If the gates close when you try to walk through, it means your ticket was not of sufficient Yen value to cover your entire journey. Don't worry! Right next to the gates is a "Fare Adjustment" machine which will let you increase the value of your ticket. Simply put your ticket in the ticket slot, hit the "English" button, and insert the amount of Yen (coins or bills) requested into the slots provided. It will give you a new ticket which you will use to exit the gate. Unless you are using a transfer ticket or a pre-paid ticket card, the stall will keep your ticket as you leave.
Transfers
If you need to transfer lines at a station, you have to go out of the ticket gate and purchase a new ticket for the new line (unless you bought a transfer ticket at the first gate, in which case the ticket stall will give you your ticket back to use at the next line). Follow the signs to your new line, buy a new ticket, and follow the same process as above, starting by passing through the new stall with your new (or transfer) ticket.
Costs
Riding trains in Japan can be very cost-effective or very costly, depending on the route you take. The more lines you transfer, the greater the cost. Bullet trains (Shinkansen) are very expensive. However, for domestic travel, train fares of one or two people are often cheaper than the cost of toll roads and parking if you are taking a car. They are almost always faster. Prices start at just over 100 Yen for one train stop. If the purchase price of your ticket is over the value of your destination, you cannot recover the value of that ticket. However, there are many ways to avoid losing money from incorrect ticket purchases. The first is to always buy a minimum price ticket at the first gate and visit the "Fare Adjustment" machine when you reach your destination. The other method, which I use myself, is buying a pre-paid card of 1000, 5000, or 10000 Yen, which can be used over and over until the value of the card is 0 Yen. These cards can also be put into the ticketing machines to buy a new ticket when they lack the amount of Yen needed for your trip. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that JR (Japanese Railway) lines do not share transfer tickets or pre-paid tickets with any other line in Japan and require a separate set of tickets or pre-paid cards. All other lines use the same cards except on special package deals (day passes to tourist destinations like Enoshima).
Daily passes for trains are not generally available (except at aforesaid tourist destinations), but the JR lines offer monthly commuter passes or ticket books at a slight discount. Also, certain tourists from Europe and America can get a 1-, 2- or 3-week train passes through Japan Railways Group, but not after they are already in Japan (valid only on the JR lines, which go to all major cities, but not to all rural locations). This pass covers bullet trains, so you could save a lot of money if you're planning on going out of the Kanto Plain surrounding Tokyo.
Children under 12 are always 1/2 price fares and they ride free with an adult when they are under 6 years old.
Tips
Besides ticket costs, there are a few other tips I would like to share with you to make your journey more enjoyable.
- First, never be afraid to ask for help. Japanese people are very polite and always looking to help you on your way. If you can't figure out how to use the ticket machine, ask one of the men sitting in the stall booth. They will gladly come out and help you buy your ticket if you tell them the destination.
- Second, write down the Kanji representation of your destination if you can find it. This will help you purchase the correct fare and find the right platform in smaller train stations that do not utilize Romaji. If possible, keep a paper train map with you the first few times you travel.
- Third, take your time and be patient. If you miss the train you wanted, another one will be along shortly. The doors do not stay open for stragglers so if you rush you may leave someone in your party behind at the train station (yes, it's happened to us).
- Fourth, eliminate your idea of "personal space." Japanese trains are generally very crowded, especially during rush hour, so know that there will be people pushed up next to you at all times. Crime on trains rare in Japan, but you should travel smart and make sure your backpack or purse is in front of you on the train. If you are a woman and do not wish to have men so close to you, during the evenings most trains offer "Women Only" cars. You might want to consider using one of these if you are uncomfortable with the proximity of your male travel-mates.
- Fifth, remember the term "Sumimasen" meaning "excuse me" in Japanese. This will be very useful both when trying to get out of a crowded train and when trying to ask someone a question. When someone answers your question, it is polite to respond with "Arigato Gozaimasu" (thank you, the "u" at the end is silent).
Train Etiquette
Japan is a very conservative society with many social customs. The train system is no stranger to a list of socially acceptable customs on the train. Follow these few simple rules to respect the others riding the train with you:
- Keep talking to minimum, low voices on trains. It is appropriate to have light conversation, but keep it quiet. Most people do not talk on trains and prefer to sleep or read.
- Eating and drinking are prohibited on a train. You may drink from a water bottle as needed on long train rides, of course, but do not eat or drink anything else. This keeps the trains clean and reduces the amount of smells in the train system (have you ever been in the Paris Metro?). Typically, Japanese do not eat in public and, if they do, it is right next to a vending machine (conveniently the only places with waste receptacles).
- Respect the pregnant, elderly, and disabled while on the train. At the head of each car there is an area reserved specifically for them. If you see someone who looks like they need a seat more than you, offer it to them. Out of Japanese politeness, they will decline the offer the first time, but offer a second time and they will take it and GREATLY appreciate it. You will notice often that Japanese business men will not get up out of their seats for anyone, so don't rely on them to make accommodations for these individuals. If none are on the train, then it is acceptable to sit in the priority seating, knowing you will need to get up if someone else needs it.
- Cell phone use on a train is strictly prohibited. You can use the text/email features of a phone when in the normal seating areas. However, cell phones are to be turned off in the priority seating areas. Signs on the train will indicate this.
- Do not smoke on Japanese trains unless you have booked a smoking section of a Shinkansen. Though smoking is predominant throughout Japan, it is not permitted to smoke on any local or express trains.
- Try to avoid prolonged eye contact with anyone on a train. The younger generations may be more interested in social interaction, especially with Americans, but most Japanese consider eye contact (or staring) rude on a train and would prefer to remain anonymous. Of course, kids will be kids no matter what country you are in, so expect them to stare at you because you are different.
- Before you get on the train, good manners in Japan dictate that you wait in line at an arrow for the train to come. The arrows specify where the train doors will open. You will see people forming two lines at each arrow. When the train comes, the two lines will separate to let people departing from the train walk through the middle, then when they have all exited, the two lines can enter the train simultaneously. This makes for very efficient train station stops required to keep the trains on-time.
I will add to this guide as I learn more about the trains and take more pictures, but with the information presented above, you should now be well-prepared to take your first Japanese train ride. Next you should plan out your route, which you can do by using a train map. For more information on riding trains in Japan, you can visit the official site of Japan Railways. Some decent railway maps can be found at Joho Maps as well.
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