How to get on the train in Japan

Railway is the main means of transportation to travel around Japan.

JR (Japan Railways) are the nationwide railway companies.
Long‐distance express trains and local trains are operated.
Shinkansen is also the high-speed train of JR.

In and around main large cities, some railway companies and subways have the network of railways.
These are different from JR and commuter trains are mainly operated.

You will get on any train during the trip in Japan.
But, how to get on the train may be different from your country.

Types of seat in the train in Japan

Commuter trains, local trains and subways around big city carry many passengers.
So, in most cars, the long seats like bench are set up along the windows.
And many straps are hung for the standing passengers.

In the rush time, you get few chances to sit the seat.

And, there is "Priority seat" (Yusenseki "優先席" in Japanese) in a corner of the car.
It is the seat for the aged, pregnant, infant or handicapped passengers.
When you sit on the seat and above passengers come there, offering the seat is a good manner.

The seats of Shinkansen and long-distance expresses are all reclining seats.
Many sets with two seats line on the both sides of the car.
In Shinkansen train, one side has the sets with three seats in many cars.

Most limited express trains and Shinkansen have 1 to 3 "Green Cars".
Green car is like a first-class car, and it has comfortable seats and a quiet space.

Getting on a train

Let's learn the knowledge to get on a train in Japan.
The order is the followings.

1. Buy the tickets
2. Pass through a ticket gate
3. Get on the train and get off at the destination station
4. Go out from a ticket gate

1. Buy the tickets 2. Pass through a ticket gate 3. On the train 4. Go out from a ticket gate

Buy the tickets

To get on a train, we need to buy train ticket.
You can buy it at the station where you get on a train.

Normal train ticket

Mainly, you can get the train from the vending machines.
The destinations are within the short-distance area (about 100 km).
You can get on the commuter trains and local trains with this ticket.

You check the fare to your destination on the displayed map of the railway, and push the button of the fare on the vending machine.
You can get a small-sized ticket printed with the departure station name and the fare.

Basically, the vending machines accept only cash, so you should prepare any cash.

IC Card for railway ticket

Many railway companies and subways are connected in the area of large cities.
So, buying the ticket every time is troublesome.
Because of that, IC Cards of the ticket for many railway companies in the area are sold.

It is a prepaid card and is rechargeable by cash.
When you pass through the ticket gate at destination station, the fare is collected from the card automatically.
It saves time to buy the ticket.

In addition, it is available for the payment of shopping at various vending machines, convenient stores, supermarkets, etc.

The card is sold in many stations in each large city area.
A card bought in an area of a large city is also available in the other area.

The cards are the followings.

Tokyo area

SUICA = sold by JR East
PASMO = sold by the other railway companies around Tokyo area

SUICA PASMO

Nagoya area

TOICA = sold by JR Central
MANACA = sold by Meitetsu railway and Nagoya city subway

TOICA MANACA

Kansai area

ICOCA = sold by JR West

ICOCA

Credit card, Debit card

At main stations of JR and main railway companies, credit card and debit card are available like above IC cards.

But, many of them are under demonstration experiments and the available stations are limited.

Reserved-seat ticket & Green Car Tickets

When you get on JR limited express and Shinkansen, you must buy "Reserved-seat ticket" in addition to the "normal train ticket".

If you don't have the tickets, you can't get on the trains.
But, by the tickets, your seat is secured in the train you want to get on.
Of course, the train must be determined with departure day, time and station.

To get on a green car, you must buy "Green Car ticket" in addition to the "normal train ticket".

Basically, Shinkansen and limited expresses are the trains with reserved seats.
But, many trains have a few Non-reserved seat cars.

You can sit on any empty seat in Non-reserved seat car.
If the seats in the Non-reserved are full, you must keep standing all the way.
In addition, you can't enter the reserved-seat car and Green car in the train.

To get on a Non-reserved seat car, you must buy a "Non-reserved ticket" in addition to the "normal train ticket".
Non-reserved limited express ticket is a little cheaper than the Reserved-seat limited express ticket.

These tickets are sold in the ticket office with green mark in main JR stations.
Cash and credit card are available.
And, in the stations where limited expresses stop, there are the vending machines for the tickets, and cash and credit card are available.

Rail Passes

Many railway passes are sold, and the railways and public transportations in the wide area are available.

The period of use is limited, and the price is good when you use the railways frequently in the wide area in the period.

Most popular pass is Japan Rail Pass.
You can use all Shinkansen and JR lines, but you can't use the railways other than JR and subways.

There are also the other local JR passes.
They are for the narrow area and the period of use is shorter.

These passes have to be purchased in advance in your country and you can receive it when you come in Japan.
Some local JR passes can be purchased in Japan.

It's important to remember that you must get the Reserved-seat ticket by showing the pass at the ticket office or vending machine when you want to get on a reserved car.

Many railway companies except for JR sell the passes.
Most of them are the passes to travel around the sightseeing area for 1 to 3 days.

Let's check the passes in the following page.

Rail Pass

Pass through a ticket gate

To get on a train, you must pass through a ticket gate first in Japan.

In most stations, a few Automatic ticket checkers are set up at the ticket gate.

If you have the tickets or pass, insert them into the ticket checkers.
The gate opens, so you can go to the platform.
At that time, don't forget to pick up your tickets.

If you have an IC Card for railway ticket, you touch the ticket checker with the card.
The gate opens, so you can go to the platform.
At that time, the balance on the card is displayed on the screen.

Probably, you may have large travel suitcases.
I don't recommend using too big suitcase.

The width of automatic ticket checker is 55 to 60 centimeters.
So, when you can't pass the ticket checker by the big baggage, you must ask a station worker at the ticket gate.

In addition, any charge is required for the baggage with total dimensions of over 160 centimeters, and you can't carry the baggage with total dimensions of over 250 centimeters into train.

On the train

Wait for the train on the platform

On the information boards in the station, the destination and departure time and platform of the trains are displayed.
Big stations such as Tokyo, Ueno, Shinjuku, Osaka, Tennoji, Nagoya, etc, are the central terminals, so there are many platforms for various destinetion. So, you check it and go to the platform.

Each Shinkansen and limited express train has a nickname and number.
You check them printed on your ticket and go to the platform where the train you should ride will come.

The trains in Japan basically come on time.
Even if a train is a few minutes late for some reason, that is announced in the station.

The positions of the train door are marked on the platform.
All trains in Japan stop precisely at the position.

And, about Shinkansen and limited express train, the nickname and the car number are also displayed, so you can check the position that you should ride the car.

Basically, it is a manner that you wait behind former waiting passengers.

Manners when you ride on a train

Japanese passengers use good manner naturally, when they ride on a train.
You should mind them.

1. When the door of train open, waiting passengers on the platform move to the both side of the door and make a space in front of the door.
   So, the passengers on the train can get off smoothly.
2. After that, waiting passengers get on the train orderly.
3. If a seat is empty, you can sit on the seat.
   But, you should not put on your baggages on another empty seat.
4. When you must stand on the train, you should not occupy a space with your baggages around the door.
   The passengers getting on and off the train get annoyed by that.
5. On Reserved-seat car or Green car, you must sit on the seat with the number printed on the ticket.
   Even if you find the other good empty seat, you are not allowed to sit there.
6. You should not have a conversation in a loud voice and speak on the telephone in the train.
   And you should not have a frolic in the train.
   Japanese passengers enjoy the quietness in the train.
7. Smoking is prohibited in all trains in Japan.
8. Eating foods in the train is a bad manner.
   But, in Shinkanse and long-distance limited express, that is OK with consideration to other passengers.

Go out from a ticket gate

After you get off the train, you pass through the ticket gate.

You insert your tickets into the ticket checkers, or touch the ticket checker with the card.
The tickets are collected and the fare is deducted from the card.

If the fare of the ticket or the balance of the card is not enough, the alarm rings and the gate is closed.
At that time, you must pay the insufficient fare at the ticket office near the gate, or charge the card with enough money at a vending machine.

There are many stations connecting the other railway company, and there is the transfer gate in the station.

There are the ticket checkers between the stations of both railway companies.
At there, the procedure of getting off and on the trains is performed by passing through the gate.

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