Train travel is an integral part of life in Japan.

Despite being 61st globally in landmass 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 18 72 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 trade 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 cost money.

The base pair of any train ticket is generally determined by the distance traveled.

There are three main ways to pay for this base fare ticket prepaid.

I see cards, rail passes and, of course, good old paper tickets.

Prepaid.

I see cards.

The most convenient method is to use a prepaid I See card, which removes the need to buy tickets and allows you to travel more efficiently.

Creating an icy card is an easy process that can be done in English at most ticket machines.

To use an icy card, all you have to do is touch it to the sensors of the ticket gates at your start and then stations.

And assuming there's enough money on the card, that's it.

The system automatically calculates the fare and deduct 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 I see cards could be used in almost all train stations in major cities, I see coverage is not yet nationwide, so be careful when planning your trip that I see cards are accepted at both ends of the roots rail pasts.

Next, in the order of convenience, our 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 upfront 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 past, simply show it to a stationmaster 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 fair amount and insert at least this amount of money.

Thief tickets, along with any change, will be dispensed from here.

Insert the ticket into the gate, collected when it appears on the other side, and proceed to the platforms.

It's very important to keep a 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 writing 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 is just a bit more that may help you when buying tickets for faster trades on top of the base fare tickets, whose prices calculated on distance additional fees might be charged depending on a variety of factors, one of 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.

Slower categories are local trains, also called Akhalkalaki or two in Japanese, which stopped at every station.

Rapid trains work I soca, which skip some stations but are still fairly slow and express trains or Q coal, which skip additional stations.

These three are fully covered by the base fare ticket we talked about earlier and other categories you'll commonly use when travelling shorter distances or staying within a city above.

These are limited express trains or talk you, which travel over longer distances and stop Onley at major stations.

Many companies like JR requiring 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 fair.

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 costs 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.

Is purchasing tickets also on additional fees 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 Elektronik sign boards displaying which trains air departing from each attract 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 stationmaster 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 Onley 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 sign it, and maps on a 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 were 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 they're usually Elektronik 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.

0.1.

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.

0.2, 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 0.3 and train cars.

Talking on the phone is considered rude because it may disturb other passengers.

0.4 for similar reasons.

If you're going to talk with those around you, it's polite to talk quietly.

0.5.

Eating and drinking are commonly done on long distance trains, but they're considered inappropriate on urban and suburban trains.

0.6 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 japan.

Guide dot com Your comprehensive up to date travelguide firsthand from Japan.

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