Page 332 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

Long-Distance Bus Travel which allows unlimited travel on most of the
subway, bus, and streetcar lines in the city center
The efficiency and extent of the rail network for 24 hours. But, unless you are planning on
means that few visitors use long-distance making a lot of journeys in one day, use a Suica,
coaches, but the bus network is comprehensive, or Pasmo, card instead. These electronic cards
and for those without a Japan Rail Pass, a bus can be purchased from vending machines at
is a much cheaper option than the train. While many stations, as well as on the Japan Rail Pass
styles and services vary, coaches are uniformly website (p330). You can top them up, using cash,
comfortable, and often have toilets. For
at these machines or on buses. These cards are
NEED TO KNOW Getting Around JR Bus Kanto Subway
timetable details contact a local information
valid on most forms of city transport. To use it,
centers or see JR Bus Kanto
simply hold your card up against the reader.
.
∑ jrbuskanto.co.jp.e.wn.hp.transer.com
The Tokyo subway system is extensive with
Boats and Ferries
color-coded maps matching the color of
the subway cars. Other cities, including Osaka,
Nagoya, Kobe, Sendai, Yokohama, Fukuoka,
It is possible to travel to Japan by ferry from
Kyoto, and Sapporo, also have subway systems,
some parts of Asia, including Pusan in South
Korea and Shanghai in China. The Far Eastern
Shipping Line also connects Japan to Russia.
The Japan Rail Pass cannot be used on any
subway system. If you do not have a valid pass
As an island nation, ferries and boats are a
great way to get around Japan. Tickets for boats but their modes of operation differ slightly.
or reloadable card, buy a ticket from either a
can be bought at the ferry terminal on the day vending machine or a ticket window. If you are in
of departure. Usually, there is a form to fill in, any doubt about how much to pay, then simply
which enables the ferry company to compile a buy the cheapest ticket and pay the excess
list of passengers. The Japan National Tourism at the end of your journey.
Organization (JNTO) produces a travel manual Station names are often displayed on
detailing the main services. platform signboards in romanized form as well
Japan National Tourism Organization as Japanese. All mass-transit systems stop
∑ japan.travel/en running at around midnight until about 5am.
Public Transport Streetcars
Modern and old-fashioned streetcars still run in
Most cities operate multiple transport services, quite a few Japanese cities, including Hiroshima,
comprising subway systems, street cars, and Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Sapporo. Tokyo has
buses. The only complication for visitors is in two streetcar lines, and the Enoden Railway in
the purchase of tickets: systems vary from city Kamakura, south of Tokyo, is also classed as a
to city; ticket machines tend to be in Japanese, streetcar. Fares and systems for paying on
except for at the major train stations in cities; streetcars differ from city to city; some charge a
and few staff speak English. flat fare irrespective of the distance travelled,
while others have specific charges for different
Tickets routes. The fare machine is sometimes manned
Basic fare tickets for short distances are separately. Follow the example of other
normally bought from ticket machines at passengers as to when to pay, and whether to
stations. At major transportation hubs, these pay the fare collector or put money into a box.
machines will have an English-translation
button. Most machines accept ¥1,000 and Bus
¥5,000, some take ¥10,000 notes, and all supply Bus depots (basu noriba) are often located
change. Many stations have maps in English, outside of train stations in cities. The method of
indicating the fares to destinations. If in doubt paying fares varies. Some buses are boarded at
about the cost of a trip, simply buy a cheap the front, and the fare – often a flat rate – is
ticket and pay any excess at the destination deposited into a slot beside the driver. Exit from
using the fare adjustment machine near the exit the door in the middle of the bus.
barrier. This machine will supply you with a new A second system invites passengers to step
ticket. If there is no such machine, station staff aboard toward the center or back of the bus,
will work out the additional charge; you will not where a machine distributes numbered tickets.
be penalized for having the wrong-value ticket. The number on this ticket appears on a screen at
Many cities have their own special tickets, and the front of the bus, which corresponds to the
local tourist information centers can provide fare to be paid. Before you disembark, drop the
information and advice. In Tokyo, there are a indicated amount and your ticket into the box
variety of options, including the “Free Kippu”, beside the driver.
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