Places such as Kyoto have tourist day passes and bus route maps in English, which you can obtain at a bus station. Local buses usually board from the rear door, but if your journey is not covered by a flat fee you may need to pick up a numbered ticket. A board at the front of the bus displays the fares, based on the numbers. You will need to know your destination in Japanese characters. Some buses board from the front door and require you to pay as you enter. Tickets for long/middle distance coach trips, as well as express buses, are usually sold at the coach counter or ticketing machine.
FACE TO FACE
すみません、どのバスが中心部に行きますかsumimasen, dono basu ga chuushimbu ni ikimasu ka?Excuse me, which bus goes to the centre?
15番ですjuugo-ban desuNumber 15
バス停はどこですかbasutei wa doko desu ka?Where is the bus stop?
すぐそこ、右にありますsugu soko, migi ni arimasuThere, on the right
どこで乗車券を買えますかdoko de jooshaken o kaemasu ka?Where can I buy the tickets?
売店で買えますbaiten de kaemasuAt the news-stand
Is there a bus/tram to…?
…に行くバス/路面電車はありますか…ni iku basu/romen-densha wa arimasu ka?
Where do I/we catch the bus to…?
どこで …行きのバスに乗れますかdoko de … iki no basu ni noremasu ka?
Where do I/we catch the tram to…?
どこで … 行きの路面電車に乗れますかdoko de … iki no romen-densha ni noremasu ka?
I/we would like to go to…
…に行きたいんですが…ni ikitain desu ga
How much is it to go to…?
…までいくらですか…made ikura desu ka?
the centre
中心部chuushimbu
the beach
浜辺hamabe
How often are the buses to…?
…に行くバスはどのぐらい出ていますか…ni iku basu wa donogurai dete imasu ka?
When is the first bus to…?
…行きの始発バスはいつですか…iki no shihatsu basu wa itsu desu ka?
When is the last bus to…?
…行きの最終バスはいつですか…iki no saishuu basu wa itsu desu ka?
Please tell me when to get off
いつ降りたらいいか教えてくださいitsu oritara ii ka oshiete kudasai
Please tell me when we are at...
…に着いたら教えてください...ni tsuitara oshiete kudasai
Please let me off
すみません、降ろしてくださいsumimasen, oroshite kudasai
I got on at...
…から乗りました...kara norimashita
Sorry, I forgot to take a ticket (on entering bus)
すみません、整理券を取りませんでしたsumimasen, seiriken o torimasen deshita
coach
長距離バスchookyori-basu
shuttle bus
シャトルバスshatoru-basu
YOU MAY HEAR…
ここ/このバス停ですよ koko/kono basutei desu yo
This is it/your stop
地下鉄の方が、速いですよ chikatetsu no hoo ga hayai desu yo
Take the metro, it’s quicker
Public transport is free for up to two children under 6 when travelling with a paying adult. An elementary school pupil pays half price (aged between 7 and 12). Junior high (13 to 15) and senior high (16 to 18) school students are often given discounts too.
The Japanese metro and train services are clean, safe and run on time. You can find metro systems in the Tokyo area, as well as Sapporo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and several other cities. You can either purchase a pre-paid card or an ordinary ticket from the ticketing machine. Silver seats are for elderly people or people with difficulties. Mobile phones need to be on silent and you must not talk in the carriage. In major cities, the rush hour crush can be really bad (between 7 and 9 am and 5 and 8 pm). Some trains have women-only carriages. The Japanese metro system is very similar to the one in London. Suika is like the Oyster card. The first thing you must do is obtain a metro map which indicates all the lines and stops.
入口 iriguchi
entrance
出口 deguchi
way out/exit
Can I get a seat reservation please?
座席の予約をお願いしますzaseki no yoyaku o onegai shimasu?
Where can I get a ticket?
切符はどこで買えますかkippu wa doko de kaemasu ka?
Where is the nearest metro station?
一番近い地下鉄の駅はどこですかichiban chikai chikatetsu no eki wa doko desu ka?
