Learn tickets, IC cards, gates, platforms, local buses, transfers and what to do after missing a service.
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10-second answer
What to do right now
Check the operator, line, direction and train or bus type before boarding. Use an accepted IC card or the correct ticket, then confirm that the service stops at your destination. If you are already on the wrong service or have missed one, move somewhere safe and ask staff before buying or boarding again.
Save the line or bus name, direction or terminal, platform or stop, departure time and service type. Several operators may use the same station, and express trains may skip your stop.
2
Prepare the right IC card or ticket
Use an accepted IC card with enough balance, or buy the paper and express or reserved-seat tickets required for the trip. Keep every paper ticket until the trip is complete.
3
Confirm where to board, tap and get off
At a train gate, tap or insert the ticket as shown. On a bus, check the entry door and whether payment is due when boarding or leaving. Before departure, confirm that the service stops at your destination.
Where the IC logo is shown, tap once when entering and once when leaving. Keep some yen because rural trains, local buses and highway buses may not accept your card.
First-time train tutorial
How to ride a train
1Check the complete routeSave the operator, line name, direction or terminal station, departure time, platform and train type. Several companies may use the same station.
2Prepare an IC card or ticketCharge enough yen before the gate, or buy a paper ticket for the fare to your destination. Ticket machines usually have an English option.
3Enter through the correct gateTouch the IC reader once, or insert the paper ticket and take it from the other side. Keep the ticket until your destination.
4Confirm direction and train typeFollow the line color, station code, direction and platform signs. Check whether the train is Local, Rapid, Express or Limited Express and whether it stops at your station.
5Exit or transfer correctlyTap the same IC card at the exit. A regular paper ticket is normally collected. If transferring through a gate, follow the transfer signs rather than an ordinary exit.
6Ask staff if the gate closesDo not force your way through or tap repeatedly. Show the card or ticket at the staffed gate; you may need to add value or adjust the fare.
Local buses vary by area
Check the door and payment sign before boarding
Rear entryPay when you get off
Board at the rear or middle door.
Tap your IC card, or take a numbered ticket.
Press a stop button before your stop.
Exit at the front; tap again or pay the fare shown for your ticket number.
Front entryPay when you get on
Board at the front door.
Tap your IC card or pay the flat fare.
Press a stop button before your stop.
Leave through the designated exit door.
Important: These are common systems, not nationwide rules. Follow the signs and the driver's instructions. If paying a variable fare in cash, prepare the exact amount; a fare box may not return change.
Bags on trains
Where to put your luggage
Keep every bag under your control and leave the aisle, doors and seats clear. The safest place depends on its size and weight.
Small bagRack or securely at your feet
Use the overhead rack only if the bag is light, stable and easy for you to lift. Otherwise keep it upright between your legs or close at your feet without blocking anyone.
BackpackTake it off in crowded cars
Hold it low in front of you or put it on the rack. A backpack worn on your back can hit seated and standing passengers.
SuitcaseKeep it close and stop the wheels
Use a rack only when you can lift it safely. Keep larger or heavier cases on the floor where permitted, hold the handle and prevent them from rolling when the train moves.
Last-row spaceDo not assume it is free storage
On covered Shinkansen services, the space behind the last row is for passengers who reserved a seat with an oversized-baggage area. Ask staff if you are unsure.
Never leave a bag hereIn an aisle or doorwayOn an empty passenger seatUnsecured where it can roll or fallIn an accessibility space needed by another passenger
L + W + Hinclude wheels and handles
Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen
161โ250 cm: reserve the correct baggage seat
Add the suitcase's length, width and height. If the total is over 160 cm and no more than 250 cm, reserve a seat with an oversized-baggage area before boarding. The reservation has no separate luggage fee, but bringing it without the required reservation may cost ยฅ1,000 and staff will choose the storage location. Baggage over 250 cm in total cannot be brought aboard.
Let passengers leave first, then board without stopping in the doorway.
Use an elevator rather than carrying a suitcase on an escalator.
Before your stop, prepare early without moving into the doorway too soon.
Keep valuables, passports and medicine with youโnot in unattended luggage.
For a stroller, keep it controlled and follow the train's signs or staff instructions; do not block wheelchair or priority space.
When something goes wrong
Choose what happened
I boarded the wrong train
Get off at the next safe stop and ask station or train staff. Do not leave the paid area until staff explains the correct route and any fare adjustment.
I missed my stop
Stay on until the next stop, then ask staff how to return. Do not board a train in the opposite direction without checking your ticket or fare first.
My IC card did not open the gate
Move aside so others can pass. Check the displayed message, then use a recharge or fare-adjustment machine, or show the card at the staffed gate.
I missed a reserved or Shinkansen train
Show every ticket, pass or booking screen to JR staff before boarding another service. Rules vary by ticket, and some trains have reserved seats only.
I missed the last train or bus
Check the operator's official service status and route planner. Use a staffed taxi rank or official taxi app; do not accept rides from unlicensed solicitors. Open the taxi and ride-hailing guide โ
I have oversized Shinkansen baggage
Measure length + width + height, including wheels and handles. On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, baggage totaling 161โ250 cm requires a seat with an oversized-baggage area. See the luggage guide above and ask staff before boarding if you have not reserved it.
Quick mannersQueue at the platform markings and let passengers leave first.Keep calls silent, speak quietly and move backpacks so they do not hit others.Keep priority seats available when someone needs them, and check women-only car signs and operating times.
Useful Japanese phrases
ใใฎ้ป่ปใฏใใ้ง ใซๆญขใพใใพใใ๏ผKono densha wa ___ eki ni tomarimasu ka?Does this train stop at ___ Station?
ใใฎใในใฏใใใซ่กใใพใใ๏ผKono basu wa ___ ni ikimasu ka?Does this bus go to ___?
ไนใๆใใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผNorikae wa doko desu ka?Where do I transfer?
ใใฎ้ป่ปใซไนใ้ ใใพใใใKono densha ni noriokuremashita.I missed this train.
Official guidance checked on August 15, 2026. Fares, accepted payment methods, timetables, ticket rules, luggage rules and service patterns vary by operator; confirm the latest details on the linked official page or with staff.
Useful links
Open transport guides and route tools
Official resources come first. Links open in a new tab.
