Travel: How to Ride a Train in Japan

You can watch Risa teaching how to ride a train in Japan here. In this article, we have listed the phrases that you need to learn in written forms. So, you can practice them repeatedly or you can copy the phrases from here and paste them to japandict.com or a Japanese language-learning tool for further study.

• Please take the seat
• どうぞ / Dōzo
• Excuse me, need to get off!
• すみません、おります。/ Sumimasen, orimasu
• Woman-only train
• 女性專用車 。/ josei sen'yōsha

Please do watch the video to learn the proper manners and etiquette when you ride a train in Japan.

Survival Tips at Train Stations

Before you ride a train in Japan, you also would like to watch the following two videos first.

In the first video, Lauren from Canada will introduce you how to:

• Choose the correct exit when arriving at a station
• Purchase an IC card (e.g., Pasmo, Suica, Icoca card) or a paper ticket

In the second video, Chris and Heidi are going from Gifu (岐阜) to Nagoya (名古屋) and they are going to introduce you how to:

• Purchase a paper ticket
• Read the train schedule displayed in 24-hour clock and departure track
• It's OK to take any train line (except the one with reserved seat or red line in the video) as long as you get on and off at the correct stations.

Personal Experience

Here are some things I learned the hard way during my 12-day solo trip to Kansai, Japan:

• Don't be the first one on an empty train: This might be the last train for the station, and they need to flip all the seats before people get on. You might get in the way!
• Get off when everyone else does: If everyone leaves the train, it's probably the last stop.
• Listen for announcements: Announcements at the last stop are usually longer and end with "Arigatou gozaimashita / ありがとう、ございました" (Thank you).
• Don't force the ticket gate: If the gate closes on you, your pass might be low on money. Look for a fare adjustment machine nearby to add more value.
• Listen to the ticket gate: The gate makes different sounds depending on your card balance. A screen will also show your remaining amount.
• Tap your wallet, not your card: You don't need to take your IC card out, just hold your wallet over the sensor.

References

1. How to ride a train in Japan (video)
2. Introducing Japanese Train Stations & Tickets (video)
3. How to Use the JR Train System for basic travel (video)
4. 8 EASY JAPANESE PHRASES FOR TRAVEL IN JAPAN (video)
5. Top 20 Travel Phrases You Should Know in Japanese - Vocabulary with Risa (video)
6. 111 Japanese Phrases for Beginners. (video)
7. 111 Japanese Phrases for Beginners 2 (video)
8. How to Get a Suica Card (video)
9. How to Use Your Pasmo/Suica (video)
10. Shinkansen (good)
11. 7 Tokyo Rail Hacks (good)
12. Essential Japanese Kanji Volume 1: (JLPT Level N5) Learn the ..., Volume 1
13. A Solo Trip Can Be A Disaster If You Forget These 7 Rules