{"id":1657,"date":"2016-02-19T20:30:15","date_gmt":"2016-02-19T11:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=1657"},"modified":"2018-06-19T20:16:33","modified_gmt":"2018-06-19T11:16:33","slug":"trains-japan-things-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/trains-japan-things-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Trains: What Should I Know?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Japanese trains are famous for being clean, punctual, convenient and fast. They are also famous for being a tight squeeze. The sheer amount of people that ride\u00a0on Japanese trains\u00a0is incredible; 6.84 million people take the subway trains\u00a0each day in Tokyo. Despite this, the railway companies still manage to deliver exceptional service, which is quite an amazing feat of modern society.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n The Japanese\u00a0train network is an extensive one\u00a0managed by many different companies. Unfortunately, this means you cannot use the trains\u00a0with a single ticket a lot of the time, so changing lines can become expensive. In this article we would like to tell you how to get around these problems, as well as explain the\u00a0ICOCA card\u00a0and\u00a0other tips when riding Japanese trains.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Timetables for Japanese trains<\/strong><\/p>\n The first and most important thing\u00a0to understand for Japanese trains\u00a0is timetabling. Fortunately, very sophisticated and easy to use English services exist, so the process is quite simple. The caveat is that it\u2019s all online, so unless you have bought a pre-paid SIM card or wireless hotspot, you will need to plan your trains ahead of time at the hotel, or follow the signage which is displayed\u00a0in partial\u00a0English.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n By using the service, you can ensue you get the fastest trip to your destination. If you catch the first train going in your direction without looking it up, you risk getting on local trains when an express would have been much faster. You can also see the price here, so you know exactly what ticket to buy (but more on that later in the tickets section). You can also see the platform number (if the station has multiple platforms) and the time of departure. Additionally, you can sort by price and find a cheaper route. With many different Japanese companies operating trains, it is sometimes much cheaper to take a route\u00a0that is only a few minutes slower. Japanese Train Companies<\/strong><\/p>\n Many different companies operate\u00a0 the Japanese\u00a0rail lines. The largest is Japan Rail, commonly called JR. The JR pass is, to no one\u2019s surprise, issued through them. Generally, switching companies mid-journey will jump up your ticket price quite a lot, as you have to pay the flag-fall twice, so to speak. Tickets and ICOCA Cards for Japanese trains<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The Japanese train networks run on a dual ticketing system, for the most part. The old (and mostly redundant) method involves buy a ticket stub from a machine. The value of the ticket must equal the cost of the journey, and it will be consumed by the machine on your exit. Let\u2019s look at how to buy a ticket.<\/p>\n 1. Find the cost of your journey. You can do this by looking at the stations map located above the ticket machines, or more simply by searching on Hyperdia. The other ticketing system is by smart IC card. This is much simpler in my opinion, as you can simply load money onto your card, and then touch it to the barrier to pass through. Not having to think about what each individual trips price is makes it a lot easier.<\/p>\n The main\u00a0IC\u00a0card is\u00a0PASMO, SUICA & ICOCA. In this article I will show you how to get an ICOCA card, and how to use an ICOCA card.<\/p>\n Getting an ICOCA Card for Japanese trains<\/strong><\/p>\n The ICOCA card can be purchased from most\u00a0train stations in the Kansai region. It works on almost every line, and can be used on some vending machines too. The cost is 2000 yen, but it comes pre-loaded with 1500 yen. Adding Funds to your IC Card for Japanese trains<\/strong><\/p>\n The ICOCA card is reusable after you\u2019ve depleted the initial 1500, and you can easily add more credit at the same machines you bought\u00a0the ICOCA\u00a0from. Please be aware that the machines do not accept credit cards. How to Use an ICOCA Card on Japanese trains<\/strong><\/p>\n Simply touch your card to the IC panel on the ticket gates, and the gate will open. If there are insufficient funds on your card, it will decline (the gates won\u2019t open) and you\u2019ll have to top up your ICOCA\u00a0card.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n When you leave the train station at the other end, touch your ICOCA\u00a0card to the same place and the fare will be deducted.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n If the journey costs more money than what is available on your ICOCA\u00a0card, you will be unable to leave the station. Fortunately, there are \u201cFare Adjustment\u201d machines inside the paid area. Take your ICOCA card here and you can add more money to your card.<\/p>\n
\nFinally, Japanese trains are almost always on time. If you know the time the trains are arriving, you can simply get on the one that does arrive at the right\u00a0time. This\u00a0means you don’t\u00a0need to remember anything but the departure times. You can check out Hyperdia here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nIf you wish to\u00a0ride\u00a0trains\u00a0on a budget, it\u2019s a good idea to check Google Maps and see if, perhaps with a little walking, a route exists that doesn\u2019t involve changing companies. You might even spot something interesting, like a nice caf\u00e9 or temple.<\/p>\n
\n2. Select the price on the ticket machine.
\n3. Insert the money. Please be aware that the machines do not accept credit cards.
\n4. Accept or decline a receipt.
\n5. Take your ticket.<\/p>\n
\n1. Switch the ticket machine to English by pressing the English button.
\n2. Press \u201cPurchase ICOCA\u201d.
\n3. Press 2000.
\n4. Insert 2000 yen into the machine.
\n5. Choose to accept or decline a receipt
\n6. Take your new ICOCA card.<\/p>\n
\n1. Insert your ICOCA into the machine.
\n2. Press the yen amount you want to recharge.
\n3. Insert the cash.
\n4. Choose to accept or decline a receipt.
\n5. Take your freshly charged ICOCA card.<\/p>\n