Trains, Buses & Tickets
Japanese Basic Conversation 1
Chapter 12 ยท Trains, Buses & Tickets
๐ Getting Around: Trains, Buses & Tickets โ ใฎใใใฎ
The last chapter of the course takes you onto the trains and buses: buying a ticket, finding the right platform, asking about the next train, changing and getting off, and using an IC card. It finishes with a Course Complete recap of the whole course. Romaji is shown under every line of Japanese.
โ Buying a Ticket โ ใใฃใทใ ใใ
A:
ใใฟใพใใใใจใใใใใพใง ใฒใจใค ใใ ใใใ
Sumimasen. Tลkyล made hitotsu kudasai.
Excuse me. One ticket to Tokyo, please.
B:
ใใใฟใกใงใใใใใใตใใงใใใ
Katamichi desu ka, ลfuku desu ka.
One way or return?
A:
ใใใฟใกใงใใ
Katamichi desu.
One way.
B:
ใใใใฒใใใใใงใใ
Sen gohyaku-en desu.
That's 1,500 yen.
โก Which Platform? โ ใชใใฐใใใ๏ผ
A:
ใจใใใใใใใฏ ใชใใฐใใใใงใใใ
Tลkyล-iki wa nanbansen desu ka.
Which platform is the train for Tokyo?
B:
ใใใฐใใใใงใใ
Sanbansen desu.
Platform 3.
A:
ใใใใจใใใใใพใใ
Arigatล gozaimasu.
Thank you.
โข The Next Train โ ใคใใฎ ใงใใใ
A:
ใคใใฎ ใงใใใใฏ ใชใใใงใใใ
Tsugi no densha wa nanji desu ka.
What time is the next train?
B:
ใใ
ใใ ใใ
ใใใตใใงใใ
Jลซji jลซgofun desu.
10:15.
A:
ใใใงใใญใ
Sugu desu ne.
That's soon.
โฃ Changing Trains โ ใฎใใใ
A:
ใใใใใพใง ใใใใใงใใ
ลsaka made ikitai desu.
I want to go to Osaka.
B:
ใจใใใใใง ใฎใใใใฆ ใใ ใใใ
Tลkyล de norikaete kudasai.
Please change at Tokyo.
A:
ใใใใพใใใใใใใจใใใใใพใใ
Wakarimashita. Arigatล gozaimasu.
I understand. Thank you.
โค Which Stop? โ ใคใใฏ ใฉใ๏ผ
A:
ใคใใฏ ใฉใใงใใใ
Tsugi wa doko desu ka.
Where is the next stop?
B:
ใคใใฏ ใใถใใงใใ
Tsugi wa Shibuya desu.
The next stop is Shibuya.
A:
ใใใง ใใใพใใ
Koko de orimasu.
I'll get off here.
โฅ Topping Up an IC Card โ ใใฃใผใธ
A:
ใขใคใทใผใซใผใใซ ใใฃใผใธใ ใใญใใใใพใใ
Aishฤซ kฤdo ni chฤjฤซ o onegai shimasu.
Please top up my IC card.
B:
ใใใใงใใใ
Ikura desu ka.
How much?
A:
ใใใใใ ใใญใใใใพใใ
Sen-en o onegai shimasu.
1,000 yen, please.
๐๏ธ Key Phrases โ ใใใใคใช ใฒใใใใ
| Situation | Japanese | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A ticket to โฆ, please | ใใพใง ใใ ใใ โฆ made kudasai | ใพใง = as far as; to |
| One way / return | ใใใฟใก / ใใใตใ katamichi / ลfuku | |
| Which platform for โฆ? | ใใใใฏ ใชใใฐใใใใงใใ โฆ iki wa nanbansen desu ka | ใใ = bound for |
| What time is the next train? | ใคใใฎ ใงใใใใฏ ใชใใใงใใ tsugi no densha wa nanji desu ka | |
| Please change at โฆ | ใใง ใฎใใใใฆ ใใ ใใ โฆ de norikaete kudasai | set phrase for now |
| Where is the next stop? | ใคใใฏ ใฉใใงใใ tsugi wa doko desu ka | |
| I'll get off here | ใใใง ใใใพใ koko de orimasu | |
| Please top up my IC card | ใขใคใทใผใซใผใใซ ใใฃใผใธใ ใใญใใใใพใ aishฤซ kฤdo ni chฤjฤซ o onegai shimasu |
๐ Transport Words โ ใฎใใใฎ
| Word | Japanese | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| train | ใงใใใ densha | |
| bullet train | ใใใใใใ shinkansen | lit. "new trunk line" |
| subway | ใกใใฆใค chikatetsu | |
| bus | ใใน basu | |
| taxi | ใฟใฏใทใผ takushฤซ | |
| platform | ใใผใ hลmu | ใใฐใใใ = platform number |
| ticket | ใใฃใท kippu | |
| ticket gate | ใใใใค kaisatsu | where you tap or insert your ticket |
| exit | ใงใใก deguchi | from Hiragana 2 |
| IC card | ใขใคใทใผใซใผใ aishฤซ kฤdo | ในใคใซ (Suica), ใในใข (PASMO) |
๐ข Platform Numbers โ ใใฐใใใ
Platforms are numbered with ใฐใใใ. Notice that 4 is ใใ here: ใใใฐใใใ.
| Platform | Japanese | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ใใกใฐใใใ ichibansen | |
| 2 | ใซใฐใใใ nibansen | |
| 3 | ใใใฐใใใ sanbansen | |
| 4 | ใใใฐใใใ yonbansen | |
| 5 | ใใฐใใใ gobansen | |
| 6 | ใใใฐใใใ rokubansen | |
| 7 | ใชใชใฐใใใ nanabansen | |
| 8 | ใฏใกใฐใใใ hachibansen | |
| 9 | ใใ
ใใฐใใใ kyลซbansen | |
| 10 | ใใ
ใใฐใใใ jลซbansen | |
| which? | ใชใใฐใใใ nanbansen |
๐ค Three More Verbs โ ใฉใใ
| Verb | Present (polite) | Negative | Past |
|---|---|---|---|
| to ride; to board (ใฎใ) | ใฎใใพใ norimasu | ใฎใใพใใ norimasen | ใฎใใพใใ norimashita |
| to get off (ใใใ) | ใใใพใ orimasu | ใใใพใใ orimasen | ใใใพใใ orimashita |
| to change trains (ใฎใใใใ) | ใฎใใใใพใ norikaemasu | ใฎใใใใพใใ norikaemasen | ใฎใใใใพใใ norikaemashita |
๐ Vocabulary โ ใใ
20 key words. Read the Japanese first, then check the romaji.
| # | Japanese | Romaji | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ใใฃใท | kippu | ticket | noun |
| 2 | ใงใใใ | densha | train | noun |
| 3 | ใใใใใใ | shinkansen | bullet train | noun |
| 4 | ใกใใฆใค | chikatetsu | subway; metro | noun |
| 5 | ใใน | basu | bus | noun |
| 6 | ใฟใฏใทใผ | takushฤซ | taxi | noun |
| 7 | ใใผใ | hลmu | platform | noun |
| 8 | ใฐใใใ | -bansen | platform number | noun |
| 9 | ใใ | -iki | bound for | noun |
| 10 | ใฎใใใ | norikae | transfer; change | noun |
| 11 | ใใใฟใก | katamichi | one way | noun |
| 12 | ใใใตใ | ลfuku | return; round trip | noun |
| 13 | ใใจใช | otona | adult | noun |
| 14 | ใใใใค | kaisatsu | ticket gate | noun |
| 15 | ใขใคใทใผใซใผใ | aishฤซ kฤdo | IC card | noun |
| 16 | ใใฃใผใธ | chฤjฤซ | top-up; charge | noun |
| 17 | ใฎใใพใ | norimasu | to ride; to board | verb |
| 18 | ใใใพใ | orimasu | to get off | verb |
| 19 | ใฎใใใใพใ | norikaemasu | to change trains | verb |
| 20 | ใคใ | tsugi | next | noun |
Real Japanese Tip โ The IC Card Is Your Friend
An IC card (ในใคใซ in Tokyo, ใในใข, ใคใณใซ and others) is a rechargeable card that works on trains, buses, subways and even in shops and vending machines almost everywhere in Japan. Buy one at a ticket machine, ใใฃใผใธ it with cash, and tap it on the gate. No need to work out the fare.
Punctual and Quiet
Japanese trains are famously punctual, so the times you are told are the times you'll get. On board it is polite to keep quiet, to put your phone on silent (ใใใผใขใผใ) and not to take calls. The ใใ
ใใงใ (last train) leaves around midnight, so check it when you go out for the evening.
ใใ and ใใ
ใใใ and ใใใ both mean "bound for": ใจใใใใใใ and ใจใใใใใใ are the same. You'll see both on signs and announcements.
Reserved and Unreserved Seats
On the Shinkansen and limited-express trains you can choose ใใฆใใใ (reserved seats) or ใใใใใ (unreserved, first-come). Reserved seats are safer in busy seasons: ask ใใฆใใใใ ใใญใใใใพใ.
Kanji Spotlight โ ๅบ ๅ
ฅ ๅฃ
ๅบ (de(ru), shutsu) means go out, ๅ
ฅ (hai(ru), nyลซ) means enter, and ๅฃ (kuchi, guchi) means mouth, opening. Together: ๅบๅฃ (deguchi, exit) and ๅ
ฅๅฃ (iriguchi, entrance), the signs you will see in every station and building. You've already read ใงใใก and ใใใใก in hiragana: now you can spot them in kanji too.
โ๏ธ Try It Yourself โ ใใใใ ใ
Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.
1. Ask for a one-way ticket to Tokyo.
Show answer
ใจใใใใใพใง ใฒใจใค ใใ ใใใใใใฟใกใงใใ
2. Ask which platform the train for Osaka leaves from.
Show answer
ใใใใใใใฏ ใชใใฐใใใใงใใใ
3. Ask when the next train is.
Show answer
ใคใใฎ ใงใใใใฏ ใชใใใงใใใ
4. What do you say to show you are getting off at this station?
Show answer
ใใใง ใใใพใใ
5. What is an IC card, and what do you ask to add money?
Show answer
A rechargeable card for transport and shops. ใใฃใผใธใ ใใญใใใใพใใ
6. What does ใฐใใใ count?
Show answer
Platform numbers: ใใกใฐใใใ (platform 1), ใซใฐใใใ (platform 2) โฆ
๐ Course Complete โ ใใใงใจใ๏ผ
You have finished Japanese Basic Conversation 1. In twelve chapters you went from reading kana to handling the main situations of a first trip to Japan. Here is the whole journey.
| Chapter | Topic | You can nowโฆ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greetings & Goodbyes | You can now greet, thank, apologise and say goodbye politely. |
| 2 | Introducing Yourself | You can now say your name, ask someone's, and use ใใ. |
| 3 | Numbers, Age & Contact Details | You can now count to 100, say your age and phone number. |
| 4 | Countries & Nationalities | You can now say where you come from and what you speak. |
| 5 | Talking About Your Family | You can now describe your family and ask about others'. |
| 6 | Talking About Your Job | You can now say what you do and where you work. |
| 7 | Days, Dates & Time | You can now say the day, date and time. |
| 8 | Ordering at a Cafรฉ | You can now order food and drink and pay. |
| 9 | Shopping & Prices | You can now ask prices and read yen amounts. |
| 10 | Asking for Directions | You can now ask the way and understand directions. |
| 11 | Booking a Hotel | You can now book and check into a hotel. |
| 12 | Trains, Buses & Tickets | You can now buy tickets and find your platform. |
What Next?
You have finished Japanese Basic Conversation 1. Next steps: the kanji courses, which build on the kanji spotlights in this course, and a future Japanese Basic Conversation 2, which moves on to routines, plans, the past and opinions.