Quick Tips on Riding the Bus in Tokyo
Buses are a great way to get around Tokyo! Unlike the subway you can really get a feel for the area you are traveling through and make some great discoveries on the way. Follow the quick tips below to master and enjoy this cheap and convenient means of transportation!
Single Fare – There is just one fare on the buses in central Tokyo, so you don’t need to worry about calculating the cost (MORE ON THIS)
How to Pay – Drop cash into the box or touch your IC card at the front of the bus (MORE ON THIS)
Etiquette – Common sense rules apply (MORE ON THIS)
Getting On and Off – Get on at the front and off at the side.
Routes and Timetables – English language routes and timetables are available (MORE ON THIS)
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Fellow Bitcoiner?
There is a single fare for journeys along each bus route. As of writing, this is ￥210 for adults and ￥110 (￥105 with an IC card) for children aged 6 to 11, and free for younger children. Note that you cannot keep hopping buses for this one fare. You pay per the route. Also, this uniform fare only covers the 23 wards of Tokyo. Buses on the outskirts will have their own system (beyond the scope of this post)
Generally I would recommend getting an IC card as it makes things SO much easier. If you want to pay cash, drop the money into the box. It is possible to get change but use the correct change if you can. (Check out my post on IC cards here.)
If you are using cash, try to pay with the exact money, especially when the bus is busy, offer your seat to somebody who might need it more than you do, try to avoid KO’ing the person behind you with your backpack, and move down the bus to give some space to people getting on behind you. Just common sense stuff!
You can get English language bus information from the Toei bus website here.