Taxis are definitely more convenient than buses, as they will pick you up from where ever and then get dropped off where you need to go, as opposed to at a specific stop. However, the convenience of a taxi comes with an increased cost. The base fare is 710 yen for 2 km, and then a distance rate. This could get very expensive if you have to go far, like from Shinjuku to Kokusai Kenshukan. The buses are more useful in the West because the Western train lines run mostly East-West and the buses run North-South.
It may be very intimidating to travel through the streets in anything larger than a bike because the streets in Japan are much skinnier that the streets in Calgary. It’s very difficult for the bus to manoeuvre through the skinny streets of Japan, especially since so many pedestrians chose to walk on the road. This makes the bus ride seem more dangerous than Calgary.
You get on the bus at a normal bus stop, just like in Calgary. The stops are similar to the stops in Calgary, with a small rain shelter and a bench. However, in spaces with limited area, they might only be a sign with the stop number on it. Finding the stops can be a very difficult task, as the stop may be only a small sign in an obscure area. If you don’t know what to look for, you may just pass them by. These factors add up and results in the bus ride not being recommended for foreigners.
Here is a website with the buses that are near to our station. This map is a little confusing, but it should give a very basic idea of the bus stops in Japan.
http://www.busbus.co.jp/busstopmap/highway-mukaigaoka.html
The way that you enter the bus depends on whether you enter at the starting point of the route or further along the route. If you get on at the beginning, you enter through the back doors and you don’t swipe your card until you get off the bus. Everyone is required to pay a standardized bus fare, around 200 yen. If you don’t get on at the beginning, you swipe your card once when you enter and once again when you get off.
On the bus there are various things that are convenient for passengers. There are buttons around the bus that you push when you’re arriving at your stop. However, unlike Calgary there’s no pull cord. Stops are announced over an intercom for everyone to hear, and they are also displayed on a LCD screen. This is really helpful for those who may have disabilities, like blindness or deafness.
There are many similarities between trains and buses. There’s priority seating available on the bus, which is distinguished by color coded seats. The ones at the back of the bus are open for everyone, while the ones near the front are priority seating for elderly, handicapped or expecting women. Like the trains, there is etiquette that you are expected to follow, like no talking on cell phones and turning your cell phone onto manner mode.
Ads on the buses are similar to Calgary. They run down the aisles of the seats on the roof much like the trains. There are specific ad buses, where the entire bus is painted as an advertisement. These can be found in Akihabara.
Highway Buses
One way to get around Japan is to use highway buses. This can be useful for the traveller who doesn’t want to pay for both lodging and transportation. Some of the buses drive all night so you don’t have to worry about finding a hotel. The high way buses run between most major cities.
The 2 main companies in Japan that offer highway buses are JR Bus Group and Willer Express. The JR Pass can be used on the some of the night buses offered by JR, but it is more convenient to use the train instead. However, if you are running low on funds and you don’t have a rail pass, the highway buses are a less expensive alternative. You can buy a specific one-way pass, a round trip ticket or a booklet of multiple tickets. There is usually a student discount. It’s cheaper to buy a round trip ticket than 2 one way tickets. However, there is a time limit for both the round trip ticket and the multiple ticket packs.
In conclusion, the buses in Japan are a lot more complicated than the buses in Calgary. Unless you’re travelling with someone who knows the system well, it is recommended that people in a hurry or with little or no Japanese knowledge stick to the trains.
http://www.busbus.co.jp/busstopmap/highway-mukaigaoka.html
The way that you enter the bus depends on whether you enter at the starting point of the route or further along the route. If you get on at the beginning, you enter through the back doors and you don’t swipe your card until you get off the bus. Everyone is required to pay a standardized bus fare, around 200 yen. If you don’t get on at the beginning, you swipe your card once when you enter and once again when you get off.
On the bus there are various things that are convenient for passengers. There are buttons around the bus that you push when you’re arriving at your stop. However, unlike Calgary there’s no pull cord. Stops are announced over an intercom for everyone to hear, and they are also displayed on a LCD screen. This is really helpful for those who may have disabilities, like blindness or deafness.
There are many similarities between trains and buses. There’s priority seating available on the bus, which is distinguished by color coded seats. The ones at the back of the bus are open for everyone, while the ones near the front are priority seating for elderly, handicapped or expecting women. Like the trains, there is etiquette that you are expected to follow, like no talking on cell phones and turning your cell phone onto manner mode.
Ads on the buses are similar to Calgary. They run down the aisles of the seats on the roof much like the trains. There are specific ad buses, where the entire bus is painted as an advertisement. These can be found in Akihabara.
Highway Buses
One way to get around Japan is to use highway buses. This can be useful for the traveller who doesn’t want to pay for both lodging and transportation. Some of the buses drive all night so you don’t have to worry about finding a hotel. The high way buses run between most major cities.
The 2 main companies in Japan that offer highway buses are JR Bus Group and Willer Express. The JR Pass can be used on the some of the night buses offered by JR, but it is more convenient to use the train instead. However, if you are running low on funds and you don’t have a rail pass, the highway buses are a less expensive alternative. You can buy a specific one-way pass, a round trip ticket or a booklet of multiple tickets. There is usually a student discount. It’s cheaper to buy a round trip ticket than 2 one way tickets. However, there is a time limit for both the round trip ticket and the multiple ticket packs.
In conclusion, the buses in Japan are a lot more complicated than the buses in Calgary. Unless you’re travelling with someone who knows the system well, it is recommended that people in a hurry or with little or no Japanese knowledge stick to the trains.
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