Japanese for Trains and Stations
Riding a train in Japan is easy once you know a handful of sentences and the words on the signs. This page gives the sentence to say first, then two conversations: asking about a train on the platform, and topping up an IC card.
Say this first
Say the station name in the blank. Ask a station staff member or the person next to you before you board. Not every train stops at every station, so this one sentence avoids the most common mistake.
Conversation 1: On the platform
Asking about a train and where to change. Station staff usually answer in short, polite sentences.
| Who | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| You | すみません、この電車は渋谷に止まりますか。すみません、このでんしゃはしぶやにとまりますか。Sumimasen, kono densha wa Shibuya ni tomarimasu ka. | Excuse me, does this train stop at Shibuya? |
| Staff | いいえ、止まりません。各駅停車に乗ってください。いいえ、とまりません。かくえきていしゃにのってください。Īe, tomarimasen. Kakuekiteisha ni notte kudasai. | No, it doesn't. Please take a local train. |
| You | 各駅停車は何番線ですか。かくえきていしゃはなんばんせんですか。Kakuekiteisha wa nanbansen desu ka. | Which platform does the local train leave from? |
| Staff | 三番線です。さんばんせんです。Sanbansen desu. | It's platform 3. |
| You | 乗り換えはどこですか。のりかえはどこですか。Norikae wa doko desu ka. | Where do I change trains? |
| Staff | 次の駅で乗り換えてください。つぎのえきでのりかえてください。Tsugi no eki de norikaete kudasai. | Please change at the next station. |
| You | ありがとうございます。Arigatō gozaimasu. | Thank you. |
Conversation 2: IC card and fare machine
At a ticket machine or the staff window. An IC card such as Suica or PASMO saves you from buying a ticket every time.
| Who | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| You | すみません、ICカードにチャージしたいです。すみません、アイシーカードにチャージしたいです。Sumimasen, AI-shī kādo ni chāji shitai desu. | Excuse me, I want to add money to my IC card. |
| Staff | こちらの機械でできます。こちらのきかいでできます。Kochira no kikai de dekimasu. | You can do it at this machine. |
| You | やり方を教えてください。やりかたをおしえてください。Yarikata o oshiete kudasai. | Please show me how. |
| Staff | カードを置いて、金額を選んでください。カードをおいて、きんがくをえらんでください。Kādo o oite, kingaku o erande kudasai. | Put the card on the reader and choose the amount. |
| You | 改札を出られません。かいさつをでられません。Kaisatsu o deraremasen. | I can't get through the ticket gate. |
| Staff | 精算機で精算してください。せいさんきでせいさんしてください。Seisanki de seisan shite kudasai. | Please pay the difference at the fare adjustment machine. |
Words on signs and announcements
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 駅 | えき | eki | Station. |
| 改札 | かいさつ | kaisatsu | Ticket gate. |
| ホーム | ホーム | hōmu | Platform. |
| ＿＿番線 | ＿＿ばんせん | ___ bansen | Platform number ___. |
| ＿＿行き | ＿＿いき | ___ iki | Bound for ___. |
| 乗り換え | のりかえ | norikae | Transfer, change trains. |
| 切符 | きっぷ | kippu | Ticket. |
| チャージ | チャージ | chāji | Adding money to an IC card. |
| 精算機 | せいさんき | seisanki | Fare adjustment machine (pay the difference). |
| 各駅停車 | かくえきていしゃ | kakuekiteisha | Local train, stops at every station. |
| 快速 | かいそく | kaisoku | Rapid train, skips some stations. |
| 急行 | きゅうこう | kyūkō | Express train. |
| 特急 | とっきゅう | tokkyū | Limited express, usually needs an extra ticket. |
| 終電 | しゅうでん | shūden | Last train of the night. |
| 出口 | でぐち | deguchi | Exit. |
| 忘れ物 | わすれもの | wasuremono | Lost property. |
| 運転見合わせ | うんてんみあわせ | unten miawase | Service suspended. |
Good to know
- You tap your IC card on the ticket gate when you enter and again when you leave. The fare depends on where you get on and off.
- Trains with the same destination can stop at different stations. Check the type of train (各駅停車, 快速, 急行) on the display before you board.
- If you leave something on a train, tell station staff: 忘れ物をしました (Wasuremono o shimashita, "I left something behind") and add what it is, for example かばん (kaban, "bag").
- IC cards also work at convenience stores and vending machines.
Common questions
How do I ask which platform a train leaves from in Japanese?
Say the destination and then は何番線ですか (wa nanbansen desu ka). For example, 渋谷行きは何番線ですか (Shibuya-iki wa nanbansen desu ka) means "Which platform is the train for Shibuya?"
What does 各駅停車 mean on a train sign?
It is a local train that stops at every station. 快速 (rapid) and 急行 (express) skip some stations, so check the display if your station is small.
Do I need to buy a ticket every time I ride a train in Japan?
No. Many people use an IC card such as Suica or PASMO. You tap it at the ticket gate when you enter and when you leave, and you add money with チャージ (chāji) at a machine.
Sources
The ticket gate and IC card facts are from the Japan National Tourism Organization. The train-type words are standard station vocabulary. The Japanese was written for this page and checked for natural, polite everyday speech. Readings are in hiragana and Hepburn romaji. Shops, stations and offices differ, so follow the instructions you are given on the day.
- Japan National Tourism Organization: IC travel cards (Suica, PASMO, regional cards)
- Japan National Tourism Organization: How to travel by train and bus in Japan (tap in and out at the ticket gate; fares depend on where you get on and off)
- The Japan Foundation: Irodori, Japanese for Life in Japan (free course, worksheets and word lists)
Rehearse station and train conversations line by line in Japanese Talk: Trains & Buses.