Train & bus manners

In supported areas, you can tap a transport IC card such as Suica or PASMO at the gates. Not every route accepts them, and Shinkansen or limited-express services may need an additional ticket or reservation. Check that your starting point and destination are covered.

Some passengers use paper tickets instead of IC cards; either is fine. If a gate does not open, avoid forcing your way through. Step aside and ask staff so other people can pass.

You do not need to stop talking altogether. Keep conversations quiet for the setting, silence your phone, and use headphones for videos or music. Many operators ask passengers to avoid phone calls, so follow the onboard notices.

Other passengers may be resting or listening for announcements. Make calls after leaving, or use a designated calling area on a long-distance train if one is indicated. Some sounds, including children’s voices, cannot always be avoided; perfect silence is not the goal.

Priority seats help older passengers, pregnant people, people with injuries or disabilities, and people with young children sit when they need to. Use a seat if you need it. Someone’s need to sit is not always visible.

If you can offer a seat, a brief “Dōzo” (“Please”) is enough. It is fine if the person declines. You can offer any seat, but do not feel you must stand when doing so would be difficult for you.

In a crowd, hold a backpack in front, low by your side, or use a suitable rack so it does not bump others. Keep a suitcase from rolling and leave doors, aisles and wheelchair spaces clear.

Storage depends on the train and the bag. On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, oversized luggage with combined dimensions over 160 cm and up to 250 cm generally requires a suitable seat reservation in advance. Check official conditions before boarding.

There is no single nationwide ban on eating and drinking onboard. Tokyo Metro, for example, does not impose a general restriction but asks passengers to consider others. On crowded commuter trains and local buses, having meals before or after the ride helps avoid spills and smells.

You do not need to go without water. Where no restriction is posted, take care with a resealable drink. On long-distance trains such as the Shinkansen, people may eat a bento at their seat. Follow your bus or train’s own guidance, and take rubbish with you or use designated bins.

Wait beside the doors so people can get off first. Bus boarding doors and payment methods vary: some use front-door boarding and payment on entry, others rear-door boarding and payment on exit. Check the entrance signs, take a numbered ticket if required, and tap your IC card where directed.

People who live in Japan can be unsure on an unfamiliar route too. Show your destination and ask while the bus is stopped. After pressing the stop button, wait until the bus stops completely before moving to get off.