Thursday, June 11, 2009

Train Ticket Part 1

There are loooots of different train tickets in Japan, since there are lots of different train companies here. First time I come here, I knew nothing but the usual small one trip ticket that you buy whenever you want to ride the train. Then there are the:


- Special 1 day ticket (unlimited one day trip, discounted)
- JR-pass (only applies for tourists though, discounted)
- prepaid ticket (surutto Kansai, can be used almost anywhere in Kansai, no discount though)
- 回数券カード (buy 10 get 11 trips, discounted)
- 定期券 (Periodical unlimited ticket, eg. unlimited monthly, for a certain path, discounted)
- Pitapa (Like Suica? may be discounted?)

And the way to use it is interesting. Well, normally you slide the card through. And when you don't have enough credit to get out of the station, you can top it up at the machine near the station. But there's also time when you can put 2 cards in. One time I use it from the airport. I can only buy it halfway till my destination. But luckily I have this 回数券カード so I slide the 2 cards in together at my destination! No need to go out and buy another ticket~


I wish I'm in Tokyo so I can just use my phone. But this is Osaka. A bit different, only JR works with phone. I'm still not sure which one's the best for me. As I have to take 2 different trains everyday. Currently using the 回数券カード. Is thinking of using Pitapa, but Pitapa only discounts the subway, which won't do much good for me =( Nothing to lose, though. I can just use it only for subways. There's the credit card version and the normal version. And to process it takes few weeks... =_=;

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