Let’s Learn How to Board One-Man Trains

Boarding and alighting from local trains in Japan can be quite different from doing so in major cities, and often, there are only Japanese signs, making it very inconvenient for foreign tourists.

Indeed, in the Japan Tourism Agency’s 2019 survey on “Acceptance Environment for Foreign Visitors to Japan,” 50% of foreign tourists responded that they had trouble with local trains. Additionally, in the same survey, only 8% of tourists found local public transportation convenient.

Especially inconvenient are one-man trains, which operate differently from regular trains. Many local trains in Japan are one-man due to the few passengers, meaning only one driver is on board.

Often, only the first carriage (the one at the front of the train’s direction) has doors that open and close. Also, on a one-man train, you must press a button to open the door when boarding or alighting. When boarding, just like on a bus, you take a numbered ticket, and when getting off, you put the ticket and fare into the fare box.

If you’re using a one-man train, always try to board the first carriage for ease. However, whether you board from the front or rear door of the first carriage depends on the railway operator.

Remember how to board and alight from one-man trains and enjoy your local travels in Japan!