Train train
TRAIN-TRAIN 走って行け, TRAIN-TRAIN 何処までも。。。
03/11/2007
Here's a small guide about taking the train or the subway in the country where people actually line up on the platform.
In Japan, you don't buy a ticket for a certain station, but of a certain amount. To know how much you need to pay, just check the map:
The numbers are the fees for each station. No problem for blind people, there's a display in braille:
Now just pay:
You can also use bills, just like for any other automatic vending machine (drinks, onsen tickets, etc). And like most everything in Japan, it works, it's fast and easy.
The automatic doors are really basic:
Nothing like the huge barriers we have in France...plus, they are open by default. I guess they only close if you try to pass without a ticket, but I can't confirm it since I've never seen it. In 6 months here, I've only seen people cheating twice and they would use one the classic "one ticket for two" technique...
Something important...in Japan, people actually line up:
And let other people get off the train before rushing in...
Not much to say about the train itself, it's perfectly clean. A nice feature however when you're a group of four: just grab the handle, pull and that's it, you can all seat together:
If you go further than expected, it's also very simple, just use the 精算機, or "Fare adjustment machines" and pay the difference:
Something really amazing: I once lost my ticket on the way. I thought I would have to pay a fine or at least the maximum ticket fee, but we just explained the situation to the guy and he let me pass!!! From what I've heard, you might be asked where you come from and how much you payed just to make sure you're not lying, but that's about the worse that can happen!...There's no way that kind of thing would be possible in France...Needless to say, there are no controls on board, except of course for reserved seats.
Do I need to precise that trains are very rarely late?
Oh, and this post's subtitle matches the beginning of that song's chorus, from the Blue Hearts, a band from the late eighties.
Category: Everyday life
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