How to buy a train ticket in Japanese
鎌倉まで往復でお願いします。
Kamakura made ōfuku de onegai shimasu.
“A round-trip ticket to Kamakura, please.”
When: At the ticket window, after すみません
The moment
You are at the ticket window in Tokyo's Shinjuku Station, heading to Kamakura for the day and coming back tonight. There is a queue behind you, so keep it short and polite.
A1 · Unit 3 · Getting around
The lines
One way or round trip
Name the destination first, then say whether you are coming back: 「鎌倉まで往復でお願いします。」 Swap 往復 for 片道 and you have asked for one way only.
鎌倉まで往復でお願いします。
Kamakura made ōfuku de onegai shimasu.
“A round-trip ticket to Kamakura, please.”
When to use it: At the ticket window, after すみません
What you’ll hear back: はい、往復ですね。千九百四十円です。 hai, ōfuku desu ne. sen kyūhyaku yonjū en desu. (Yes, round trip. That's 1,940 yen.)
When does the next one leave?
「次の電車は何時ですか。」 asks what time the next train goes. Put バス in place of 電車 and the same question works at any bus stop.
次の電車は何時ですか。
tsugi no densha wa nan ji desu ka.
“What time is the next train?”
When to use it: When you have just watched one pull away
What you’ll hear back: 次は十時十五分です。 tsugi wa jū ji jūgo fun desu. (The next one is at 10:15.)
Words for this scene
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 何番線ですか。 | nanbansen desu ka | Which platform is it? |
すみません、鎌倉行きは何番線ですか。 Excuse me, which platform is the Kamakura train? Tip: Japanese stations signpost platform numbers, never compass directions. | ||
| 大人二枚お願いします。 | otona nimai onegai shimasu | Two adult tickets, please. |
鎌倉まで大人二枚お願いします。 Two adult tickets to Kamakura, please. Tip: Kids six to eleven ride on half-price 子供 tickets. | ||
| チャージお願いします。 | chāji onegai shimasu | Please top it up. |
すみません、千円チャージお願いします。 Excuse me, a thousand yen top-up, please. Tip: A topped-up Suica also pays on buses and in convenience stores. | ||
Your objective
Buy a return ticket to where you’re going and ask what time the next train leaves.
- a return ticket
- where to
- the time of the next train
Lines that get it done
- 鎌倉まで往復でお願いします。
- 次の電車は何時ですか。
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. You are going to Kamakura and coming back tonight. What do you ask for?
- 鎌倉まで往復でお願いします。
- 鎌倉まで片道でお願いします。
- 鎌倉から往復でお願いします。
- 鎌倉まで大人二枚お願いします。
Show the answer
鎌倉まで往復でお願いします。
往復 is there and back; 片道 would get you one way only.
2. How do you ask what time the next train leaves?
- 次の電車は何時ですか。
- 次の電車はいくらですか。
- 次の電車は何枚ですか。
- 次の電車は何番線ですか。
Show the answer
次の電車は何時ですか。
何時 asks the time; 何番線 would ask which platform instead.
3. You have the ticket in hand and now need to know where to wait. What do you say?
- 何番線ですか。
- 何時ですか。
- 何枚ですか。
- いくらですか。
Show the answer
何番線ですか。
番線 is the platform number, which is what tells you where to stand.