Train-underground pass for long-term student

Hi everyone,

next week I'm coming to Tokyo where I will be staying for 6 months to study the language. There is more than one route that I can choose to get from my house to the school by train and/or underground. I was told that if I pick a route and choose it every day, I can buy a monthly pass specifically for that route that will make my save money instead of buying one ticket everyday.

I was wondering whether this is true and, if it is, how can I buy this pass?

Thank you

It's called a commuter pass (’èŠúŒ”); ask the railway company. Note that you will not be eligible to student discounts.

I was wondering whether this is true and, if it is, how can I buy this pass?

That is true and it is the most typical way to travel for those who commute more than 4 days a week. But try calculating anyway to make sure it meets the frequency of your travel.

Also keep in mind that you are allowed to use the pass when you're getting on/off at any station along the route, even if it's not for your school. For example, let's say you are traveling from station A to B, and you pass through stations C and D and E. On your days off you can go see a movie by traveling from A and getting off at C, or walking to D to ride the train and getting off at E without paying extra.

As for ways to calculate, what English websites do people rely on today? Since I can read Japanese, I use Ekitan and double-check through official websites of train companies.
http://ekitan.com/

To buy the pass, ask your school. Firas may be right, but if you happen to be an official student of designated high schools or universities, you are indeed entitled to student discount for trains. And in that case, you need to obtain a format from your school. Otherwise, you go directly to one of the many designated train stations that sell the pass you need, so if your school has nothing to do with the purchase, ask at the station you are commuting from/to for details. You can purchase the pass on the spot by cash (or sometimes credit).

If you can clarify what stations you use, perhaps someone can do the math for you.

Thank you for your answers to my question.

In the meantime, I found this website http://japanesetest4you.com/blog/how-to-purchase-a-monthly-train-pass/ and they say that discounts apply to students. So I will ask my school about it.


I have another question about the example of stations A, B, C....: let's suppose that my pass is from A to B but, after B, in the same train line, there is station C. If I get on at station A and off at C do I just pay from B to C (due to the fact that from A to B is included in the pass)?

For sure I will use the following stations: Umejima, kitasenju, Takadanobaba.

Do I have to talk to a eki in to buy this or can I just use a machine?

Thank you

If I get on at station A and off at C do I just pay from B to C (due to the fact that from A to B is included in the pass)?
that's right. but, you have to pay a full amount of B to C. (not the difference between A to B and A to C).

For sure I will use the following stations: Umejima, kitasenju, Takadanobaba.

I see that you typically have four routes to choose from in this case. For example, if you choose to commute using the Tobu Isezaki Line - Tokyo Metro Hibiya/Tozai Lines route, without a pass you will be paying 381yen x2 round trip using an IC card (such as Pasmo or Suica which are slightly cheaper than buying tickets by cash).

Meanwhile, a 6-month teikiken (commuter pass) for the same route is 37,110 yen. If it so happens that your school or you are not qualified for a student discount, your taikiken will cost 77,070 yen. Note that there are also 1-month and 3-months passes.

So if my calculation is correct, that means that if you commute more than 49 days during the 6 months, you should buy a 6-months pass. Note that you may not have to commute on national holidays, vacations as well as perhaps exam periods when there are less classes. If you choose a different route, the prices will be totally different, but the comparison will be similar.

In any case, you need to choose the route that suits you best. For example, some people prefer the quickest route, while others prefer a route with the least stress, such as stairs and crowds and harsh weather or dark tunnels. Stress is a huge factor in Tokyo. For example, some routes may seem to have more transfers, but when you actually try using them, you may notice that you only have to walk a very short distance to transfer to your next train as opposed to other routes that force you to fight crowds. Crowds and train frequency differ greatly depending on the time range of your travel too. And again, you might want to choose a route that allows you to hang out at your favorite places, your part-time workplace or the libraries you need to go to.

Do I have to talk to a eki in to buy this or can I just use a machine?

First-timers need to go to a station counter and talk to the eki-in. It's easier if you write down everything (route, date, name, which pass) and present it to the personnel.