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English announcements in Tokyo buses? 2008/12/2 15:29
Are there English announcements in the Toei buses? Specifically, I am planning to ride the To 01 (Shibuya-Shimbashi) or RH 01 (Shibuya-Roppongi Hills) bus from Shibuya to Nishi-Azabu and Roppongi. I understand that not all buses have English announcements, I am hoping that there is English info on these routes because they serve areas where expats hang out. It's ok for the driver not to know a word of English as long as there's way to tell when to alight at the right stop.

Thanks.
by Poochie  

buses 2008/12/2 21:14
I'm not sure if there are announcements as such, but there's often a running line that says the names of the stops in japanese and romaji. Not sure about Toei buses particularly.
by corre rate this post as useful

English on LED screen? 2008/12/6 11:24
Thanks for your reply.
By the running line, do you mean the LED monitor on the front of the bus?
I will need to get off at the Nishi-Azabu stop (3rd stop), but I cannot rely on counting the number of stops, because I was told that bus drivers skip stops if there's passenger getting on or off at those stops. Also, there is no landmark that guides me as of when to prepare to alight (the Nishi-Azabu stop is before the major Nishi-Azabu intersection).
by Poochie rate this post as useful

. 2008/12/6 11:47
Usually no English announcements, but sometimes (and I haven't ridden Toei buses), there are LED indicators on board.

Otherwise, since you know the name of the stop, just listen closely to the announcement, or ask your fellow passengers. NishiAzabu sounds the same in Japanese as it does in English.
by John rate this post as useful

. 2008/12/6 11:54
Being TOEI and central Tokyo I'm sure there might.

But just in case there isn't you can still count the Japanese onboard indicator, usually it will list the first station, then if the driver skips, the sign will switch to the second station indicator, so wait for the thrid one to pop up and announcement to push the stop button.
by John rate this post as useful

Ok for non-Japanese speakers??? 2008/12/7 04:37
In fact, the passengers are non-Japanese speakers. Will they be ok if they cannot read Japanese at all? is there sufficient info for them to get off at the right stop?

I am giving detailed instructions to them so that they can go to a restaurant in Nishi-Azabu which is not really accessible by subway easily. Don't want to tell them to burn a hole in their wallets to use a taxi.
by Poochie rate this post as useful

around Tokyo 2008/12/7 08:26
The boards in many buses, trains, subways alternate between Japanese and English. I don't speak or read Japanese--like many of the people on this forum--and have no problems at all travelling in Japan, especially compared to places like Eastern Europe!. It all depends how experienced with foreign travel, using buses etc. your friends are (I have a co-worker, a young bright woman born in the country I now live in and a university graduate, who has NEVER used a bus in our town and couldn't do it to save her life. Another co-worker, much older and born in Europe, went to Japan after hearing me rave about it for years and had no problems at all finding her way around). At any rate bus stops are close to one another so if they get off one stop too early or one to late they can walk to a landmark you noted. Do as people living in Japan, Paris, London, Venice etc do: they map a location by landmarks more than by anything else: get off near a grocery store with a blue awning, walk left--when facing that store--for 1 block, cross the street at a clothing store with a green sign etc. AND BE SURE TO SEND THEM TO THE RESTAURANT FOR NOON, when it is easy to look for landmarks.
Another thing is that you are talking about a restaurant. Only a restaurant, not a life or death alternative! there are got to be lots of good ones close to a subway station etc.
by Red frog rate this post as useful

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