Surely many of you who come to live and work in Japan will wonder about long-distance transportation. In Japan, people mainly use their own cars or public transport, so the way to travel is very different from Philippines In today’s article, we will introduce you to a type of cheap long-distance transportation – night buses

What is a night bus in Japan – 夜行バス?

    As the name implies, night buses are buses that run at night, serving tourists who need to travel at a cheaper price than shinkansen, airplanes, trains, etc.  The night bus not only saves you money on commuting, but it also has the plus point that you can sleep in the car and when you wake up, you are ready for an interesting trip when the bus has arrived. 

a) Capacity 

    Depending on the type of seat, a night bus can have from 8 to 11 rows of seats with an average capacity of about 40 people. 

b) Types of chairs 

    Night buses are divided into 4 types: 2-row, 3-row (2+1), 3-row independent, and 4-row night buses.

    2 row night bus 

    The 2-row night bus has 2 rows of very comfortable and luxurious seats. This is the type of bus for those of you with a little bit of money or those who put convenience first during the trip. If this is a double decker bus, the restrooms will usually be located near the stairs. If there is only 1 floor, the toilet will be at the back of the car. Some double-decker night buses also have free Wifi network service. 

    3 row night bus (2+1) 

    The 3-row (2+1) night bus will have 3 rows of seats, of which 1 row (1 person) is completely separate from the other 2 rows (2 people), leading to the name above. The plus point of this is that if you’re lucky you will be seated in a separate row if you go alone. But the minus point of the 2+1 row night bus is that the row of seats for 2 or 1 person has the same price, so if you have to sit in the row of 2, you may feel a bit disappointed. 

    Independent 3 block night bus 

    Independent 3-row night buses have 3 separate rows of seats, and sometimes there are curtains between the rows. This is a quite comfortable chair because you can stretch your legs without fear of disturbing anyone and the seat cushion is a bit softer than the seat of a 3-row (2+1) bus. However, the rather high price will make many of you a little hesitant before this option.

    4 row night bus 

    The 4-block night bus is the most popular and also the cheapest. However, the area of ​​​​the seats is quite cramped, the legroom is often narrow and this type of bus usually does not have a toilet on the bus. Some automakers will add hoods attached to the seat so you can pull it down to cover your face and sleep comfortably without anyone peeking. You can check if there is Wifi available in the car or where to charge your phone on the website of the car company you intend to book. 

c) Utilities

    Usually, night buses will have Wifi. Some vehicles will have in-car toilets, blankets, curtains, or women’s seats.

    Night bus tickets will vary depending on the bus company, seat type, accompanying services, etc. In particular, on holidays or major holidays such as Obon, Golden Week, New Year, the fare will increase a lot. times and if not booked early, all tickets will quickly sell out. Therefore, you need to pay close attention to this point. The night bus is definitely cheaper than the Shinkansen. For example, if you want to go from Tokyo to Osaka, you might have to pay more than 10,000 yen for the Shinkansen but you only have to pay about 4000 yen for the night bus. But one thing is for sure, Shinkansen is always faster and more comfortable than night buses. 

    If you don’t mind sitting on the bus continuously for a long time, the night bus will be your best companion. Even if the travel time is a bit long, if you sleep you will save quite a bit of time to recuperate.

I don’t know Japanese, so should I take the night bus?

    Some of you who are coming to Japan for the first time may be hesitant to book a night bus on websites that are only full of kanji. However, some major car companies have started to put their websites in English into use, and especially big car companies like Willer Express have an interface in English for you to buy tickets with peace of mind. If during the booking process, the car company asks you to enter a phone number that you do not have a sim card, please enter any number of an acquaintance. Usually the garage won’t call, so if you arrive on time there’s nothing to worry about. If you have not paid, the bus you booked will be automatically cancelled. When you want to recline your seat on the bus, tell the person sitting behind you. You should try to sleep in the car or else you will be very tired when you arrive.

Instructions for booking night bus tickets in Japan 

    There are countless ways to book night bus tickets in Japan. However, to make it easier for you to imagine, I would like to list two popular ticket bookings as below. 

a) Buy directly at the ticket counter 

    Ticket counters are usually located at major train stations. Some of the major stations in Tokyo are Shinjuku or Shibuya, and in Kanagawa, Yokohama station. Here, you just need to say the starting point, the place you want to go and the departure date, the staff here will wholeheartedly help you. 

b) Buy online via mobile apps

    You can easily order tickets online through websites. If you have a Japanese level of N3 or higher, you can easily order it yourself. Here are some of the most commonly used bullet train booking websites in Japan. Rakuten Travel page: Easy operation, many bus routes, I often buy bus tickets here because I can use Rakuten points. Bushikaku page: Many routes, many types of cars, there are many cheap tickets (cars are normal, not very good). Travel willer page: Available in English, reasonable prices, soft seats, often with chargers and thin blankets. There are direct routes from the province to the airport (Narita, Haneda, …) 

Some notes when using the night bus in Japan 

    Because it is a long-distance bus, it is necessary to adhere to the time, to avoid disturbing other passengers. The car will move at night, so it is necessary to keep quiet, not disturbing other people’s sleep. Besides, please remember to maintain general hygiene, store luggage and keep tickets carefully, if lost, please notify the driver immediately for help. Night buses are a very popular form of transportation for those who want to save money on traveling between different cities in Japan. Please refer to this article to find the most convenient means of transportation for you to go out on long holidays. 

    Hope the above article is useful for you. I hope you are always healthy and successful.