🚉japan ticket machine cheat sheet, the words you actually need

for the thirty seconds you get in front of the machine with a line behind you.

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切符 (kippu) - ticket

駅 (eki) - station

shows up on every sign, learn this one shape first

特急券 (tokkyuken) - limited express ticket

a separate ticket ON TOP of the base fare, this is the one people forget and get stopped at the gate for

指定席 (shiteiseki) - reserved seat

自由席 (jiyuseki) - non-reserved car

first come first served, show up early on a long weekend or you're standing

大人 / 小人 (otona / kodomo) - adult / child fare

片道 (katamichi) - one way

往復 (oufuku) - round trip

乗り換え (norikae) - transfer

精算 (seisan) - fare adjustment

the little machine near the exit gate, use it if your IC card balance comes up short

忘れ物 (wasuremono) - lost and found

English button, top corner

sometimes a globe icon instead of the word. always tap it first, don't try to muscle through in kanji to save face

のぞみ (Nozomi) - fastest shinkansen grade

JR Pass doesn't cover this one, easy to accidentally reserve it and get charged full price

チャージ (chaaji) - add money / charge

for topping up an IC card at the machine, not a train ticket at all but it's usually right next to the ticket machines and confuses people

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