From what I understand, the Kyoto buses have a flat rate of 230 yen. I am with my gf and the first time we got on, it went smoothly after we inserted 500 yen (gave us 40 yen as change). On the way back on the same bus (206) to Kyoto station, we tried to insert a 500 yen coin for the two of us again. It was processed by the machine, but the bus driver didn’t let us go down saying we still owe money (i think). So we were forced to insert another 500 yen coin. Ending is that we only got 40 yen as change from the total of 1000 yen we paid for our bus ride home. Is it just me or does this not make any sense at all? The driver didn’t waste time trying to explain probably since he didn’t know English.
Any clarifications on this is appreciated. Thanks!
18 comments
I don’t think bus in Kyoto give out change. How and where did you insert your “500 yen”?
What was the route you took? From where to where?
I’m confused. You should be paying exact change in the payment slot and exact change only.
There are change/note conversion machines on busses (not sure about Kyoto though but ever bus I’ve been on had it) but you put your non-exact change money in, take smaller money back that allows you to pay exact change, and give the bus driver the exact change from change exchange, but that is a completely separate machine from the fare machine.
The change conversion machine should’ve given you 500 yen back in different denominations so you can pay exact and the fare machine shouldn’t have given you change back.
Otherwise maybe you went to/from outside the flate rate area? You didn’t give destinations. The same bus number can be caught from outside the zone. Just depends on where you were when you caught it.
Normally the buses have two areas for coins on the divider section between the bus driver and the front door
– A clear plastic box on the top, next to the driver (for dropping your fare into)
– A coin slot/note slot on the side of the divider (for getting change).
Did you put the 500 yen coins into the plastic box or the change machine?
If it was the plastic box, the confusion may have arisen from you overpaying, because you’re meant to pay with the exact fare only 💵
There’s also a little screen next to the clear box, which counts the money as it goes in. The bus driver is usually looking at that to make sure that the correct fare has gone in each time.
It really baffles me how people still don’t get a suica card n etc
Not flat fare rate in all areas.
If you go further(outside of the flat fare rate zone), you need to pay more.
Edit: I guess you took a bus in the flat fare rate zone. I think the driver said something different and you guys misunderstood something.
Drivers just check how much money you put into the fare adjusting machine. Drivers cannot steal money, so they have no reason to make passengers to pay more.
Fare adjusting machines in Kyoto busses cannot give you back changes. Maybe, you thought your changes would come back?
This is my guess, the driver wanted you guys to pay because what you guys paid wasn’t enough. The driver meant that you guys needed to use the change machine first to get smaller coins but you put your money into the fare adjusting machine.
Yeah, I think you learned something. Put coin or 1000 yen in the exchange slot and put exact amount it the fare box, pay for each person individually.
First driver went out of his way to be nice, second applied rules by the book.
Is it possible that since the box is exact change, the 500 yen coin was used to pay fare for 1 person. Than you had to pay fare for other person in a separate transaction?
I’m on my way to Japan and this whole thread just made me confused; so do I need to have cash for buses? I’mm be in the Tokyo and Kawaguchiko area. Or does Suica work there??
I guess the bus machines don’t give change. You better use Suica card.
If you take 3 or more buses trips, you better buy the day ticket. It’s 700yen and you can hop on and hop off in every Kyoto bus.
I too am confused.
first, yes, the flat rate per adult person is 230 yen (if it did not change since last november)
the flat rate does not reach to every single possible bus stop. there are some outside, or requiring an extra charge. they are rare though, and usually outside of where most tourist go around and way outside the city center. you usually take a number when you enter, with which you can calculate how many stops you went and that would be used to calculate the fare.
the flat rate in the flat fare area is per bus, and you pay it everytime you leave the bus. i.e. if you drive only 3 stations but you have to change bus once to go from a to b and from b to c and then d, you will pay the charge twice, once for each bus exit.
the flat rate needs to be paid exact change. there is a machine there where you drop the coins in. there is another machine close by where you can change 1000 yen to coins. I am not entirely sure how it goes when you need to pay 230 and you put in 300… if you waste 70 or if you get change back
there is also a one day bus pass. at least, there still is. it will stop selling in september and be still usable up until april next year. it can be bought at the bus driver, if he has them, there is no guarantee. that will require interaction with the bus driver and is the only instance of paying for the bus in which that is the case
ic cards are much more convenient when driving the bus, since you just go beep when you exit the bus and you dont have to fumble for coins
now I dont know what happened. maybe there was a misunderstanding, and maybe you got ripped off. but there is no point crying about spilled milk. just, in the future, be sure to have coins and drop them in when exiting. or better yet, if you still some time in japan, buy an ic card. they cost like 500 yen (or a little more but they come precharged for a little bit then) and you could get some of it back if you spend the time to return them which I would only bother if you have a lot unspend cash on them.
you can also use the ic cards for most regional trains and some vending machines.
Ur wasting time buying tickets for trains and buses, just use a suica on transportation
Just use the IC card and don’t worry about coins or change
Buses in America don’t give change either.
Hear me out…
Bus Passes…
We rode all over Kyoto for the minor inconvenience of asking the driver for a pass and the risk that one might not have them.
Given that we started earlier in the morning it was never a problem for us.
I believe they were 7-800 yen? Which made it worth it at 4 rides. Amd we took those things EVERYWHERE.
Same thing in Hiroshima, though we didn’t make our money’s worth, the convenience of the extra couple of bucks was worth it to not fumble with cash after the first stop.
I lived in Japan (Tokyo) for four years and I can honestly say that all busses do their own thing. Some are stop by stop. Some are flat rate. There are some hints sometimes based on popular stops in the area and the bus route, but typically you know from your commute. Additionally, busses with a charge to get on are typically flat rate, whereas busrs where you get off at the front and pay by the driver are typically stop by stop.
I just developed a weird bus anxiety, and would only take one bus because I knew how to pay.
Use suica, no any problem
Some buses in Kyoto only accept the exact change. Maybe the driver didn’t see you insert the first 500 yen coin and didn’t give you any slack.