How to Use a Bus/Street car in Sapporo | Fleemy: Your Guide to Exploring Hokkaido

posted on June 10, 2014

Buses

Here are the major bus companies in Sapporo:

JR Hokkaido Bus
Chuo Bus
Jotetsu Bus

Bus Terminal location in Sapporo

see this article: Bus Terminal location Map in Sapporo Station Area

How to Use IC Card

Using IC card is the best, while you travel in Japan.
First of all, you have to get a IC Card such as Suica or Kitaca.

See this article.
Which IC Cards is the Best for Transport in Sapporo City?

Don’t get a SAPICA because you ARE NOT ABLE to use it in other cities. This Card is available only for Sapporo City Transportation. This is not useful for travelers.

When you get on a bus, you will see the blue colored IC card reader at the right side of the middle-door of bus, and you must touch it by your IC card and you will hear the sound like ‘Pi’. It’s work correct!
When you get out of a bus at the front door, you must touch the IC card reader by yours again and you will hear the sound of ‘Pi’ again. It’s work correct! That’s easy to use!
The same usage for getting a street car.

In Cash

You can get on a bus or streetcar in cash of course. When you get on a bus, you will see a small box right side which is a small ticket vender machine, its ticket indicates the right location you ride on. Before getting off a bus, you put it in the fare box before you pay in cash. Small changes is better, but you can change a bill such as 1000 yen. Ask a driver how to operate. Maybe he/she does it instead of you.

Your fare is different from distance, so that you keep your small ticket called ‘Seiri-ken'(整理券) which shows your right fare. Ask a bus driver if you can’t understand how to use a ticket or other people. They would show you how.

One-time Ticket

When you got a one-time ticket as getting on a subway and then you want to transfer a bus, you have to get a small ticket called ‘Seiri-ken(整理券)’ from small vender machine in the entrance of the bus. In the same manner as ‘In Cash’, the ticket shows your right place you ride on. Keep it until you get off and put it in the fare box before One-time ticket. If your One-time ticket is not enough fare-rate, you have to pay excess-fare. Ask a bus driver how much it is. It is better that you have enough small changes.

Every driver is so kind that you won’t get yelled like a London bus driver even if you take your time.

Long Distance Travel Bus in Hokkaido

Hokkaido Budget Bus Pass is available for foreign travelers. It is absolutely reasonable to travel in Hokkaido by bus. If you are planning to travel by bus around Hokkaido, you should get one.

There are two types pass you can chose. One is available for the central area of Hokkaido, Another is for all Hokkaido area which you can book long distance route buses available. Both are unlimited for riding while validated date.

See the page below.

The Hokkaido BUDGET BUS PASS, Unlimited Ride Bus Pass to
travel around Hokkaido, Japan!

See these articles

Hiroshi Mizukoshi painter / writer

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