Japanese Vocabulary for Taking the Train
Translated from the Vietnamese original. View the original.
Japanese Vocabulary for Taking the Train
Here is a set of Japanese vocabulary for travelling by train
We hope the words above are useful to you.
Good luck with your studies and your exam.

Part 1:
- Vocabulary:
上る(のぼる)ー下る(くだる): to go up – to go down (as nouns, 上りー下り)
階段(かいだん)を上るー下る: to go up – down the stairs
階段を上(あ)がるー下(お)りる: to go up – down the stairs
エスカレーターの上りー下り: the up and down escalators
上り電車(のぼりでんしゃ): a train heading to the big city (mainly Tokyo) =地方(ちほう)から中央(特に東京)に向(む)かう電車
下り電車(くだりでんしゃ): a train heading away from the big city (Tokyo)
方面(ほうめん): the direction of travel (towards a given station)
東京方面: a train heading in the direction of Tokyo
青森(あおもり)方面: a train heading in the direction of Aomori
行き(ゆき): bound for a station, with that station as the terminus (方面 also means heading towards a station and stopping there, but it need not be the last stop)
東京行き: a train bound for Tokyo, with Tokyo as the terminus
東京方面行き: a train heading towards Tokyo, with Tokyo as the terminus (this is what you will see at the station)
- Extra: 列車(れっしゃ)の時刻(じこく)を調べる: to check the train timetable
・ 時刻表(じこくひょう): timetable
東京発(とうきょうはつ)横浜行き(よこはまゆき): a train departing Tokyo, bound for Yokohama
私鉄(してつ): private railway
新幹線(しんかんせん): shinkansen, bullet train
座席(ざせき)を指定(してい)する: to reserve a seat
指定席(していせき): reserved seat
自由席(じゆうせき): unreserved seat
* There are two options when buying a shinkansen ticket: ① 指定席(していせき)is a reserved ticket with a seat number, and ② 自由席(じゆうせき)is an unreserved ticket with no seat number, as on an ordinary train. A shinkansen usually has about three unreserved carriages.
窓側(まどがわ): window seat
通路側(つうろがわ): aisle seat
乗車券(じょうしゃけん): train ticket
片道切符(かたみちきっぷ): single ticket
往復切符(おうふくきっぷ): return ticket
特急券(とっきゅうけん): limited express (Tokkyu) ticket
特急料金(とっきゅうりょうきん): limited express (Tokkyu) fare
回数券(かいすうけん): book of tickets (usually cheaper than buying singly)
定期券(ていきけん): season ticket
改札口(かいさつぐち)を通(とお)る: to pass through the ticket barrier
切符(きっぷ)を払(はら)い戻(もど)す: to get a refund on a ticket
・ 払(はら)い戻(もど)し: refund
- (プラット)ホームが混雑(こんざつ)している。The platform is crowded.
(プラット)ホーム: platform
混雑(こんざつ)する: to be crowded
- 白線(はくせん)/ 黄色い線(きいろいせん)の内側(うちがわ)に下(さ)がる: Stand back behind the white / yellow line (the line separating the track from where passengers wait)
内側(うちがわ): the inside
外側(そとがわ): the outside
- 特急(とっきゅう)が通過(つうか)する: The limited express will pass through. (it does not stop here)
特急: limited express
通過する: to pass through
- 乗車(じょうしゃ)する: to board the train
- 下車(げしゃ)する: to get off the train
- 発車(はっしゃ)する: to depart (when the train leaves the station)
- 電車の中はがらがらだ. The train is empty. (空っぽ: からっぽ: empty)
- 満員電車(まんいんでんしゃ)で通勤(つうきん)する: to commute on a packed train
満員電車(まんいんでんしゃ): a packed train (no room left)
- 電車がゆれる: the train shakes, sways
- 始発(しはつ)(電車): the first train of the day
- 終電(しゅうでん): the last train of the day
- 始発駅(しはつえき)から乗(の)る: to board at the station the first train starts from
- 終点(しゅうてん)で降(お)りる: to get off at the terminus
- 急行(きゅうこう)から各駅停車(かくえきていしゃ)に乗(の)り換(か)える: to change from an express to a local train (stopping at every station)
各駅停車(かくえきていしゃ): a train stopping at every station
- 乗(の)り遅(おく)れる: to miss the train
- 乗(の)り過(す)ごす: to miss your stop (to go past the station)
- 乗(の)り越(こ)す: to miss your stop (to go past the station)
- 運賃(うんちん)を精算(せいさん)する: to settle the fare difference
- 車掌(しゃしょう)が車内アナウンスをする: the conductor makes an announcement on board
- 携帯電話(けいたいでんわ)の使用(しよう)を控(ひか)える: to refrain from using a mobile phone
使用(しよう): use
控える(ひかえる): to refrain
- お年寄り(おとしより)/ 老人(ろうじん)に席(せき)をゆずる: to give up your seat to an elderly person
- 優先席(ゆうせんせき): priority seat
- 体(からだ)の不自由(ふじゆう)な人: a disabled person
- ちかんにあう: to be groped, to be harassed
- 駅(えき)の売店(ばいてん): the station shop (usually a kiosk)