Places such as Kyoto have tourist day passes and bus route maps in English, which you can obtain at a bus station. Local buses usually board from the rear door, but if your journey is not covered by a flat fee you may need to pick up a numbered ticket. A board at the front of the bus displays the fares, based on the numbers. You will need to know your destination in Japanese characters. Some buses board from the front door and require you to pay as you enter. Tickets for long/middle distance coach trips, as well as express buses, are usually sold at the coach counter or ticketing machine.
FACE TO FACE
すみません、どのバスが中心部に行きますかsumimasen, dono basu ga chuushimbu ni ikimasu ka?Excuse me, which bus goes to the centre?
15番ですjuugo-ban desuNumber 15
バス停はどこですかbasutei wa doko desu ka?Where is the bus stop?
すぐそこ、右にありますsugu soko, migi ni arimasuThere, on the right
どこで乗車券を買えますかdoko de jooshaken o kaemasu ka?Where can I buy the tickets?
売店で買えますbaiten de kaemasuAt the news-stand
Is there a bus/tram to…?
…に行くバス/路面電車はありますか…ni iku basu/romen-densha wa arimasu ka?
Where do I/we catch the bus to…?
どこで …行きのバスに乗れますかdoko de … iki no basu ni noremasu ka?
Where do I/we catch the tram to…?
どこで … 行きの路面電車に乗れますかdoko de … iki no romen-densha ni noremasu ka?
I/we would like to go to…
…に行きたいんですが…ni ikitain desu ga
How much is it to go to…?
…までいくらですか…made ikura desu ka?
the centre
中心部chuushimbu
the beach
浜辺hamabe
How often are the buses to…?
…に行くバスはどのぐらい出ていますか…ni iku basu wa donogurai dete imasu ka?
When is the first bus to…?
…行きの始発バスはいつですか…iki no shihatsu basu wa itsu desu ka?
When is the last bus to…?
…行きの最終バスはいつですか…iki no saishuu basu wa itsu desu ka?
Please tell me when to get off
いつ降りたらいいか教えてくださいitsu oritara ii ka oshiete kudasai