The ¥200 Ticket Challenge

[Guest ___]

Speaking theoretically starting from Tokyo-eki with a ¥200 ticket, how long could you theoretically stay "in-the-system" without leaving through a single fare-gate or ticket booth--in essence "live in the JR-East system" (not specifically Tokyo-Eki or any other single station)?

 

Just to make it fun, I've added a poll. For even more fun, let's see if someone will actually try it ^_^

[ToniBabelony]

From a supposedly former Tokyo station staff: http://okwave.jp/qa/q2592009/a7984561.html -> ¥130 counts as 2 hours. Every ¥130 extra is 1 hour extra on the ticket.

 

I once went on a Suica from Sagamiono to Machida (just one station), but that took about 6~7 hours, as I went all the way through the Tōkyō Metro and Toei system to get to Keisei Takasago. Because it was really busy and chaotic in Machida, they didn't bother much with questioning me and let me through, but I'll be sure to play it safe with a day ticket next time. However, another time, I went on a combined Odakyū and Tōkyō Metro day ticket all the way to Chiharadai on the Keisei Chihara line (deep in Chiba-ken) and all went smooth and soft as baby butts.

 

For example from one of my starting points, Chūō Rinkan on the Tōkyū Den'entoshi line, I can get a ¥660 Tōkyū day ticket (which is just two times the maximum fare) and potentially travel through on connecting networks without exiting that system. With this, you can, for example, get as far as Nikkō and Akagi on the Tōbu network, and even beyond to Aizu-Wakamatsu on the Kinugawa line, provided you don't exit the system. This however is potentially dangerous, as the deeper you get into the countryside, the larger the chance is you get a ticket check on board (which is very very rare, but still possible).

 

The downside of a day ticket the initial costs are higher, but the upside is that it is valid the whole day (no fear of having to pay extra if you don't get caught outside the area) and you can get on and off at any station on the network it is valid on (good for lunch, lineside photo options, etc.). Another upside is that sometimes day tickets provide you with discounts at allied shops and restaurants, depending on the type of ticket and company involved.

 

If you still choose to go with a paper ticket, you can get a cheap one and check at the fare adjustment machine when exiting the system to see if you have to pay extra in the end.

[railsquid]

Given that a lot of larger stations now have quite extensive shopping and dining facilities inside the ticket gates, surely they'd provide a plausible reason for lingering within the system for hours at a time? I imagine it would be feasible to spend an entire day "inside", from first to last train, but overnighting would be tricky (except over New Year's Eve) and trying to exit with a ticket from the previous day might be fun. I wonder how the Suica system would cope with that case?

 

Back when I was a student I used to make quite extensive trips throughout the JR Kanto network on 130 yen ticket and never had any problems, but that was in an earlier and happier age when ticket gates were a lot dumber than they are now (and I had way more spare time...)

 

Kind of related - starting at a JR station in the Tokyo area, how many other company's lines (excluding alternative systems like monorails, trams etc.) can you reach without going through a ticket gate? Hmm, via the Chiyoda/Tozai lines and hence the metro networks, probably most. Sotetsu is the only one I can think of which probably won't work (yet).

[katoftw]

Less that a day, cos you have to be out of the station when it closes.

[ToniBabelony]

Kind of related - starting at a JR station in the Tokyo area, how many other company's lines (excluding alternative systems like monorails, trams etc.) can you reach without going through a ticket gate? Hmm, via the Chiyoda/Tozai lines and hence the metro networks, probably most. Sotetsu is the only one I can think of which probably won't work (yet).

 

Sōtetsu has a gateless transfer to the Odakyū Enoshima line at Yamato station. Shōnandai however does require a gate transfer. ;)

[railsquid]

Ah OK. I've been to Shonandai but not down the other branch.

 

How about the Yokohama Metro blue line?

[ToniBabelony]

How about the Yokohama Metro blue line?

 

The blue line needs a gate transfer as well in Shōnandai, though I doubt the Yokohama Municipal Subway has any gateless transfers anywhere, since there is no need for convenient commercial cooperation on their own behalf.

[Guest ___]

Less that a day, cos you have to be out of the station when it closes.

 

Ah, but does EVERY station (for the sake of discussion within the entire JR-East) close? My question does not limit time spent in one station, or even within the confines of greater Tokyo area itself.

 

I'm expanding upon the "Giant Circle" challenge of traveling the entire system on ¥130 ticket, but whether or not it is hypothetically possible to live within the confines of the entire an entire system (whether it is JR-E, JR-W, etc...)

[Guest ___]

Interesting point about Suica. I assume Suica is not smart enough yet to see if you enter let's say Shinjuku at 14:00 and go through the same gate at 15:15 it would subtract the ¥130; seeing the time spent within the system at one station as a 'platform pass" I tried this in 2008 in Tokyo rather than buying a paper platform pass and tried to leave with difficulties. The station attendant tried to lecture me, but I did my usual "Goemnasai, Nihongo ga wakamsen bokuwa, baka gaijin desu" at which point pointed to the ticket, then platform and did the X arm sign.

[ToniBabelony]

Interesting point about Suica. I assume Suica is not smart enough yet to see if you enter let's say Shinjuku at 14:00 and go through the same gate at 15:15 it would subtract the ¥130; seeing the time spent within the system at one station as a 'platform pass" I tried this in 2008 in Tokyo rather than buying a paper platform pass and tried to leave with difficulties.

 

Suica probably avoids this because of the high potential of fraudulent use (e..g. double suica passes for one ride). I don't know for sure, but there must be a possibility to charge your Suica with a platform pass, as a Suica can sometimes be charged with other special features, like a day pass or Ltd. Express pass.

 

The station attendant tried to lecture me, but I did my usual "Goemnasai, Nihongo ga wakamsen bokuwa, baka gaijin desu" at which point pointed to the ticket, then platform and did the X arm sign.

 

I hope you're not proud of this action, as this undermines trust in foreign customers/tourists and gives foreigners in general a bad reputation with individuals. Mainland Chinese already ruined it for themselves this way in general.

[katoftw]

Ah, but does EVERY station (for the sake of discussion within the entire JR-East) close? My question does not limit time spent in one station, or even within the confines of greater Tokyo area itself.

 

I'm expanding upon the "Giant Circle" challenge of traveling the entire system on ¥130 ticket, but whether or not it is hypothetically possible to live within the confines of the entire an entire system (whether it is JR-E, JR-W, etc...)

Pretty sure most city stations close at night.  Which don't that you can tell us about?

 

Any station with ticket gates means you need to be gone/out by last train.  And any train that allows you on overnight won't be accessible with a 130 yen ticket.

 

Hypothetically it could be done.  But you'd need to be in a far outer rural station.  And then you'll have to convince the 1 man driver train you ticket is still good/valid the following day.

[Guest ___]

I hope you're not proud of this action, as this undermines trust in foreign customers/tourists and gives foreigners in general a bad reputation with individuals. Mainland Chinese already ruined it for themselves this way in general.

 

Perhaps, I did not articulate that correctly.

 

I tried to use the lowest fare possible ¥130 on the Suica to enter and leave the same station as though I was using a paper platform pass.

 

It's not a matter of pride, or apathy, people who have those views or stereotypes of foreigners will only use whatever mentality they have to justify it regardless. whether, if it is my attempting to use my Suica card as a platform pass, or not bowing at a perfect 45 degree angle, or understanding their pronunciation of simple phrases; their opinions of foreigners is not going to be changed.

 

With that said, I digress as I'm not going to get in to any said debates about migration or politics on these forums.

Edited August 6, 2015 by 写真家

[JR 500系]

HHhmmm I couldn't say much about this topic until recently I've watched the Tetsuko no Tabi anime (thanks 写真家 for the recommendation!) and was very interested in another option that can actually allow one to make a large loop around Tokyo with only 130 yen!

 

 

The Itto-Rokken describles moving across 6 prefectures using only 130 yen... It's like a loop hole in the system but JR East allows it to get through as it's kinda a treat for the pure hardcore train fans that discover this loop hole...

 

Though I cant really be too sure what and how this system works in the first place...

[ToniBabelony]

Okay, I misunderstood. I think I made a similar mistake when the old paper passes were still around (enter a station on one end and exit the other) when I didn't understand any Japanese (12 years ago I think).

 

It's not a matter of pride, or apathy, people who have those views or stereotypes of foreigners will only use whatever mentality they have to justify it regardless. whether, if it is my attempting to use my Suica card as a platform pass, or not bowing at a perfect 45 degree angle, or understanding their pronunciation of simple phrases; their opinions of foreigners is not going to be changed.

 

Not true, but whatever. It's a discussion for a different forum perhaps. We're here for the trains.

 

That said, in another topic, Tetsuko no Tabi was presented with the ¥130 ticket challenge. I remember after the airing of this episode there was a surge in people wanting to travel on a ¥130 ticket, which prompted JR East to take action against this, or at least with station staff individuals to explain this is not the purpose of this ticket. Now, I don't know for sure, as I can't quote any sources on this. Information like this is also usually kept a company secret to, again, prevent fraudulent use.

 

EDIT: JR 500系 already was ahead of me ;)

Edited August 6, 2015 by Toni Babelony

[miyakoji]

JR East has the Kyujitsu Odekake Pass, which is legit unlimited travel around Kanto for 2640 yen all day on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and some other spring, summer, and winter periods . And it's a toujitsu-ken, a ticket that can be bought and used the same day.  JR West had the same basic thing, the Kansai Odekake Pass, but you had to buy it a few days in advance. It really decreased the convenience.  As far as I can tell they've done away with it; not sure if there's an equivalent now.

When I was in Japan, I felt that I was basically a representative of my country, all the time, whether I wanted to be or not.  I would advise any foreigner against taking advantage of this fare loophole.  Just sayin'.

JRE Kyujitsu Odekake Pass: http://www.jreast.co.jp/tickets/info.aspx?GoodsCd=2093

[JR 500系]

I would advise any foreigner against taking advantage of this fare loophole.  Just sayin'.

 

 

 

Totally agree here. Unless of course you are very fluent in Japanese otherwise it will be very difficult to explain your intentions with the itto-rokken for example.

 

Though of course as tourist we already got the cream of the deal by having the various JR Passes, something that only locals can dream of lying their hands on.. My Japanese friend wished he could use it like us and go on a 7 day tour of the country!

[Guest ___]

That said, in another topic, Tetsuko no Tabi was presented with the ¥130 ticket challenge. I remember after the airing of this episode there was a surge in people wanting to travel on a ¥130 ticket, which prompted JR East to take action against this, or at least with station staff individuals to explain this is not the purpose of this ticket.

 

What got me thinking about this was topic was an interview with a man I met a few years as ago while writing a piece for the AP, who entered the NY City subway a back in the early 90's with a single token, spending the next two years living within the system; having never left through a single turnstile once.

 

As for the big loop, recently, five or six of Japanese tetsudo buffs I chat with on regularly IG had been posting their pix from taking a similar Big Loop over the past few weeks now. Incidentally, I saw that episode of Tetsuko no Tabi after starting this thread (and probably years earlier and have forgotten), however that was not the original intent of this thread.

Edited August 6, 2015 by 写真家

[Guest ___]

HHhmmm I couldn't say much about this topic until recently I've watched the Tetsuko no Tabi anime (thanks 写真家 for the recommendation!) and was very interested in another option that can actually allow one to make a large loop around Tokyo with only 130 yen!

 

 

The Itto-Rokken describles moving across 6 prefectures using only 130 yen... It's like a loop hole in the system but JR East allows it to get through as it's kinda a treat for the pure hardcore train fans that discover this loop hole...

 

Though I cant really be too sure what and how this system works in the first place...

 

I think once around the Yamanote line would be enough for me for one day.