How to Purchase/Use a Ticket (JR and Subway Lines)
How to purchase a train ticket
- Find a ticket vending machine located near ticket gates.
- Above the ticket vending machine, there is a train map shows fares to each station. Find your destination and make sure the fare.
- Insert money and push a button of your fare. Your ticket will come out.
Note: In case of a bus or a streetcar, customer pays inside the vehicle.
How to use a train ticket
Insert your ticket into the slot of a ticket gate, and the gate will open so that you can enter the platform. Please do not lose your ticket. When the train arrived at your destination, get off the train and insert your ticket into the slot of a ticket gate to get out.
How to Purchase/Use One-day Pass and Other Special Tickets such as “Shuyuken.”
How to purchase
Available at ticket vending machines, station offices, and commuter pass counters located in stations and terminal bus stops. At a vending machine, insert money and push a button of ticket you wish to buy. At a counter, pay first and then you receive your ticket.
How to use
For train, insert your ticket into the ticket gate slot. Do not forget to receive your ticket comes out from the slot on the other side. For bus, show your ticket to the driver so that he/she can confirm the term of validity. You can use the ticket as many times as you want while it is valid.
How to Purchase/Use KITACA (IC card train ticket)
KITACA is a convenient IC card used as train ticket for all of JR lines, subways, buses, and streetcars in the Sapporo area. It also can be used as electronic money at stores and vending machines with a KITACA logo. When you use KITACA, just touch the card on the card reader. In addition to the Sapporo area, KITACA also can be used in IC-card-mutual-use areas located throughout the country; for example, the Suica-available areas in the Greater Tokyo Area and ICOCA-available areas in Kinki region.
How to Purchase
Available at vending machines that sell KITACA, commuter pass counters, bus offices, counters of terminal bus stops. In case of vending machine, insert money and press a button. At counters, pay money first and then receive your ticket. Initial cost of KITACA is uniformly 2,000 yen for both adult and child. The price includes 500-yen deposit and balance of 1,500 yen. The deposit will be returned to you when you cancel your KITACA.
How to Charge
Since KITACA is a prepaid card, the balance will never be negative. Please charge your KITACA to use it repeatedly. Charging is available at ticket vending machines and fare adjustment machines in JR and subway stations, in busses and streetcars, Seiko-mart in the city of Sapporo, convenience stores, etc. To charge your KITACA, just insert the card into these machines or put the card on card reader, and choose amount of money you want to charge.
Fare Adjustment
If your card balance is lower than the amount you have to pay when you are going out of the ticket gate, you have two ways to adjust your fare; you can charge your card or pay the deficit by cash at the fare adjustment machine. In a bus or a streetcar, you can charge your card at the fare box or pay the deficit by cash.
Cancelling Your KITACA
You can cancel your KITACA at counters of JR stations. You will receive refund of your final card balance and 500-yen deposit, but 220 yen will be subtracted as processing fee. If your card balance is lower than 220 yen, only 500-yen deposit will be paid back.
Refund = [Your Final Card Balance] + [500-yen deposit] – [220yen (processing fee)]
If your card balance is zero, no processing fee is charged, and you receive 500-yen deposit. To make the balance zero, suppose if your card balance is 100 yen, buy something costs 100 yen or more by using the card at shops that accept KITACA like KIOSK, and pay deficit (if any) by cash.
How to Use
How to use KITACA at ticket gate of JR and subway lines
- Touch your card on the card reader of the ticket gate. The card may not be read correctly if it is just held above the card reader.
- You hear the sound.
When the card is read correctly, you hear “pi,” “pipi,” or “pipipi” sound and then you can go through the gate. When it misread, you hear “pipipipipi” sound, and you must touch your card on the card reader again. - Go through the gate
The display shows your card balance. If your card balance is not enough or entering record is wrong, you hear “peeeee” sound, and the gate does not open.
How to Purchase/Use SAPICA (IC card train ticket)
SAPICA is a convenient IC card used as train ticket for subways, buses, and streetcars in the Sapporo area. It also can be used as electronic money at stores and vending machines with SAPICA logo. When you use SAPICA, just touch the card on the card reader located at bus entrance, ticket gates, etc.
Note: SAPICA cannot be used for JR lines.
How to Purchase
Available at vending machines that sell SAPICA and commuter pass counters in subway stations, and counters at bus offices and terminal bus stops. In case of vending machine, insert money and press a button. At counters, pay money first and then receive your ticket. Initial cost of SAPICA is uniformly 2,000 yen for both adult and child. The price includes 500-yen deposit and balance of 1,500 yen. The deposit will be returned to you when you cancel your SAPICA.
How to Charge
Since SAPICA is a prepaid card, the balance will never be negative. Please charge your SAPICA to use it repeatedly. Charging is available at ticket vending machines and fare adjustment machines in subway stations, in busses and streetcars, Seiko-mart in the city of Sapporo, etc. To charge your SAPICA, just insert the card into these machines or put the card on card reader, and choose amount of money you want to charge.
Fare Adjustment
If your card balance is lower than the amount you have to pay when you are going out of the ticket gate, you have two ways to adjust your fare; you can charge your card or pay the deficit by cash at the fare adjustment machine. In a bus or a streetcar, you can charge your card at the fare box or pay the deficit by cash.
Cancelling Your SAPICA
You can cancel your SAPICA at counters and commuter pass counters of subway stations, and bus offices and counters of terminal bus stops. You will receive refund of your final card balance and 500-yen deposit, but 200 yen will be subtracted as processing fee. If your final card balance is lower than 200 yen, only 500-yen deposit will be paid back.
Refund = [Your Final Card Balance] + [500-yen deposit] – [200yen (processing fee)]
If your card balance is zero, no processing fee is charged, and you receive 500-yen deposit.
How to Use
How to use SAPICA at ticket gate of subway lines
- Touch your card on the card reader of the ticket gate. The card may not be read correctly if it is just held above the card reader.
- You hear the sound.
When the card is read correctly, you hear “pi,” “pippi,” “pipi,” or “pipipi” sound and then you can go through the gate. When it misread you hear “pipipipipi” sound, and you must touch your card again. - Go through the gate
The display shows your card balance and SAPICA point. If your card balance is not enough or entering record is wrong, you hear “peeeee” sound, and the gate does not open.
How to Ride on a Bus
In Hokkaido, regular-route buses and circular-route buses let customers get on from the rear door, and let them get off from the front door. (In case of long distance buses, it is opposite.)
- If you pay by cash, take a ticket (ticket dispenser is located at bus entrance) when you get on. If you use your IC card, touch your card on the card reader at bus entrance. If you use a pass card, insert the card into the slot.
- To get off at your destination, press the stop button right after you hear the call of your destination.
- There is a fare chart near the driver’s seat. Find the number written on your ticket in the chart, and the price shown beside or under the number is what you pay. Put the money in the fare box, or touch your IC card on the card reader when you get off. If you use a pass card, insert the card into the slot.