Anyone in Tokyo can tell you transportation is expensive. The trains follow their schedule to the minute, are nicely climate controlled, run smoothly, and are almost always quicker than travelling by car. Unfortunately , these comforts come with a monetary cost.
However, there is a way to pay less for each train ticket: get off the train at certain key points along your route. Don’t worry, this is perfectly legal, I stumbled upon this phenomenon last month while commuting to work.
Let me explain: Every Sunday, I ride the train to MusashiSakai (where I live) to Nakano, to teach two lessons. Then, I hop on the train to Tokyo station, teach two lessons, and take the train home to MusashiSakai.
You don’t need to know about my commute, I’m telling you to make a point. My ticket price was cheaper overall if I stopped in Nakano (to teach a lesson) before going to Tokyo Station.
Here is visual proof:
MusashiSakai to Nakano: 210 yen
Nakano to Tokyo Station: 210 yen
MusashiSakai to Tokyo Station: 450 yen
Each trip uses the same JR Chuo Line, on the same tracks, at the same time frame.
For some reason it is cheaper (by 30 yen) to get off the train half-way through my commute, swipe out of the gate, turn around and swipe back in, and re-board the train. When I do this, I am always able to board the next train right away, so I only lose five minutes time – less if it is during rush hour and trains run more often.
For a round-trip ticket, I save 60 yen. That alone is not much, but when it is a regular commute, the savings add up. Let’s say I commute to Tokyo Station three times a week (which, to be fair, sometimes happens). That means I save 180 yen.
This method doesn’t save a lot of money; it’s only a little loophole. However, it’s a perfectly legal loophole, and here at Cheapo, we believe that every yen counts. Honestly, I don’t quite understand how or why it works, but it does. If you find yourself making a weekly, or otherwise regular, commute, use GoogleMaps to try to figure out the optimal place to get off the train.
Now, even if I don’t have a lesson in Nakano, I make a quick stop, swipe out of the gate, swipe back in, and get on the next train to Tokyo.
Take a closer look at your commute. Play around on GoogleMaps. There might be an easy way to save a bit of yen with each trip.
