Buses

Buses are definitely the cheapest form and depending on what your travel plans are like you might want to take the day bus or the night (overnight) bus. There are buses running between Toyama and some major cities, like Kanazawa, Niigata, Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto. If you want to go further than those destinations by bus you may need transfer along the way.

Costs vary between bus companies, and the time of day you want to travel, for example a trip to Tokyo could cost between 4000 yen to 8000 yen depending on the company, bus type and whether it’s day/night bus. Some useful sites for finding reasonably priced bus rides to the destinations mentioned above have been included in this part of the handbook. They are in Japanese, so you may need some help but people are very friendly so ask and I am sure you will be helped!

HIGHWAY BUSES

1. Chitetsu Bus Company

Buses depart from the bus stop in front of the South exit of Toyama Station. You can make reservations at the reservation centre by calling or visiting in person. They are located in the small plaza adjacent the Toyama Dentetsu Station, between Lotteria and the actual station. You can also book tickets online from here.

2. Willer Express

Buses depart from Takaoka and Toyama. The website is in English and you can book tickets online easily. The prices differ depending on the seat type.  After you have booked the tickets, you can pay for the bus tickets at the convenience store or by credit card.

3. Kaetsunou Bus Company

Buses depart from Takaoka, Himi and Tonami. The website is in Japanese.

4. JR Buses

For JR-West buses.  The website is in Japanese.

5. Rakuten Travel

This is a very useful site. It searches for more than 5 companies’ schedule and prices for going to Tokyo alone! You need to sign up for the site though (cost free). It’s also very useful for searching for buses running between other major cities in Japan.  After making your reservations, you can make payment at convenience stores.

MAKING PAYMENT 

The most convenient way to pay for your bus ticket reservations is to do it at the convenience stores. Many of the JETs here go to Lawsons Convenience Store to it. Inside the store, there is a red machine called the Loppi. You can search for your reservation using your reservation code.  The machine will print out a receipt for you. With the receipt, make your payment at the counter. The staff will print the ticket or receipt for you.