October 24th, 2007Commuting for One-Third the Price
In most of Japan, public transit is king. Trains can take you almost anywhere you need to be. Subways are plentiful and dependable. And, if all else fails, busses are around to ferry you the rest of the way (though the bus system does leave a little to be desired). In many cases, the public transit system is so effective that many people don’t even need to buy a car.
At the moment, I’m quite dependant on the transit system here in Japan. I live in Kakamigahara and commute to Nagoya at least five times a week. All in all, I enjoy the 40 minute ride because it gives me a very clear disconnect between work and home, as well as providing a little time to study Japanese, read a book, or catch up on other blogs (thank you, Egress). The only thing I don’t like about the trip is the cost: 1820 yen a day (about $15 CDN).
Luckily, there are options available.
Almost every transit system in the world has some sort of discount pass. These often come in the form of weekly or monthly systems. In Vancouver, I could purchase my 2-zone monthly pass for $95. The benefit of this was the average $40 savings every four weeks, and the convenience of not carrying exact change everywhere. In Japan, the pass systems are pretty much the same, but the discounts are much greater.
Last week, Reiko helped me obtain a monthly commuter pass between my two primary stations for a piddly 20,600 yen; almost a third of what I would pay in cash every motnh. The cost is calculated based on your starting poin, as well as the destination. This means that you are not over-charged for living close to work.
So if you plan on commuting with any kind of regularity in Japan, it might be worth investing in a commuter pass (sometimes called a season pass). Many transit companies offer monthly, 3-month and 6-month passes with very attractive prices. While the initial outlay can be a bit hefty, you can’t deny the long-term savings. When I can afford it, and when my pass expires, I’m going to seriously consider one of those 6-month passes. It will be the same price as five monthly passes and would pay for itself in less than twelve weeks.
Is that money coming out of your own pocket, or are you reimbursed?
I’m reimbursed for the cost of travel to and from my home station, but they don’t factor in things like 3-month or 6-month pass costs. So if I were to spend a little extra up front, it would mean I’d have a small bonus every month.
Considering how Reiko and I are just starting out with married life, a Yen saved is a Yen earned
Agreed! In fact a yen saved is more than yen earned since that original yen you had was taxed. So pat yourself on the back because now you have saved more money than you initially thought!:)
**pat pat**
So long as my employer doesn’t find out if I’m not spending as much as they expect, then it’s all good. Oddly enough, I haven’t been asked for any receipts. Hopefully that policy won’t change, either
Hey! Someone posted a comment using my name! hehe
You said you would consider the 6 month pass, but from the savings you would get, if you know you’re going to use it the entire 6 months I can’t think of any reason not to get it.
If I’m not going to use it for six months, then it means that I found something better in a different part of the country. Since almost all of the technology jobs in this are are confined to Nagoya and Osaka, I think the six month investment would be worthwhile.
That said … I’ll need to have the 85,000 Yen or so in hand before considering such a thing. There’s no point putting a purchase like that on credit, then losing my savings in interest