by Chichibu railway is Chichibu rural local train. When you travel Chichibu without any private transfer or rental car, you need to use this train line. However, one problem to use Chichibu railway is that the train ticket is very expensive. So, let’s learn and use “Emot”, digital train ticket purchasing apps!
1. Regular ticket rate…
3~4 stops cost approximately JPY300. If you use only one way, or only the both way once, it may be ok. But travellers in Chichibu need to board train many times in a day. If you go to a little bit further station, sometimes one way costs more than JPY500.
For example, one-way fares are as below;
Chichibu → Mitsumineguchi : JPY480
Chichibu → Bushu-Nakagawa: JPY310
Nagatoro → Chichibu: JPY480
Mitsumineguchi → Nagatoro: JPY 680
That’s why you need to know any discount ticket. You will be bankrupt if you keep paying such expensive fares!
2. Super Discount Pass from Emot!
You can purchase physical paper ticket pass at any station ticket gate. It is JPY 1600 for one day pass and only weekends (Saturday & Sunday) available. Except main stations, basically no one is working at each station office because of serious luck of station staff and cost-saving.
So, let’s download “Emot” into your iPhone / smartphone! Then you can purchase digital discount ticket for Chichibu railway! It is only JPY1500 for one day pass and anytime you can use this ticket. Weekends or weekdays are don’t matter! Anytime you can use the one-day pass!
Chichibu railway is sort of old train system so just a few years ago, IC train board card “Suica” or “Pasmo” system has been installed into almost all stations. (Suica or Pasmo are the same as Opal at NSW or Myki at VIC). So any digital tickets were not used so far.
In recent years, little by little new IT systems have been installed then Chichibu railway is also getting more convenient.
3. How to use Emot
Go to App Store / Google Play and download into your phone!
App Store ⇒ https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/emot/id1472652885
Google Play ⇒ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.odakyu.emot&hl=ja&pli=1
Select 買う (purchase) and scroll down, then you can find 秩父路遊々フリーきっぷ (Chichibu Railway One Day Pass)
After that, you can pay by credit card. English should be available for the the purchasing process page.
After you purchased, don’t forget to take the screenshot and you show the screen at the ticket gate.
