There’s a huge line inside Nishinomiya-kitaguchi Station.
(Thanks to Kagayaki 509-go for the tip.)
Here↓
This was around 6:15 p.m. The line started from around the area where the capsule toy corner is.
I’m sure a lot of people were surprised by just how long the line was~
The line was for the commuter pass counter~ People were buying commuter passes.
There was information like this showing wait times at stations that sell commuter passes. Nishinomiya-kitaguchi was listed as 30 to 60 minutes. It’s written on this display too, but you can also buy commuter passes at the red ticket machines~
We Recommend Reserving Your Commuter Pass Online!
Hankyu Railway has been running an online reservation service called “e-teiki” since 2021.
After entering your email address, commuter pass route, and other details, upload a photo of your student ID, school commuting certificate, etc. You’ll receive the result of the reservation check by email, then enter your “reservation number” and “reservation confirmation number” at a red ticket machine at the station to purchase your commuter pass.
You can buy one at the two red ticket machines on the left. It’s really easy and fast.
How to Buy a Commuter Pass at a Ticket Machine
The red ticket machines have 定期券 written on them.
Touch “定期券を買う” on the screen.
Touch “予約した定期券を買う”.
Enter your “reservation number” and “reservation confirmation number”. Your commuter pass will come out of the ticket machine~!
If you use the commuter pass counter, it can take time when there’s a line like this,
and you also have to fill things out by hand on paper, which is a hassle. If you’re comfortable using the web, we recommend e-teiki → red ticket machine!
There was also a monitor explaining how to buy one at the red ticket machines~.
Things to Note When Buying a Student Commuter Pass~
Here’s a summary of points to keep in mind when buying a student commuter pass~.
For New First-Year Students
If you don’t have a student ID yet, it’s best to apply for a school commuting certificate on a school attendance day or similar occasion. At public high schools, student IDs seem to be distributed late, and the application process can take time.
For Second-Year Students and Above
Second- and third-year students (when advancing to the next grade) seem to be able to buy one with their student ID and their current old commuter pass. Reference page
If Your Nearest Station Doesn’t Sell Commuter Passes
It seems you can travel to a sales station for free. Please check each railway’s website.
Lastly
Hanshin Railway and JR also let you buy passes in a similar way. We wrote about it in a previous article (Hanshin Railway and JR commuter passes can now be reserved online. We also summarized a few other commuter passes), so we hope it helps if you don’t want to wait in line~.
*Kagayaki 509-go, thank you for the information!!
■■■We’re looking for tips!■■■
