Japanese train announcements follow a few fixed patterns. 次は (tsugi wa) means “the next stop is”, まもなく (mamonaku) means “arriving shortly”, and この電車は…行きです (kono densha wa… yuki desu) tells you where the train is going. Catch the station name, the door side and the word 行き (bound for), and you have what you need.
In short
- Three things to listen for: the station name (said twice), 右側 or 左側 (which doors open) and 〜行き (where the train ends).
- Train type decides the stops: 各駅停車 stops everywhere; 快速, 急行 and 特急 skip stations.
- Delays are often announced in Japanese only: 見合わせ means the line has stopped.
Press ▶ to hear a phrase. Audio is Google Cloud text-to-speech, not a recording of a person. Each announcement plays as one clip. The examples follow the wording used on JR lines in Tokyo; other companies phrase things a little differently, but the key words are the same.
What does “tsugi wa” mean? The next-stop announcement
Played between stations. The station name comes twice, then the door side, then the lines you can change to.
Next stop (on board)
次は渋谷、渋谷。
Tsugi wa Shibuya, Shibuya.
The next stop is Shibuya. The name is said twice.
お出口は右側です。
O-deguchi wa migigawa desu.
The doors on the right side will open.
銀座線、半蔵門線はお乗り換えです。
Ginza-sen, Hanzōmon-sen wa o-norikae desu.
Change here for the Ginza Line and the Hanzōmon Line.
If the doors on your side are not the ones opening, start moving across before the train stops.
What does “mamonaku” mean?
まもなく means “any moment now”. On board, it is the last call before your station: stand up and move to the doors.
Arriving now (on board)
まもなく渋谷です。
Mamonaku Shibuya desu.
We will soon arrive at Shibuya.
What does “kono densha wa” mean?
この電車は means “this train is”. The sentence names the line, the direction and the destination. On the Yamanote loop line, 外回り (outer loop) runs clockwise and 内回り (inner loop) runs anticlockwise.
Which train you are on
この電車は山手線外回り、渋谷・新宿方面行きです。
Kono densha wa Yamanote-sen sotomawari, Shibuya, Shinjuku hōmen yuki desu.
This is a Yamanote Line train, outer loop, bound for Shibuya and Shinjuku.
On rapid and express trains the same announcement says where the train stops next. If your station is not named as a 停車駅, get off and change to a local.
A rapid train and its stops
この電車は快速、東京行きです。
Kono densha wa kaisoku, Tōkyō yuki desu.
This is a rapid train bound for Tokyo.
次の停車駅は新宿です。
Tsugi no teishaeki wa Shinjuku desu.
The next station this train stops at is Shinjuku.
On the platform: “mairimasu”
Platform announcements use 参ります (mairimasu), the polite humble form of 来る, “to come”. Listen for the platform number, the train type and the destination.
Train approaching (platform)
まもなく、3番線に快速東京行きが参ります。
Mamonaku, san-bansen ni kaisoku Tōkyō yuki ga mairimasu.
A rapid train bound for Tokyo will soon arrive at platform 3.
危ないですから、黄色い線の内側までお下がりください。
Abunai desu kara, kiiroi sen no uchigawa made o-sagari kudasai.
For your safety, please stand behind the yellow line.
Doors closing
ドアが閉まります。ご注意ください。
Doa ga shimarimasu. Go-chūi kudasai.
The doors are closing. Please be careful.
駆け込み乗車はおやめください。
Kakekomi jōsha wa o-yame kudasai.
Please do not rush onto the train.
Train types: kakueki teisha, kaisoku, kyūkō, tokkyū
| Type | Romaji | Stops | Extra fare? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 各駅停車 / 普通 | kakueki teisha / futsū | Every station | No |
| 快速 | kaisoku | Skips some stations | Usually no |
| 急行 | kyūkō | Skips more stations | Usually no on private railways |
| 特急 | tokkyū | Main stations only | Often yes: a limited express ticket |
Delay announcements
When something goes wrong, the announcement gets longer and more formal. 見合わせております means trains have stopped; 遅れ means they are running late; 振替輸送 means other lines will take your ticket. That usually covers paper tickets and commuter passes, not fares paid by tapping an IC card, so ask station staff before you switch.
Delays and suspensions
ただいま、人身事故の影響で、運転を見合わせております。
Tadaima, jinshin jiko no eikyō de, unten o miawasete orimasu.
Because of an accident involving a person, service is currently suspended.
運転再開は午後3時ごろを見込んでおります。
Unten saikai wa gogo san-ji goro o mikonde orimasu.
We expect service to resume at about 3 p.m.
振替輸送を行っております。
Furikae yusō o okonatte orimasu.
Other lines are accepting tickets for this route.
電車が遅れまして、ご迷惑をおかけしております。
Densha ga okuremashite, go-meiwaku o okake shite orimasu.
We apologize for the delay.
Announcements use おります and おかけしております: humble keigo, the most polite register. The keigo guide explains the pattern.
On the Shinkansen
Shinkansen announcements start with a thank-you, then the train name, the destination and the stops. Later ones give car numbers: 自由席 (non-reserved) and 指定席 (reserved) cars are listed by 〜号車.
Shinkansen departure
今日も新幹線をご利用くださいまして、ありがとうございます。
Kyō mo Shinkansen o go-riyō kudasaimashite, arigatō gozaimasu.
Thank you for traveling on the Shinkansen today.
この電車は、のぞみ号、新大阪行きです。
Kono densha wa, Nozomi-gō, Shin-Ōsaka yuki desu.
This is the Nozomi, bound for Shin-Osaka.
途中の停車駅は、品川、新横浜、名古屋、京都です。
Tochū no teishaeki wa, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyōto desu.
We will stop at Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya and Kyoto.
On the bus
Japanese buses announce each stop, and you press the button to get off. When someone has pressed it, a sign lights up and a voice says 次、止まります.
On the bus
次は市役所前です。
Tsugi wa Shiyakusho-mae desu.
The next stop is City Hall.
お降りの方はボタンでお知らせください。
O-ori no kata wa botan de o-shirase kudasai.
If you are getting off, please press the button.
次、止まります。
Tsugi, tomarimasu.
Stopping at the next stop (someone has pressed the button).
バスが止まってから、席をお立ちください。
Basu ga tomatte kara, seki o o-tachi kudasai.
Please stay seated until the bus stops.
For what to say yourself at the ticket gate, on the platform and on the bus, see the 25 Japanese transportation phrases.
The 25 words that carry the meaning
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Where you hear it | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 次は | tsugi wa | the next stop is | On board, before each station | |
| まもなく | mamonaku | shortly, any moment now | Train about to arrive, on board or on the platform | |
| 〜行き | -yuki | bound for | Platform, train sign, “this train is…” | |
| 〜番線 | -bansen | platform (track) number | Platform announcements and signs | |
| お乗り換え | o-norikae | transfer, change trains | Before stations where lines meet | |
| お出口 | o-deguchi | exit; here, the doors that open | “The doors on the … side will open” | |
| 右側 | migigawa | right side | Door side | |
| 左側 | hidarigawa | left side | Door side | |
| 停車駅 | teishaeki | station where the train stops | Rapid, express and Shinkansen trains | |
| 止まりません | tomarimasen | does not stop | “This train does not stop at …” | |
| 各駅停車 | kakueki teisha | local: stops at every station | Train type; also 普通 (futsū) | |
| 快速 | kaisoku | rapid: skips some stations | Train type; on JR usually no extra fare | |
| 急行 | kyūkō | express: skips more stations | Train type; on private railways usually no extra fare | |
| 特急 | tokkyū | limited express: fewest stops | Train type; often needs an extra ticket | |
| 終電 | shūden | last train of the day | Late at night | |
| 始発 | shihatsu | first train; or a train that starts at this station | Early morning; platform boards | |
| 遅れ | okure | delay | Delay announcements | |
| 見合わせ | miawase | suspended: trains are not running | 運転を見合わせております | |
| 運転再開 | unten saikai | service resumes | After a suspension | |
| 人身事故 | jinshin jiko | accident involving a person | Usually means a stop of an hour or more | |
| 振替輸送 | furikae yusō | other lines accept your ticket | During long suspensions | |
| 自由席 | jiyūseki | non-reserved seats | Shinkansen and limited express | |
| 指定席 | shiteiseki | reserved seats | Shinkansen and limited express | |
| 〜号車 | -gōsha | car number | Shinkansen and long-distance trains | |
| お降りの方 | o-ori no kata | passengers getting off | Buses |
How to follow an announcement you only half understand
- Wait for the second station name. The name is repeated, so if you miss it once you get another chance.
- Read the screen above the door. Most city trains show the next station in Japanese and English, and many show which doors open.
- Learn the words, not whole sentences. Most of an announcement is polite filler. The station, 行き, 番線, 乗り換え and 見合わせ carry the information.
- Shadow the clips above. Repeating an announcement out loud, at its speed, is the fastest way to start hearing it on a real platform. The 10-minute shadowing routine shows how.
Frequently asked questions
What does “tsugi wa” mean on a Japanese train?
次は (tsugi wa) means “the next stop is”. The station name follows, usually said twice: 次は渋谷、渋谷 (tsugi wa Shibuya, Shibuya).
What does “kono densha wa” mean?
この電車は (kono densha wa) means “this train is”. It starts the announcement that names the line, the train type and where it is going, as in この電車は快速、東京行きです, “this is a rapid train bound for Tokyo”.
What does “mamonaku” mean?
まもなく (mamonaku) means “shortly” or “any moment now”. On board it means you are about to arrive; on the platform, まもなく…参ります means a train is about to come in.
What does “kakueki teisha” mean?
各駅停車 (kakueki teisha) is a local train that stops at every station. Some companies call it 普通 (futsū). If your station is small, this is usually the train you need.
What is the difference between kaisoku, kyuko and tokkyu?
They skip more stations in this order: 快速 (kaisoku, rapid), 急行 (kyūkō, express), 特急 (tokkyū, limited express). Rapid and express trains usually cost the same as a local; limited express trains often need an extra ticket. Each railway company uses the names a little differently, so check the stopping chart on the platform.
How do you say “next stop” in Japanese?
Announcements say 次は (tsugi wa), “next is”. In your own sentence, “the next station” is 次の駅 (tsugi no eki), and on a bus “the next stop” is 次のバス停 (tsugi no basutei).
How do you say “bus stop” in Japanese?
A bus stop is バス停 (basutei). At a terminal, each boarding bay is a バス乗り場 (basu noriba). “It is not a bus stop” is バス停ではありません (basutei de wa arimasen).
Are Japanese train announcements in English?
On the Shinkansen and on major lines in Tokyo and Osaka, a recorded English version usually follows the Japanese. Delay details, platform changes and many local lines and buses are often in Japanese only, which is when the words on this page matter most.
More Japanese for your trip
Last reviewed October 28, 2026. Announcements are written examples in the style used on JR East lines and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen; real wording, stopping patterns and car numbers change by company, line and timetable. Readings follow JMdict.