Transportation

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Page Number 2000148  Updated on April 1, 2024

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Public Transportation

Japan has many methods of public transportation available, such as trains, buses, subways, taxis, etc. In Gifu City specifically, you can use JR, Meitetsu (Nagoya Railroad, Co.), Gifu Bus, community buses, and taxis.

Trains

JR Gifu Station has the Tokaido Main Line and the Takayama Main Line.

Meitetsu Gifu Station (Nagoya Railroad, Co.) has the Nagoya Main Line, Kakamigahara Line, and the Takehana Line.

Buy a ticket and board a train

You can buy tickets from a ticket machine or service window at stations. You can then insert them into a ticket gate or show them to the staff at the service window.

If there are no ticket machines or staff at the station you are using, you can buy a ticket from a crew member after boarding.

After getting off the train, you can insert the ticket into the ticket gate or show it to a staff member.

You will need to pay at the station's fare adjustment area if you rode past the station you bought a ticket for or have lost your ticket.

Commuter passes, coupon tickets

You can buy a commuter pass if you ride the train everyday for commuting to work or school that will be cheaper than normal tickets, and you can also buy coupon tickets which give you 11 rides for the price of 10.
* Coupon tickets have expiration dates

  • Long-distance tickets, special express tickets
    In JR stations, you can purchase these tickets at the "Shinkansen and JR Line Tickets" counter.
  • Transportation IC cards
    You can use a transportation IC card instead of buying tickets to ride trains and buses throughout the country.
    (You will need to add money to the card before using it)

Buses

There are many different kinds of buses and routes throughout Gifu City.

The front of the bus will display the location that it is bound for. Make sure to look up where each bus stops before riding one.

Boarding buses

If riding Gifu Bus, board using the middle or furthest door back.

Getting off buses

When your bus stop is called, press the button to stop the bus, and you can get off using the door furthest towards the front.

Payment method

You can pay in cash or use an IC card (Ayuca).

  • Cash
    • Please take one of the paper slips close to where you boarded the bus.
      (Some types of buses do not have these)
    • The screen in the front of the bus shows the numbered ticket and the fare to be paid.
    • Please put that paper slip and bus fare in the machine next to the bus driver.
    • *Please note that you will not receive change for amounts that exceed your fare.
      　You can, however, get change for 1000 yen bills during when the bus is stopped, etc.
  • IC card (Ayuca)
    • Touch your card to the IC card readers as you board and get off the bus.
    • *How to purchase an IC card (Ayuca) and add money
      You can buy an IC card (Ayuca) and add money to it at the Gifu Bus Center, the bus business office, or inside a bus.
      (you can use 1000 yen bills or greater)

Community bus (Gifukko Bus)

Anyone can use the Gifukko community bus.

Bus routes and schedules

You can find these in Gifu City Hall, each city hall branch office, community centers, the Tourist Information Center in JR Gifu Station, etc.

You can also get them from Gifu City's homepage (in Japanese with automatic translations available).

Contact

Transportation Policy Division (City Hall, 15F ／ Tel. 058-214-2017)

Fare

Per ride
  • Adult (junior high school student or older)　¥100
  • Child (elementary school student)　¥50
  • Young child (not yet in elementary school)　*1
  • Infant (under 1 year old)　Free

*1：A young child riding with a child or adult can do so for free (limit 1 per adult).
Any young children after will be charged the same fare as children (¥50)

All day passes
  • Adult (junior high school student or older)　¥200
  • Child (elementary school student)　¥100

You can buy these inside community buses.

All day passes can only be used on the day of purchase in all Gifu City Community Bus areas and can only be used by the buyer. 

Coupon tickets
  • Adult (junior high school student or older)
    (¥100×11 tickets)
    ¥1,000
  • Child (elementary school student)
    (¥50×11 tickets)
    ¥500

You can buy these inside community buses.

*Those with a disability can ride for half the price.

  • Anyone caring for them also can receive this discount.
  • Show the driver your disability certificate when paying your fare or buying tickets to get this discount.
  • Please also show your disability certificate when buying an IC card.

Payment method

  • Cash
    Please prepare your fare ahead of time.
    You will pay the bus fare right before getting off the bus.
  • Coupon tickets
    You need to use one ticket per ride before getting off the bus.
  • IC cards (Ayuca), Senior citizen bus cards
    Touch your card to the IC card readers as you board and get off the bus.

*When paying with a senior citizen bus card, your fare will be discounted by 20%.

Transfer discounts among community buses and to Gifu buses

  • Cash, coupon tickets
    • Among community buses：￥40 discount*
    • From a community bus to a Gifu bus：No discount
    • From Gifu Bus to a community bus:No discount
    • *Please ask the bus driver for a transfer ticket before getting off the bus. Give this ticket to the driver of the bus that you transferred to when you are getting off it.
  • IC cards (Ayuca)
    • If transferring within 45 minutes of boarding：￥40 discount (on the bus you transferred to)
    • If transferring after 45 minutes of boarding：No discount
      *You can also get discounts when transferring from Gifu Bus to a community bus.
  • Senior citizen bus cards：No discount

Using IC cards (Ayuca) and senior citizen bus cards

  • IC cards (Ayuca)
    Places to buy an IC card
    Gifu Bus Terminal and all Gifu Bus business offices
  • Senior citizen bus cards
    Contact
    Senior Citizens Welfare Division
    (Gifu City Hall, 1F ／ Tel. 058-214-2173)
  • Places to add money to your card
    Inside community or Gifu buses, the Gifu Bus Terminal, Gifu Bus business offices, card charging machine (Inside the convenience store in Gifu City Hall, 1F, etc.)
Public Transportation
　 Areas of operation Name Main stops
1 Kano
(Kano, Kano Nishi)		 Kano Meguri Bus JR Gifu Station south entrance, Nanbu Community Center, Mega Don Quijote UNY, Asahi University Hospital, etc.
2 Ichihashi Nishi Gifu, Kurukuru Bus JR Nishi Gifu Station, Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu Prefectural Library, Gifu Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu Prefectural Office, Prefectural Citizen's Fureai Halls, etc.
3 Nikko
(Shima, Soden, Josei, Noritake)		 Nikkori Bus Chusetsu, Gifu Red Cross Hospital, Masa 21, Gifu Seiryu Cultural Plaza, etc.
4 Miwa
(Miwa Kita, Miwa Minami)		 Miwakko Bus Gihoku Kosei Hospital, Valor Awano store, Mitahora Shinbutsu Onsen, Hokutobu Community Center, Family Park, etc.
5 City Center East (Hakusan, Bairin, Kayo) e Bus JR Gifu Station south entrance, Meitetsu Gifu Station, Yanagase, Saien, Hello Work, Seiyu Gifu Kayo store, etc. 
6 Akutami Higashi/Minami Midorikko Bus Valor Akutami store, Midori Hospital, Co-op Akutami store, Tobu Community Center, etc.
7 Kurono, Saigo Hotto Bus Gifu University Hospital, Nakasaigo, Kurono Hall, Kurono Castle ruins, Seibu (city hall) Branch Office, Hirano General Hospital, etc.
8 Aikawa  Aiai Bus Kano Danchi, Hokutobu Community Center, Ishiharadai Danchi, Valor Akutami store, etc.
9 Nagamori Minami 373(minami)Bus Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center, Nagamori Community Center, JR Nagamori Station, Kakamigahara Aeon Mall, etc. 
10 Sakaigawa
(Uzura, Hikie, Yanaizu-cho)		 Sakaigawa Rakuchan Bus Meitetsu Yanaizu Station, Yanaizu Area (city hall) Branch Office, Colorful Town, Yanaizu Moegi no Sato, Aeon Yanaizu store, Matsunami General Hospital, Kasamatsu Hospital, Senior Citizens Welfare Center, etc.
11 Nagara, Nagara Higashi Nagara Ukai Bus Valor Nagara store, Nagara Kitamachi, Piago Nagara store, Sun Mart Nagara store, Nagara Medical Center, Obusa, etc.
12 Akutami, Iwa Akutami Iwakko Bus Valor Akutami store, Tobu Community Center, Suwayama, Valor Iwata store, Iwatazaka, etc.
13 Misato, Honjo Smile Bus Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu Prefectural Library, Gifu Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Mega Don Quijote UNY, Orchid Park, etc.
14 Tokiwa, Sagiyama, Nagara Nishi Sansan Bus Masa 21, Sagiyama Daycare, Tokiwa Daycare, Tsubakibora, Sun Mart Nagara store, Piago Nagara store, Nagara Nishi Elementary School, Gifu Red Cross Hospital, Gifu Seiryu Welfare Area, etc.
15 Akanabe, Atsumi Atsumi/Akanabe Gururi Fureai Bus Valor Akanabe Hongo store, Akanabe Public Hall, Mega Don Quijote UNY, Ryoge Post Office, Atsumi Public Hall, JR Gifu Station south entrance, etc.
16 Hino Hinokko Bus Heiwado, Hino Elementary School, Valor Nagara store, Gifu Hospital, etc.
17 Kita Nagamori
(Nagamori Kita, Nagamori Nishi, Nagamori Higashi)		 Nagamori Fureai Bus Valor Kitaisshiki store, Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center, Nagamori Community Center, Heiwado, Sawada Hospital, etc.
18 Nanasato, Kida Nanasato, Kida Bus Masa 21, Gifu Seiryu Hospital, Gifu Nishikaiden Post Office, Okuwa Nishikaiden store, Seiyu Kaiden store, etc.
19 Iwanoda, Iwanoda Kita Gurutto Bus Valor Awano store, Gihoku Kosei Hospital, Mitahora Shinbutsu Onsen, Sun Mart Nagara store, etc.

Taxis

There are multiple taxi companies and individual taxi operators that operate within the city.

All of them have a display light on their roofs indicating their availability. 

Ways to use one

  • Go to a taxi stand (at the station, etc.)
  • Hail a moving taxi that has "空車" displayed in red on a light next to the driver's seat.
  • Call a taxi and ask for them to come to a specific spot at a specific time.

How to ride a taxi

The driver will open the back left door for you.

If 1-2 people are riding, you can ride in the back seats.

Fare

Your fare will be displayed on the meter in front of the driver's seat.

If riding late at night or early in the morning, you will be charged an extra fee.

(10:00pm - 5:00am)

You will also be charged an extra fee for having the taxi meet you at a specified place.

Cars

Driver's license

If you want to get a Japanese driver's license or convert a foreign driver's license into a Japanese driver's license, you can do so at driver's license exam centers, etc.

For those that have a valid driver's license in their country of origin

Excluding some countries, you can get a Japanese driver's license at a driver's license exam center.

Contact

Gifu Prefectural Police Headquarters Driver's License Exam Center
Foreign Driver's License Team
1-22-8 Mitahora Higashi, Gifu City
Tel. 058-237-3331

If going by Gifu Bus
　Take a bus headed to Mitahora Danchi
　Get off at "Mitahora Jidosha Gakko Guchi"

 

Ways to get a driver's license

  • Enroll in a driver's school
    After graduating, you will have to go to a driver's license exam center to take a written test (you will be exempt from the performance test).
  • Take the written and performance tests at a driver's license exam center.
  • Contact
    Driver's License Division, Gifu Driver's Learning Center
    3-42 Gakuen-cho, Gifu City
    Gifu Seiryu Bunka Plaza 2F
    Tel. 058-295-1010

Driver's license expiration dates

Until your third birthday after getting your license

Renewal period

Starting from one month before the expiration date and ending one month after your birthday (two months in total)

Car insurance

  • Compulsory insurance (compulsory automobile liability insurance)
    Everyone that owns a car is legally required to enroll in compulsory insurance.
  • Optional insurance
    There are many cases where the amount covered by compulsory insurance is not enough to cover all damages if you have caused a traffic accident, so most people enroll in optional supplemental insurance as well.
    You can enroll for this insurance through your car dealer.

Traffic accidents

Notify the police of any traffic accident regardless of how minor it is.

If you do not notify the police, you may be unable to receive compensation from your insurance company if you later find that you received after effects from the accident.

Parking violations

Parking violations greatly impact the lives of other citizens by causing traffic jams, traffic accidents, and blocking/delay emergency vehicles.

The Road Traffic Act states that stopping or parking your vehicle in places where road signs prohibit it, 5m within an intersection or a crosswalk, etc. is illegal.

When parking a car, do so next to a parking meter, parking space, etc.

Municipal parking

There are two municipal parking lots within the city.

There is one near JR Gifu Station and one near Yanagase in spots that are easy to use.

Contact

City Planning Division (Gifu City Hall, 15F ／ Tel. 058-214-2380)

Locations

  • Gifu City Station Nishi Parking Lot, Gifu City Tower 43 Underground Parking Lot
    • 2-16 Hashimoto-cho, Gifu City　Tel. 058-262-3301
    • Available 24 hours
  • Kogane Park Underground Parking Lot
    • 5-7 Kogane-machi, Gifu City　Tel. 058-262-2702
    • Hours of operation
      7:00am - 11:00pm