Rear-door boarding
What rear-door boarding is
Rear-door boarding, known in Japanese as atonori, is a way of riding in which you get on through a door toward the back of the bus and pay your fare beside the front door when you get off. Nothing is paid as you board; the fare is settled at the moment you leave, so the method is paired with paying on exit, and the two together are called "board at the rear, pay on exit." Taking a numbered boarding ticket to mark the stop where you got on is another hallmark of this method.
As of October 2026, fares in the Toei Bus Tama area are set by distance section, so the numbered ticket records where you boarded and the fare is fixed at your stop. That is where it differs from a flat fare, the same amount however far you ride.
Toei Bus uses rear-door boarding in the Tama area
As of October 2026 the guidance of the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation splits the way you ride by area: inside Tokyo's 23 wards you board at the front and pay as you get on, while in the Tama area you board at the rear and pay as you get off. As of October 2026, fares in the Tama area are set by section according to the distance traveled, and the minimum fare is ¥180 for adults (¥178 by IC card).
The bureau describes riding in the Tama area as follows.
- Board through the door toward the back (the middle door) and take a boarding ticket.
- When the on-board monitor or announcement names your stop, press the stop request button to let the crew know.
- As you leave through the front door, put your fare into the fare box.
The fare boxes in the Tama area can change coins and ¥1,000 notes. If you are paying for family or companions together, tell the crew how many adults and children before you pay.
How it differs from front-door boarding
Front-door and rear-door boarding differ on two points: the door you board by and the moment you pay. Setting Toei Bus in the 23 wards beside the Tama area gives the following.
| Item | Front-door boarding (23 wards) | Rear-door boarding (Tama area) |
|---|---|---|
| Door you board by | Front door | Door toward the back |
| When you pay | When boarding | When getting off |
| How the fare is set | Flat fare | By section, according to distance |
| Door you leave by | Door toward the back | Front door |
The timing for showing a discount certificate is written to match this difference. The bureau's guidance says the certificate is shown when boarding, or when getting off in the Tama area.
Telling which one you need
As of October 2026 the bureau's riding guide describes the method by area, 23 wards or Tama; whether your route appears in the Tama fare table is a useful clue. Watching which door opens when the bus pulls in at the stop is another way to tell on the spot.
Ways of riding can change, so check the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation's guidance before you ride. The whole process, including how to ride inside the 23 wards, is set out in our guide to riding Toei buses.
The fares and charges given in this article are those current at the time of writing and do not reflect any later revisions.