Community bus

A locally focused bus service planned and run by a city or ward. Small vehicles link the narrow residential streets and public facilities that ordinary route buses do not reach, and fares and the tickets you can use are often set independently.

What a community bus is

A community bus is a locally focused bus service planned and operated by a local government such as a city or ward. It threads its way through residential areas, hilly districts and public facilities far from the nearest station, places ordinary route buses cannot fully cover, with the aim of securing everyday mobility for the neighborhood. The driving itself is often contracted out to a bus operator, but the routes and fares are decided by the local government, and that is the big difference from an ordinary route bus.

Tokyo's 23 wards are home to many community buses run by the individual wards, each with its own nickname and body design. Small vehicles are usually chosen so they can turn into narrow streets, and the gaps between stops tend to be set fairly short as well.

Choosing between a community bus and a route bus

Knowing about community buses widens your travel options considerably. Unlike route buses that run along main roads, many community bus routes pull up right beside the destinations of daily life: the ward office, the library, the hospital, the shopping street. That makes them especially powerful for reaching places that are far from a station but close to home.

There are, however, a few points to keep in mind before you ride.

Fares are set independently: most charge a flat fare, but the amount is decided by each local government and may differ from that of Toei buses and other ordinary route buses.
Tickets and passes are handled separately: whether a day pass or a particular pass can be used depends on who operates the service. Do not assume the ticket in your pocket will be accepted; check in advance.
Frequency and hours of service: one or two buses an hour is typical, and routes that finish early in the evening are far from rare. Checking the timetable is essential.

How this relates to Toei buses

Toei buses are ordinary public buses operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, and they differ from community buses in both operator and rules. Both kinds of bus sometimes use stops with the same name, and because the way you pay and the tickets accepted can differ, it is reassuring to confirm which one you are boarding from the body of the bus or its destination sign.

To find out which community buses run in your own area, look to the counters and newsletters of the city or ward where you live. Combine route buses with community buses and the range you can cover without a car grows enormously.