Okayama

By bus
By bus

Buses run throughout the city. You can buy prepaid bus cards at several locations including the JR Okayama Station bus information booth and Omotecho Bus Center, in ¥2000, ¥5000 or ¥10000 iterations. These cards work out to be slightly cheaper than paying cash at the end of each journey, but unused portions of the cards cannot be refunded. When a card is "drained" of its prepaid charge, you can use cash to pay the outstanding amount. Trips within the city cost no more than a few hundred yen; from JR Okayama Station to Tenmaya/Omotecho shopping mall costs ¥100.

Perhaps the most confusing thing is that different companies offer similar routes that depart at different times from different bus-stops. The staff at bus information centers are very helpful, but might not give information on rival companies running similar routes unless asked.

Some companies push the Hareca Integrated Circuit Cards IC Cards, limited only to the trams and local buses run by Ryobi, Shimoden and Okaden companies as an alternative to the disposable prepaid cards, but the deposit for a new card makes them more expensive than paying by cash, especially if you are only making a short visit.

By Tram

Two convenient tram lines run from the east side of JR Okayama Station. The Higashiyama line runs along Momotaro-Odori to Okayama Symphony Hall stopping at "Shiroshita" tram stop, which is the closest stop to Okayama Castle, and then turns south towards the prefectural government office before winding towards the terminus. The other line turns to the right about half-way along Momotaro-Odori, passes the central post office, and terminates at the Seikibashi intersection.

Board trams and buses at the rear, take a boarding ticket, and pay your fare at the front when you disembark. The driver will not give change, but there is a machine on the tram that will change coins. Prepaid bus cards can also be used on the trams.