How to Ask How Much a Ticket Costs in Japanese
Learn to ask 'How much is a ticket to ...?' in Japanese with the pattern 〜までいくらですか, understand the answer in yen, and ask a polite follow-up.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn one focused skill: asking the price of a ticket in Japanese. The key pattern is 〜までいくらですか (〜 made ikura desu ka), which means 'How much is it to 〜?' You will also learn how to understand the answer, which is usually given in yen, and how to ask someone to repeat the price politely. This lesson is about asking and understanding prices only, not about buying tickets, choosing seats, or making reservations. All examples use natural Japanese with Hepburn romanization so you can read and say them confidently.
By the end, you can…
- ask how much a ticket to a place costs using 〜までいくらですか.
- understand a price answer given in yen, such as 五百円です.
- ask a polite follow-up when I did not catch the price.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
〜までいくらですか。
How much is it to 〜?
〜 made ikura desu ka
The main price question. Put a destination before まで, for example 京都まで (Kyōto made) or 空港まで (kūkō made).
切符はいくらですか。
How much is a ticket?
kippu wa ikura desu ka
Use this when the destination is already clear from the situation. 切符 (kippu) means 'ticket'.
大人一枚いくらですか。
How much is one adult ticket?
otona ichimai ikura desu ka
Useful at stations and ticket counters. 一枚 (ichimai) means 'one flat object', used for tickets.
五百円です。
It is 500 yen.
gohyaku en desu
A typical answer. Prices end in 円 (en), the Japanese currency. です (desu) makes the sentence polite.
すみません、もう一度お願いします。
Excuse me, one more time, please.
sumimasen, mō ichido onegai shimasu
Use this polite phrase when you did not hear the price clearly.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [place] + まで + いくらですか。The particle まで (made) means 'as far as' or 'to', and いくら (ikura) means 'how much'. So 東京までいくらですか (Tōkyō made ikura desu ka) means 'How much is it to Tokyo?' You can also say 東京駅まで (Tōkyō-eki made) for 'to Tokyo Station'. If you already know the word for ticket, you can ask 切符はいくらですか (kippu wa ikura desu ka), 'How much is the ticket?' The answer normally uses a number plus 円 (en), for example 千円です (sen en desu), 'It is 1,000 yen.'
When to use it
Use 〜までいくらですか at station counters, bus information desks, or anywhere a staff member can tell you a fare. It is polite enough for most everyday situations. If you want to be extra polite, you can begin with すみません (sumimasen), 'excuse me'. For example: すみません、空港までいくらですか (sumimasen, kūkō made ikura desu ka), 'Excuse me, how much is it to the airport?' Remember that this question asks only for the price. If you want to buy a ticket, you will need a different expression, which is outside this lesson.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、京都までいくらですか。
Excuse me, how much is it to Kyoto?sumimasen, Kyōto made ikura desu ka千四百円です。
It is 1,400 yen.sen yonhyaku en desuすみません、もう一度お願いします。
Excuse me, one more time, please.sumimasen, mō ichido onegai shimasuはい、千四百円です。
Yes, it is 1,400 yen.hai, sen yonhyaku en desuA little context goes a long way
In Japan, prices are usually stated clearly and politely with です (desu) at the end. Staff may speak quickly, so it is normal and polite to say すみません、もう一度お願いします (sumimasen, mō ichido onegai shimasu) if you miss the number. You do not need to add extra honorific language for a simple fare question; です/ます style is appropriate for visitors.
One thing to watch for
Using は (wa) after a destination, as in 京都はいくらですか (Kyōto wa ikura desu ka).
Try this instead: For 'how much is it to [place]', use まで (made): 京都までいくらですか (Kyōto made ikura desu ka). は can mark the topic, as in 切符はいくらですか (kippu wa ikura desu ka), 'How much is the ticket?', but it does not mean 'to'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'How much is it to the airport?' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
空港までいくらですか。
空港 (kūkō) means 'airport', まで (made) means 'to', and いくらですか (ikura desu ka) asks the price. 空港へいくらですか is not natural for this meaning.
2What does 八百円です (happyaku en desu) mean?
Show a sample answer
It is 800 yen.
八百 (happyaku) is 800, 円 (en) is yen, and です (desu) makes it polite. The answer could also be written as 800円です.
3You did not hear the price. What polite phrase can you use?
Show a sample answer
すみません、もう一度お願いします。
This means 'Excuse me, one more time, please.' You can also say もう一度お願いします (mō ichido onegai shimasu) without すみません if you prefer.
Use [place] + まで + いくらですか to ask a ticket price, listen for a number plus 円, and say すみません、もう一度お願いします if you need to hear it again.
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