This article explains how to ride the free self-driving bus at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, where a demonstration trial is currently being conducted until May 10. From installing the app and making a reservation to boarding on the day, this guide covers the entire process so even first-time visitors can ride without confusion. Based on my actual experience riding on the first day of operation, March 28, 2026, I also share information about crowd levels and how easy it is to secure a reservation.
How to Ride the Free Self-Driving Bus
To ride the free self-driving bus, advance booking through the dedicated app is required (reservations are not necessary if seats are available), so first install the “TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY App.” Since this autonomous bus was jointly developed by KDDI and JR East, it supports JRE ID, allowing users who already have an account to use the service smoothly without the hassle of creating a new one.
A simple survey will be displayed when launching the app for the first time. It can be skipped, but since it only takes a short time, completing it should not be a problem.
TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY App
KDDI
East Japan Railway Company
About Booking
At the bottom of the app’s homepage, there is an icon for the autonomous bus. Tapping it opens the reservation page for the self-driving bus. Users can choose between two routes: the “TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY Loop Route,” which circles the area in about five minutes, and the “Takeshiba Route.”
On the reservation screen, you need to enter the following information in order:
- Date and time of use
- Boarding location
- Drop-off location
- Number of passengers
After filling in all the details, you might expect to simply tap “Confirm Reservation” and finish the process—but then, “Fully booked!?” You have to enter everything again from the beginning. This is not a very user-friendly system. I had to repeat the process several times before finally finding an available time slot.
I also wrote about my first-day experience riding this self-driving bus demonstration service in a separate article.
Boarding Location
Boarding takes place at Bus Stop No. 3 in the Transportation Plaza.
The Transportation Plaza is located on the first floor. Since you will arrive on the second floor after exiting the ticket gates at Takanawa Gateway Station, please take the escalator or elevator down to the first floor. The bus stops at Transportation Plaza Bus Stop No. 3. Buses heading toward Takeshiba also stop in front of Mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection at Waters Takeshiba.
About Boarding
You will also need the app when boarding. Open the app and display the QR code, then scan it on the tablet before getting on the bus. Some passengers seemed to take a little time figuring out this process.
Takanawa Self-Driving Bus Timetable
JR Takeshiba Hydrogen Shuttle Bus Timetable
About Getting Off
There is nothing special you need to do when getting off. Simply exit the bus as usual. No fare is required.
Important Notes
At the same Transportation Plaza stop, there are also other buses in operation, including the staffed “JR Takeshiba Hydrogen Shuttle Bus” as well as buses serving different routes. Since some of these buses have similar vehicle designs, be sure to check the destination carefully before boarding to avoid getting on the wrong bus.
The image above shows the free self-driving shuttle bus on the Takeshiba Route.
The free self-driving bus for the TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY Loop Route is shown in the image below.
The vehicle is labeled “Autonomous Driving Demonstration in Progress.
