They resell discounted tickets (among other things). Some railway companies sell multi-trip tickets, for example 11 for the price of 10, for a 9.1% discount. They buy a set, sell them individually at a 5% discount off the regular fare, and keep the remaining 4.1% as profit. This used to be common, but many railway companies have stopped selling many or all of these tickets so they are far fewer tickets available now compared to several years ago.

The shareholder tickets are different, given to major shareholders, who then sell them to ticket shops, who then resell them to you. Most private railway ones are good for one one-way journey within that railway company. JR ones are a percentage discount off a regular one-way ticket in the respective companies (JR Kyushu and West are 50% off, East is 40%, Central is 10-20% iirc). Both types tend to be good for long, expensive journeys within one company but not for shorter trips, and it might take a bit of effort to figure out if and when they are worth it and how to redeem them.


Thanks, you're right. 12+ is adult, 6-11 is child fares.

The combined Metro/Toei pass is great for within Tokyo. They don't sell it to foreign residents in Tokyo, only visitors, but I've found that when it's sold through online travel agents, it gives you a QR code that anyone can redeem at some of the ticket machines, no need to go to a staffed ticket counter, no passport needed, and no name on it either.