What is the difference between 乗り場 and バス停?


I've seen them both with the meaning of 'Bus Stop.' Could someone please
explain how they're different?

Thank you in advance!




Firstly, のりば is not limited to buses. It means essentially "getting on point".
(Cf. タクシーのりば "taxi stand".) There's a word for "getting off point" as well:
おりば (降り場).

バスのりば is used in larger terminals for indicating where the bus stops are. The
individual platforms are sometimes numbered as 1番のりば, 2番のりば, etc., or 1番線,
2番線, etc.

A バス停 (short for バス停留所) is a "conventional" bus stop outside a terminal. I
would think of it as a sign at the side of a road, where a bus stops. Usually,
for most bus lines, the のりば and おりば are one and the same—some people get off
the bus, others get on. Calling a バス停 a のりば (or おりば) would only really make
sense to disambiguate のりば from おりば for a particular (group of) bus lines. For
example, there may be a roadside bus stop outside a large bus/train terminal,
which is the おりば for a bus line whose のりば is inside the terminal.




Firstly, のりば is not limited to buses. It means essentially "getting on point".
(Cf. タクシーのりば "taxi stand".) There's a word for "getting off point" as well:
おりば (降り場).

バスのりば is used in larger terminals for indicating where the bus stops are. The
individual platforms are sometimes numbered as 1番のりば, 2番のりば, etc., or 1番線,
2番線, etc.

A バス停 (short for バス停留所) is a "conventional" bus stop outside a terminal. I
would think of it as a sign at the side of a road, where a bus stops. Usually,
for most bus lines, the のりば and おりば are one and the same—some people get off
the bus, others get on. Calling a バス停 a のりば (or おりば) would only really make
sense to disambiguate のりば from おりば for a particular (group of) bus lines. For
example, there may be a roadside bus stop outside a large bus/train terminal,
which is the おりば for a bus line whose のりば is inside the terminal.

