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  Public Transport in Tokyo

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Transportation
Guide to Public Transport in Tokyo

Tokyo is the very definition of mass public transport - and it has to be with over five million people on the move through the city centre every day.

Subways and trains
A veritable maze of 12 subway lines crosses Tokyo with impressive efficiency, while privately run and public overland trains connect out to the suburbs. You'll find a lot of your navigation is done by subway stations nearest to your destination, and with such an extensive network it's foolish to try to make sense of the city any other way on short acquaintance.

Make your first investment a good subway map (you can also pick them up for free) and the rest is easy. Lines are colour coded and the terminus station is used to indicate the direction of the train. Tickets starting from JPY1000 for an unlimited day card are bought from machines or at ticket offices in main stations.

Generally the system is user friendly - multi-lingual machines are available - but if you get the wrong ticket you can pay the difference at the end of your journey in any case. The attendants seem pretty used to dealing with gaijin travelling on the wrong ticket.

A ticket is needed to enter and exit stations. You should note that there are two distinct companies that run the underground network. The city runs four of the lines, collectively called the Toei. The other eight lines are run by a private company - interchanging between the two lines carries a surcharge payable at the barrier. To circumvent these complications you can purchase a Metrocard from a ticket office instead. This operates on a debit system with credits removed from the card each time you pass through a barrier.

Of the overground routes the Yamanote line is one that you will quickly become familiar with: it goes through all the major areas of the city in a massive loop. Tokyo station is the main gateway for rail transport entering and leaving the city. The infamous superfast bullet trains (Shinkansen) connect from here to other cities across the nation.

BEST RAIL PASS: If you plan to travel widely in Japan, it is probably worth buying a Japan Rail Pass, which is valid on all JR trains in Japan, including Shinkansen (bullet trains) apart from the super-express Nozomi. The pass can only be bought outside Japan and only visitors on temporary tourist visas are entitled to use it. You can buy them at most Japanese airline offices or travel agents.

Passes are valid for 7, 14 or 21 days and cost approximately JPY 30000, JPY 48500 and JPY62000 respectively for ordinary class adult tickets.

Buses
Buses have their destination written on the front and are a good option for seeing more of the city. Citywide buses charge a flat rate of JPY200 and you must put the exact money on a conveyor belt at the front of the bus when you board. Change machines are available inside the bus - feed your notes into a slot and coins will pour out allowing you to pay your fare.

English language signs aren't standard on buses as they are on the trains however, so you might have slightly more problems navigating. Computer displays and recorded announcements give information on the route and upcoming stops. European language map guides are available at tourist places and prove very useful, as do your fellow passengers if you get really lost.

Driving
The public transport system in Tokyo is good enough that hiring a car really isn't necessary. Hotels rarely have car parks and very few of the roads have names, which makes navigation extremely difficult. Add to that regular and chronic congestion and you'll see that driving in the city has very little to recommend it.

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To drive in Japan you must hold an international driver's licence as well as your national licence. Driving is on the left with overtaking on the right and seatbelts must be worn at all times. Drink driving is not tolerated at all. Even traces of alcohol in your system will incriminate you and penalties are severe. If you've had any kind of drink in the few hours prior to driving don't risk it.

The road network is extremely good and well maintained despite the congestion. An "Intercity Expressway" network of highways links all the major cities. The speed limits are as follows: Expressways 80km per hour (although traffic frequently travels at up to 100km per hour, the penalties if you're caught speeding can be high), highways 60km per hour, urban areas 40km per hour. Note that the Expressways are tolled at around JPY30 per kilometre. These tolls can be avoided by staying on smaller roads, which if you're not in a hurry is a lot more pleasant anyway.

Taxis
Taxis are easy to spot, as they are generally green, orange or yellow and have triangular signs on top with lights attached (red shows that the cab is available for hire). A taxi is probably only a good idea if you miss the last subway - they are invariably slower than the underground and they certainly aren't cheap. The meter starts at around JPY700 (more at night) and goes up fairly quickly. It is also somewhat surprising but many taxi drivers are pretty poor at navigating around the city.

 

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