Japan Guide
Tokyo
Getting around
Its colourful map may look like a messy plate of noodles, but Tokyo's subway is relatively easy to negotiate. The simple colour coding on trains and maps, as well as clear signposts (many in English), directional arrows and alpha-numeric codes for all central subway stations, make this by far the most gaijin-friendly form of transport.
There are two systems, the privately owned nine-line Tokyo Metro and the four-line Toei, run by the city authority. The systems share some stations, but unless you buy a special ticket from the vending machines that specifies your route from one system to the other, or you have a pass, you cannot switch mid-journey between the two sets of lines without paying extra at the ticket barrier.
Most trips across central Tokyo cost no more than ¥190, but if you're fazed by the wide range of price buttons, buy the cheapest ticket (¥160) and sort out the difference with the gatekeeper at the other end. A useful alternative to buying individual tickets is to get one of the many types of passes.
JR Easttrains are another handy way of getting around the city. Other useful JR train routes include the Chūō line (deep orange), which starts at Tokyo Station and runs west to Shinjuku and the suburbs beyond, to terminate beside the mountains at Takao. The Sōbu line (yellow) goes from Chiba in the east to Mitaka in the west, and runs parallel to the Chūō line in the centre of Tokyo, doubling as a local service, stopping at all stations. It's fine to transfer between JR lines on the same ticket, but you'll have to buy a new ticket if you transfer to a subway line, unless you have a PASMO or Suica card.
The lowest fare on JR lines is ¥130. Like the subways, JR offers prepaid cards and kaisūken (carnet) deals on tickets. One of the handiest is the Suica, a stored-value card, which is available from ticket machines in all JR stations.
Tokyo has a couple of monorail systems – the Tokyo Monorail that runs from Hamamatsuchō to Haneda Airport and the Yurikamome, which connects Shinbashi with Toyosu running via Odaiba. These services operate like the city's other private rail lines; you have to buy separate tickets for them or you can also use the various stored value cards such as Passnet and PASMO to access them.
Once you've got a feel for the city, buses can be a good way of cutting across the few areas not served by a subway or train line. Only a small number of the buses or routes are labelled in English, so you'll have to get used to recognizing kanji place names or memorize the numbers of useful bus routes. You pay on entry, by dropping the flat rate of ¥200 into the fare box by the driver (there's a machine in the box for changing notes). A The Transport Bureau of Tokyo Metropolitan Government issues a useful English pamphlet and map of all the bus routes; pick one up from one of the tourist information centres.
The Tokyo Cruise Ship Company runs several ferry services, known as suijō basu (water buses), in and around Tokyo Bay. They can be a great-value way to cruise Tokyo's waterfront. The most popular is the double-decker service plying the 35-minute route between the Sumida-gawa River Cruise stations at Asakusa, northeast of the city centre, and Hinode Sanbashi, on Tokyo Bay (daily 10am–6.30pm; every 40min; ¥760). The large picture windows, which give a completely different view of the city from the one you'll get on the streets, are reason enough for hopping aboard.
For short hops around the centre of Tokyo, taxis are often the best option, though heavy traffic can slow them down. The basic rate is ¥710 for the first 2km, after which the meter racks up ¥80 every 274m, plus a time charge when the taxi is moving at less than 10km per hour. Between 11pm and 5am, rates are about twenty percent higher.Taxis can be flagged down on most roads – a red light next to the driver means the cab is free; green means it's occupied. There are designated stands in the busiest parts of town, but after the trains stop at night, be prepared for long queues, especially in areas such as Roppongi and Shinjuku.