Basic Transeportation Information
- From the airport
From
the airport to Tokyo
- Train
- The
kind of train[JR.Subway...]
- How
to buy tickets/How to go through a wicket/Fare systems
- Reservations/Timetable
- For
Passsengers with children
- Car
- Taxi/Rental
car
Transportation
Tokyo offers a variety of transportation means, from trains, buses, monorails to water buses and ships. Use them wisely and you will have much less stress to travel within Tokyo. For detailed information such as ticket purchase and credit card acceptance, please check the related pages indicated below ("Tokyo Tourism Info" Transportation Guides) since such rules may vary according to the transportation companies.
You will likely use the trains most frequently to get around in Tokyo. There are many lines operated by JR(Japan Railway) East and other train companies. Each company sells various types of prepaid train cards, which are accepted by automatic ticket gates at the stations and allow you to get on/off and transfer the trains without buying a ticket from the ticketing machine. Among such prepaid train cards, Suica Card and Suica commuter pass, are for JR East lines and Pasumo Card is for other twenty-one major lines in Tokyo. Suica and Pasumo Card is pre-paid card and is rechargeable. You may check the remains and charge the card if necessary at the card vending machine found at the stations. Passnet is sold in three types: 1,000 yen, 3,000 yen and 5,000 yen. The record of your usage is printed on the back of the card so that you know how much the present remains are.
Japan Rail Pass is a great choice to save your money if you plan to visit other regions in Japan besides Tokyo. It is a special discount train pass sold only to tourists from outside Japan and is good for Shinkansen (bullet trains) and other JR express and local trains.
Buses are also frequently operated in Tokyo, including local lines and special tour buses. Free shuttle buses are also available in some areas. From/to both Narita and Haneda airports, direct express buses and airport limousines are operated from/to various locations both in and outside Tokyo, including major hotels. To ride on a local bus, you may purchase a prepaid bus card from a driver if you don't want to bother yourself searching for right coins. The bus card is sold in three types: 1,000 yen, 3,000 yen and 5,000 yen.
A ride on a water bus will give you not only a convenience to get around in the Rinkai area (oceanfront area) but also gives you a today's look of the capital city of Japan from the different view. By taking a train on one way and a boat on your return, you may make your trip more fun.
Trains
- Transportation
Bureau of Tokyo Metropolitan Government
- Tokyo
Metro
- JR
East
- Odakyu
Electric Railway
- KEIO
Electric Railway
- Keisei
Electric Railway (Skyliner information)(Japanese Only)
- SEIBU
Railway(Japanese Only)
- Tokyu
Corporation(Japanese Only)
- YURIKAMOME
- Rinkai
Line(Japanese Only)
- Tobu
Railway(Japanese Only)
- Tokyo
Monorail
- Airport
Limousine
- Tama
Intercity Monorail(Japanese Only)
- Keihin
Electric Express Railway (Keihin Kyuko Line, Keikyu Line)
Buses
- Hinomaru
Limousine (Free shuttle bus)(Japanese Only)
- Hato
Bus
- Keio
Bus(Japanese Only)
- Keisei
Bus(Japanese Only)
- JR
Bus Kanto
- Seibu
Bus(Japanese Only)
- Tokyu
Bus(Japanese Only)
Ships
- Tokyo
Cruise Ship (water bus)
- Tokyo
Mizube Line (water bus)
- Tokai
Kisen (ships to Izu islands)(Japanese Only)
Taxi
There are approximately 50,000 taxies operated in Tokyo. The maximum number of passengers per one small- or medium-size taxi is four persons. You can take one from a taxi depot at the airports and most train stations. On the street, you can catch a cruising taxi when you let the driver know by raising your hand and the car is also vacant. To tell whether the car is vacant or not, look for the red sign of "空車 (vacant)" on the car's windshield or see if the lamp on top of the car is on. The left rear door is opened and closed automatically by a driver for a customer. You make a payment as indicated by the fare meter when the car arrived at the destination. Credit cards are accepted by some taxies and the types of acceptable credit cards should be posted inside the car. Remember that not all taxies accept the credit card, and even when they do, it may require certain conditions such as the payment has to be more than 5,000 yen, etc.
Approximately 90 percent of Tokyo's taxies are medium-size taxies. Besides them, there are other kinds of taxies available as follows
□Small-size taxi
The maximum number of passengers is four persons and is the same as the medium-size
taxies. If you want to catch a small-size taxi whose fare is a bit lower than
that of medium-size taxies, the easiest way is to go to a taxi depot exclusive
for small-size taxies, which is available at six locations in Tokyo, including
the west underground exit of Shinjuku Station, the Marunouchi north exit of
Tokyo Station, and the east exit of Ikebukuro Station. In addition, there
are other five locations of the taxi depots which small-size taxies share
with medium-size taxies to ply for customers. This includes the one at the
Haneda Airport terminal-BIG BIRD-.
□Minivan taxi("wagon taxi")
Wagon taxies are convenient when you have much luggage. By the controlled
allocation system, there are always a certain number of wagon taxies available
at Narita and Haneda Airports as well as Tokyo City Air Terminal. Some wagon
taxies may cruise in the city. The rate is the same as that of medium-size
taxies except a case of a called dispatch.
□Radio taxi ("musen taxi")
There are about 30,000 radio taxies operating in Tokyo. You first call a taxi
company and they will send the one available to the location you desire. While
they charge an extra dispatch fee, the basic rate for the ride is the same
as standard medium-size taxies.
□Limousine taxi ("hire")
Limousine taxies use better grade cars than standard taxies. 4,000 limousine
taxies in large-size and medium-size, and "saloon taxies" are available
in Tokyo.
□Share-ride taxi ("noriai taxi")
Share-ride taxies are something between taxies and buses. Customers who head
to the same destination share the ride, paying less than standard taxies.
They are available from both Narita and Haneda Airports to central Tokyo.
- Tokyo
Tourism Info
- Taxicabs
in Tokyo(Japanese Only)
- Japan
Independently-owned Taxi Drivers Association(Japanese Only)
- Tokyo
Kojin Taxi Association(Japanese Only)
Rental cars
Rent-a-car companies are available throughout Tokyo. Since many of them offer a special rate for an advanced reservation as well as for an internet reservation, it is wise to do some researches in advance if you know when you need to rent a car.
The rental cars in Japan mostly use Japanese cars with a driver sheet on the right side. In Japan, cars drive the left side of the street and traffic rules are basically the same as other countries. Traffic circles are very rare.
For more information about the rental cars, please check the related pages of "Tokyo Tourism Info."
- Tokyo
Tourism Info
- Japan
Rent-a-car Association(Japanese Only)
Airportｓ
The Narita International Airport, which is the entrance for air traffic to Japan, and Haneda Airport, the center for internal flights, are accessible from the city center by various means. However, it is best to start early leaving ample time so as not to be late for one's plane. The following sightseeing in Tokyo site provides airport access information: