Overview
Yokohama's public transport is a dense, well-integrated mix of subway, commuter rail, a harbourfront line, buses and boats, and it is the easiest way to get around a city that is not especially car-friendly. The core of the system is the Yokohama Municipal Subway (横浜市営地下鉄, Yokohama-shiei chikatetsu), a rapid transit network operated by the Yokohama City Transportation Bureau. It consists of two routes — the Blue Line and the Green Line — which together extend for approximately 53.4 kilometres and include 42 stations.
Riding it end to end is straightforward. You enter a station, buy a ticket or tap a rechargeable IC card at the gates, follow the signs to your platform, and board. Platform screen doors are installed on all platforms, and ticket machines at every station sit beside the gates. The two subway lines interconnect at Center-Minami and Center-Kita stations, so changing between them is simple. For most visitor itineraries, though, you will combine the subway with JR and private railways, since the main tourist districts along the harbour are served by the Minatomirai Line and the JR Negishi Line as much as by the subway itself.
The network
Yokohama is served by several distinct systems, each with its own lines and operators.
- Yokohama Municipal Subway (横浜市営地下鉄, Yokohama-shiei chikatetsu) — the city-run metro, with two lines:
- Blue Line — operated as a single integrated route combining Line 1 and Line 3, running 40.4 km between Shōnandai Station in Fujisawa and Azamino Station. It is Japan's second-longest subway line. It gives quick links between Shin-Yokohama and Yokohama stations and the bay-area sightseeing districts around Sakuragicho and Kannai.
- Green Line (Line 4) — opened on 30 March 2008 between Hiyoshi Station and Nakayama Station, a distance of 13.0 km, with a journey time of about 21 minutes. It runs mainly through residential areas; points of interest include the Yokohama Municipal Zoo (via Nakayama Station), the Yokohama International Swimming Pool (near Kita-Yamata Station), and the Yokohama History Museum near Center-Kita Station.
- Minatomirai Line (みなとみらい線) — a private line that is a direct extension of the Tokyu Toyoko Line, connecting at Yokohama Station and running through five stations: Shin-Takashimacho (新高島町), Minatomirai (みなとみらい), Bashamichi (馬車道), Nihon Ōdori (日本大通り) and Motomachi-Chūkagai (元町・中華街). This is the best method of reaching the main harbourfront tourist haunts and Chinatown. Fares are relatively pricey because of the designer-class stations, but the route passes through the city's most historic districts.
- JR lines — including the JR Negishi Line (根岸線), useful for Chinatown and the Minatomirai area, with through service onto the Keihin-Tohoku Line; the JR Yokohama Line, which links Shin-Yokohama and Yokohama stations in 10–15 minutes; and the JR Yokosuka Line (横須賀線), JR Keihin-Tohoku Line (京浜東北線), JR Ueno-Tokyo Line (上野東京ライン), JR Tokaido Main Line (東海道線) and JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line (湘南新宿ライン), all of which connect Yokohama with Tokyo and beyond.
- Private commuter railways — the Tokyu Toyoko Line (東急東横線) from Shibuya; the Keihin-Kyuko Main Line (京急本線), or Keikyu, from Shinagawa and Haneda Airport; and the Sotetsu Line (相鉄線) from Ebina and Shonan-dai, with through service onto the JR network.
- Buses — city bus routes plus the Akai Kutsu Bus, a sightseeing bus around Minatomirai, Chinatown and Motomachi that looks like an old red bus and runs every 20 minutes on the main loop.
- Boats — the "Sea Bass" boat operates between JR Yokohama Station (east exit), Minato Mirai and Yamashita Park, and is one of the nicest ways to get around on a sunny day.
- Human-powered options — velo taxis called "Cyclopolitain" (シクロポリタン, shikuroporitan) are widely available within the harbour area, while rickshaws make their rounds within Chinatown.
Tickets & fares
On the Yokohama Municipal Subway, the base fare is ¥210 for adults for the first 3 km, with child fares at half the adult price. Treat all prices here as approximate — they change, so check the fare tables at the station before you travel.
- Paper tickets — buy them from the ticket machines beside the gates at every station. The machines have touch screens with English guidance, and the fare tables above them list all stations on both lines in Japanese and English. They accept ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes as well as coins, and have buttons for multiple and child tickets.
- IC cards — rechargeable cards such as PASMO and SUICA are accepted, and IC fares are slightly cheaper than paper tickets. You can buy a PASMO and top it up at the station ticket machines.
- Yokohama Subway One-Day Pass — ¥740 adult / ¥370 child, giving unlimited rides on both subway lines.
- Yokohama Subway & Bus One Day Pass — ¥830 adult / ¥420 child, covering all city bus and sightseeing bus routes plus all subway stations.
- Where to buy passes — at ticket machines for immediate use, or in advance at customer service centres at Center-Minami, Shin-Yokohama, Yokohama and Kamiooka stations. The Subway & Bus pass is also sold on buses and at bus pass counters at city bus terminals.
- Minatomirai Line — the line offers a one-day unlimited ride ticket at ¥460 for adults, half price for children.
- Akai Kutsu Bus — a single ticket costs ¥220, and a one-day pass costs ¥500.
- Sea Bass boat — the fare is ¥350–700 depending on the distance.
Note that there are no fare zones to worry about on the subway in the usual sense: you pay by distance from the station where you start, and the machines and fare tables do the calculation for you.
From the airport
Yokohama does not have its own airport, so you will arrive through one of Tokyo's two main airports.
- From Haneda Airport — take the Keikyu Line's Express (急行) to Yokohama Station in 30–35 minutes for ¥480. If the train's destination is Shin-Zushi (新逗子) or Kanazawa-Bunko (金沢文庫), you can stay on for the entire trip. If it is headed elsewhere it will likely continue into Tokyo, so change at Keikyu-Kamata station to the next main-line limited express going in the other direction.
- From Narita Airport — some Narita Express trains run through to Yokohama (about 1½ hours, ¥4290, or free with a JR Pass). Limousine buses run frequently from Narita to the Yokohama City Air Terminal (YCAT) in about 2 hours for ¥3600. The cheapest option is a Keisei train: the Keisei Main Line with one across-the-platform transfer at Aoto costs ¥1500 to Yokohama, while the Sky Access line costs ¥1690. Most Sky Access trains run to Keisei Ueno, but a handful each day run through to Yokohama on the Keikyu Main Line.
Etiquette & customs
Japanese rail etiquette is generally observed closely in Yokohama, and following it will make your journeys smoother.
- Queuing — wait behind the markings on the platform and let passengers off the train before you board.
- Escalators — stand on one side and leave the other side free for people walking past; watch what locals around you do, as the convention can differ between regions.
- Quiet and priority seating — keep phone calls and conversation quiet, and give up priority seats to those who need them.
- Mobile phones on the Blue Line — in July 2011 a "mobile phone power off area" was set up in each car, and the use of mobile phones is officially banned except in those areas.
- Eating and drinking — avoid eating on trains, and keep drinks discreet.
- Rush hour — trains are frequent but crowded at peak times; move well inside the car and keep your bags out of the way.
Official links
Survival terms
- 地下鉄 (chikatetsu) — subway/metro
- 切符 (kippu) — ticket
- 線 (sen) — line
- 入口 (iriguchi) — entrance
- 出口 (deguchi) — exit
- 乗り換え (norikae) — transfer
- 初乗り運賃 (hatsunori unchin) — single (starting) fare
- 一日乗車券 (ichinichi jōshaken) — day pass
Before you set out each day, check the fare table above the ticket machine or use an English route finder such as Hyperdia or Japan Transit Planner, so you know the exact fare and the fastest combination of subway, JR and private lines for your trip.