Public transport in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Overview

Tokyo's rail network is one of the most extensive mass transit systems in the world and the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides. It is clean, safe and efficient — and, for a first-time visitor, genuinely confusing. The confusion comes from the fact that several distinct railway systems operate within Tokyo: the JR East network, two separate subway networks, and various private lines. Different route maps show different systems, so it pays to know which operator runs the line you want before you set out.

The two subway operators are Tokyo Metro (東京メトロ), the larger of the two, and the Toei Subway. Together they total 13 lines. Tokyo Metro alone runs 9 distinct subway lines and 11 routes, with 180 stations totalling 195.0 km (121.2 mi), and carries an average of 6.52 million passengers a day; the Toei Subway carries approximately 2.85 million passengers per day as of 2023. Tokyo Metro opened in 1927 as the Tokyo Underground Railway, the first subway system in Asia, and has been operated by Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd. since the company was established on 1 April 2004 through the privatization of the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (TRTA).

Riding end to end as a visitor is straightforward once you have a card or ticket in hand. Plan your route (Google Maps is a practical option, since it shows you various options and fares so you can choose between the cheapest, the most convenient, or the quickest), enter the station, and tap or insert your ticket at the automatic gate. Subway lines are marked with circular symbols on maps, while JR Lines use square symbols — a quick way to tell which system you are looking at. Avoid rush hours if possible, because trains get overcrowded very easily.

The network

Tokyo's public transport is a patchwork of operators with separate fares, including overground trains, underground trains (subway), buses, and monorails. The defining rail line in the city is the JR Yamanote Line (山手線 Yamanote-sen), which runs in a loop around central Tokyo; being inside the Yamanote loop is synonymous with being in the core of Tokyo. Almost all inter-regional JR lines and private lines start at a station on the Yamanote, and JR's lines are colour-coded.

Tokyo Metro (9 lines):

Toei Subway (4 lines):

Among the 23 special wards of Tokyo, only Ōta, Setagaya, and Katsushika lack Tokyo Metro lines or stations — and even those three wards are served through through-running arrangements with other operators.

Suburban and private rail: Beyond the two subway networks, the JR East network and various private railway companies fill out the map. Tokyo Metro itself is formally recognized as Japan's 16th major private railway company and is a member of the Japan Private Railway Association. Private operators you may encounter include Keikyu, Keio, Odakyu, Seibu, Tobu, and Keisei, whose lines connect to the subway and JR networks.

Tram/light rail: The Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line) is the city's surviving tram line, and the Nippori-Toneri Liner is a light-rail people mover. Both are covered by several of the passes described below.

Buses: Toei Bus is the main public bus operator, with routes across the 23 wards. Small bus rides are inexpensive but add up — a single ride will easily cost ¥200 — so if you have a map of all metro and train stations, it may be quicker and cheaper to stick mainly to the rails.

Ferries: Tokyo is one of the great ports of the world and has domestic ferry services to other points in Japan, though none of the regular international ferries to Japan call at Tokyo. The main long-distance ferry terminal is Tokyo Port Ferry Terminal, on an artificial island adjacent to Odaiba in Tokyo Bay; the nearest station is Tokyo Big Sight on the Yurikamome line, and you can also take a direct bus from Shin-Kiba station on the Metro Yurakucho line. Ferries to the Izu and Ogasawara Islands leave from Takeshiba Terminal (竹芝客船ターミナル), adjacent to Takeshiba station on the Yurikamome line, while cruise liners tend to use Harumi Terminal (晴海客船ターミナル), best reached on bus 都05-1 (To-05-1) from Tokyo Station Marunouchi South Exit.

Tickets & fares

Fares vary by operator and distance, so treat every figure below as approximate — prices change, and you should confirm current fares on the operator's own site or at the ticket machine.

IC cards (tap-and-go). Prepaid, rechargeable IC cards are the simplest way to travel: the fare is deducted automatically when you hold the card over a card reader, and the same card can be used as electronic money at participating shops and vending machines. Suica and PASMO are the two main cards, and they are interoperable with each other and with IC operators across much of Japan, including SAPICA, Kitaca, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, PiTaPa, SUGOCA, nimoca, HAYAKAKEN, odeca, icsca, and RYUTO. Suica is sold in denominations of ¥1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 / 4,000 / 5,000 / 10,000, with the price including a ¥500 deposit plus usable credit. PASMO, mainly for private rail, subway, and bus services, also requires a ¥500 deposit and is purchasable at participating train company stations; as of June 2025 it is usable in areas of 27 rail operators and 60 bus operators nationwide in addition to its own. Mobile IC cards are available through the Suica or PASMO smartphone apps, and the Welcome Suica Mobile app lets you create and charge a Suica without visiting a ticket office or machine — usable before or after entering Japan.

Tourist IC cards. Welcome Suica and Tourist PASMO are aimed at short-term foreign visitors: no deposit is required and they are valid for only 28 days, but otherwise they function like regular IC cards. They are sold in denominations starting at ¥1,000, with available denominations varying by sales location.

Tap-to-ride credit cards. Contactless credit card payment is available on many train and subway lines in and around Tokyo, but it is NOT available on JR lines, the Keisei Line, or the Tokyo Monorail, and on Tobu Railway and Seibu Railway it works only on certain lines.

Discount tickets and passes. A wide range of passes exists; the main ones for visitors are:

Longer-distance excursion passes also exist, such as the Odakyu Railway Hakone Freepass, which bundles a round trip from any Odakyu Line station to Odawara Station with free use of the Hakone Tozan train, cable car, and ropeway, the Hakone Pirate Ship, designated Hakone Tozan and Tokai buses, and the Odakyu Highway Bus.

From the airport

The Kanto Region is served by two major airports. Narita International Airport (NRT; 成田国際空港 Narita Kokusai Kūkō) is Tokyo's main airport for international flights, along with a handful of domestic flights, particularly on low-cost carriers; it sits near the town of Narita, nearly 70 km (43 mi) east of Tokyo. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND; 羽田空港 Haneda Kūkō or 東京国際空港 Tōkyō Kokusai Kūkō) is the busiest airport in Japan and the second busiest in Asia, located in Ōta ward just 14 km (8.7 mi) south of central Tokyo. Haneda serves most domestic flights and, thanks to expansions since 2010, has also become a major international hub, particularly on routes with heavy business traffic — which makes it much closer to central Tokyo and thus much more convenient and economical for getting into the city and vicinity. Two smaller airports round out the picture: Ibaraki Airport (IBR; 茨城空港), about 85 km and 1½ hours north of Tokyo, used by some low-cost carriers, and Chōfu Airfield (ICAO: RJTF; 調布飛行場 Chōfu hikōjō), which serves only some turboprop flights to the Izu Islands and is a 15-minute walk from Nishi-Chōfu on the Keiō Line, or reachable by bus from Chofu or Mitaka stations.

For the subway itself, the Tokyo Subway Ticket is sold at select Tokyo airports, which makes it easy to pick one up on arrival if you plan to ride the subway frequently. Note that the Tokyo Monorail does not accept tap-to-ride credit cards, so plan to use an IC card or a paper ticket for that connection.

Etiquette & customs

Tokyo's trains are famously clean, safe and efficient, and much of that comes down to the behaviour of the people riding them. A few customs to follow:

Official links

Survival terms

Before you tap in, decide whether your day's itinerary is subway-heavy enough to justify a flat-rate pass, because a Tokyo Subway Ticket only pays off once you are riding the subway roughly three or more times a day.

Sources

  1. Tokyo Metro
  2. Wikivoyage: Tokyo
  3. Cheap Tickets & IC Cards
  4. Transit Guide: Tokyo Subway Ticket | Discount Train Travel

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