Getting around Tokyo

One card for everything

Buy a Suica or Pasmo at any station machine (around ¥1,000 to start, ¥500 of which is a refundable deposit) or add Suica to Apple Wallet before you land. Tap in, tap out, and the fare is worked out for you. The same card pays at convenience stores, vending machines, coin lockers and most taxis. Keep at least ¥1,000 on it. If the balance runs short, use the fare adjustment machine next to the exit gates before you tap out.

The lines that matter

Tokyo’s rail map looks alarming, but three layers explain most of it. The JR Yamanote loop links the big centers: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ueno and Ikebukuro. Tokyo Metro (nine lines) and Toei (four lines) run the subway that fills the gaps inside the loop. Private railways such as Tokyu, Keio, Odakyu, Seibu, Tobu and Keisei radiate outward, and many run straight through onto subway lines so you never change trains. Fares start around ¥150 to ¥180 and climb with distance. Switching between companies adds a little, but an IC card handles it without you noticing.

Google Maps is excellent here: platform numbers, the best car for your transfer, fares and live delays. Japan Transit Planner and Navitime are solid alternatives if you want to exclude certain operators or see more timetable detail.

Airports to the city

From Narita, the Keisei Skyliner reaches Ueno in about 40 minutes for around ¥2,600, and the Narita Express reaches Tokyo, Shinjuku and Shibuya in 60 to 90 minutes for around ¥3,000 to ¥3,500. Limousine buses cost around ¥3,500 and stop at major hotels, which is handy with luggage. From Haneda, the Keikyu line or the Tokyo Monorail gets you downtown in about 20 minutes for around ¥500. A taxi from Haneda runs ¥7,000 to ¥10,000; from Narita, expect ¥25,000 or more.

Rush hour and etiquette

Morning rush runs from about 7:30 to 9:30, and the Yamanote, Chuo and Tozai lines are the most crushed. Start sightseeing after 10 and you avoid most of it. On the platform, queue on the painted markings and let people off first. On board, keep your phone silent, skip calls, carry your backpack in front or put it on the rack, and do not eat. Priority seats are left for those who need them. Women-only cars on some lines apply only during the morning rush. Nobody will shout at you for breaking these rules, but everyone will notice.

Taxis, buses and last trains

Taxis start at around ¥500 for the first kilometer, with a 20% surcharge from 10pm to 5am. The rear left door opens and closes itself, so leave it alone. The GO app and Uber both hail regular licensed taxis and let you pay in-app. Buses charge a flat ¥210 to ¥230 inside the 23 wards and take IC cards, but they are slower and harder to decode than trains. For short hops, Docomo Bike Share and LUUP e-scooters are everywhere; LUUP needs a passport scan and a short online quiz.

Most train lines stop between midnight and 1am and do not restart until around 5am. After that it is a taxi, a karaoke booth or a long walk. Check the last train for your exact route before the second round of drinks, and remember that the connecting line may stop earlier than the one you are on.