PUBLIC TRANSPORTS WITHIN TOKYO

Japan railways (JR) and subways

Firstly, don't panic!!  The maps below can be confusing at first;  but in fact using the subways and trains is much easier you might think. After a few trips, you will notice how smooth it is to ride them...

JR or Subway?? For a trip within the Yamanote, the cost (and duration of journey) of JR and Subway are about  the same, but a journey on the JR line is over ground, while subway is well....below ground, so it is a little bit nicer to use JR. On the other hand there are more subways stations than JR, so you are more likely to arrive closer to your destination using subway...

Saving money or saving your legs, you may have to choose! To help you finding the fastest/cheapest/most convenient route, you can use the following websites below: 

www.jorudan.co.jp   -  www.hyperdia.com

Or similar applications on your phone. 

Tokyo or Oedo lines? As you can see on the map below, there are 2 subway networks available. The Oedo one has only 4 lines, is built deeper (more stairs!) and is more expensive than the Tokyo Metro. So just ignore this network and use only the TOKYO lines, you will save money and hassle.

The Tokyo metro has a very comprehensive website: 

http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/index.html

Single ticket or Day Pass? It depends how often you will use the subway during your day, so planning is crucial if you don't want to under-use a day pass; or buy too many single tickets.

For example if you go to Shibuya station, you could then walk to Yoyogi park, Harajuku, Omote-Sando. Thus, one single ticket to Shibuya, and another one from Omote-Sando, which will be cheaper than a day pass, even if you get the most expensive single ticket. Likewise, if you reach Ueno station and spend 1/2 a day there, you could then easily walk to Yanaka and/or Akihabara.

 If you purchased the JR pass, then you can use all lines shown on the map below by showing your pass. However, I find it simpler to use the map 1 above, which shows all subway lines and the main JR lines.

The Yamanote ("high city") line serves as a visual border between the "inner Tokyo" and the close suburbs. It is in fact not that simple, but as a tourist, a lots of the attractions I am searching will be within the circle made by the Yamanote. For some attractions (Kamakura, Kawagoe for example..) you might need the use of the map 2, but mainly you can stick to the first one.

The single fare tickets are sold in denominations of 170, 200, 240, 280 and 310Yen. To find out the correct rate you need to press on the machine, just look at the map situated above the machine. If you made a mistake and need to pay extra, don't worry. Just before the gate of your destination, you will see a "adjustment fare" machine, shown below, where you can pay the difference.

BUS_____________________________________________

Tokyo has an extensive bus network, and can be a good option if your destination is not close to a metro or JR station.

The cost for a ride is fixed to 210Yen for adult and a day pass can be bought for 500Yen. Riding a bus (outside peak hours!) is pleasant as you can discover areas of the city you would not see from the train, but not a good option if you are in rush as it is obviously slower than JR or metro. Furthermore, the bus stops are in Japanese only and the drivers rarely speak english; so finding your way could be tricky without good planning.

More information can be found here: http://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/index.htmls

TAXI ___________________________________________________

An expensive way to get around: 410Yen for the first 1.05 kilometers and then 80Yen per every 237m plus toll fees if you use the expressway.

The taxis are clean, safe and convenient as you can use your credit card for payment. The drivers rarely speak english and seems unable / unwilling to use their hi-tech car-nav system, so if you don't have the map with directions or the address in japanese, you are in trouble.

Unlike the London cabbies whom know every small street of the city, it seems the Tokyo driver is completely lost as soon as he's out of the main boulevards. You can avoid a frustrating experience by booking them through their english-speaking phone line.

After midnight and before 5am, taxi are the only transport available, so it is a good idea to carry the business card of the hostel you are staying at...

Many companies now offer a fixed-rate to the airports, so if you have an early flight, you might want to contact one of those companies:

http://www.km-group.co.jp/en/price/index.html   ;     http://www.tokyo-taxi.jp/english/price/index.html#Narita