Tokyo is a dynamic city, a veritable metropolis that can leave you disoriented at first glance. Moving around its neighbourhoods is not always straightforward, which is why it is important to know how trains and the metro work and to organise your day in the best way possible in order to optimise your movements. Here are all our tips on getting around Tokyo.
Useful tips
Tokyo is a very large city and, at first glance, can leave you disoriented. Visiting it all on foot is impossible, some attractions are up to an hour away. The best solution is to move around by transport and walk only in some limited areas. Even within the neighbourhoods, in any case, we always recommend a guided walking tour for a first approach, to familiarise yourself with the area and identify landmarks.
To make your experience more comfortable and convenient, selecting the right accommodation plays a significant role. Fortunately, Tokyo has a wide range of places to stay. From lavish five-star hotels to affordable bed and breakfasts, you will find something that fits your budget and needs. For a list of available bed and breakfasts, you can visit http://www.tokyo-hotels-stay.com/en/type/bed-and-breakfasts-4/.
For a range of options that cater to different budgets and preferences, check out the best hotels tophotels.com. This website offers comprehensive information, from budget to luxury accommodations that suit every traveler's convenience.
If you prefer to stay in a specific neighbourhood like Ginza-Sanchome, a good recommendation would be the Sotetsu Fresa Inn Ginza-Sanchome. Known for its convenience and comfort, it provides you with easy access to the local transport system and nearby attractions.
Train and metro are the best means of transport, both efficient, punctual and safe, taking you to every neighbourhood and attraction in the city. Buses are to be avoided, especially because of the language barrier and the difficulty in finding your way around. Instead, the tourist bus is recommended as it follows a well-defined route that passes through Tokyo's main attractions.
The car is not recommended, due to the heavy traffic and the difficulty in finding your way around (because of the large roads and numerous intersections, not to mention the signs in the local language). We also advise against taxis, as they are very expensive. In this case, it is better to rely on the Uber service, although it is still affected by traffic.
Recommended solutions and means of transport: train, metro
Solutions and means not recommended: car, bus, taxi
Transport cards and public transport passes: which one to choose?
Train and metro are the best means of getting around the city and, to save money, you can consider buying several passes. For the metro, which is run by two different companies, we recommend the metro pass for 1, 2 or 3 days, allowing you to move on all lines without any difficulty (from €6.60 - see details).
If you plan to travel a lot by train and also visit other cities in Japan besides Tokyo, the best solution is to buy the Japan Rail Pass. This is a pass designed for foreigners wishing to visit Japan and allows you to travel on the entire network operated by the Japanese state railway. It has a duration of 7, 14 or 21 days
How to get from the airport to central Tokyo
Tokyo is served by two major airports: Narita International Airport and Tokyo-Haneda International Airport. The former handles mainly international and intercontinental flights, so from Italy you will arrive at Narita, while the latter is the hub of Japan Airlines and handles mainly domestic routes. Let's look in detail at how to travel from each airport to central Tokyo.
Narita International Airport
Distance from the centre: 70 km / travel time: 1 h 15 min;
By train: JR Narita Express line / ticket cost: from 3,070.00 yen (€22.60)
Bytaxi: average cost 25,000.00 yen (€175.20) / travel time: 1 h 15 min;
By bus: average cost 1,000.00 yen (€7.00) / Tokyo Shuttle and The Access Narita lines;
Haneda International Airport
Distance to downtown: 20 km / travel time:30 min;
By train: Tokyo Monorail line / ticket cost: from 500.00 yen (€3.50);
Bytaxi: average cost 8,000.00 yen (€56.00) / travel time: 30 min;
By bus: average cost 1,500.00 yen (€10.50) / Limousine Bus line;
Getting around on foot
Tokyo is such a large city that at first glance it can be disorientating. Discovering it all on foot is impossible. Some neighbourhoods can take up to an hour to reach by transport.
The best solution is therefore to move between the various points in Tokyo by metro or train and then discover the individual attractions and districts on foot. You cannot, for example, miss the experience of walking through the famous Shibuya intersection, the busiest in the world. Or you can lose yourself in the streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo's most iconic district and also one of the best places to stay. Finally, if you visit Japan during the wonderful cherry blossom season, you absolutely cannot miss a walk among the cherry blossom trees in Kinuta Park.
Alternatively, you can also join themed guided walking tours, ideal for immersing yourself in the atmosphere and traditions of Tokyo. Definitely not to be missed is a walking food tour of the Tsukiji Outer Market or a night-time food tour in Shinjuku. If, on the other hand, you want a personalised experience with a local guide, we recommend the private walking tour of attractions and secrets.
With the sharing services
Also in Toyko, as in many destinations around the world, you will find various sharing services. One small premise, however: getting around Tokyo in the traffic is not easy, so taking a car sharing car is also a choice to be carefully considered. The bicycle, on the other hand, is a very popular means of transport for locals, but here too care must be taken. Our advice is, at first, to take a one-day bike tour to familiarise yourself with Tokyo's roads and bike lanes, and then perhaps go it alone. Let's look in detail at the services in the city:
Docomo Cycle: one of the most popular bike sharing services in Tokyo. The bike is widely used in the city and it is common for residents to own as many as 2. The service is used through the official app, where you will have to register your account and enter your credit card for payment. With the app you can locate the stations, unlock the bike by entering the code and then park it at the station closest to your arrival point, always shown on the app. First 30 min 150.00 yen (€1.10), then 165.00 yen (€1.20) every 30 min;
Car sharing: there are several car sharing companies in Tokyo, but beware, driving in the city is something we do not recommend doing, both because of the traffic and the difficulty in getting around due to the road signs in Japanese. One of the most popular companies is Careco Carshare. The services work via an app, after registering by entering all the required documents (payment method required credit card). The app also allows you to locate the car, unlock it by starting the ride and locate parking spaces at the end of the ride. Costs vary according to time of use, for 10 min on average 180.00 yen (€0.95).
By public transport
Given the size of Tokyo, the best solution is to use transport and, specifically, trains and the metro. Trains are operated by JR, the Japanese state railways, while the metro is run by two companies, Tokyo Metro and Toei. Buses are to be avoided: the routes are difficult to locate, as are the stops, and the main obstacle is the local language.
Definitely, the best way to acclimatise to the city and visit the main attractions is a full-day private tour with a guide or a one-day private tour by car. Alternatively, to get around and visit the city on your own, we recommend taking thetourist bus, which allows you to hop on and off as many times as you like at any of the stops on the available routes, all of which are located close to the main attractions.
Train
The train is operated by JR, the Japanese state railway. It is the best way to get around the city (along with the metro): efficient, with punctual and frequent rides and clean carriages. The most used line is the JR Yamanote, a circular line that touches almost all the main stations in the city, passing through Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ueno and Tokyo Station. The cost of tickets varies depending on the distance travelled, from a minimum of 200.00 Yen (€1.40). We also recommend the Tokunai Pass, which allows you unlimited use of JR trains in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Timetable: generally 5am-1pm, with some variations depending on the line
Ticketprice/single journey: from 200.00 yen (€1.40)
Cost ofticket booklet/subscription: daily Tokunai Pass (760.00 yen/€5.45)
Consider buying the Japan Rail Pass: this is the pass designed for foreigners wishing to visit Japan. The Japan Rail Pass allows you to travel on the entire network operated by the Japanese state railway, so you can use it both on JR train lines in Tokyo and to travel to other cities
Metro
The Tokyo Metro consists of 13 lines and 274 stations. Of these lines, 9 are operated by Tokyo Metro, the remaining 4 by Toei. The rides are always on time and very frequent. Even for the metro, fares vary according to the number of kilometres travelled: the best solution is the metro pass for 1, 2 or 3 days, being able to move on all lines without any difficulty.
Alternatively, you can get one of the convenient travel cards, the Suica Card or the Pasmo Card, rechargeable cards that you can swipe at the entrance to each metro. This way you don't even have to worry about buying the right distance ticket, but the amount will be downloaded directly from the card.
Timetable: generally 5:00-00:00, with some variations depending on the line
Ticketcost/single journey: from 170.00 yen (€1.20) to 310.00 yen (€2.20)
Ticket/pass cost: Tokyo Metro day ticket (600.00 yen/€4.30), Toei day ticket (700.00 yen/€5.00)
Is the Tokyo Metro safe at night? Yes, the Tokyo Metro in general is safe, clean and very efficient, both during the day and at night. Stations are video monitored and controlled.
By car
Certainly, to get around Toyko the car is not recommended! The traffic is rather congested, especially at rush hours, driving is on the left and, not at all negligible obstacle, the road signs are in the local language. Getting lost or nervous while driving is guaranteed! Moreover, you can get around easily by public transport, a car is not necessary.
Another factor not to be underestimated in this decision is parking spaces. Besides the fact that there are many of them scattered throughout the city, thus risking not remembering where you parked, there are different types, not all of them 'conventional'. You can in fact find parking roundabouts, i.e. car parks that arrange cars on top of each other to save space thanks to an ingenious system. There are also plenty of underground car parks, even for bicycles!
Is Uber used in Tokyo? Yes, there is an Uber service in Tokyo. It is certainly a winning choice when you need to get around in the evenings or when the journey involves too many changes between public transport. Always be prepared, however, to risk ending up in traffic. To use Uber you will need a WiFi connection and, via the app, you can book the ride, see the price in advance, see the driver's ratings and follow the entire route in real time.
