My first morning in Tokyo started jet-lagged off a 15-hour flight. Soon after exploring my first neighborhood on foot, Asakusa, before the tourist crowds woke up, I was standing in front of a confusing ticket machine in Asakusa Station with absolutely no idea what I was doing.
I’ve been back to Japan’s capital twice since that first layover. And getting around Tokyo has gotten easier for me on every trip, mostly because the city’s transportation system is one of the most efficient I’ve used anywhere in the world.
Trains run on time down to the minute. Stations are clean, well-signed in English, and connected enough that Tokyo’s massive sprawl even starts to feel manageable after a day or two.
Here’s what I’ve picked up on my three stops about how to get around Tokyo as a first-time visitor, starting with the one thing I’d want to sort out before leaving the airport.
IC cards and passes
One of the things I love most about traveling in Japan (or, really, East Asia in general) is how easy it is to pay for public transit.
Suica and Pasmo are the two IC payment cards that work interchangeably across nearly every train, subway, and bus in Tokyo. (And, actually, in most of Japan.)
With an IC card, all you need to do is tap in, tap out, and the fare gets deducted automatically. (All without needing to spend half the vacation scratching my head in front of confusing Japanese ticket machines.)
As a short-term visitor, though, I’d skip the standard card entirely and get a Welcome Suica instead. It’s valid for 28 days, and doesn’t require the standard ¥500 deposit. And you can pick one up right at the airport.
Although I’d hesitate to use it myself, tech-savvy first-time visitors might want to consider using Mobile Suica rather than its physical version. It’s one less card to lose, and topping it up is quick & easy.
(For me, solely using an app for payment is outweighed by the very real possibility of a dead phone battery after a long day of exploring the city.)
If I were planning a day of sightseeing in Tokyo entirely by subway, I’d pick up a Tokyo Subway Ticket Pass. The pass covers unlimited rides on every Tokyo Metro and Toei line for 24, 48, or 72 hours, running ¥1,000, ¥1,500, and ¥2,000 for adults.
I used the Tokyo Subway Ticket Pass all three times I stopped in the city. I find it more convenient than using IC cards on days when I know I’m traveling a lot by public transportation, as I don’t need to constantly monitor the cash balance.
Keep in mind, though, that this pass only covers the subway, not JR lines like the JR Yamanote Line. (But considering the regular routes reach all the same places, even if a little slower, I don’t think it’s much of a dealbreaker.)
Trains and subway
The subway is my favorite way of getting around Tokyo as a first-time visitor. Without question.
Thirteen lines run across two interlinked operators, Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. IC cards and metro passes work seamlessly across both, so you never have to think about which company you’re riding.
Layered on top of the subway is the JR Yamanote Line. This convenient loop circles the city center and touches nearly every neighborhood I’d pencil in visiting on a first trip to Tokyo, like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ueno, and Chiyoda.
I used the JR Yamanote Line constantly to orient myself. If I’m not sure how to get somewhere in Tokyo, my first move is usually figuring out which Yamanote stop gets me closest.
Fares are distance-based, starting around ¥180 for both Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. The prices climb depending on how far you go.
(Check the official Tokyo Subway Route map here for more information.)
If you’re ever unsure what a ticket costs, buy the cheapest one available. Every station has a fare adjustment machine near the exit where you pay the difference before you leave.
(I’m sure it’s saved me from a language-barriered standoff with a station attendant more than once.)
Trains run from about 5 am to midnight, with services every three to five minutes on the busier lines.
PRO TIP: I’d recommend skipping rush hour on the subway if you can. Tokyo’s morning and evening crush is a well-earned reputation. Stations still employ staff hired to help pack people into carriages. (I’ve been one of the people getting stuffed into an impossibly packed train car. And, well, it’s quite the experience!)
Bus
I will admit that I don’t love riding in buses in East Asian cities nearly as much as trains or metros. Although I’ve never had any real problems with it myself, buses in Japan are almost always more difficult to navigate as a first-time visitor who doesn’t know the cityscape or the language.
Buses in Tokyo charge a flat fare, about ¥210 in cash or ¥206 with an IC card. They’re a solid option for exploring the pockets of the city the subway doesn’t quite reach.
The catch is the language barrier. Most buses only display the final destination, not the stops along the way. And, in my experience, drivers rarely speak English well enough to help.
I’ve mostly stuck to trains in Tokyo for this reason. I’d save buses for the one place they’re most useful: reaching day trips out of Tokyo like Kamakura or Nikko, where they’re often the cheapest way there.
(And even then, I’d likely pony up a few extra yen to enjoy the more comfortable and faster trains if they were available.)
For something more tourist-friendly, the open-air Sky Bus loops past the Imperial Palace and a handful of my recommended Tokyo tourist attractions for first-time visitors without needing to figure out a route yourself.
Taxi
Taxis are the priciest way to get around Tokyo. I’d only really consider loopin’ these into my travel plans if I were splitting the fare with a group or wanted to get back to my Tokyo hotel after the subway has already shut down for the night.
The base fare of ¥500 covers the first kilometer, then adds roughly ¥100 for every 255 meters after that. Between 10 pm and 5 am, I’d expect a 20% late-night surcharge on top.
(One confusing thing I’ll point out about Tokyo taxis is that a red light on the roof means the taxi is free, and green means it’s occupied. Totally the opposite of what I’d expect!)
If hailing one on the street feels like a gamble, the GO app lets you book a taxi without needing to speak Japanese. This is what I’d lean on if I were out late and couldn’t hop on a subway to get back to my hotel.
Bicycles, walking, and water routes
Tokyo rewards walking more than most cities its size.
The pedestrian stretches through Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ginza put you right next to street stalls and small shops you’d miss entirely from a train window.
On my trips to Tokyo, I also spotted bike rentals everywhere. Although I never rented one (and would hesitate to do it in the busier areas of the city), it’d help you cover more ground without the crowds.
For something slower, the Sumida River water buses connect Asakusa to Odaiba, including two strange-looking boats, the Himiko and Hotaluna, both designed by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto.
The water bus ride runs 50 to 60 minutes and costs about ¥1,560. It’s one of my favorite ways to see the city from a completely different angle than the subway ever gives you.
Getting to & from the airports
From Narita International Airport (NRT), the Keisei Skyliner is the fastest option into the city, reaching Ueno or Nippori in under 40 minutes for about ¥2,580.
The JR Narita Express covers more ground, including Shinjuku and Shibuya directly, for ¥3,070 to ¥4,370. The route is fully covered if you’re holding a Japan Rail Pass.
(I’d hesitate to activate a JR Pass for this route, though, unless I’d planned other travel on JR lines that day.)
If I wasn’t in a rush, my own pick from Narita would be the slower Keisei Main Line into Keisei Ueno Station. Trains run roughly every 20 minutes, and the fare is a fraction of the express options.
From Haneda Airport (HND), the Tokyo Monorail gets you to Hamamatsucho in 13 minutes for about ¥519, where you can transfer onto the Yamanote Line.
Both times I flew into Haneda, this is the route I took. It was easy, fast, convenient, and the views entering the city from this angle are fantastic.
Depending on where you’re going in the city, the Keikyu Line is usually the cheapest route overall from Haneda Airport. If you’re heading to Asakusa, for example, the Airport Express runs there in about 35 to 45 minutes for around ¥610. The same journey on the Tokyo Monorail and Tokyo Metro would be ¥740.
