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How to Get to Tokyo

By Air – Tokyo has two main airports:

  • Narita Airport – 60 km from the city, mostly international flights.

  • Haneda Airport – closer to downtown, mainly domestic but increasingly international.

By Shinkansen – Bullet trains connect Tokyo to Osaka, Kyoto, Kyushu, Kanazawa, Niigata, Tohoku, and Hokkaido. Osaka/Kyoto takes about 3 hours.

Getting Around Tokyo

Getting around Tokyo is easy thanks to its extensive public transport network. The city relies mainly on trains, subways, and buses, with multiple operators covering the metropolitan area. For visitors, the most convenient options are JR East trains and the Tokyo Metro/Toei subways, which link all major city districts.

JR Yamanote Line – a circular line linking major hubs: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Tokyo Station.
Subways – 13 lines operated by Tokyo Metro (9) and Toei (4), covering central Tokyo, Ginza, and neighborhoods inside the Yamanote circle.

Suburban lines often start/end at the six major Yamanote stations: Tokyo, Ueno, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Shinagawa.

Key JR Lines

  • Yamanote Line – circular line linking all major city centers.

  • Keihin-Tohoku Line – runs along eastern Yamanote, north-south connections.

  • Chuo/Sobu Line (Local) – crosses Yamanote with local stops.

  • Chuo Line (Rapid) – faster service between Tokyo Station and Shinjuku.

  • Saikyo Line – western Yamanote route; some trains continue to Odaiba via Rinkai Line.

  • Shinkansen – Tokaido stops at Tokyo & Shinagawa; northern lines stop at Tokyo & Ueno.

Subways

  • Tokyo Metro (9 lines) and Toei (4 lines) cover central Tokyo.

  • Some lines continue onto private suburban lines, e.g., Chiyoda Line → Odakyu Line at Yoyogi-Uehara, Fukutoshin Line → Tokyu Toyoko Line at Shibuya.

Other Railways

Private lines connect Tokyo with suburbs and neighboring prefectures. Most start at Yamanote stations and often feature department stores.

  • Tokyu – Southwest Tokyo & Kanagawa

  • Tobu – Saitama & Tochigi (Nikko)

  • Seibu – Tokyo Tama Region & Saitama

  • Keio – Tokyo Tama Region

  • Odakyu – Kanagawa (Hakone)

  • Keisei – Chiba (Narita Airport)

  • Keikyu – Kanagawa (Haneda Airport)

  • Tsukuba Express – Akihabara ↔ Tsukuba, Ibaraki

Passes and Tickets

  • Single tickets or prepaid IC cards (Suica/PASMO) are usually cheaper and more convenient than day passes.

  • IC cards work on almost all trains, subways, and buses in Tokyo and can also be used for purchases at shops and restaurants.

Other IC Cards – Icoca, Kitaca, Toica, Manaca, Pitapa, Sugoca, Nimoca, Hayakaken.

Day Passes (for heavy travel)

  • Tokyo Free Kippu (1600 yen) – Unlimited JR + Metro + Toei trains/buses; often overpriced.

  • Tokyo Subway Ticket (24h: 800 / 48h: 1200 / 72h: 1500 yen) – All subways, not JR; available online, airports, major stations.

  • Toei & Tokyo Metro One-Day Economy (900 yen) – All subways, not JR; worth it only if riding frequently.

  • Tokyo Metro 24-Hour (700 yen) – Metro lines only.

  • Toei One-Day Pass (700 yen) – Toei subways, buses, streetcars.

  • Tokunai Pass (760 yen) – JR lines in central Tokyo.

Other JR Passes – Japan Rail Pass and JR Tokyo Wide Pass cover JR trains and Tokyo Monorail only.

Major JR Lines and Subways in Central Tokyo