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Worried about navigating Tokyo? Discover how to get around Tokyo in a 3 easy ways—covering trains, IC cards, tourist passes, and simple tips to travel like a pro.
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Table of Contents
How to Get Around Tokyo in 2026: Subway, Trains, Suica and Walking
The first time you look at a Tokyo rail map, it resembles a bowl of brightly coloured noodles. There are railway lines crossing subway lines, stations with approximately a million exits, and several companies running trains that somehow all work together. Welcome to Tokyo.
The good news? Getting around Tokyo is much easier than it looks. Once we understand three things—how to pay, which train to take, and when walking is quicker—the whole city opens up. Here’s our practical guide to using Tokyo public transport in 2026, without spending half your holiday staring at a ticket machine.
Quick answer: For most first-time visitors, we recommend a Suica or PASMO IC card for everyday transport, Google Maps for routes, and walking between sights in the same neighbourhood. Consider the Tokyo Subway Ticket only if your itinerary involves enough Metro and Toei journeys to justify it.
Tokyo Transportation at a Glance
| Transport | Best for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Metro + Toei Subway | Reaching most central attractions | 13 subway lines; different operators but straightforward connections |
| JR Yamanote Line | Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Ueno, Akihabara and other major hubs | Green circular train line; not included in subway-only passes |
| Other JR and private railways | Fast cross-city journeys and trips outside central Tokyo | Often faster than following the Yamanote loop |
| Walking | Exploring individual neighbourhoods | Free, excellent for short distances, not ideal between distant districts |
| Buses, Yurikamome and taxis | Filling gaps or reaching specific attractions | Useful, but fares and pass coverage vary |
You do not need to memorise train company names. Search your journey in a route app and follow the line colour, station code, departure platform and exit number. Those four clues do most of the heavy lifting.
How to Pay for Tokyo Trains in 2026
Suica and PASMO: the easiest choice for most tourists
Suica and PASMO are rechargeable transport IC cards. Instead of buying a new paper ticket every time you board, you touch the card on the reader at the ticket gate, follow the signs to your platform, and tap again when you leave. The system calculates the fare automatically. They also work on many buses and for purchases at participating shops and vending machines.
For a more detailed explanation, see our guide to the Japan Suica card. You can also consult the JR East Suica information and PASMO information for visitors.
How much should you load? We would start with around ¥2,000–¥3,000 per person for local transport and top up as needed. It is a practical starting balance, not an unlimited travel pass or a promise that it will last a full trip.
Welcome Suica and TOURIST PASMO: what changed?
If you find old blogs recommending a PASMO PASSPORT, ignore that advice: its sales ended in 2024. In 2026, a new product called TOURIST PASMO is available to international visitors. This is an important change.
- Welcome Suica: a deposit-free physical visitor card valid for 28 days from purchase, sold at selected JR East travel centres and airport machines. Unused value is not refunded. Check the official Welcome Suica sales locations.
- TOURIST PASMO: introduced in 2026, valid for 28 days and sold at designated Keikyu locations at Haneda Airport and Keisei locations at Narita Airport. No deposit and no unused-balance refund. Official purchase points and denominations.
- Regular Suica or PASMO: useful for longer stays; ordinary card purchase procedures and deposit rules differ from short-term tourist cards.
- Mobile Suica or PASMO: convenient on compatible phones. JR East also offers Welcome Suica Mobile for compatible iPhones; availability and topping up depend on device, location, and payment method.
Our recommendation: If you have a compatible iPhone, check the mobile option first. Otherwise, pick up a physical Welcome Suica or TOURIST PASMO at a participating counter. There is no need to hunt down both cards; for ordinary sightseeing they do almost the same job.
Can you just tap a credit card on the Tokyo subway?
Yes—on participating networks, and this is new for 2026. Since March 25, 2026, Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway have supported contactless bank-card travel as part of an expanded regional system. Eligible Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and other supported contactless cards or devices can be used at the designated readers. The official Tokyo Metro tap-to-ride guide explains how it works.
There is one big catch: contactless bank-card payment is not accepted across all Tokyo railways. In particular, do not assume it works on JR East trains such as the Yamanote Line. For seamless trips involving different operators, an IC card remains our easiest recommendation. Tokyo Metro also charges the regular paper-ticket fare for bank-card taps, rather than the slightly lower IC fare, and the service does not offer child fares.
How to tap correctly: Use the same physical card or the same phone/watch at entry and exit. Do not tap in with your phone and tap out with the plastic card, even when both use the same bank account.
Way 1: Use the Tokyo Subway
Tokyo has 13 subway lines: nine run by Tokyo Metro and four by Toei Subway. The companies are separate, but both are clearly signed and widely used by tourists. Subway stops are especially convenient for Asakusa, Ginza, Roppongi and many less touristy neighbourhoods.
A complicated-looking map is not a test you have to pass before getting on a train. The trick is to look for the line letter, station number and direction of travel. Stations usually have English signage, and platforms display their next departures.
How to read a Tokyo subway map
Every Tokyo Metro line has a colour and a letter. For example, M is the red Marunouchi Line, G is the orange Ginza Line, and Z is the purple Hanzomon Line. The numbers indicate where a stop sits on that line. These are station codes—not platform numbers.
Let’s travel from Tokyo Station to Shibuya Station using only the subway. At Tokyo Station, find the Marunouchi Line (M17). Ride one stop to Ginza (M16). Transfer inside Ginza Station to the Ginza Line (G09), then take a train towards Shibuya (G01). You have now cracked the basic logic of Tokyo’s subway map.
That is an example of how to read the network, not necessarily the fastest journey. For Tokyo Station to Shibuya, a direct JR Yamanote Line train is often simpler. Check Google Maps or a current rail planner for the best option at the time you travel.
- First: enter your departure and destination into Google Maps, Japan Travel by NAVITIME or another rail route planner.
- Next: match the line colour, station code and direction shown in your route to the station signs.
- Finally: follow the recommended station exit number. At enormous stations, the correct exit can save a surprisingly long walk.
If you go one stop in the wrong direction, get off, check the route again and change platforms as necessary. This happens to everyone, including people who have visited Japan more than once.
Tokyo subway fares in 2026
Fares are based largely on distance. As of 2026, an ordinary adult Tokyo Metro journey costs around ¥180–¥330 with a paper ticket, or ¥178–¥324 with an IC card, depending on distance. Routes involving Toei, JR or other operators have different pricing. Always check the actual fare for your trip.
The official Tokyo Metro fare table lists current prices, while an app usually calculates the exact fare automatically.
Tokyo Subway Ticket: 24, 48 and 72-hour passes
If you plan to spend several days hopping between attractions by subway, you may save money with the visitor-only Tokyo Subway Ticket. Its prices rose on March 14, 2026, so older blog posts listing ¥800, ¥1,200 and ¥1,500 are no longer current.
| Tokyo Subway Ticket | Adult price | Child price | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | ¥1,000 | ¥500 | Tokyo Metro + Toei Subway |
| 48 hours | ¥1,500 | ¥750 | Tokyo Metro + Toei Subway |
| 72 hours | ¥2,000 | ¥1,000 | Tokyo Metro + Toei Subway |
The clock starts when you first use the ticket, so a 72-hour pass is valid for 72 actual hours, not just three calendar dates. Check the official ticket details and QR options.
Important: These passes do not cover JR trains (including the Yamanote Line), Keisei, the Tokyo Monorail or the Yurikamome. A sightseeing day that involves mostly JR journeys may not justify the pass.
Is the pass worth it? At a typical ¥180–¥260 subway fare, you often need roughly four to six rides in 24 hours to beat the ¥1,000 ticket, depending on your route. The 72-hour pass is better value per day, but only if you really use the subway. If you expect two or three train journeys and lots of walking, stick with your IC card.
There is also a Tokyo Metro-only 24-hour Ticket for ¥700, a combined one-calendar-day Metro + Toei ticket for ¥1,100, and a broader Tokyo Combination Ticket for ¥1,720 that includes JR lines within Tokyo’s 23 wards and selected other transport. For a mixed JR/subway sightseeing day, that last pass can sometimes make sense. See the official pass comparison.
Way 2: Take the JR Yamanote Line
The JR Yamanote Line is one of the simplest ways to travel between Tokyo’s biggest sightseeing districts. Its green trains circle central Tokyo and stop at Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinagawa, Tokyo, Ueno, Akihabara and Ikebukuro, among other stations.
A full loop takes roughly an hour and trains are frequent through most of the day. For tourists, the real advantage is that you can often board a direct train without changing lines. Just choose the direction that reaches your destination in the fewest stops.
A valid Japan Rail Pass covers ordinary JR Yamanote trips, but they are not “free”: they are included in the pass you already paid for. Buying a nationwide rail pass solely to travel around Tokyo is usually poor value. Read our guide to whether the Japan Rail Pass is worth it before purchasing one.
Some trips are quicker by a line other than the Yamanote. For instance, the JR Chuo Line provides a much more direct cross-city link between Tokyo and Shinjuku stations than going around the loop. Think of the Yamanote as a useful backbone, not a rule you must follow.
One delightful detail: many Yamanote stations play distinctive departure melodies before trains leave. It is the sort of tiny everyday Tokyo ritual that you start noticing after a few trips.
Heading for neon after dark? Combine the Yamanote Line with our guide to things to do in Shinjuku and the sights around Shibuya.
Way 3: Walk Between Tokyo Neighbourhoods
Now for our favourite method—and the one that costs absolutely nothing. Walk whenever the attractions are reasonably close. Tokyo is full of quiet residential streets, small shrines, family-run restaurants and odd little shops you would miss from underground. It is one of the best ways to discover unique places in Tokyo.
Here are four routes worth comparing. Distances and times are rough walking estimates and may change depending on the station exit, the exact destination, crossings and your pace.
- Asakusa (Kaminarimon Gate) → Tokyo Skytree: approximately 1.5–2 km / 20–30 minutes. A scenic walk across the Sumida River area, with Skytree appearing in front of you. See original mapped route.
- Asakusa (Kaminarimon Gate) → Akihabara: approximately 3 km / 35–45 minutes. Good if you enjoy street-level exploration rather than rushing between landmarks. See original mapped route.
- Ueno Station → Akihabara Station: approximately 1.5–2 km / 20–30 minutes. You can explore Ameyoko or the Okachimachi area on the way, then continue into Akihabara. See original mapped route.
- Asakusa (Kaminarimon Gate) → Shibuya Station: roughly 12 km / 2.5–3 hours before sightseeing stops. Absolutely possible, but not what we would recommend for a normal Tokyo itinerary. Take a train unless you specifically want a long urban hike. See original mapped route.
Walking works brilliantly between nearby attractions but poorly when you are crossing the whole city. In midsummer, Tokyo’s humidity makes long walks more exhausting; in heavy rain, station transfers can feel wonderfully civilised. For ideas, explore our favourite Tokyo walks or discover more ways to enjoy Tokyo for free.
Our rule: take trains between neighbourhoods and walk within them. You will see more Tokyo while spending less time commuting.
Other Useful Ways to Get Around Tokyo
Yurikamome: the scenic driverless train to Odaiba
The Yurikamome Line is one of Tokyo’s most enjoyable transport rides. Its automated trains cross the Rainbow Bridge area towards Odaiba, offering views of Tokyo Bay and the waterfront. If you can, look for a seat at the very front: there is no driver’s cab blocking the view.
Start at Shimbashi if you want the full ride. Stops along the route serve Odaiba attractions, shopping and waterfront walks, including the area near the giant Unicorn Gundam statue.
Tickets: Suica and PASMO are accepted. Regular Yurikamome fares are distance-based, and the line offers its own special passes. The Tokyo Subway Ticket and Japan Rail Pass do not cover it. Check current Yurikamome fares before you go.
Tokyo buses
Tokyo’s rail network is excellent, but buses fill the gaps. They can be convenient for attractions far from a station, short trips within a neighbourhood and some less central areas. Suica and PASMO work on many routes, but boarding and tapping rules depend on the operator. Watch the signs or follow what other passengers do.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are clean, regulated and easy to find around major stations and entertainment districts. GO and Uber can be useful for arranging rides, although app availability and services differ. A taxi is worth considering with heavy luggage, a tired child or after the last train. For regular sightseeing, though, it gets expensive much faster than public transport.
Cycling and bike-sharing
Cycling can be fun along rivers and in quieter neighbourhoods, but central Tokyo is busy and bike parking is strictly controlled. Use designated bike-parking areas, obey road signs, and check current local cycling rules. We would not make a first day in crowded Shinjuku your introduction to Japanese urban cycling.
How to Get From Tokyo Airports Into the City
- From Haneda Airport: the Keikyu railway and Tokyo Monorail are popular options for getting towards central Tokyo. Choose based on where your hotel actually is; Keikyu is particularly handy for some Asakusa Line connections, while the monorail connects with JR at Hamamatsucho.
- From Narita Airport: the Keisei Skyliner is useful for Ueno or Nippori; the JR Narita Express connects to major JR hubs including Tokyo and Shinjuku. Slower rail services and airport buses may be better value or more direct to a particular hotel.
Reserved express trains such as Narita Express and Skyliner require the appropriate ticket or reservation, not just tapping in with ordinary IC-card stored value. After landing, compare routes and prices to your specific accommodation rather than selecting a train simply because everyone else is queuing for it.
Plan Your Tokyo Sightseeing by Area
The best way to avoid unnecessary trips is to group nearby attractions into the same sightseeing day. Tokyo can be surprisingly time-consuming even when its trains are fast. A transfer, a long underground corridor and the wrong station exit can turn a short journey into half an hour.
- Day 1 – Asakusa, Ueno and Akihabara: explore old Tokyo around Asakusa, then use a short rail trip or walk towards Ueno and the electronics and pop-culture shops in Akihabara.
- Day 2 – Shibuya and Harajuku: spend the day exploring west-central Tokyo, shopping streets and neighbourhood cafés, rather than travelling back and forth across the city.
- Day 3 – Shinjuku and Ikebukuro: allow time for Shinjuku’s huge station and consider visiting entertainment districts later in the day.
- Day 4 – Tokyo Station and Ginza: visit Marunouchi, shops, restaurants, nearby museums and Ginza; see our suggestions on where to eat in Ginza.
This is only a framework. Add the sights that interest you, and then use Google Maps to see which are close. Check out our Tokyo travel guide, places around Tokyo and sights near Tokyo if you have extra days.
If you want to go beyond the usual sightseeing list, we have ideas for unusual things to do in Tokyo, Tokyo art museums, and other places to visit in Japan.
Useful Tokyo Transport Tips for First-Time Visitors
- Avoid weekday rush hour if possible. Roughly 7:30–9:30 am and 5:30–7:30 pm can be crowded, especially on busy commuter routes.
- Always check your last train. Many lines stop running around midnight, but exact last departures vary by line and direction.
- Follow the exit number. Shinjuku and Tokyo stations are large enough to make the wrong exit a serious detour.
- Travel light. Large suitcases are awkward in packed trains; hotel-to-hotel luggage forwarding (takkyubin) can help.
- Use accessible routes when needed. Route planners and official station maps can help you find lifts, escalators and step-free transfers.
- Mind train etiquette. Queue at marked doors, keep conversations quiet, avoid telephone calls and take backpacks off in crowded carriages.
- Do not assume every day pass covers every train. Check the actual operating companies and validity rules before paying.
FAQs: How to Get Around Tokyo
What is the easiest way to get around Tokyo for tourists? Use a Suica or PASMO IC card and a route app, then combine the subway, JR trains and walking. It is the simplest and most flexible method for most visits.
Can I use my credit card to tap onto Tokyo trains in 2026? Yes on Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway and certain other participating operators, but not everywhere. JR East services such as the Yamanote Line are not included in that contactless bank-card network, so a transport IC card is still more universal.
Can I use Suica or PASMO on my phone? Yes on supported phones and regional configurations. iPhones commonly support digital transit cards; compatibility on Android devices varies, particularly for overseas models. JR East also offers Welcome Suica Mobile for compatible iPhones.
Is the JR Pass worth buying for Tokyo alone? Usually no. The nationwide Japan Rail Pass is intended for broader travel. It covers many JR routes in Tokyo but not the Tokyo Metro or Toei Subway.
What is the difference between JR trains and the subway? JR East runs lines including the Yamanote and Chuo; Tokyo Metro and Toei operate the 13 subway lines. Their ticket and day-pass coverage differ, even though Suica and PASMO work on both.
How much does the Tokyo Subway Ticket cost in 2026? The visitor ticket costs ¥1,000 for 24 hours, ¥1,500 for 48 hours and ¥2,000 for 72 hours per adult. It covers Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, but not JR.
Can I still buy PASMO PASSPORT? No. PASMO PASSPORT sales ended in 2024. The new TOURIST PASMO launched in 2026 and is offered at designated Haneda and Narita airport locations.
Is a 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket worth it? It can be, if you plan several Metro/Toei rides on each day. If you will mostly take JR trains or explore on foot, paying per trip with an IC card may be better.
How crowded are Tokyo trains during rush hour? Some lines become very crowded on weekday mornings and evenings. If your schedule is flexible, sightseeing outside those periods is more comfortable.
What time do Tokyo trains stop running? Many trains finish around midnight and start again early in the morning, although last-train times depend on your route. Check the final departure before a late dinner or night out.
Can I use buses in Tokyo with Suica or PASMO? Yes, on many bus networks. The way you tap when boarding or exiting depends on the operator, so follow the posted instructions.
What is the best way to reach Odaiba? The automated Yurikamome Line from Shimbashi is one of the most scenic routes. It is not covered by the standard Tokyo Subway Ticket.
How do I get from Haneda or Narita Airport to central Tokyo? From Haneda, consider Keikyu or the Tokyo Monorail. From Narita, choose among the Keisei Skyliner, JR Narita Express, other rail services and buses based on your hotel location.
Should I walk or take the train in Tokyo? Walk between nearby sights within the same area; use trains between distant neighbourhoods. This is usually the best balance of speed, cost and discovery.
Can I rent a bicycle in Tokyo? Yes, bike-sharing is available in parts of Tokyo. Follow parking and cycling rules, and avoid busy areas if you are not a confident urban cyclist.
What apps help plan Tokyo train routes? Google Maps and Japan Travel by NAVITIME are practical options. Look at the suggested station exit and transfer time, not only the journey duration.
Final Verdict: The Best Way to Travel Around Tokyo
For most travellers, a Suica or PASMO card plus a good route app is all you need. Use the subway and the Yamanote Line for longer trips, walk through neighbourhoods when the distances are manageable, and check whether a multi-day subway pass would actually save you money. Tokyo looks complicated on paper, but after your first couple of rides, it starts to make perfect sense.
More Tokyo travel guides to help you plan your trip
- Japan Suica Card Guide: What Tourists Need to Know
- Tokyo Travel Guide: Essential Planning Tips
- Things to Do in Asakusa
- Akihabara Tokyo Guide
- Things to Do in Shibuya
- Things to Do in Shinjuku
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