Transportation in Tokyo

It isn’t as hard as you might think. I know I felt completely overwhelmed the first time I looked at the Tokyo subway map. Then I learned to narrow my focus using an app and looking at my plans on a trip by trip basis. There is some learning involved as with any transportation system but it is very doable. Stations are well signed and help is available.

Taxis are very expensive in Tokyo.

With all the pre travel planning, reading, and watching videos about getting around I was worried. However upon arrival I discovered immediately that the transportation system in Japan is very well laid out and signage is excellent. I was there last year and used google maps to help navigate the rails. Not once in four weeks was I mislead by the app. Obtaining a Suica card is greatly beneficial but optional. I left the airport using the train with a Suica card in my Apple wallet. I never looked back or regretted that decision.

Announcements and signs are in both Japanese and English.

There are also people at the stations whose job is to help travelers. They speak English.

It's pretty straightforward - just follow the signs. At platform level they are sometimes only in Japanese, but I just either use Google translate, or ask someone. There are plenty of staff around. Not all staff speak English, but everyone is very helpful and will try their best - often they will call a staff member who does speak English. It is so much faster taking the train than a taxi. Incidentally taxi drivers also very friendly though.

Don't overplan - we just turned up in Tokyo and went with the flow. People are amazingly friendly.

The Tokyo transit system may look imposing but it is safe and generally easy to use. Personally, I have an eSuica card on my phone which simplifies entry and exit from stations.

It will get crowded during rush hour but that is the norm for most urban transit systems. If you pause for too long, someone is likely to ask you if you need help. Even though I know my way around the system pretty well, I have often had people offer help as I pause to look at signs. The stations are well posted with signs in English. On board most of the trains there will be electronic signage indicating the next station in both Japanese and English. As you pull into the station, some trains will show a layout of the station and where there are escalators and elevators. One potential concern is that not all stations have escalators and elevators. Some have only one - just need to look for the pictographs showing where it is. Some have neither.

Both Google Map and Apple Map apps can give you info as to which train and route to take. However, in my experience, they often do not pick the best route. I prefer to use the Japan Transit app both for subway trains and any train service around Japan. More than once it has provided a shorter quicker route than either Google or Apple.

We usually take the train in from the airport but then take a taxi when we leave Tokyo for home (as we seem to gain an extra bag of gifts and goodies). Taxi's from the Tokyo Station area to Haneda run about US$50-60. (For my recent trips in November and February.) And the drivers have enough English to understand "Haneda Terminal Three". A taxi to Narita will cost way more from central Tokyo. There are also bus services which are easy to use to get to/from the airport.

We travel light so have not had to reserve luggage space on the Shinkansens. They have a rack over the seats that will accept carry-on size bags. Stop times are short so be prepared when arriving at your destination if you have a lot to carry. Announcements on the Shinkansen are in Japanese, English and Chinese.

If you are going to travel a long distance within Japan, you may want to consider flying. It is price competitive with the Shinkansen and can save a lot of time. For example, earlier this month we flew from Tokyo to Sapporo - two hour flight so even with the travel time to the airport it easily beat the train. On the Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka corridor we prefer the train as the timings work so much better.

ANA and JAL don't charge for bags on domestic flights so the fare you see when booking is what you pay. And the experience of boarding a domestic flight is pretty amazing. On our flight to Sapporo, boarding a B777 with 300 or so passengers started 20 minutes before departure and was complete in less than 15 minutes. Every time I fly within Japan this process amazes me. Plus the planes are clean and the crews super efficient and pleasant. BTW - they are strict about bags. On one of our flights up from Shikoku I had planned to take my bag with me but it was about one inch over the size so into the hold it went. However, baggage service, at least at smaller airports, is super quick do checking bags is not really a problem.

Travel in Japan is so efficient and generally pleasant that it has become our favorite destination.

I just need to add my emphasis about how much help is available quickly. I lived there for 8 years, recently back in April for a visit, and was again amazed. I used the eSuica (for iPhone) and SmartEx for my Shinkansen tickets. I even speak conversational Japanese, but in April, several times my SmartEx tickets wouldn’t scan properly - and it was not me at all. It was because there was a specific turnstile to go through and sometimes someone had forgotten to flip a QR code reader. (I don’t know - but it was clearly not me, as I watched it get fixed for either me or people in front of me.) ALWAYS someone there to help.

I used the GO taxi app if I wasn’t near a taxi stand. I set it up before I left home, I think.

I know I also stressed a little and researched a lot before this trip, and while the research wasn’t pointless, the stress certainly was.

As others have mentioned, a Suica card is useful. When we were there, we had to use cash to top up the cards, though, and as far as I can tell, that's still the case, unless you have an e-Suica card. Also, you can't use it for all trains (e.g. Express Trains and Shinkansen are not included).

Navigating the public transit system wasn't too bad, although Tokyo station is enormous and can be challenging. (Mind you, the only time we really had trouble there was when we were looking for a "Bank of Seven" machine to get cash to top up our Suica cards. We were following Google Maps, which made it appear the machine was inside the station, when it wasn't.)

These days, I find the Citymapper app can be helpful (and I like it better than Google Maps). It can not only help you plan your route, but it can also alert you when to get off the bus/metro/train. This can be helpful in Tokyo where the central and major tourist areas have signs and announcements in English, but other areas do not.

Keep in mind that a lot of younger people have studied some English in school, if you need assistance.

The transit system does seem intimidating at first. However, as mentioned above, it's not difficult if you watch some Youtube videos about it. Signage is very clear in Japanese and English. Don't worry about cleanliness and safety.

Also, bear in mind that there is luggage delivery service that is reasonably priced and reliable. Your hotel can arrange for your large bags to be delivered to the next lodging location. the only catch is that, if you plan to ship your bags to the airport, then it takes 2 days.