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 | Tokyo Rail > Metro / Subway Reviews | Tips 21 - 30 of 63 |  |
The best way to get around in Tokyo is by the JR Trains and Subway services. The vast interlocking network covers most of the city. Color-coded, they are fast, efficient, frequent, on time, safe, clean and run from early morning to around midnight. If you do not know the fare to your destination station, buy the lowest fare from the automatic ticket dispensing machine and make up the difference at the other end. I did this most of the time. But nonetheless, it is not that difficult to read the trains & subway map once you get the hang of it Leave a Comment Theme: Train |
Subway - it is easy to get around on JR Line or the Subway, even if you do not speak Japanese. Most signs are in english as well. Theme: Train |
After using Beijings' 3 line metro map, the Tokyo metro map with its myriad of twisting lines, makes spagetti look organised. There are two metro companies but you would only know this by the fact that you have to pay separately for each company.
It is worthwhile buying a prepaid card which will save you the hassle of having to look up the price of you destination each time you go to use the metro. The prepaid card comes in several denominations. Leave a Comment |
Before you go, see if you can get a subway map that has the stops in whatever language you dig. Almost all of the subways only have the large maps on the wall in characters, so if you don't read them, you might have major issues with figuring out where you're going. Still, if you do have a translation, the subways are really easy. There are usually two maps on the wall, one with the station names in characters, and one with yen at the stops. All you have to do is look at the stop you are going to, see how much it is, drop your yen into one of the machines below the signs and push the cost of the ticket you are buying on the screen. A side note on the subways, when you are going in, stick your ticket into the gate with the arrow going forward (like any non-idiot would do). If you put it in backwards, these gates will fly out, and you might look like an idiot. Also, if you get to a stop, and you've gone somewhere other than what you bought the ticket for, I hear the gates will fly out again, but they'll trap you inside, and you'll look like an even bigger tool than I did when I put my ticket in backwards. If you know you've gone over the cost of your ticket, just go to a fare adjustment machine (labeled in English) and stick in your ticket. It'll tell you how much more to put in so the gates don't fly out. Point of this, though, was get a subway map without characters, and the subway will be a breeze. Leave a Comment |
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Extensive and eay to negotiate, once you get the hang of it! Buy tickets from machines before you go onto the platform. The machines speak English and many other languages too! Leave a Comment |
I bought several book and subway guides for Tokyo, but this one proved to be the best:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/4770025033/wwwtimeanddacom/104-7712448-0061537
It has VERY good maps and diagrams of the subway stations so that you can look for which exit to take. Plus it has maps of all the surface streets, too. THE BEST PART is that all the names are also printed in Japanese, so asking for help is very easy. |
I made an google map about routes in Tokyo.
http://japonyol.net/editor/railway.html |
I must confess I was scared when I say a map of Tokyo subway when I tried to find Shibuya station, but I had a great experience using it. You pay for the distance you go, if you go farther you have to pay more when you get out from it.
It is safe, clean and confortable, way better than Mexico City's subway!!
I used it from Ginza to Shibuya and the price was 190 yens. I had to ask for help when buying my ticket because the ticket machine can be very hard to understand. Leave a Comment |
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Tokyo
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