Tokyo getting there

There are also combination tickets for visitors arriving at Haneda airport. Check websites for more information. The international terminal has a Tokyo Tourist Information Center on the second floor of the arrival lobby, open daily 24 hr. But the overriding benefit of Haneda is its central location compared to Narita. Both Hamamatsucho and Shinagawa connect to the very useful Yamanote Line, which travels to major stations like Tokyo and Shinjuku.

If you're arriving from elsewhere in Japan, you'll most likely arrive via Shinkansen bullet train at Tokyo, Ueno, or Shinagawa station. All are well served by trains including the useful JR Yamanote Line , subways, and taxis. There are no international ferry services to Tokyo, but domestic long-distance ferries arrive at Ariake Ferry Terminal, located on an artificial island adjacent to Odaiba in Tokyo Bay; the nearest station is Kokusai-Tenjijo-Seimon.

Cruise lines usually dock at Harumi Terminal. Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Book Hotels. Tokyo Getting There in Tokyo. By Plane Because the flight to Tokyo is such a long one about 12 hr. Frommer's Thailand Buy Now. Frommer's Bangkok day by day Buy Now. Get Inspired for Your Next Vacation. The best thing to do is ask directions of several Japanese and then follow the majority opinion.

You can also duck into a shop and ask someone where a nearby address is, although in my experience employees do not even know the address of their own store.

However, they may have a map of the area. The first rule of getting around Tokyo: It will always take longer than you think. Taking a taxi is expensive and involves the probability of getting stuck interminably in traffic, with the meter ticking away.

Your best bet for getting around Tokyo is to take the subway or a Japan Railways JR commuter train such as the Yamanote Line to the station nearest your destination. From there you can either walk or take a taxi. Tips on Taking Public Transportation — Each mode of transportation in Tokyo— subway with two different companies , JR train such as the Yamanote Line , private rail companies , and bus —has its own fare system and therefore requires a new ticket each time you transfer from one mode of transport to another.

Both are contactless prepaid IC integrated circuit cards that automatically deduct fares and can be used on virtually all modes of transportation, including JR trains excluding the Shinkansen , private railways such as the Rinkai Line to Odaiba , subways, and buses at a slight discount. You can then reload them at ticket vending machines as needed. Although other options are available, including 1-day cards and metro-only cards, the Suica and the Pasmo are by far my favorites.

In addition, there are hour, hour, and hour discount tickets just for visitors. See www. Note that children 6 to 11 pay half-fare on public transportation in Japan; children 5 and under ride free. If you want to witness Tokyo at its craziest, go to Shinjuku Station at am—but get there by taxi unless you want to experience the crowding firsthand.

Most lines provide women-only compartments at the end of the train weekdays until 9am. And to remove the guessing game regarding which route to take, what it will cost, and the estimated time of the ride, download the free and invaluable Tokyo Subway Navigation app. Tokyo subway stations provide free Wi-Fi. Whereas it used to be a matter of skill to know exactly which train compartment to board if making transfers down the line, diagrams at each station usually on a pillar at the entrance to each platform show which end of the train and compartment is most useful for connections.

Signs also show exactly how many minutes it takes to reach every destination on that line. Once you're on your way, trains display the next station in English on digital signs above their doors and announce stops in English. Remember, once you reach your destination, look for the yellow signs on station platforms designating which exit to take for major buildings, museums, and addresses. Taking the right exit can make a world of difference, especially in Shinjuku, where there are some 60 station exits.

To purchase your ticket , insert money into the vending machine until the fare buttons light up, and then push the amount for the ticket you want. Before purchasing your ticket, you first have to figure out your fare.

Some stations also have a signboard posting fares to other stations. When you reach your destination, look for the fare adjustment machine ; insert your ticket to find out how much more you owe, or look for a subway employee at the ticket window to tell you how much extra you owe.

In any case, be sure to hang onto your ticket, since you must give it up at the end of your journey. Schedules are posted in the stations, and throughout most of the day, trains run every 3 to 5 minutes.

For more information on tickets, passes, and subway routes, as well as a detailed subway map, stop by Metro Information desks located at Ueno, Ginza, Shinjuku, and Omotesando stations. Or check the website www. Information on Toei Subway is available at www. The Yamanote Line green-colored coaches is the best-known and most convenient JR line. It makes an oblong loop around the city in about an hour, stopping at 29 stations along the way, all of them announced in English and with digital signboards in each compartment a new station between Shinagawa and Tamachi is scheduled to open in spring Because the Yamanote, Chuo, and Sobu lines are often not identified by their specific names at major stations, look for signs that say jr lines.

Open daily am to pm, it also offers free Wi-Fi, hotel reservations, tourist information, currency exchange and luggage delivery and storage. You can also exchange vouchers here for the Japan Rail Pass. Sadler, Arthur. Tokyo: Tuttle: Seidensticker, Edward G. New York: Knopf, Vardaman, James M. Tokyo: Tuttle, Cities of the World. Getting There Tokyo is located on the Pacific on the eastern coast of Honshu, the largest of the four main islands comprising Japan. Airports Since Japan is an island nation, the most efficient means of access is by air.

Bus and Railroad Service While the subway system is continually being extended out into the growing Public transportation in Tokyo is clean, inexpensive, and the most reliable way to get around the city. Bus and Commuter Rail Service The fact that each of these areas, with their distinctive characteristics, shares its name with a major train or subway station points to the primary means of travel in Tokyo.

Publications The Japan Times Ltd. Tuttle Co. Books Bower, Faubion. Japanese Theater. Greenwood Press, Conner, Judith and Mayumi Yoshida. Tokyo City Guide.

The Japan Travel Bureau. A Look into Tokyo. Reischauer, Edwin O. Japan: The Story of a Nation. The Japanese Today. Schiffer, Robert L.