Planning Your Trip to Tokyo - Tokyo - page 48

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platform of each station show both the
previous and the next stop, so you can
double-check you're heading in the right
direction. Tokyo's newest line, Toei's Oedo
Line, makes a zigzag loop around the city
and is useful for traveling between Rop-
pongi and Shinjuku; be aware, however,
that it's buried deep underground and that
platforms take a while to reach, despite
escalators.
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 pil-
lar at the entrance to each platform) show
which end of the train and compartment
is most useful for connections. There are
also signs that show exactly how many
minutes it takes to reach every destination
on that line. See the inside back cover for
a map of Tokyo subways and other trains.
TICKETS Vending machines at all sub-
way stations sell tickets, which begin at
¥160 for the shortest distance and increase
according to the distance you travel. Chil-
dren 6 to 11 pay half-fare; children 5 and
under ride free. Vending machines give
change, even for a ¥10,000 note. To pur-
chase your ticket, insert money into the
vending machine until the fare buttons
light up, and then push the amount for
the ticket you want. Your ticket and
change will be deposited at the bottom of
the machine.
Before purchasing your ticket, you first
have to figure out your fare. Fares are
posted on a large subway map above the
vending machines, but they're often in
Japanese; most stations also post a smaller
map or table listing fares in English, but
you may have to search for it. An alterna-
tive is to look at the subway map contained
in the “Tourist Map of Tokyo,” issued by
the Tourist Information Center—it lists
stations in both Japanese and English.
Once you know what the Japanese charac-
ters look like, you may be able to locate
your station and its corresponding fare. If

you still don't know the fare, ask a station
attendant, or buy the cheapest ticket for
¥160. When you reach your destination,
look for the fare adjustment machine just
before the exit wicket; insert your ticket to
find out how much more you owe, or go to
the exit, where a subway employee will tell
you how much you owe. In any case, be
sure to hang on to your ticket, since you
must give it up at the exit wicket at the end
of your journey.
Because buying individual tickets is a
hassle (and vending machines are unfortu-
nately not as user-friendly as the subway
system is), I suggest buying either a Suica
or Pasmo card (see above). There are also
One-Day Open Tickets for unlimited
1-day rides on subways. The ¥710 1-day
ticket (¥600 if you buy it at Narita Air-
port) is for use on Tokyo Metro lines
(including the Ginza, Hibiya, Marunou-
chi, and Chiyoda lines), while the ¥1,000
1-day ticket can be used on all subway
lines of both the Metro and Toei compa-
nies. These are sold at vending machines
and are inserted into the ticket gate at the
entrance to the platform, just like a regular
ticket, except this time you'll retrieve it
when you reach your destination.
HOURS Most subways run from about
5am to midnight, although the times of
the first and last trains depend on the line,
the station, and whether it's a weekday or
weekend. Schedules are posted in the sta-
tions, but most days, trains arrive every 3
to 5 minutes.
For more information on tickets, passes,
and lines for the subway, as well as a
detailed subway map and brochure, stop
by Metro Information desks located at
Ginza, Shinjuku, Omotesando, and other
major stations in Tokyo. Or check the
website www.tokyometro.jp/global.en .
Staff at the Metro's Customer Relations
Center, & 03/3941-2004, speak Japanese
only. Information on Toei Subway is
available at www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp .

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