Survival Guide - Tokyo - page 361

Train & Subway
Best for… getting around the city efficiently.
› Tokyo's train network runs approximately 5am to midnight and includes Japan
Rail (JR) lines, 13 subway lines - four operated by Toei and nine by Tokyo Metro -
and numerous private commuter lines.
› The line you'll probably use the most is the JR Yamanote Line, the city's elevated
loop line that runs through many key sightseeing areas.
› Try to avoid rush hour (around 8am to 9.30am and 5pm to 8pm), when 'packed
in like sardines' is an understatement.
› All train stations have English signage and the lines are conveniently colour-
coded.
› Tickets are sold from vending machines near the automated ticket gates. Look
for the newer touch screen ones that have an English option.
› Fares are determined by how far you ride; there should be a fare chart above the
ticket machines. If your journey involves lines run by different operators, you'll
need to purchase a transfer ticket.
› If you can't work out how much to pay, one easy trick is to buy a ticket at the
cheapest fare (¥130 for JR; ¥160 for Tokyo Metro; ¥170 for Toei) and use one of
the 'fare adjustment' machines, near the exit gates, to settle the difference at the
end of your journey.
› You'll need a valid train ticket to exit the station, so make sure to pick it up when
it pops out of the entry gates.
› Tokyo's competing rail lines can make getting from point A to point B - in the
cheapest, most economical way - a little confusing. Jorudan ( www.jorudan.co.jp/eng-
lish/norikae ) , also available as a smart phone app, is a lifesaver: it calculates routes
by speed and fare.