One of the best things about travelling around Japan is its efficient transportation options, especially its trains. In Tokyo, it’s easy to know which train lines you should take to get to your destinations. But if you’re not, be sure to check the Tokyo railway map and the Tokyo subway lines.
Haven’t quite figured out to get around Tokyo by train yet? Lucky for you, we’ve put together a guide just for that!
Tokyo subway lines
Get around Japan easily with their railways. Photo credits to @hktram0311 on Unsplash
Tokyo is home to one of the world's most extensive rail and subway networks, with Shinjuku Station ranking as the busiest station. This makes moving around the area extremely simple and efficient.
For your convenience, here’s a list of the main railways and subways to get around Tokyo:
- JR East lines in Tokyo
- Yamanote Line: Connects Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa, Tokyo, Ueno and Ikebukuro, Harajuku, Ebisu, Shimbashi, and Akihabara stations
- Keihin-Tohoku Line: Runs north to south from Saitama Prefecture through Akihabara, Ueno, Tokyo, and Shinagawa on to Yokohama
- Chuo Main Line: Runs westward from Tokyo Station through Shinjuku, Mitaka, Takao, and to Nagoya
- Sobu Line: Goes east to west through Chiba Prefecture, and Tokyo from Chiba to Mitaka
- Keiyo Line: Goes eastward from Tokyo Station to Maihama (Tokyo Disneyland) and Chibaminato
- Other railways (Note: these don’t accept Japan Rail Pass)
- Toyoko Line: Links Shibuya with Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, stopping at Naka-Meguro and to Motomachi-Chukagai in Yokohama’s Chinatown
- Rinkai Line: Runs from Osaki on the Yamanote Line to Tokyo Teleport in Odaiba Island on Tokyo Bay to Shin-Kiba Station on Keiyo and Yurakucho lines
- Monorails
- Tokyo Monorail: Connects Hamamatsucho Station to Haneda Airport
- Yurikamome: Runs from Shimbashi to Toyosu, passing through the island of Odaiba at Odaiba-kaihinkoen Station and the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition space at Kokusai-tenjijo-seimon Station
- Tokyo Metro
- Ginza Line: Runs from Shibuya to Omotesando to Ginza, and to Asakusa
- Marunouchi Line: Goes from Ogikubo to the major transport hub of Shinjuku to Ginza to Tokyo Station, that has bullet train services to Kyoto and Osaka, and to Ikebukuro
- Hibiya Line: Runs from Naka-Meguro to Ebisu and Roppongi, to Ginza and Akihabara before stopping at the Ueno rail hub and terminating at Kita-Senju
- Fukutoshin Line: Has trains connecting the shopping areas of Ikebukuro, Shinjuku-Sanchome and Shibuya
- Toei Subway
- Asakusa Line: Connects Asakusa with Nihombashi, Higashi-Ginza and Shimbashi; Keisei and Keikyu lines allow access to Narita and Haneda airports
- Oedo Line: Forms a loop under central Tokyo, stopping at Shinjuku, Roppongi, Shiodome and Ryogoku, home to the Kokugikan sumo wrestling stadium
To make things easier, you can always book a Japan Rail Pass with Klook, which is valid for 7, 14, or 21 days!
If you need to know more about the JR Pass, you can read more about it in our complete guide.
Six useful apps for travelling around Japan
Use different apps to guide you around Tokyo’s trains. Photo credits to @alexeckermann on Unsplash
Getting around Japan without knowing any Japanese can be daunting and really difficult at times, but with technology you can be guided during your trip with the touch of a button. These apps will be able to help you read Tokyo railway maps like a local!
We found six of the most useful apps to help you during your Japan holiday, which you can download right before your trip. All of these apps are available on both the App Store and Google Play, just search and download it onto your phone!
1. Google Maps
Google Maps is a useful navigation app. Photo credits to Tamas Tuzes-Katai on Unsplash
Most people already have this on their phone, but if you don’t make sure to download it soon. Google Maps is probably the most popular navigation app and for a good reason. Besides helping you get to your next destination, it also suggests which train lines you can take to get there. There’s no need to constantly check Tokyo railway maps with this one!
It’s easy to use and its estimated time of arrival is very accurate. Even Japanese citizens use this app for their everyday travel!
2. Norikae Annai-Japan Transit-s
Save time by using train travel apps to get around Tokyo. Photo credits to Don Fontijn on Unsplash
Norikae Annai is also one of the most downloaded apps in Japan, as most locals use this app for their everyday commute. This app is also easy to use for first-timers in Tokyo. The app has details on how to transfer by railways or airplanes in Japan.
Of course, it also has Tokyo railway maps and a timetable where you can calculate the ride time.
3. Japan Travel
The Japan Travel app lets you know about free Wi-Fi spots, just in case! Photo credits to @topologiraffe on Unsplash
Managed by NAVITIME, the Japan Travel app contains information about train transit and connection routes. Other than Tokyo’s subway lines, it also has an offline search for free WiFi spots, so you can connect to the Internet when you need to.
This app also allows you to find out train delays and saves your recent routes offline.
4. HyperDia
No need to keep checking Tokyo railway maps with helpful apps. Photo credits to @shiniphotos on Unsplash
Like Google Maps, HyperDia is an essential app for those who love to travel. It’s easy to use and it’s the ultimate app for train travel in any country.
It’s useful when you travel around Japan in particular, especially when you have the JR Pass as it can filter out Nozomi and Mizuho trains in your search so you only see trains that your pass can use. Even if you don’t have a JR Pass, the app also shows you which trains to take to get to your destination.
Get around Japan with a breeze. Book your JR Pass with Klook now!
To make sure you’re getting all the perks of the JR Pass, check out this article to claim them all!
5. Tokyo Subway Navigation
If you’re really just staying in Japan’s main city, there’s no need to constantly check the Tokyo railway map with the Tokyo Subway Navigation app.
This app only shows the Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines to simplify your travels, and these lines are also available offline so that you can check them out at any time.
6. Japan Official Travel App
This app was created by the Japan National Tourism Organization so tourists can easily learn more about Japan and visit places that they’ve never heard of before.
The Japan Official Travel App lets you know which train you need to use with ease. All you need to do is click on the map icons, go to the route you plan to take and click on the train icon to search for your current station and destination.
Written by: Nina Marable
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