I get a lot of questions asking me how to navigate the trains in Tokyo. Well, I hope this Easy Guide will clear things up on how to take a train in Japan. Some of you noticed part 1. Well, I plan on making a video on this after my trip to Japan just in case. Through my travels in Japan, the most common way of traveling around minus your own 2 feet is taking the train. Most trains in Japan stops at popular districts or popular cities. In Tokyo, train station are almost everywhere. If you are visiting Tokyo, most hotels are in walking distance of a train station.

For now, this Easy Guide will concentrate on the JR Rails in Tokyo. I know there are other train companies like Tokyo Metro or Yurikamome, those I will talk about in a future Easy Guide.

A typical train station in Japan. Most stations will either look like this if not smaller or bigger. This is what I believe is Ueno station.

Example of a train map:

This is the map of the train rail lines in Tokyo.

Full size picture here.

Now when looking at this photo, don’t be afraid. I doubt, unless you are living there that you’ll be riding all these rails. Most people use a few of these lines. When in Tokyo, most people go to the most popular attractions. Such like Tokyo, Ueno, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Akihabara and so on. All trains all color coded according to their lines. Example is the Yamanote line is color coded Light Green/ Lime Green. Each line has it’s own color and each line will head to a different destination. So far, only 1 line in Tokyo is a loop line which is the Yamanote line. This line loops around Tokyo and the entire loop would take around an hour to an hour and 30 minutes to finish. Each train line has 2 rails. One goes one way while the other goes in the opposite direction.

How to navigate a train station in Japan:

Here is some tips on how to navigate a train station in Japan.

When you first enter you see ticket machine counters like so (To the left of the picture). Above is a map of where you are and the train map of the train system. You can either do a few things at these ticket machines. Buy a ticket, purchase a Suica card, or refill a Suica card or Pasmo card. Most of these machines will display English if you press in English button. Let’s start on how to purchase a ticket.

To purchase a ticket, pick a station you want to go to. Say you are in Ikebukuro and want to go to Tokyo Station. It cost around 160yen to get there. You select Tokyo Station or select the amount of fair that it takes to get there. After selecting the place you want to go to, the machine will ask for money. These machines will take either notes (Cash) and coins. If you put a note in, just remember to get the change as these machines will give back your change.*Something to know: If you put a big note in like a 10000yen note for a place that cost 200yen. The machine will give you a 5000yen note and 4 1000yen note with 800yen in coins.*

The other way is to buy a Suica card to make everything easier. A Suica card is a pay as you go card. Pretty much like a train pass but you can keep reusing one as long as you like. How to get one, you go to a major train station say Tokyo, you look for a ticket machine that is blue. Most ticket machines are green but there are usually a blue and pink one as well for Suica cards and Pasmo cards (Same as Suica but the Suica looks a lot better). You go in front of the machine and it says refill or purchase. Push purchase on the machine. Then it tells you to insert 2000yen. The card cost 500yen with 1500yen load inside the card so you can use it right away. Remember, a Suica card is only used in the Kanto region of Japan. Each region in Japan uses a different part of JR rails. Example, Tokyo uses Suica and Kyoto uses Icoca. They work the same but they can’t be used in other regions.

If you got a Suica card or a Pasmo card, but low on money in the card. Then you can just refill it. Just head to a Suica or Pasmo machine at the train station. Insert your card and pick how much you want to refill. Press the amount you want to refill and insert your money. Then once that is done your card will be ejected from the machine and you can take your card.

This is the entrance to get on to the train. You either insert your ticket in the machine entrance or just put your Suica or Pasmo card on the scanner for a second and it’ll let you through. For people who goes through the entrance with a ticket. Don’t forget your ticket as it comes out of the other side. You need the ticket to exit the station at your destination.

To get to the right platform and on to the right train. Just follow the signs. Don’t worry, it’s in English as well…

Say you want to go to Tokyo, you would go on to the platform that says for Tokyo (Platform 3 in the picture).

You know you are on the right platform if the train is heading towards that direction. Each line has 2 other trains going in the opposite direction. So be careful which on which train you’re suppose to take.

Example, if you are going to Akihabara and the sign doesn’t say Akihabara using the Yamanote Line, but says stations that are near it like Tokyo you are fine. Just make sure the train stops at Akiba. Like the Yamanote line sign says it’s for Tabata, Ueno and Tokyo but doesn’t say it’s going to stop at Akihabara, don’t panic. It stops at Akiba station. Just be careful not to take the other train. The other train could be saying heading for Ikebukuro and Shibuya, the opposite direction.

Trains usually stop at stations indicated on the map.

You will also see by looking at the sign, which way the train is heading and telling which stop is next.

After all that, you just wait and enjoy your ride.

Tips for what to do and what not to do on a train in Japan:

- One of the most obvious thing that you should not do in on a train in Japan is talk on your cellphone (This is how foreigners get bad reputations in Japan). You are still allowed to play with your phone, text, or read.

- Don’t disturb other passengers on the train.

- Don’t eat on the train, it’s really bad manners in Japan.

- Don’t talk so loud on the train. Talk quietly is allowed.

- In the summer, all trains will have AC.

-  JR rails usually opens at around 6AM in the morning.

- Keep in mind that trains closes around midnight. The monorail line Yurikamome closes earlier at around 11PM.

- If you are only going to these places, I suggest you take the Yamanote line: Tokyo, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Akihabara, Shinagawa, Shimbashi, Kanda, Ueno, Ikebukuro, or Harajuku.

- Most convenient line in all of Tokyo is the Yamanote Line.

- Unless you like crowded trains, I suggest you avoid rush hour time (the picture above is rush hour time). Usually around from 4PM to 7PM. The trains on major lines like the Yamanote line will be packed with people.

- Get the Suica card, it’s more worth it than the JR train pass as the JR train pass only works on JR Rails and the train pass has a time limit. The Suica unlike the JR pass is allowed on other lines like Tokyo Metro and Yurikamome.

- Read the train make before buying a ticket.

- If you bought the wrong ticket and you are already inside the station, there is a machine on the inside that will help you change your ticket for the right one.

- Trains in Japan are barely (really slim chance) late and are around 2 to 3 minutes apart, this all depends on which line you are on.

- Plan ahead on where you plan on heading in Japan. Research on where you want to go and which line you need to get there and back. It makes things a lot easier. *(My tip, use Wiki or a good travel Japan site…)

Well, I hope this small guide will help you get an understanding about trains in Tokyo. Will return soon with more Easy Guides soon…

PS: Easy Guide to Japan will become a video show which I plan posting on Youtube once I get back from Japan. I’ll still do written versions of Easy Guide as well and post it on the blog. I’ll post a trailer or something once I get back or when I’m in Tokyo (If the internet isn’t slow).

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