Tokyo Metro
Trains that are never more than a minute late, running across the most complex metro network ever built.
Tokyo has two metro operators running 13 lines side by side: Tokyo Metro (9 lines, privately operated) and Toei Subway (4 lines, municipal). Together they cover 285 stations and carry around 8 million passengers a day. The network opened in 1927 with the Ginza Line - the first metro in Asia - and is known for a punctuality record that most railways in the world can only dream about.
History of the Tokyo Metro
Tokyo's first metro line opened on 30 December 1927 between Asakusa and Ueno - a stretch of just 2.2 km that became the first underground railway in Asia. The Ginza Line, as it is now known, was extended rapidly through the 1930s. After the Second World War, a second operator, the Toei Subway, was established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to run additional lines. Today the two companies operate side by side: Tokyo Metro runs nine lines (Ginza, Marunouchi, Hibiya, Tozai, Chiyoda, Yurakucho, Hanzomon, Namboku and Fukutoshin), while Toei runs four (Asakusa, Mita, Shinjuku and Oedo). Together they serve 285 stations across 13 lines and more than 304 km of track. The Shinjuku hub, shared with JR and private railways, holds the Guinness World Record as the world's busiest station, handling around 3.5 million passengers on a typical day. The metro's average train delay is less than one minute per year - a figure that regularly draws disbelief from passengers used to other networks.
Metro Lines
How to Use the Tokyo Metro
- 1
Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card at any JR East ticket machine or Tokyo Metro machine. You load money onto it and tap in and out at every gate. Both cards work across Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, JR lines, most buses, and even at convenience stores and vending machines.
- 2
Fares are calculated by distance. The minimum fare on Tokyo Metro is around 180 yen (roughly USD 1.20) and rises with each additional zone crossed. Paper tickets are available but IC cards are cheaper and much faster.
- 3
Tokyo Metro and Toei are separate companies with separate fares. If you transfer from a Tokyo Metro line to a Toei line, you pay a new base fare unless you buy a combined day pass. The Common One-Day Ticket (900 yen) covers both operators and is worth it if you plan more than five or six journeys.
- 4
Every platform has screen doors that open only when the train arrives. Stand behind the yellow tactile strip, let passengers off first, then board calmly. The queuing process is orderly and taken seriously.
- 5
Rush hour (07:30 to 09:30 on weekday mornings) is extremely crowded on lines like the Tozai, which has been measured as the most congested in the world at around 199 percent capacity. If you can adjust your timing by 30 minutes either way, do.
- 6
Station names are shown in Japanese, hiragana and romaji (English letters) everywhere - on platforms, inside trains and on the maps. The network is genuinely easy to navigate even if you cannot read Japanese.
Fare Guide
Travel Tips for Tokyo
- Pick up your Suica card at Narita or Haneda Airport the moment you land. It saves time at every gate, works on buses to your hotel and can be used to pay at combinis (convenience stores). You can top it up at any station.
- The 24-hour (800 yen), 48-hour (1,200 yen) and 72-hour (1,500 yen) Tokyo Metro tourist passes cover unlimited travel on all nine Tokyo Metro lines. They are sold at airport stations and are good value on sightseeing-heavy days in central Tokyo.
- Large suitcases should go in a coin locker at your arrival station before you start exploring. Taking big bags onto a crowded rush-hour train is considered very inconsiderate, and the lockers at major stations are easy to use.
- Eating and drinking on the metro is not done. Talking on the phone is frowned upon. Phones should be on silent (manner mode). These norms are universally observed and visitors who follow them are appreciated.
- The last trains on most lines run between midnight and 00:30. After that, taxis are available everywhere but expensive - a cross-city journey can easily cost 3,000-5,000 yen. Plan your evening with the last train time in mind.
- The JR Yamanote Line, which loops around central Tokyo, is not part of Tokyo Metro but accepts the same Suica card. It connects Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ebisu, Meguro, Shinagawa, Tokyo, Akihabara, Ueno and Ikebukuro - all the major hubs.
Accessibility
248/ 285 stations
Step-free access (87% coverage)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Tokyo Metro cost?
With an IC card (Suica or Pasmo), the minimum fare is around 180 yen. Most journeys across central Tokyo cost between 180 and 320 yen. A tourist 24-hour pass for the nine Tokyo Metro lines costs 800 yen. The Combined One-Day Ticket for both Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines costs 900 yen.
What is the difference between Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway?
They are two separate metro companies that share stations and look almost identical to passengers. Tokyo Metro is privately owned and runs nine lines; Toei is run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and runs four lines. Your Suica card works on both, but a transfer between the two operators is charged as a separate fare unless you have a combined day pass.
Do I need a Suica card or can I buy paper tickets?
You can buy single paper tickets at machines in every station, but an IC card is strongly recommended. It is cheaper (small discount on every journey), far faster at the gate and works on every rail line in Japan, most buses, and for small payments at shops. Buy one at any JR East machine for a 500 yen deposit, or at Tokyo Metro machines.
How do I get from Narita Airport to Tokyo by metro?
The metro does not reach Narita. Your best options are the Narita Express (N'EX) train from Narita to Shinjuku, Shibuya or Tokyo station (55-90 minutes), or the Keisei Skyliner to Nippori and Ueno (41 minutes). Both accept IC cards or separate tickets. From Ueno or Shinjuku you can connect to the metro.
What time does the Tokyo Metro close?
Most lines run from around 05:00 to between midnight and 00:30. The last trains on every line are clearly posted at each station and shown in the apps. There is no night service. After the last train, taxis are the main option.
Is the Tokyo Metro accessible for wheelchair users?
Most stations now have elevators - around 248 of 285 stations are step-free. Every train car has priority seating and designated wheelchair spaces. Platform screen doors align precisely with the carriage doors, making boarding straightforward. Accessibility has improved dramatically since the 2000s.
Shinjuku
Shinjuku is the busiest railway station in the world, handling over 3.
Shibuya
Shibuya station sits at the heart of Tokyo's most youthful and energetic district, presided over by the famous Scramble Crossing - where up to 3,000 pedestrians cross simultaneously on one of the world's largest and most photographed intersections.
Tokyo
Tokyo Station is the main terminus and one of the architectural highlights of the capital - the Marunouchi red-brick facade (restored in 2012) is one of Japan's most photographed buildings.
Ueno
Ueno is Tokyo's premier museum and cultural district, home to the Tokyo National Museum (Japan's oldest and largest), the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, National Museum of Nature and Science, and Ueno Zoo - all set around Ueno Park, famous for its breathtaking cherry blossom displays every April.
Ginza
Ginza is Tokyo's equivalent of the Champs-Élysées or Bond Street - Japan's most prestigious shopping and cultural district, lined with flagship stores of Chanel, Hermès, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Apple, alongside the Kabuki-za (Japan's principal kabuki theatre) and numerous art galleries.
Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro is north-west Tokyo's main hub - a major shopping and entertainment district with a slightly grittier, more local character than Shibuya.
Asakusa
Asakusa is Tokyo's most traditionally Japanese district, centred on Senso-ji - Tokyo's oldest and most visited temple, founded in 628 AD.
Roppongi
Roppongi is Tokyo's international district and the city's premier nightlife zone, famous for its clubs, bars and international restaurants.
Akihabara
Akihabara - 'Electric Town' - is the global capital of anime, manga, gaming and electronics culture, where multi-storey buildings are packed with retro video games, figurines, trading cards, maid cafés, and the latest electronics.
Omotesando
Omotesando is Tokyo's most fashionable boulevard - the 'Champs-Élysées of Tokyo' - lined with flagship stores by the world's leading architects: Tadao Ando's Omotesando Hills, Herzog & de Meuron's Prada building, SANAA's Christian Dior building.
Otemachi
Otemachi is the heart of Japan's corporate and banking world, surrounded by the headquarters of Japan's largest companies and financial institutions.
Kasumigaseki
Kasumigaseki is the Tokyo equivalent of Whitehall - the administrative centre of Japan where the majority of government ministries and agencies are located, including the National Diet Building (Japan's parliament), the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nihombashi
Nihombashi is where Tokyo and Japan began - the historic stone bridge is the official geographical centre of Japan, marked by a bronze zero-milestone marker from which all road distances in Japan are measured.
Ebisu
Ebisu is one of Tokyo's most pleasant residential and dining neighbourhoods, centred on Yebisu Garden Place - a beautifully restored complex on the site of the former Sapporo brewery (1890).
Tsukiji
Tsukiji station is adjacent to the world-famous Tsukiji Outer Market - the public portion of what was once the world's largest fish market (the inner wholesale market moved to Toyosu in 2018).
Kichijoji
Kichijoji consistently ranks as Tokyo residents' most desired place to live, combining a great shopping arcade (Sun Road), vibrant nightlife, excellent restaurants and the beautiful Inokashira Park - one of Tokyo's most loved green spaces, with a central pond, paddleboats and Inokashira Zoo.
Meguro
Meguro is a leafy, mid-range residential and dining neighbourhood best known as the starting point for the Meguro River walking route - an exceptional experience during cherry blossom season when the trees lining the river burst into bloom.
Tochomae
Tochomae is named for its location directly beneath the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building - the seat of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and one of the city's most recognisable modern landmarks.
Odaiba-kaihinkōen
Odaiba-kaihinkōen is on the Yurikamome automated monorail, serving the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay - a futuristic entertainment and shopping destination offering spectacular views of Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline.
Nakano
Nakano is a popular residential district that has become a significant destination for otaku (anime and manga enthusiasts) culture, centred on Nakano Broadway - a 1966 shopping mall that has evolved into one of Japan's premier destinations for anime, manga, trading cards, figurines and vintage collectibles.