The first time you look at a Tokyo rail map it can feel like a bowl of colored spaghetti — JR lines, Tokyo Metro, Toei subway, and a dozen private railways all woven together. The good news: you don't need to understand the whole map. Get one rechargeable IC card and one transit app, and the network turns into the fastest, cheapest, most reliable way to move around the city. Within a week or two it becomes second nature.
Step one: get an IC card (Suica or PASMO)
An IC card is a rechargeable tap-to-ride card. You load money onto it, tap it on the reader at the ticket gate when you enter and again when you exit, and the correct fare is calculated and deducted automatically — no need to figure out the price of each trip in advance. The two main Tokyo cards are Suica (issued by JR East) and PASMO (issued by the subway and private railways). They work almost identically and are accepted on JR, Tokyo Metro, Toei, buses, and most other trains across the region, so just pick whichever is easy to get.
- 1You have two equally good options, so pick whichever suits you. (a) A physical card, bought from a ticket machine or station window at airports and major stations (a refundable deposit usually applies). (b) A mobile card that lives in your phone's Wallet, often the simplest option for residents. Both are easy to get — physical Suica and PASMO are sold normally again, so there's no need to worry about availability. If you're only visiting short-term, the airport counters also sell no-deposit tourist IC cards valid for about 28 days — Welcome Suica, and a new Tourist PASMO from 2026.
- 2For a physical card: find a ticket vending machine, choose the IC card / charge option, and follow the on-screen prompts (machines have an English button). Load cash to start.
- 3For mobile (iPhone / Apple Watch): on a recent iPhone you can add a mobile Suica or PASMO straight from the Apple Wallet app — tap '+', choose 'Transit Card', select Suica or PASMO, and top it up with a card already in Wallet. If your iPhone can't add it that way, the free 'Welcome Suica' app sets one up without needing a Japanese Apple ID.
- 4For mobile on Android: a mobile IC card requires a phone that supports Japan's Osaifu-Keitai / FeliCa feature — many phones bought outside Japan do not. If yours does, add Suica or PASMO through Google Wallet.
- 5Keep a balance topped up. You can recharge with cash at any ticket machine, or add money in-app from a registered card.
How to ride and transfer
- Tap in: touch your card or phone flat on the IC reader at the gate as you enter. The gate opens and a green light shows. If it beeps red, your balance is likely too low — top up at a nearby machine.
- Tap out: touch the reader again at your destination gate. The fare is deducted automatically based on distance.
- Transfers: many lines connect underground or through linked stations, so you often stay inside the gates and just follow signs to your next line. Look for the colored line symbols and platform numbers on the overhead signage.
- Some transfers (for example switching between JR and a private railway, or Metro and Toei) require tapping out of one system and into another. With an IC card this happens automatically — just tap at each gate you pass through.
- Find your route with an app rather than the wall map. Google Maps and Japan Transit Planner (Jorudan / NAVITIME-style apps) give you the platform, departure times, transfers, and fare in English.
One card does almost everything. The same Suica or PASMO works for trains, subways, and buses across the Tokyo area, and also pays at convenience stores, vending machines, and many shops. You rarely need a paper ticket — keep one card charged and you're set.
Etiquette: ride like a local
- Keep it quiet. Set your phone to silent mode and don't take calls on board. Conversations are kept low; the trains are notably hushed even when packed.
- Respect priority seats. These seats near the doors are for elderly passengers, people with disabilities, pregnant passengers, and those with small children. Offer your seat, and avoid using them when others may need them.
- Queue and let people off first. Line up at the marked spots on the platform, stand aside to let passengers exit, then board in order.
- Mind your bag and space. In crowds, wear backpacks on your front or lower them off your shoulders so you don't knock into others.
- Watch for women-only cars during the morning rush — they're marked with pink signs on the platform and apply only at certain times.
- Go easy on eating and drinking. A quick sip from a water bottle is generally fine on a commuter train; it's meals and strong-smelling food that people avoid. Don't litter. Eating is fine on long-distance and Shinkansen services.
- Mistakes newcomers make: forgetting to tap out — your next entry can be blocked until a station agent fixes it, so always tap both in and out.
- Letting the balance run dry at the gate. Top up before you travel, especially before a morning commute.
- Getting the escalator wrong. People in Tokyo still often stand on the left and leave the right open for walkers, but the official rule now — pushed by JR East and Tokyo Metro safety campaigns — is to stand still on both sides and not walk on the escalator at all. Follow the posted signs; either way, just don't block the steps.
- Boarding the women-only car by mistake at rush hour. Check the platform floor markings and signs.
- Trusting the wall map over an app. Let Google Maps or a transit app pick the route, platform, and transfer for you.
- Suica or PASMO — which should I get?
- It barely matters. They're accepted on the same trains, subways, and buses and used the same way. Pick whichever is convenient — for example whichever your phone offers, or whichever station window is closest. You generally only need one.
- Can I use my phone instead of a card?
- Yes. iPhone and Apple Watch can hold a mobile Suica or PASMO in Apple Wallet and tap through gates with Express Mode (no need to unlock). On Android it works only if your phone supports Japan's FeliCa / Osaifu-Keitai feature. Check Apple's or your card's official page for device requirements.
- What if I tap in but my balance is too low to exit?
- Don't worry — use a 'fare adjustment' (精算 / charge) machine near the exit gates, or the IC charge function, to top up before tapping out. Station staff at the gate can also help.
