Transportation

Using buses in Tokyo can be tedious at times. Bus routes are difficult to grasp, moreover these are often not printed in English. The bus drivers too are not always well-versed in English. However, buses indicate what the end destination is; the fare can be paid once the bus is boarded, to get off passengers must press the button.

Renting a car in Tokyo is not advisable. First of all it is extremely expensive costing anywhere between 6000 and 15000 JPY per day. Furthermore, traffic jams are commonplace; reaching destinations will be time consuming. Thirdly, Tokyo’s public transport is superb; it is better and quicker to use the subway. A number of service providers are available. These include:

Driving yourself around in Tokyo is not advisable. It is difficult to understand which street is which, since they often do not have names but rather numbers assigned to them. Traffic jams are also commonplace. Tourists require an international driving permit as well as a translation of driving licenses from their home countries.

Narita International Airport is located on the outskirts of Tokyo about 60 kilometers away. Tourists can go via JR Narita Express on an hour long train journey to Tokyo station. This ride costs about 3000 JPY. Alternatively tourists can go to Tokyo station via the JR Airport Narita Line which takes a bit longer; almost 90 minutes. The cost is much cheaper at approximately 1300 JPY. Alternatively tourists can go by the Keisei Limited express; this is a 75 minute bus ride into central Tokyo costing a very reasonable 1000 JPY. The bus leaves every 20 minutes from the airport. It is not advisable to take a taxi into central Tokyo as this can take much longer and is extremely expensive costing as much as 20,000 JPY. In addition, many hotels arrange for picking and dropping of guests.

The subway system in Tokyo is world famous for its efficiency. This is a popular mode of travelling in Tokyo amongst locals and tourists alike. The letter “M” indicates stations located nearby. Tickets can be bought at the stations where vending machines are numerous. The 13 lines are opearted by two companies: The Tokyo Metro and Toei. The 13 lines are visibly marked in 13 different colors making it easier for passengers to understand which line covers which part of the city. All announcements are made in English and there is always a screen dispalying the previous and next stops in English. Avoid using the metro during rush hour when the subway is extremely busy making rides rather unpleasant.

Taxis are plentiful, dotting every corner of the city, however, the fares are terribly expensive. Taxis can be hailed outside hotels;at any roadside. If the green light is flashing above the taxi; it indicates that it is occupied. Passengers can hail those with red lights flickering above them which are unoccupied. The taxi door is automatic-opening and closing itself. Taxi drivers sometimes only speak Japanese so be sure he knows/ understands where exactly you wish to be dropped. Price: 640- 680 JPY for first 2 km travelled; an additional 80 JPY for additional 290 m travelled therafter (Charges are 30% more from 11 P.M- 5 A.M)

Trains in Tokyo are operated by East Japan Railways. There are a number of lines covering the city of Tokyo. These include the Yamanote, Chuo, Sobu lines among others. Similar to the Metro, these lines correspond to different colors: green, orange and yellow respectively. Tickets can be bought using the vending machines present at the stations. Price: 130 JPY (cheapest fare); 730 JPY (day pass) Timings: 5 A.M- Midnight Tel: 050-2016-1603 Website: www.jreast.co.jp