How do I use the Tokyo subway for the first time?

A first-timer's walkthrough of the Tokyo subway, from reading line letters and station numbers to buying a ticket or tapping a card, transferring and finding the right exit.

Published October 20, 2026 at 6:39 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: To ride the Tokyo subway, find the station number for your line, buy a paper ticket from a machine with an English button or tap a Suica or Pasmo IC card, and enter the gate. Follow the line signs to the right platform and direction, ride, then use the exit signs. Tokyo Metro and Toei lines are run by two operators.

Understanding the network before you go

Tokyo has two subway operators. Tokyo Metro runs nine lines and Toei runs four: Asakusa, Mita, Shinjuku and Oedo. The Tokyo tourism guide reports that together they serve more than 280 stations. The two systems connect at many stations, which is helpful once you know that they sell separate tickets.

Each line has a name, a color and a letter. Tokyo Metro's English guide explains that every station has a station number made of a letter for the line and a number for the station, shown inside a circle in the line's color. This is one of the easiest ways to navigate without reading Japanese. For example, if a station is numbered G09 on the Ginza line, you can count the stops to a nearby number on the same line.

The map is your friend. Tokyo Metro offers an English subway map as a free PDF, and station entrances show the line name, color and number. Keep the map on your phone, and compare the numbers on the platform signs with your planned route.

Step-by-step: from the entrance to the platform

Look at the sign at the station entrance to confirm the station name, line and number. Inside, follow the overhead signs that show line symbols and names. Tokyo Metro says blue signs guide you to transfers and yellow signs guide you to exits, which helps when a station has several levels.

Next, get your fare. Tokyo Metro advises looking up the fare first with its online fare search, then using the machine's touch screen, where the International Languages button in the top-right corner switches to English. For a regular ticket, choose to purchase a ticket, touch your fare, insert coins or bills and collect the ticket and change. Machines can also find a fare by station name or by line and number.

Then go through the gate. Paper tickets go into the slot at the gate, and you take the ticket as you pass through. For an IC card, touch it to the reader marked with the IC logo and wait for the beep. Find the platform for your line and direction, which shows the stops in each direction, and confirm the platform number before you wait.

What it costs and the ticket choices

Fares are based on distance. Tokyo Metro's regular ticket page lists fares by distance bands, starting at 180 yen for the shortest band and rising for longer bands, with children paying about half. The Tokyo tourism guide says Toei fares run from 180 to 430 yen. These numbers can change, so use the fare search for current prices.

Paper tickets for each company are separate. Tokyo Metro and Toei sell their own tickets, and buying a Metro ticket does not pay for a Toei ride. If your trip uses both, you can use a transfer ticket. Tokyo Metro's transfer ticket page says a 70 yen discount applies to a ticket from a Metro station to a Toei station, and that the ticket is valid only on the day of purchase.

IC cards are the easiest option for most visitors. The card is topped up at machines, and the fare is deducted automatically. Tokyo Metro states that Pasmo and Suica can be topped up at ticket machines. Tokyo Metro also lists a Tap to Ride service that lets some credit cards be used at the gate. Tourist passes for unlimited rides over 24, 48 or 72 hours are sold by the operators, and the Toei page lists prices for those, which can change.

Transfers, exits and station layouts

Transfers can be simple or long. Some stations let you change lines without passing a gate, and others require you to go through orange transfer gates. Tokyo Metro lists the stations where this applies and says transfers between its lines should be finished within 60 minutes. With an IC card, the correct fare is calculated when you exit.

Large stations can feel like mazes. Use the blue transfer signs to find the platform for your next line, and look at the names of the last station on the platform sign to confirm the direction. Allow extra time for the first transfers, especially at big interchange stations, because walking distances can be long.

When you arrive, check the direction board for the gate and exit number that leads to your destination. After you pass the gate, follow the yellow exit signs and the vicinity map to the exit number; signs are usually in Japanese and English. Many stations have a dozen exits, so choosing the right one saves a lot of walking above ground.

Who it suits and manners to know

The subway suits almost everyone, including solo travelers, families and older visitors. Station facilities include elevators, escalators and accessible toilets, and Tokyo Metro's guide includes a table of station symbols for these. Staff at the station office can help if you need directions or have a problem with a gate or a ticket.

Etiquette is simple. Passengers are commonly asked to put phones on silent and avoid calls, to offer priority seats to older riders, people with disabilities, parents with infants and pregnant passengers, and, as Tokyo Metro notes, to wait behind the yellow warning blocks and let passengers off before boarding. Women-only cars run on some lines during the morning rush, and signs on the platform show where and when.

Rush hours are busy. The Tokyo tourism guide notes that rush hour is roughly 7:30 to 9:30 in the morning and 17:30 to 19:30 in the evening, with mornings the most crowded. If you travel with a stroller or large luggage, aim for mid-morning or early afternoon. Take your backpack off in a crowded car so it does not bump others.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common mistake is using the wrong ticket for a transfer. If you buy a Tokyo Metro ticket and then try to exit at a Toei station, the gate may not open. Ask station staff for help. If your ticket is simply short on value, Tokyo Metro says you pay the difference at a fare adjustment machine.

Another mistake is taking the wrong direction. Check the platform sign for the final station name and the list of stops before you board, and use the displays above the doors, which show the current and next stations. Do not rush to catch a train. The operator asks passengers to allow extra time and wait for the next one.

A third mistake is leaving too little time on the last train. The Tokyo tourism guide says that trains generally run from about 5:00 to 24:00 and that last trains usually leave between 23:30 and 00:30. Check the timetable for your line, because the last train times vary by station and by day.

Wrap-up and practical next steps

For a first ride, check your route, buy a ticket or IC card, enter the gate, find the platform, and follow the signs to your exit. Station numbers and line colors guide you even without reading Japanese. Keep your ticket until you exit.

Before you go, download the English map, look up your fare and the last train, and carry a Suica or Pasmo card if you can. Buying a card or ticket is quick, and staff can assist if needed. This guide shares general information; rules change, so confirm details with the official agency or provider before you act.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do ticket machines in Tokyo stations have English?

Yes. Tokyo Metro's guide says the touch screen has an International Languages button in the top-right corner that switches to English. Machines can also search by station name or by line and station number. If a machine looks unfamiliar, station staff can help at the nearby office.

Can a credit card be used at the subway gate?

Tokyo Metro lists a Tap to Ride service in which some credit cards can be tapped at the gate. Availability depends on the card, and the operator's page explains how to use it. A rechargeable IC card remains the most common choice.

What happens if the ticket is too short for the trip?

Go to a fare adjustment machine near the exit gates. Tokyo Metro says that if a ticket's value is less than the fare for the distance traveled, you pay the difference. IC card users have the difference deducted automatically as long as the card has enough balance.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Tokyo, Made Simple is available on Amazon.

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More guides from Tokyo Paul: What is the difference between JR, Tokyo Metro and Toei lines?, How do train fares work in Japan, including limited express charges? and Station Numbers and Signs in Japan: Reading the Letter-and-Number Codes.