{"id":712,"date":"2026-09-08T13:38:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T04:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/halalgourmet.jp\/blog\/?p=712"},"modified":"2026-09-08T18:35:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T09:35:35","slug":"getting-around-tokyo-by-train","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/halalgourmet.jp\/blog\/en\/2026\/09\/08\/getting-around-tokyo-by-train\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Around Tokyo by Train: 5 Things to Know Before Your First Ride"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A
At Ochanomizu, a subway line and a JR line run side by side. Photo: sodai gomi \/ CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Thank you, as always, for using Halal Gourmet Japan. This time we are looking at something every trip in Japan depends on: getting around.<\/p>

This article contains affiliate links. If you book through them, Halal Gourmet Japan may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.<\/em><\/p>

The first look at a Tokyo rail map can be overwhelming. But for the areas most travelers actually visit, there is not much to memorize. Carry one IC card, type your destination into a map app, and you have covered almost every trip you will make.<\/p>

This article narrows it down to five things worth knowing before you start moving around Tokyo, plus a section on fitting prayer and meals into your day. Getting from the airport into the city, and finding places to eat around major stations, will be covered in separate articles.<\/p>

1. Get one IC card<\/h2>

You ride trains and buses in Tokyo by tapping an IC card. There is no ticket to buy and no fare to calculate. On buses you tap as you board, and on some routes you tap again as you get off. The same card also pays at convenience stores, vending machines, and coin lockers.<\/p>

\"The
Tap the card on the glowing blue pad. Photo: RuinDig\/Yuki Uchida \/ CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Visitors have four main options.<\/p>

Card<\/th>Valid for<\/th>Deposit<\/th>Balance refund<\/th>Top up with<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Welcome Suica (card)<\/td>28 days including the day of purchase<\/td>None<\/td>No<\/td>Cash only (up to 20,000 yen)<\/td><\/tr>
Welcome Suica Mobile (iOS app)<\/td>—<\/td>None<\/td>—<\/td>Credit card registered in Apple Pay<\/td><\/tr>
TOURIST PASMO<\/td>28 days from the day of purchase<\/td>—<\/td>No<\/td>—<\/td><\/tr>
Regular Suica \/ PASMO (non-personalized)<\/td>No expiry<\/td>500 yen<\/td>Yes<\/td>Cash<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>

Welcome Suica<\/strong> is issued by JR East for visitors to Japan. It needs no deposit, and you do not have to return it when it expires. In exchange, the remaining balance is not refunded, so top up only what you expect to spend. It comes in amounts from 1,000 to 10,000 yen and is sold at dedicated vending machines at Narita and Haneda airports, and at JR EAST Travel Service Centers including Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, and Ueno stations. (Source: JR East<\/a>, retrieved September 8, 2026)<\/p>

Welcome Suica Mobile<\/strong> is an iOS app. You can top it up with a credit card registered in Apple Pay, so you can start using it without Japanese cash in hand. If you would rather pay with a card issued outside Japan, this is the easier route. (Source: JR East<\/a>, retrieved September 8, 2026)<\/p>

TOURIST PASMO<\/strong> is the visitor version of PASMO. It is valid for 28 days from the day you buy it, and its balance is not refunded either. (Source: PASMO<\/a>, retrieved September 8, 2026)<\/p>

Suica and PASMO work the same way. Whichever one you hold, you can tap it on JR lines, subways, private railways, and buses without thinking about which company runs them.<\/p>

Station coin lockers take the same card. At major stations in peak season, though, finding a free one can take a while. On days when you are moving with large bags, one option is to reserve space in advance with a luggage storage service such as Bounce<\/a>, which uses spare room in shops around the city.<\/p>

2. Remember that different companies run different lines<\/h2>

Tokyo’s railways are not operated by a single company. Three operators cover most of what travelers use.<\/p>