Tokyo Metro Pass – Your ticket to navigating Tokyo on the cheap

The Tokyo metro system is the probably the fastest, cheapest way to make your way around the city.

Imagine effortlessly zipping around one of the world's largest cities, hitting all the major sights, and never getting stuck in traffic. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, in Tokyo, it's an everyday reality thanks to its legendary public transport system. But here's the secret: to truly master it and save some yen, you need to know about the magic of Tokyo's day passes.

Become a Tokyo pro

You might arrive in Narita or Haneda, take one look at the spaghetti-bowl map of train lines, and immediately feel a tiny bead of sweat form. But fear not, intrepid explorers! While Tokyo's transport system might look like a mad scientist's wildest dream on paper, it's actually one of the most efficient, punctual, and downright brilliant ways to speed around the city.

Tokyo metropolitan area rail and metro system map (copyright and courtesy of JREast. Available as a high-res download from the JREast website)

Think of it less as a chaotic maze and more as a perfectly oiled machine. You've got your JR (Japan Railways) lines, including the legendary Yamanote Loop, which is basically your best friend for hitting all the major hotspots in a convenient circle. Then, weaving underneath and around, you've got the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines. Yes, they're run by different companies, which can feel a bit like picking between two rival superhero teams, but they all generally play nice and get you where you need to go with incredible speed and mind-boggling precision.

No matter where you're headed – from the neon glow of Shinjuku to the serene gardens of the Imperial Palace, or the quirky vibes of Harajuku – this interconnected web of trains and subways is your magic carpet. Forget taxis, forget walking miles... well, no, sorry, you WILL be walking miles no matter what.  But there's a certain thrill to mastering the system, feeling like a true Tokyoite as you effortlessly navigate the underground world. And the good news? A day pass will save you time and money while you do it. So, let’s explore your options.

Should I buy a Tokyo Subway pass?

Save your JR Pass for travel outside Tokyo

You’re saying: “I’ve already invested a sizeable wad of yen in a JR Rail Pass and now you’re telling me I need one of these here Metro passes too?” and I get where you’re coming from. Just how many tickets does one person need, amiright? But: the JR Rail Pass will be of limited use to you in the city itself. Take a look at the fancy Tokyo transport map above. You see the big green circle line? That’s the Yamanote (“Ya-ma-not-ay”) and it’s a JR line. Technically, your JR Rail Pass is valid for the Yamanote but at €324/$368 (June 2025) for a seven-day pass, you’d have to make something like 40+ trips on the Yamanote in one day to get your money’s worth.

Save time and shoe leather

Even if you don’t mind sacrificing a day of your JR Rail Pass for a day in Tokyo, the Yamanote isn’t the most practical way of seeing the city. Sure, it covers some of your big bucket-list hubs of Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku and Akihabara, but if you restrict yourself to the Yamanote, other must-sees (Asakusa? SkyTree? Roppongi?) are going to be a lot harder to reach. It’s also going to cost you precious exploring time: one journey from Shinjuku to Tokyo station, for example, takes 15 minutes longer on the Yamanote than by Metro. The Yamanote stations are also fewer and further between so you can expect to have to do a lot more walking.

“Taxis are the most convenient way to get around Tokyo, right?”

OK, Moneybags. You do you. Just keep in mind that one short journey by taxi, let’s say Ueno park to Sky Tree is likely to cost more than a one-day metro pass, and you’ll be at the mercy of traffic congestion as you watch that meter clock up. We admit: sometimes it’s tempting to grab a cab, especially at the end of the day when your feet are threatening to turn you into the toe-cruelty authorities, but generally speaking, taxiing it around Tokyo simply isn’t necessary... and it’s less fun, too.

Save your yen for Starbucks

You wake up in Tokyo: what’s the plan for today? If your itinerary involves making 3-4 trips on the underground network, you’re probably going to break even with a day ticket. Any trips above and beyond this are for free! One-way trips on the Metro cost between 180 and 330 yen, while metro day passes start at 700 yen. Be aware, though, that they don’t all cover all lines (see our breakdown below).

No more ticket machine headaches

A metro day pass will of course also save you having to buy a new ticket for each journey you make, which is a plus for all those who don’t get great pleasure out of standing in front of the big route map at the station with increasingly damp armpits, trying to work out where, how and indeed maybe why. You will also have to forego the thrill of pushing random buttons on a ticket machine in the hope of buying something that won’t make the gates alarm when you attempt to exit at the other side of your journey.

OK, OK, I’m sold. Give me a Tokyo Metro Pass already.

Not so fast. See, you’ve got several options, covering different lines and at different prices. The subway system in Tokyo is run by two different companies, Tokyo Metro and Toei, and the tickets aren’t interchangeable. Then we throw JR and a handful of other private railways into the mix. Let’s take a look at (some of) the different day passes available:

Tokyo Metro 24-hour ticket

Price*: 700 yen

Covers: Only Tokyo Metro lines

The ticket is valid for 24 hours from first use, but first use must be on the day of purchase, otherwise they become void.

Toei One-Day Pass

Price*: 700 yen

Covers: Toei Subway lines, Toei buses, Toden trams

This ticket is valid for the day of purchase.

Common One-Day Ticket for Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway

Price*: 900 yen

Covers: All Tokyo Metro lines and all Toei Subway lines

The ticket is valid for the day of purchase only. It is possible to buy them in advance but not from regular ticket machines: you’ll have to go to the station ticket office. A tourist version is also available.

Tokyo Subway 24-hour/48-hour/72-hour Ticket

Price*: 800/1200/1500 yen

Covers: All Tokyo Metro lines and all Toei Subway lines

This is the cheapo version of the Common One-Day Ticket and is available only to domestic and overseas tourists. You can buy it in advance online: you get a QR code that you can then scan at a ticket machine (at most but not every station) within six months. But be aware that, unlike the other tickets here, this one can’t be refunded if you don’t use it. These tickets are also available as discounted packages in combination with airport transport (from Hanada or Narita) or with sightseeing tickets such as Sky Tree or Team Labs.

Download a handy Tokyo Metro Map here.

Tokyo Combination Ticket

Price*: 1600 yen

Covers: All Tokyo Metro lines, all Toei Subway lines, all JR lines within the wards of Tokyo (so, Yamanote, for example), plus Toei buses and Toden trams.

The ticket is valid for one day, but you can specify the date when you buy it.

* Prices as in May 2025 for adult tickets. Child tickets are discounted by 50% and are for kids aged 11 or under.

So, you’re going to look at your itinerary for the day, check which lines you will use to travel around, and decide if it’s a day for a pass and which version would be more economical. Remember private lines, like the Yurikamome to Odaiba, are not covered by any of these passes. So if, for example, you’re off to spend the day in Odaiba, your best bet is probably buying a Yurikamome day pass instead.

What’s the difference between a 24-hour ticket and a Suica card?

If we’re talking convenience, there is really no difference: both options allow you to jump on and off trains with wild abandon. The difference is the price. Suica (or Pasmo) is a pre-paid card or phone app that you top up with cash and the price of your subway ticket is debited from these funds. There is a teeny-tiny discount on the price of your ticket it you use Suica rather than buy a ticket at a machine (a few yen) but you will basically pay for each journey you make. With the Tokyo Metro pass tickets, on the other hand, you’ll pay once and can make as many trips as you want within the one day/24 hours. Example:

Hotel in Shibuya to Tokyo Tower (290 yen) to Tsukiji fish market (180 yen) to Sensoji temple (210 yen) to Akihabara (210 yen) to Tokyo Metropolitan Building (220 yen) to Harujuku (180 yen) to Shibuya (150 yen): Tokyo Subway 24-hour Ticket = 800 yen, Suica = approx.1440 yen.

So there you have it! While Tokyo's transport map might initially look like a challenge fit for a puzzle master, with the right day pass in your pocket, you'll be navigating it like a seasoned pro in no time. These passes aren't just about saving a few yen; they're about giving you the freedom to explore every corner of this incredible city without a second thought. Forget fumbling for change or calculating fares – just tap, go, and immerse yourself in all the wonders Tokyo has to offer.

FAQs: Let us answer some of the questions that are keeping you awake at night!

• Where can I buy the Tokyo Metro Pass?

  The Tokyo Metro 24-hour ticket, the Toei One-Day pass and the Common One-day Ticket for Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway are all "same-day" tickets and can be purchased from the ticket machines in the respective stations. The other tickets listed above can be bought in advance online or from certain major stations (including Ueno, Shinjuku, Ginza and Ikebukuro) and in the arrivals lobbies of both Haneda and Narita airports.

• How much does the Tokyo Metro Pass cost?

  The price of a day-pass for the Tokyo underground transport systems starts at 700 yen. Tickets for a longer period or which cover more lines are more expensive. See the prices listed above for the different types of tickets (prices as of May 2025; subject to change).

• Can I use the Tokyo Metro pass on JR lines?

  The various day-passes available cover different lines. Only the combination ticket described above covers the JR lines in Tokyo, though.

• Can I use the Tokyo Subway pass to Narita Airport?

  The Tokyo Metro/Subway passes do not cover your route to/from Narita or Haneda airports. Discounted packages are available, however, that cover transport to/from the airports by limousine bus or express train.

Have you used a Tokyo Metro Pass before? Did you think it was good value? Let us know in the comments.