Tokyo Transport on a Budget: Metro Passes, Discount Tickets & IC Cards

Tokyo's train network is the best on the planet — and surprisingly affordable if you use the right passes instead of tapping your IC card every ride.

Unlimited metro passes (the best value)

Metro & Gurutto Pass (メトロ＆ぐるっとパス)

Tokyo Metro sells a combined pass covering all Tokyo Metro + Toei lines + JR East within the 23 wards + trams and buses for 24 or 72 hours. If you're sightseeing across the city, this single ticket beats pay-per-ride by a mile.

• Official announcement & prices: Tokyo Metro news page
• Detailed PDF (Japanese and English): Metro pass leaflet

Cheap Tickets & IC Cards

GoTokyo's guide to Cheap Tickets & IC Cards covers the basics: Suica / Pasmo cards, airport express deals, and one-day passes.

Save money with these habits

1. Get a Suica/Pasmo IC card on day one — every station, konbini and vending machine accepts it
2. Buy one-day passes for heavy-sightseeing days (¥700–1,000 instead of repeated ¥180–200 rides)
3. Check the fare map before riding — changing lines between operators (Tokyo Metro vs. JR vs. Toei) doubles the fare
4. Walk one station — Tokyo station spacing is short; a 15-minute walk often replaces a ¥180 ride

⚠️ The last-train rule (saves you a ¥5,000 taxi)

Tokyo trains don't run all night. Local lines stop at every station — but Express or Rapid Express trains SKIP stations at night. Double-check your platform and time before boarding.

The last trains leave central stations around 23:55–00:30. Miss it and you're looking at a taxi (¥4,000–7,000 for any real distance) or waiting until ~04:30.

Living in Japan on a budget — the full series

This post is part of our Living Cheap in Tokyo series — cheap eats, share houses, insurance and jobs included.