Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass (Tokyo Tokunai Pass), good choice for sightseeing in Tokyo.

Rail pass for residents
Yamanote line is the busiest train service in Japan.
2014.06.02
JR's Yamanote line (left) and Tokyo Metro (right)
JR’s Yamanote line (left) and Tokyo Metro (right)

There are many deals available in Tokyo. Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass is one of these deals. In this post, I would like to show you how to use this pass and compare with subway deals.

Price and validity

Price is 760 yen for one day. Child rate is 380 yen which applies to 6 to 11 years old. Child who is 5 years old or younger is free of charge.

One day means from the first train to the last train. Most of JR trains start to run around 5:00 am to 00:30.

e.g.
If you purchase this pass on April 27, you still can take the train after 00:00 on April 28.
But even if you purchase this pass at 0:01 on April 28, you cannot use this ticket for the first train on April 28.

This pass can allow you to take only local or rapid train. If you want to take Shinkansen, only base fare will be covered by this pass. But you have to pay express surcharge. But in this area, only Tokyo-Ueno and Tokyo-Shinagawa are covered. Even if you take local train, it takes around 10 minutes. There is no reason to take Shinkansen in the area of this pass.

How to purchase and use

You can put the ticket in the automatic ticket gate. Don' t forget to pick it up!
You can put the ticket in the automatic ticket gate. Don’ t forget to pick it up!

You can purchase at Midori no Madoguchi (reservation window), View Plaza (JR East’s travel center) and reservation ticket vending machine. When you purchase it, you can choose the date when you want to use. The ticket can be purchased one month prior to the date to use. But it is quite easy to purchase. It is no problem to purchase on the spot.

Coverage area

Please see the map below.

Coverage area map (Click to enlarge)
Coverage area map (Click to enlarge)

Green solid lines are covered by this pass. Tokyo, Akihabara, Ueno, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Shinagawa are covered. Even though Harajuku is not shown in the map above, it is in coverage area. And Ginza can be accessed from Yurakucho by walk. Yurakucho is not shown in the map above either. But it is covered and only one station away from Tokyo.

So these following “Big Names” in Tokyo cannot be accessed by this pass.

In the spots above, Odaiba, TDL and Ghibli cannot be accessed by the subway either. So if you intend to visit Asakusa, Skytree and Tsukiji in same day, subway pass is the best and only choice. However if you don’t visit these spots or visit one of these places, this deal, Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass (Tokyo Tokunai Pass) may be a right choice.

If you will use JR pass, JR East Pass or Tokyo Wide Pass, these passes cover this area. Tokyo Tokunai Pass is not required.

Compare with subway deals

Tokyo Subway Ticket is sold at 800 yen for 24 hours. 48 hours and 72 hours are also available and price per day is getting cheaper:

Tokyo Subway Ticket (Tokyo Metro official site)

Actually Tokyo subway system covers more than JR train in Tokyo.

Guide to take trains in Tokyo. How to choose the best deal and the best route by train to get the major spots?

And also Tokyo Subway Ticket offers 24 hours period.

e.g.
If you start using Tokyo Subway Ticket at 17:00 on 24th March, it is valid until 16:58 on 25th March.

Meanwhile Tokyo Tokunai Pass is valid for one day. It is valid from midnight to midnight. It doesn’t matter what time you start using it.

Tokyo Subway Ticket is affordable and convenient. However Tokyo Subway has many lines and it makes you confused.

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I understand that we can go almost anywhere in Tokyo by subway but it is very hard to find the best and the fastest route. There are some places in Tokyo where you cannot access by JR trains in Tokyo. But JR trains network is very simple, faster than subway and go directly. If you intend to visit the places on Yamanote line, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Akihabara, Yurakucho (Ginza), Tokyo Tokunai Pass is much easier to use.

Check your itinerary and if you can get the place where you want to go by JR trains, Tokyo Tokunai Pass is better deal.

How much we need to take trains to get worth

The following table shows you the fare for major stations.

stationTokyoShinjukuShinagawaAkihabaraUenoIkebukuro
Tokyo–200170140160200
Shinjuku200–200170200160
Shinagawa170200–170200260
Akihabara140170170–140200
Ueno160200200140–170
Ikebukuro200160260200170–

As you see, fares in Tokyo is quite reasonable. If you use this deal, you have to make 4 to 5 trips. Otherwise single ticket is cheaper.

Trip to outside of coverage area

If you add fare, you can make a trip to outside of coverage area.

e.g.
To Tokyo Disney Land and Sea
Maihama where is the gateway station to Tokyo Disney Land and Sea is just one station away from border station, Kasairinkaikoen station. The additional fare is 140 yen one way. If you stay in Shinjuku, regular fare for Shinjuku – Maihama is 390 yen. At this point, total fare is 780 yen and it is much cheaper than Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass (Tokyo Tokunai Pass) at 750 yen + additional fares 280 yen. But if you make some more trips after/before visiting Tokyo Disney Land, pass may be cheaper.

To Ghibli museum
Mitaka is two stations away from border station, Nishiogikubo. Additional fare is 160 yen one way. If you go to Mitaka from Ueno or Shinagawa, one way regular fare is 390 yen. It is same thing as trip to Tokyo Disney Land. If you intend to use the pass before/after visiting Ghibli museum, this deal may be cheaper than total fares.

My itinerary

When I used this deal, I use the following segments.

Akihabara – Kinshicho 160 yen
Kinshicho – Akihabara 160 yen
Akihabara – Shinjuku 170 yen
Shinjuku – Shinagawa 200 yen
Shinagawa – Tokyo 170 yen
Tokyo – Akihabara 140 yen
Total 900 yen

I had several reasons to use this deal.

  1. Hotel was closed to JR Akihabara station.
  2. I need the direct transfer between Tokyo and Akihabara.
  3. Subway do not have direct line on this section.There is no subway station in Shinagawa.

Tokyo Skytree was only outside of coverage area. Even though I took Tokyo Metro Hanzoumon line and paid 170 yen one way, this deal was the best option for me.

Comments

  1. Jenny Ngu says:
    January 3, 2017 at 6:35 pm

    Dear Takeshi-san,
    The following is our 7-day plan in Feb.

    Day 1 – Arrive at Haneda in the early morning and travel to Fuji. Stay near Kawaguchiko station.
    Day 2 – Explore Hakone
    Day 3- Fujiten Snow Resort then depart to Tokyo. Stay near Nippori station.
    Day 4-6: Explore Tokyo -Yokohama, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Tsujiki, Ginza, Asakusa, Harajuku, Odaiba, Tokyo Tower
    Day 7: Departure from Haneda Airport

    Hope you can advise on any passes worth buying for such a plan?

    Thanks.
    Jenny

  2. Amirah says:
    December 31, 2016 at 6:22 pm

    Hi! I will be staying in Musashi-Koganei. Is tokunai pass cover this area? If not, is there any other pass that I can buy?

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      December 31, 2016 at 11:25 pm

      Hi Amirah,

      Musashi-Koganei is outside of coverage area. You have to add single fare 170 yen one way for Musashi-Koganei to Nishi-Ogikubo if you want to use this pass. There is no local deals available that covers Musashi-Koganei.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  3. Nuralim Bin Mohd Ali says:
    November 25, 2016 at 7:29 am

    Hi Takeshi-san,

    I will be going to Japan on the first week of May 2017, probably between 1-8 May. And that is during the Golden Week period. I’ve been to Japan before but only to Tokyo. This time, I will be heading to Tokyo again, as well as Osaka. And if there’s time, maybe I will go to Kyoto or Kobe as well. My question is if I should purchase a Japan Rail Pass. And should I get the ordinary or the green class pass? Thanks

    Thanks a lot for

  4. Syed says:
    October 26, 2016 at 7:31 pm

    Hello,

    I am staying in Yokohama by Shin Yokohama station. I will be visiting Tokyo frequently. Which pass should I buy? I am i Yokohama/Tokyo for 3 days

    I will be arriving to Narita from Canada.

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      October 26, 2016 at 8:56 pm

      Hi Syed,

      There is no deals available. You may use Suica.
      http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.html

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Jliverty says:
        November 19, 2016 at 11:32 am

        Hi There,

        I’m going to tokyo this january and I’m having a problem choosing whether I should get JR east rail pass 19000 yen or 9x tokyo metro 730 yen + NEX from narita to tokyo round trip for 4000 yen. Could you please help me out? I’ll be staying in tokyo for 9 nights.

        The problem is most of the time I know I’ll be around tokyo , and I wanted to go round trip same day from shibuya to osaka just visiting. Any idea ?

        • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
          November 19, 2016 at 2:40 pm

          Hi Jliverty,

          You should have JR pass 7 days if you are sure to visit Osaka.
          https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/japan-rail-pass-user-guide-how-to-use-jr-pass-to-its-maximum.html

          JR East Pass does not cover Osaka. Only JR Pass is your choice. It takes about 3 hours to get Osaka by Hikari on Shinkansen. There are a few trains running on Shinkansen (bullet train), such as Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama. Nozomi is the fastest train but not covered by JR pass. Hikari is the second fastest ant it’s covered. Please see the timetable in the links below and find “H”.
          http://english.jr-central.co.jp/info/timetable/_pdf/westbound.pdf
          http://english.jr-central.co.jp/info/timetable/_pdf/eastbound.pdf

          If you don’t go to Osaka, NEX round trip and subway pass is okay. JR East pass is your choice if you visit outside Tokyo.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

          • Jliverty says:
            December 20, 2016 at 4:19 pm

            Hi takeshi,

            How are you?

            Let say if you stay in Tokyo for 9 night’s not going outside Tokyo, is there any deal or value ticket for 9 nights instead of buying at the machine Everytime I need to use to save money ? Seems what I’m going to use most of the time is Yamanote line. Is there anyway I can purchase online for these ticket ? I have my pasmo card thou.

            • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
              December 20, 2016 at 10:38 pm

              Hi Jliverty,

              If you use this deal, Tokyo Tokunai Pass, you have to purchase it on the day of use. You cannot purchase it online and in advance either. But please make sure how many trips you will make. As I wrote the fare table in the post, you have to make many trips a day to get the worth. If you don’t think you will make many trips, use Pasmo. This is wiser choice.

              Cheers,

              Takeshi / JPRail.com

              • jliverty says:
                December 20, 2016 at 10:46 pm

                I was thinking about using this fare from jr east website 1 day ticket :

                http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/tokyo_free.html

                Since I’m just going to visit , harajuku, ueno, yoyogi, shinjuku. What do you think about this 1490 yen for 1 day ticket JR east ?

                for sure total trip in 1 day will be approximately 9 – 10x.

                Also do you mind to give me a reccomendation place similar like tsutaya bookstore daikanyanma ? any place that is not too much or many people go there, quiet , comfortable and quite famous? it can be like coffee shop, bookstore, commercial store, or a house residency alley where people can walk and appreciate the japanese style house there.

                And do you know any good all you can eat yakiniku japanese bbq around shibuya ?

                • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
                  December 21, 2016 at 8:24 am

                  Hi jliverty,

                  This deal may work. But there are huge number of routes. I’m not 100% sure that you will get the worth or not.

                  I have no idea about other questions. Sorry but these are basically out of topics in my website.

                  Cheers,

                  Takeshi / JPRail.com

  5. Wong says:
    September 30, 2016 at 1:04 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    My friend and I will be visiting Japan end Oct and our hotel is nearby to Shin-Okubo Stn. We will cover most of the places that is accessible by either Yamanote Line or Chuo/Sobu Line hence we are thinking to get the Tokunai Pass. Just want to check if Tokunai Pass also covers for this route:-
    1) To Shinjuku from Shin-Okubo -> Yamanote Line
    2) To Kichijoji from Shinjuku ->JR Chuo /Sobu Line

    May I know what time is the last train runs on Yamanote Line, Tokyo Metro and Toei Line?

    Thank you.

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      September 30, 2016 at 6:28 am

      Hi Wong,

      Kichijoji is just one station away from border station, Nishi-Ogikubo. You have to pay extra fare 140 yen when you exit Kichijoji. Other parts of the trips are covered.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Wong says:
        October 3, 2016 at 8:15 pm

        Hi Takeshi,

        Thank you for your reply. Does this mean I can use Tokunai Pass upon entry and when exiting Kichijoji, I would need to go to the counter to pay the extra fare of 140 yen or to exit Nishi-Ogikubo and buy another ticket to Kichijoji and board the train?
        What about upon return from Kichijoji to Shinjuku on the same day? Can I use the Tokunai Pass upon entry in Kichijoji station?

        Regards,
        Wong

        • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
          October 3, 2016 at 11:02 pm

          Hi Wong,

          You can pay extra at man’s gate when you exit Kichijoji. You don’t need to exit Nishi-Ogikubo. When you take a train Kichijoji, you can purchase 140 yen ticket and go through at the machine gate. You can insert 140 yen ticket only. When you exit Shijuku, you can show your Tokunai pass and 140 yen ticket at mans gate.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

  6. andy says:
    May 13, 2016 at 12:09 am

    it’s mean that this pass cover all JR station in tokyo (incl. smal station). is it uguisudani station cover by tokunai pass?

  7. Scieszka says:
    May 9, 2016 at 12:50 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    Is Kami-Nakazato Station within the coverage area of Tokunai Pass? I’m planning the following trips but not sure if this pass covers everything:

    1) Ikebukuro > Tabata – Yamanote Line
    2) Tabata > Kami-Nakazato via Keijin tohoku/ Negishi Line
    3) Kami-Nakazato > Ueno via Keijin tohoku/ Negishi Line
    4) Okachimachi > Akibahara – Yamanote Line
    5) Akibahara > Ikebukuro – Yamanote Line

    For (2), I choose Kami-Nakazato becasue it is nearer to Kyu-Furukawa Gardens compares to Komagome as per Kyu-Furukawa’s website.
    In case Kami Nakazato is outside of Tokunai Pass coverage area, the other choice I have is Komagome Station. Komagome is within the coverage area right?

    Looking forward to your reply.
    Thank you!

    Regards,
    Scieszka

  8. David says:
    May 2, 2016 at 4:15 pm

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I have a question about the Tokunai Pass. I am staying at a hotel in Kawasaki but I can only buy use it starting at Kamata. I think the only way using this pass will work is to buy a ticket between Kawasaki and Kamato, then exit the station and buy the Tokunai Pass. Then repeat the procedure at the end of the day. Is there a way to avoid the additional transfer at Kamata? Thank you.

    David

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      May 2, 2016 at 5:49 pm

      Hi David san,

      Unfortunately you have to exit Kamata station whenever you use Tokunai Pass. It’s sold in the coverage area and you have to purchase on the day to use this pass. Actually I have tried to purchase it outside coverage area before but I couldn’t make it.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  9. Felicia says:
    March 28, 2016 at 9:03 pm

    Hi Takeshi san,
    I’m going to travel in Tokyo for 4days. I have arranged my itineraries. But I’m not sure which pass should I buy or just use SUICA. I would be very glad if you can give your recommendation regarding the cheaper ticket pass and any cheaper train lines 🙂

    1) DAY 1 (total 910yen):
    -Arrive at Haneda and my hotel is near Asakusabashi st. -> use Keikyu kuko & Asakusa line (570yen).
    -to Shinjuku bus terminal for Kawaguchiko trip -> use JR chuo-sobu & JR chuo line toyoda (170yen)
    -back to hotel from shinjuku terminal -> JR chuo line& chuo sobu line (170yen)

    2)DAY 2 (total 2130yen)
    – to Ueno park -> still confuse whether take train or by walking
    -to museum Edo tokyo -> use JR Keihintohoku & Chuo-sobu (160yen)
    – Fujiko F. Fujio museum -> use JR chuo sobu + chuo line + odakyu line (470yen)
    -to Yokohama ramen museum -> use JR Nambu + tokyoden entoshi line + blue line shinyokohama (590yen)
    -to Minatomirai -> use blue line shonandai (270yen)
    -back to hotel -> use minatomirai line + keikyu line shinagawa + keikyu line aoto – asakusa line (640yen)

    *If I’m not wrong, any tokyo pass can’t use in yokohama (fujiko museum and minatomirai) right? Can I use SUICA in yokohama?

    3) DAY 3 (Total 510yen)
    – to east garden imperial palace -> use shinjuku line (180yen)
    – to shibuya-harajuku -> use hanzomon line (200yen)
    – to Tokyo Metropolitan Government building -> use yamanote line shinjuku (140yen)
    – back to hotel -> use JR chuo & chuo sobu line (170yen)

    4) DAY 4 (total 810yen)
    – to Asakusa -> walking
    – to Ginza -> use ginza line (200yen)
    – to Odaiba -> use JR yamaote line shibuya (160yen)
    – to tokyo sky tree -> use asakusa line to keisei (270yen)
    -back to hotel -> use asakusa line haneda (180yen)

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      March 28, 2016 at 10:38 pm

      Hi Felicia san,

      I think Suica is the best choice. Subway unlimited ride pass is most affordable choice. But it’s 800 yen and it covers only subway. But you will take JR, subway and other railways. And as you think, any passes do not cover Yokohama. But you can use Suica. Suica covers all trains.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  10. cindy says:
    March 21, 2016 at 1:07 am

    hai Takeshi san,

    How about 3 days tokyo subway ticket for 1500 yen, is it cheaper than tokunai pass?

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