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. Beatriz says:
    July 15, 2017 at 6:31 am

    Hi Takeshi, thank you for all the information, this is a great and useful site and I am organizing my trip with it.
    However, I can not figure out which is the best ticket option during my stay in Tokyo.
    We arrive in the afternoon to Haneda airport and our hotel is located in Asakusa. We are spending the next 3 days in Tokyo ( we want to cover the main tourist areas). We will activate our JR Rail Pass on the fourth day, so no coverage in the JR line during our stay in Tokyo. Which would be the best option for us? Single tickets? Thank you!

  2. Maniyarasan says:
    June 24, 2017 at 12:30 am

    Hi, am from Malaysia and booked flight for me and my spouse for Malaysia – Osaka – Malaysia trip from 16 – 26 Dec 2017. Find your article quite informative and would be great help to us for this trip. Appreacite if you assist us in suggesting a suitable itinerary for my DIY trip. TQ

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      June 24, 2017 at 7:55 am

      Hi Maniyarasan,

      Please see the link below. You will find some sample itineraries.
      https://jprail.com/category/sample-itineraries

      I recommend you to decide where you want to go first before you make a trip plan.

      Sorry but I cannot make an itinerary for you personally. Otherwise everybody ask me and it’s too much for me.
      If you make a plan and need my suggestions, you can show me it and I will give you a suggestion.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  3. Julliene says:
    June 13, 2017 at 9:16 am

    I am travelling to Tokyo and will go to Osaka on June 19 1/2 day sightseeing;
    June 20 to Kyoto;
    June 21 to Universal Studios ;
    June 22 will travel back to Tokyo on the 22.
    June 23 Tokyo Sightseeing
    June 24 Mount Fuji
    June 25 Disneyland
    June 26 1/2 Tokyo Sightseeing.
    What is the best train ticket or pass for me.
    Thank you

  4. Tiny says:
    May 4, 2017 at 7:48 am

    Hello, Takeshi

    I have a plan to travel in Tokyo and around in one day but i’m not sure one day pass or single ticket which one is reasonable

    I stay in Shinjuku and I would like to go there;
    – Kawagoe (Saitama prefecture)
    – Asakusa
    – Tokyo sky tree
    – Ueno
    – Akihabara
    – Imperial palace
    and back to hotel in Shinjuku.

    At first, I would like to buy ‘Tokanai pass’ but i don’t know is
    this pass cover ‘JR saikyu line to kawagoe’

    So please give me some advice.

    Thank you!
    Tiny

  5. sara says:
    April 9, 2017 at 4:12 am

    Hi! I need help!

    There will be 11 of us. So we are travelling to Tokyo on the 19th of november and will be staying there for five nights. Until the 24th of november. Which pass should we take then to go around Tokyo? Also i’d like to know if we should get the 7-day JR pass to travel to these places?

    24th-26th Hakone

    26th-1st Kyoto

    1st-3rd Osaka

    Much help is needed. Thanks

  6. Gace H says:
    March 6, 2017 at 10:49 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    My family and I are visiting Japan during our children’s spring break.
    I am not sure what would be the best pass or passes to go about for our itinerary which looks like this –

    22nd March – 25th March : Tokyo (probably need a local subway pass or something to cover Tokyo)
    25th : Tokyo to Kaone
    26th : Hakone to Kyoto
    29th : Kyoto to Miyajima
    30th : Miyajima to Osaka
    31st : Osaka to Tokyo
    1st : Tokyo (Flight back from Nirita Airport)

    The way I understand it is, that I should take a local subway pass for Tokyo for the first three days, and then a 7 Day JR pass for the remaining trip till I am back in Tokyo and can take a train to the Airport. Please help me understand this, and suggest the best and cheapest way to go about this.

  7. Jane says:
    February 12, 2017 at 4:01 pm

    Hello Takeshi -san,
    I like to ask if kawaguchi station is part of Tokunai Pass?
    how about Yokohama and shin-yokohama I thought they are both JR stations And it says all exvept reserved sests.

  8. Yin Sun says:
    February 6, 2017 at 1:35 am

    Hi,
    I will be traveling with family of 3 adults and 1 toddler from 5th March to 11st March. We will be arriving at Narita Airport and departing from Kansai Airport. Currently planning for 4nights in Tokyo and 2 nights in Osaka. Could you please advise which pass should we purchase during the time in Tokyo?
    Many thanks for your advice!

  9. shamil says:
    January 30, 2017 at 8:02 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    My wife and I will travel to Japan from 3/4/2017 until 16/4/2017. We will arrive at Kansai Airport and fly back from Narita Airport. We have a difficulty to make a decision which train ticket or pass that we have to buy.

    Basically, our itinerary will be like this:

    3/4/2017 – Arrive at Kansai Airport. Train to Osaka. Tour Osaka. (I will stay in Osaka for 8 night, my Airbnb place is at 大阪市北区中津7-8-5)
    4/4/2017 – 7/4/2017 – Daily commute to Kyoto from Osaka
    8/4/2017 – Day trip to Kurashiki and Kojima Jeans Street
    9/4/2017 – Day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima
    10/4/2017 – Tour Osaka
    11/4/2017 – Take a train to Tokyo (I will stay in Tokyo for 5 night, my Airbnb place is at 東京都台東区駒形1-7-8)
    12/4/2017 – 15/4/2017 – Tour Tokyo. (including Disneysea)
    16/4/2017 – Train to Narita Airport.

    Hope you can advise me on which train passes that I should purchase during my time in Japan. Thanks.

  10. Pamela Abalos says:
    January 8, 2017 at 4:07 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    My friend and I will travel in Tokyo on April 13-16. We will be arriving at past 10am in Narita. What pass will I buy that can be used when we go around western tokyo and also from Narita Airport to Tokyo. Our trip will be on Tokyo only. Thank you and have a nice day. ^^,

    —pammy

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