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.

a0002_000705_m

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. Fifi Dolina Mohd Dahari says:
    August 23, 2018 at 1:33 am

    hi, ill be staying at flestay inn Iidabashi. Plan to buy Tokkunai Pass. From Iidabashi station to Shinjuku, can Tokkunai Pass be used?

  2. Fandi says:
    August 3, 2018 at 9:23 pm

    Hi Takeshi San,
    I will staying at Vista Kamata Hotel and would like your advice on which pass is the best for us a family of 5. We paln to go to Akihabara, Ginza and etc.

  3. Van Le says:
    July 17, 2018 at 12:46 am

    Hi. My hotel is next to JR mejiro sation ( between Shinjuku and Ikebukuro station). The station belongs to this green line, but since it doesnt display on the map that you’ve shown, so I wonder whether I can use this tokunai pass to travel around Tokyo. I hope you can help me to make it clear. Thanks so much.

  4. Budiman says:
    May 25, 2018 at 7:28 pm

    Hi. I need to know what kind of pass can I choose if I stay around JR kawasaki station? From there I’m planning to go to Yokohama and Odaiba. Thank you

  5. Aileen says:
    May 7, 2018 at 9:28 pm

    Hi Takeshi san,

    Looking for an advice. We are staying near Uguisudani Station, arriving from Narita by Keisei Skyliner. We want to visit Tsukiji/Shinjuku, Odaiba, Shibuya, Asakusa/Akhibara and Ueno. Are we better off to use Suica or is there any pass that can we use?

    Thanks,

    Aileen

  6. Amita says:
    February 12, 2018 at 1:52 am

    Hello Takashi,

    I have a one day trip around Tokyo and my plan is to go around using Yamannote Line. My homestay is near Okubo Station which is on Chuo Line. Can I use the Tokunai Pass from Okubo to Shinjuku, Harajuku or wherever on the Yamanote Line?

    Thank you very much.

  7. Eri says:
    December 9, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    Hi Takeshi,
    I have a question regarding the Tokunai Pass.

    I will be going straight from Haneda Airport to Saitama-Shintoshin station. I intend to buy the Tokunai Pass in Shinagawa and use it to go to Saitama-Shintoshin.

    Can I use Suica to pay off the remaining fare when exiting the gate or do I need to buy the separate ticket fare beforehand?

    Thank you very much.

    Best Regards,
    Eri

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      December 9, 2017 at 8:00 pm

      Hi Eri,

      Don’t purchase Tokunai pass. Even if you pay a regular fare for Shinagawa to Saiatama-Shintoshin, the fare is 640 yen. It’s still cheaper than Tokunai pass. Use Suica for Shinagawa to Saitama-Shintoshin.

      If you have the other reason to use Tokunai pass, you need to get off at Akabane and reenter by Suica. Otherwise you need to pay the extra fare for Akabane to Saitama-Fukutoshin when you exit there.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  8. Misel says:
    December 9, 2017 at 7:26 am

    Hi! Takeshi-san,
    We will be in tokyo for 7 days.
    I am planning for the ff itinerary, can u help me which pass should we use:
    Day1: arrive narita at 8:10pm
    Narita – shibuya
    (Can we purchase the nex roundtrip ticket if we arrive at 8pm onwards in narita? Is the jr office still open?)
    Day2: shibuya to odaiba
    Day3: gotemba outlet & mt fuji 5th stn
    Day4: shibuya- tsukiji- ginza- yurakucho- shibuya
    Day5: akihabara/ ryogoku/ kappabashi
    Day6: shibuya/shinjuku/ harajuku
    Day7: asakusa/ ameyoko/nakamise st
    Day8: narita
    Is my itinerary ok? Or should i interchange any of the places i wnt to visit?

    Thank you.

  9. Khay says:
    September 7, 2017 at 8:38 am

    Hi!
    I am aware that this article was posted in 2014.
    I tried getting Tokunai Pass at Midori Madoguchi in Ebina. The staff told me that is better to get at Shinjuku or Shibuya station.

  10. Ng Kai Xin says:
    July 19, 2017 at 8:36 am

    Dear Takeshi,

    I am confused about what kind of pass is suitable for me. Hope can get your help.

    On 22nd Jul 2017, I planned to do one day trip in tokyo.

    My itinerary:
    Tokai-daigakumae(odawara line) – tsukiji – Shibakoen – Harajuku – Asakusa – Ueno – Kitasenju – Roppongi – tokai-daigakumae

    Is it possible to attach the route for the pass for me as well?

    Hope can get more insights from you.

1…45678
Copied title and URL