Transportation in Greater Tokyo - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The transport network in Greater Tokyo includes public and private rail and highway networks; airports for international, domestic, and general aviation; buses; motorcycle delivery services, walking, bicycling, and commercial shipping. While the nexus is in the central part of Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, every part of the Greater Tokyo Area

Greater Tokyo Area

The Greater Tokyo Area is a large metropolitan area in Kantō region, Japan, consisting of most of the prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tokyo . In Japanese, it is referred to by various terms, including the , , and others....

has rail or road transport services. The sea and air transport is available from limited number of ports for the general public.

Public transport

Public transport

Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...

within Greater Tokyo is dominated by one of the world's most extensive urban rail networks of clean and efficient surface trains and subways run by a variety of operators, with buses, trams, monorails, and other modes supporting the railway lines. 40 million passengers use the rail system daily(14.6 billion annually) with the subway representing 22% of that figure with 8.66 million using it daily. There are 0.61 commuter rail stations in the Tokyo area per square mile (one for each 1.6 square miles) of developed land area, though there are more in Osaka and Nagoya, combined with the high density connecting bus networks, Commuter rail ridership is very dense, at 6 million people per line mile annually, with the highest among automotive urban areas. Walking and cycling are much more common than in many cities around the globe. Private automobile

Automobile

An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...

s and motorcycles play a secondary role in urban transport.

Primary airports

Two airports handle the vast majority of commercial flights in the region. Haneda Airport in Ōta

Ota, Tokyo

is one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 676,458, with 348,492 households, and a population density of 11,376.69 persons per km²...

, Tokyo

Tokyo

is the domestic hub for Japan's flag carrier Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines

is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...

and has recently become a new hub for some international flights. The other, Narita International Airport

Narita International Airport

is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....

in Narita

Narita, Chiba

is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is the site of Narita International Airport, the main international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area....

, Chiba Prefecture

Chiba Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...

is the international gateway airport to the region. Both airports have completed expansions, despite this Tokyo is still congested, though not severely like before 2011.

Secondary airports

Chofu Airport

is an airport located northwest Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan, west of central Tokyo. It is administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The airport's main commercial activity is New Central Airlines commuter flights to the islands south of Tokyo....

in the city of Chōfu

Chofu, Tokyo

is a city located in the western end of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 224,878 and a population density of 10,440 persons per km². The total area was 21.53 km². Tokyo Stadium in Chōfu hosts soccer games for two J. League teams: F.C...

in western Tokyo handles commuter flights to the Izu Islands, which are administratively part of Tokyo. Tokyo Heliport

Tokyo Heliport

is a heliport in Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan, mainly used for chartered flights in the Greater Tokyo Area.Access to the airport is through Shin-Kiba Station. Approximately 15 companies do business at this heliport...

in Kōtō

Koto, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 442,271 and a population density of 11,070 persons per km². The total area is 39.48 km². The ward refers to itself as Kōtō City in English....

serves public-safety and news traffic. In the Izu Islands, Ōshima Airport

Oshima Airport

-External links:* - Tokyo District Meteorological Observatory*...

on Ōshima

Izu Oshima

is a volcanic island in the Izu Islands and administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Japan, lies about 100 km south of Tokyo, 22 km east of the Izu Peninsula and 36 km southwest of Bōsō Peninsula. serves as the local government of the island...

, Hachijōjima Airport

Hachijojima Airport

is a regional airport serving Hachijōjima in the southern Izu Islands, Tokyo, Japan.-History:An air field was established on the island of Hachijōjima in 1926 by the Imperial Japanese Navy. In 1954, it was turned over to civilian control and managed by the local authorities on the island...

on Hachijō

Hachijojima

is a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea, administered by Tōkyō and located approximately south of the Special Wards of Tōkyō. It is the southernmost and most isolated of the Izu Seven Islands group of the seven northern islands of the Izu archipelago...

, and Miyakejima Airport on Miyake

Miyakejima

is an island in the Izu group, southeast of Honshū, Japan, administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, with an area of 55.50 km². The island, 180 km south of Tokyo, is located at 34.5N and 139.34E. As of January 1, 2006, the population of the island is 2884...

provide air services.

Ibaraki Airport, located 85 km north of Tokyo, was positioning itself as a hub for low-cost carriers, flights from here to Sapporo seem to be the most popular. Shizuoka Airport

Shizuoka Airport

, also called Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport, is located in Shizuoka Prefecture Japan. Opened on June 4, 2009, the airport has domestic service to Sapporo, Fukuoka, Naha , Komatsu, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima. International routes connect it to Seoul and Shanghai.The airport is located in Makinohara and...

, 175 km southwest of Tokyo, aims to be a more convenient alternative for Shizuoka residents than airports in Tokyo or Nagoya, however none of the above airports have shown to take away any significant traffic from Narita or Haneda and continue to play minor roles.

Military

In addition, the Greater Tokyo area has military bases with airfields:

Yokota Air Base
Yokota Air Base
, is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...

(USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

/JASDF
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...

)
NAF Atsugi (USN
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

/JMSDF
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....

)

Helipads

There is also a limited number of helicopter transport services in Tokyo, with one service linking Narita airport with central Tokyo.

Overview

Rail is the primary mode of transport

Mode of transport

Mode of transport is a term used to distinguish substantially different ways to perform transport. The most dominant modes of transport are aviation, land transport, which includes rail, road and off-road transport, and ship transport...

in Tokyo. Tokyo has the most extensive urban railway network and the most used in the world with 40 million passengers in the metro area daily. There are 882 interconnected rail stations in the Tokyo Metropolis, 282 of which are Subway stations., with several hundred more in each of the 3 surrounding suburban prefectures. There are 30 operators running 121 passenger rail lines (102 serving Tokyo

Tokyo

and 19 more serving Greater Tokyo but not Tokyo's city center itself), excluding about 12 cable cars. Despite this vastness, the network is still being expanded, albeit with more service upgrades and fewer new lines. Each of the region's rail companies makes their own maps, with key transfer points highlighted. Trains are often extremely crowded at peak travel times, with people being pushed into trains by so-called oshiya
Oshiya
A pusher is a worker who pushes people onto the train at a railway station during the morning and evening rush hours. When they were first brought in at Shinjuku Station, they were called , and were largely made up of students working part-time; nowadays, station staff and/or part-time workers...

("pushers"). Most lines in Tokyo are privately owned and operated, though the Toei Subway is run directly by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Metro

Tokyo Metro

is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:...

is owned indirectly by the Tokyo and national governments. Rail and subway lines are highly integrated and dense; commuter trains from the suburbs continue directly into the subway network on many lines, often emerging on the other side of the city to serve another company's surface commuter line. Shinjuku Station

Shinjuku Station

is a train station located in Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan.Serving as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on inter-city rail, commuter rail and metro lines, the station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007,...

is the busiest train station in the world by passenger throughput. It is estimated some 20 million people use rail as their primary means of transport (not trips) in the metropolitan area daily. In comparison, the entire country of Germany, with the highest per-capita railway use in Europe, has 10 million daily train riders.

Busiest stations

Passengers carried in Greater Tokyo stations daily (2007):

Shinjuku Station
Shinjuku Station
is a train station located in Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan.Serving as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on inter-city rail, commuter rail and metro lines, the station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007,...

3.64 million (Registered with Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...

)
Ikebukuro Station
Ikebukuro Station
is a railway station located in the Ikebukuro district of Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. With 2.71 million passengers on an average daily in 2007, it is the second-busiest train station in the world , and the busiest station in the Tobu, Seibu and Tokyo Metro networks. It primarily serves commuters from...

2.71 million
Shibuya Station
Shibuya Station
is a train station located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. With 2.4 million passengers on an average weekday in 2004, it is the fourth-busiest commuter rail station in Japan handling a large amount of commuter traffic between the center city and suburbs to the south and west.-JR East:*Saikyō Line /...

2.18 million
Yokohama Station
Yokohama Station
is a main interchange station located in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. It is the busiest station in Kanagawa Prefecture and the 5th busiest in Japan as of 2004, serving 2.05 million passengers daily.-Lines:Yokohama Station is served by the following lines:...

2.09 million
Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station
is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....

1.12 million
Shinagawa Station
Shinagawa Station
is the first major station south ofTokyo Station and is a major interchange for trains operated by JR East, JR Central, and Keikyu. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen and other trains to the Miura Peninsula, Izu Peninsula and the Tōkai region pass through here...

0.91 million
Takadanobaba Station
Takadanobaba Station
is a railway station in the Takadanobaba area of Tokyo's Shinjuku ward. Situated between the commercial districts of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku, it is a minor commuting hub linking the Seibu Shinjuku Line and the Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line with the Yamanote Line.-Lines:...

0.90 million
Shimbashi Station
Shimbashi Station
is a major interchange station in Tokyo's Minato Ward. Located centrally and a 10-minute walk from the Ginza shopping district, directly south of Tokyo station.-History:...

0.85 million

Japan Rail

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

, or JR East, is the largest passenger railway company in the world. It operates trains throughout the Greater Tokyo area (as well as the rest of northeastern Honshū

Honshu

is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...

).

In addition to operating some long-haul shinkansen

Shinkansen

The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...

("bullet train") lines, JR East operates Tokyo's largest commuter railway network. This network includes the Yamanote Line

Yamanote Line

The is commuter rail loop line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres, including the Yūrakuchō/Ginza area, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro, with all but two of its...

, which encircles the center of Tokyo; the Keihin-Tōhoku Line

Keihin-Tohoku Line

The , is a railway line in Japan which connects the cities of Saitama, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company network. The line's name is derived from the characters for , and the...

between Saitama and Yokohama; the Chūō Line

Chuo Main Line

The , commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, while the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the fastest rail...

to western Tokyo; the Sōbu Line and Keiyō Line

Keiyo Line

The is a railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba, Japan, running mainly along the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company .It provides the main rail access to the Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center...

to Chiba; and the Yokohama, Tōkaidō

Tokaido Main Line

The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...

, and Yokosuka

Yokosuka Line

The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company .The Yokosuka Line connects in Chūō, Tokyo and in Yokosuka, Kanagawa...

lines to Kanagawa.

Many additional lines form a network outside the center of the city, allowing inter-suburban travel. Among these are the Hachikō

Hachiko Line

The is a 92.0 km regional railway line owned and operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is located within Tokyo, Saitama, and Gunma Prefectures in Japan. Its endpoints are Hachiōji Station in Hachiōji, Tokyo and Kuragano Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture.-Services:Komagawa Station in...

, Itsukaichi

Itsukaichi Line

The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company in Tokyo, Japan. It links Musashi-Itsukaichi Station in the city of Akiruno with Haijima Station in the city of Akishima...

, Jōban

Joban Line

The is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It begins at Nippori Station in Taitō, Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi...

, Jōetsu

Joetsu Line

The is a major rail line in Japan. Part of the JR East system, it runs from Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, to Miyauchi Station in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kantō region and the Sea of Japan coast of the Chūbu region...

, Kawagoe

Kawagoe Line

The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company , which connects the cities of Saitama, Kawagoe, and Hidaka in Saitama Prefecture, Japan...

, Musashino

Musashino Line

The is a railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It links Tsurumi Station in Yokohama with Nishi-Funabashi Station in Chiba Prefecture, forming a 100.6 km unclosed loop around central Tokyo...

, Ōme

Ome Line

The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company in western Tokyo, Japan. It links Tachikawa and the Chūō Line with the town of Okutama. Many Chūō Line trains operate via the Ōme Line to Ōme Station, providing non-stop service to Tokyo Station....

, Negishi

Negishi Line

The is a Japanese railway line which runs between Yokohama and Ōfuna stations. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company . Freight trains also run on this line, and it is essential for the southern Keihin region....

, Nambu

Nambu Line

The is a Japanese railway line which connects Tachikawa Station in Tachikawa, Tokyo and Kawasaki Station in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. For most of its length, it parallels the Tama River, the natural border between Tokyo and Kanagawa prefectures. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company ...

, Sagami, Takasaki

Takasaki Line

The is a Japanese railway line which runs between Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture and Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company ....

, and Tsurumi

Tsurumi Line

The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It provides passenger service along a 7 km between Tsurumi Station in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama and Ōgimachi Station in Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki. Branches bring the total length of track to 9.7 km. The...

lines. In total, JR alone operates 23 lines within the Greater Tokyo area.

JR East is also the majority shareholder in the Tokyo Monorail

Tokyo Monorail

, officially the , is a monorail system connecting Haneda Airport in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, to Hamamatsuchō Station in Minato, Tokyo. The trains operate along an elevated line that follows the coast of Tokyo Bay. The trip from the airport to Hamamatsuchō costs ¥470 each way.-History:The line opened in...

, one of the world's most commercially successful monorail

Monorail

A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...

lines.

Other railway operators serving central Tokyo

Regional railways transport commuters from the suburbs to central Tokyo. These include several private railway networks that own and operate a total of 55 lines serving Tokyo. These same operators indirectly operate another 24 lines outside of Tokyo as well as a few tourist-oriented aerial lifts and funiculars.

Keihin Electric Express Railway
Keihin Electric Express Railway
, also known as or, more recently, , is a private railroad that connects inner Tokyo to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokosuka and other points on the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture. It also provides rail access to Haneda Airport in Tokyo. means the Tokyo - Yokohama area. The company's railway...

(Keikyū): Operates out of Shinagawa Station
Shinagawa Station
is the first major station south ofTokyo Station and is a major interchange for trains operated by JR East, JR Central, and Keikyu. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen and other trains to the Miura Peninsula, Izu Peninsula and the Tōkai region pass through here...

to Kanagawa and Haneda Airport
Tokyo International Airport
, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....

. Five lines.
Keio Corporation: Operates out of Shinjuku Station
Shinjuku Station
is a train station located in Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan.Serving as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on inter-city rail, commuter rail and metro lines, the station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007,...

and Shibuya Station
Shibuya Station
is a train station located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. With 2.4 million passengers on an average weekday in 2004, it is the fourth-busiest commuter rail station in Japan handling a large amount of commuter traffic between the center city and suburbs to the south and west.-JR East:*Saikyō Line /...

to western Tokyo. Six lines.
Keisei Electric Railway
Keisei Electric Railway
The is a major private railway in Chiba and Tokyo, Japan. The name Keisei is the combination of the kanji 京 from and 成 from , which the railways main line connects. The combination uses different readings than the ones used in the city names. The railway's main line runs from Tokyo to Narita and...

: Operates out of Ueno Station
Ueno Station
is a major railway station inTokyo's Taitō ward. It is the station used to reach the Ueno district and Ueno Park -- which contains Tokyo National Museum, The National Museum of Western Art, Ueno Zoo, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and other famous cultural facilities...

to Chiba (including Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....

). Seven lines.
Odakyū Electric Railway
Odakyu Electric Railway
, or OER, is a major railway company based in Tokyo, Japan best known for its Romancecar series of limited express trains from Tokyo to Odawara, Enoshima, Tama New Town, and Hakone....

: Operates out of Shinjuku Station to Kanagawa, most notably Odawara
Odawara, Kanagawa
is a city located in western Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 198,466 with a population density of 1,740 persons per km² . The total area was .-Geography:...

and Hakone
Hakone, Kanagawa
is a town in Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population of 13,339 and a density of 144 persons per km². The total area was 92.82 km².-Geography:...

. Three lines.
Seibu Railway
Seibu Railway
is a conglomerate based in Tokorozawa, Japan, with principal business areas in railways, tourism and real estate. Seibu Railway's operations are concentrated in northwest Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture; the name "Seibu" is an abbreviation of "west Musashi," referring to the historic name for this area...

: Operates out of Seibu Shinjuku Station
Seibu Shinjuku Station
thumb|Platforms is a train station of the Seibu Railway Company located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.-Lines:The station is served by the following line:*Seibu Railway Company**Shinjuku Line -Surrounding area:...

and Ikebukuro Station
Ikebukuro Station
is a railway station located in the Ikebukuro district of Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. With 2.71 million passengers on an average daily in 2007, it is the second-busiest train station in the world , and the busiest station in the Tobu, Seibu and Tokyo Metro networks. It primarily serves commuters from...

to western Tokyo. Thirteen lines.
Tōbu Railway
Tobu Railway
is a Japanese commuter railway company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. It operates in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Tochigi, and Gunma Prefectures...

: Operates out of Ikebukuro Station and Asakusa Station
Asakusa Station
is a railway station in the Asakusa district of Taito, Tokyo, Japan.-Lines:* Tobu Isesaki Line* Toei Asakusa Line '* Tokyo Metro Ginza Line 'The Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station is located about 600 m to the west.-Tobu Railway:...

to Saitama, Gunma, and Tochigi. Twelve lines.
Tōkyū Corporation (Tōkyū): Operates out of Shibuya Station and Meguro Station
Meguro Station
is a railway station located in Tokyo's Shinagawa ward close to the boundary with Meguro ward. The station is just south of Meguro Dori .-Lines:Meguro Station is served by the following lines:*East Japan Railway Company Yamanote Line...

to southern Tokyo and Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...

. Eight lines.
Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company
Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company
The is a third sector railway company. It was established in March, 1991, to construct the Tsukuba Express . Municipalities along the planned line, and private corporations, invested in it.-External links:...

(Tsukuba Express or TX): Links Akihabara Station
Akihabara Station
is a railway station locatedin Tokyo's Chiyoda ward. It is at the center of the famous Akihabara shopping district specializing in electronic goods.-Lines:JR East:* Keihin-Tōhoku Line* Yamanote Line* Chūō-Sōbu LineTokyo Metro:...

with Tsukuba
Tsukuba, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It is known as the location of the , a planned city developed in the 1960s.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 207,394 and a population density of 730 persons per km². Its total area is 284.07 km².Mount Tsukuba, particularly well-known...

. One line.

Some private and public carriers operate within the boundaries of Tokyo.

Tama Toshi Monorail: A suburban transit line running north/south through Western Tokyo
Western Tokyo
Western Tokyo, also known as the , or , consists of the part of Tokyo Prefecture to the west of the 23 special wards.-Overview:Whereas the special wards occupy the space that was formerly the city of Tokyo, western Tokyo consists of the 26 cities, three towns, and one village that were not part of...

.
Tokyo Monorail
Tokyo Monorail
, officially the , is a monorail system connecting Haneda Airport in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, to Hamamatsuchō Station in Minato, Tokyo. The trains operate along an elevated line that follows the coast of Tokyo Bay. The trip from the airport to Hamamatsuchō costs ¥470 each way.-History:The line opened in...

: Connects central Tokyo to Haneda Airport
Tokyo International Airport
, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....

.
Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit: Operates the Rinkai Line
Rinkai Line
The is a railway line located in Tokyo, Japan. It is the only line operated by the third-sector company Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit. It connects central Tokyo to the artificial islands of Aomi and Odaiba...

along the Tokyo waterfront to Odaiba
Odaiba
is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1850s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential...

.
Yurikamome
Yurikamome
, formally the is an automated guideway transit service operated by the Tokyo Waterfront New Transit Corporation, connecting Shimbashi to Toyosu, passing through the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo, Japan, a market in which it competes with the cheaper Rinkai Line.The line is named after the...

: People mover
People mover
A people mover or automated people mover is a fully automated, grade-separated mass transit system.The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks, but is sometimes applied to considerably more complex automated...

serving the Tokyo waterfront and Odaiba
Odaiba
is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1850s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential...

.

Subways operators

Two organizations operate the Tokyo subway

Tokyo Subway

The is an integral part of the world's most extensive rapid transit system in a single metropolitan area, Greater Tokyo. While the subway system itself is largely within the city center, the lines extend far out via extensive through services onto suburban railway lines.- Networks :As of June...

network:

Tokyo Metro
Tokyo Metro
is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:...

(formerly Eidan): Operates Tokyo's (and Japan's) largest subway network, with nine lines.
Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation
Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation
The is Tokyo's public transportation authority. Its subway lines are commonly described as 都営 Toei, meaning "operated by the metropolitan government ." It is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Tokyo Metro.-Toei Subway:The lines were originally...

: Operates the four Toei subway lines as well as the following:
- Toden Arakawa Line
  Toden Arakawa Line
  The is a streetcar line in Tokyo, Japan. The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operates this line. The Arakawa Line is the sole survivor of Tokyo's once-extensive Tokyo Toden streetcar system, but it is not the only tram line in Tokyo, as the privately owned Tōkyū Setagaya Line is also...
  
  : Once a common sight before subways and buses came to fore, the streetcar network
  Tokyo Toden
  The or simply Toden, is the streetcar network of Tokyo, Japan. Of all its former routes, only one, the Toden Arakawa Line, remains in service. The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operates the Toden...
  
  has shrunk to only this one route between Waseda Station
  Waseda Station (Toden)
  is a station on the Toden Arakawa Line. This is the terminus of the line. It is separate from Waseda Station on the Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line....
  
  and Minowabashi Station
  Minowabashi Station
  is a station on the Toden Arakawa Line. This is the terminus of the line. It is close to Minowa Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line....
  
  .
- Nippori-Toneri Liner: People mover in northeast Tokyo owned and operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation
  Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation
  The is Tokyo's public transportation authority. Its subway lines are commonly described as 都営 Toei, meaning "operated by the metropolitan government ." It is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Tokyo Metro.-Toei Subway:The lines were originally...
  
  .
- Ueno Zoo Monorail
  Ueno Zoo Monorail
  The is a 0.3 km long suspended monorail operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation . It lies within the Ueno Zoo in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. The monorail is similar to the Schwebebahn Wuppertal, but has rubber tires rather than steel wheels. Many of the parts manufactured for...
  
  — Short monorail in Ueno Zoo
  Ueno Zoo
  The is a zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest zoo, opening on March 20, 1882. It is a five-minute walk from the Park Exit of Ueno Station, with convenient access from Tokyo's public-transportation network...
  
  .

Suburban railway operators of Greater Tokyo

Railway companies that serve other parts of Greater Tokyo include:

Chiba Urban Monorail: Serving the city of Chiba
Chiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....

.
Disney Resort Line
Disney Resort Line
The , officially called , is an automated monorail that links Maihama Station and Tokyo Disney Resort. The system is operated by , the subsidiary of Oriental Land Co., Ltd. that operates the resort....

: A monorail that links Maihama Station
Maihama Station
is a railway station in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company .-Lines:The station is served by the Keiyō Line from , and also by Musashino Line services to and from .-Platforms:-Adjacent stations:...

and Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...

.
Enoshima Electric Railway
Enoshima Electric Railway
The connects Kamakura Station in Kamakura, with Fujisawa Station in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Stations en route include Hase Station, the stop closest to Kōtoku-in, the temple with the colossal outdoor statue of Amida Buddha. It is fully owned by the Odakyu Group of companies.- Train...

(Enoden): Scenic rail line running between Kamakura
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...

and Fujisawa
Fujisawa, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 407,731 and a population density of 5,870 people per km². The total area is 69.51 km²-Geography:...

in southern Kanagawa
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...

.
Hokusō Railway
Hokuso Line
The is a commuter rail line operated by the Hokusō Railway in Japan. It runs between Keisei-Takasago Station in Katsushika, Tokyo and Inba-Nihon-Idai Station in Inzai, Chiba....

: Northeast Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...

.
Sagami Railway
Sagami Railway
The , or , is a railway company operating three lines in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It ranks among the "big 15" major railways in Japan.- Overview :Sagami Railway is one of the core companies of the Sotetsu group...

(Sōtetsu): Serves eastern Kanagawa. Three lines.
Saitama New Urban Transit (New Shuttle): A people mover in central Saitama
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...

.
Saitama Rapid Railway
Saitama Rapid Railway Line
The is the continuation of the Namboku Line, starting at Akabane-Iwabuchi station in Tokyo and ending at Urawa Misono Station in Saitama. It was completed on March 28, 2001....

: A commuter line connecting southern Saitama
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...

to Tokyo.
Kanazawa Seaside Line
Kanazawa Seaside Line
is a new transportation system line operated by and transits from Shin-Sugita to Kanazawa-Hakkei in Yokohama. It was opened on July 5, 1989.- Line Data :...

: People mover in southern Yokohama.
Shibayama Railway: A short railway line in northern Chiba.
Shin-Keisei Electric Railway
Shin-Keisei Electric Railway
The is a private railway in Chiba, Japan. It connects Narashino and Matsudo.It has subsidiaries of bus company .It is a subsidiary of Keisei Electric Railway.-History:...

: A commuter line in northwest Chiba.
Shōnan Monorail
Shonan Monorail
The is a suspended SAFEGE monorail located in the cities of Kamakura and Fujisawa in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the , the line opened March 7, 1970, and was the first monorail of its kind in Japan....

: A monorail connecting Fujisawa Station to the Shōnan coast.
Ryūtetsu: A short line railway in Nagareyama
Nagareyama, Chiba
is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the town had an estimated population of 164,683 and a population density of 4670 persons per km²...

, Chiba.
Tōyō Rapid Railway
Toyo Rapid Railway Line
The is a commuter rail line owned by Tōyō Rapid Railway Co., Ltd., that runs between Nishi-Funabashi Station in Funabashi City, Chiba and Tōyō-Katsutadai Station in Yachiyo City, Chiba. The name means 東京 and 千葉 ....

: A commuter line in Funabashi
Funabashi, Chiba
is a city located in northwestern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 609,157 and a population density of 7110 persons per km². The total area was 85.64 km². It is the 7th most populous city in Greater Tokyo....

and Yachiyo
Yachiyo, Chiba
is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the town had an estimated population of 193,262 and a population density of 3769 persons per km²...

, Chiba.
Yamaman Yukarigaoka Line: A people mover in Sakura
Sakura, Chiba
is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 172,176 and a population density of 1660 persons per km². The total area was 103.59 km².-Geography:...

, Chiba.
Yokohama Minatomirai Railway
Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Company
The is a third-sector railway company funded by the city of Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture and Tokyu Corporation.The company oversees the Minatomirai Line and the Kodomonokuni Line...

(Minatomirai Line
Minato Mirai Line
The , commonly known as the , is a subway line of the Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Company connecting Yokohama Station to Yokohama Chinatown through the Minato Mirai 21 development.-Service:Fares on the line range from ¥180 to ¥200...

and Kodomo-no-Kuni Line): Owns two lines in Yokohama; operations are subcontracted to Tokyu Corporation.
Yokohama Municipal Subway
Yokohama Municipal Subway
is the metro network in the city of Yokohama, Japan, south of Tokyo In Kanagawa pref. It is operated by Yokohama City Transportation Bureau, and is operated as two lines, though 3 continuous lines exist.-Lines:Line 1 and 3 are operated as a single line...

: Owned and operated by the Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...

city government. Two lines.

Ridership

Below is the annual ridership of each major operator as of the 2007 fiscal year. Transfers between operators are not counted unless they pass through a ticketing gate (not simply a platform).

Operator	Annual ridership (millions)
East Japan Railway Company	5,459.000
Tokyo Metro	2,321.770
Tōbu Railway	877.683
Tōkyū Corporation	1,065.439
Toei Subway	1,705.959
Odakyū Electric Railway	717.211
Seibu Railway	628.781
Keio Corporation	637.180
Keihin Electric Express Railway	444.157
Keisei Electric Railway	258.505
Sagami Railway	230.889
Total	14,346.574

Buses

Public buses in Greater Tokyo usually serve a secondary role, feeding bus passengers to and from train stations. Exceptions are long distance bus services, buses in areas poorly served by rail (not many exist), and airport bus services for people with luggage. Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation

Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation

The is Tokyo's public transportation authority. Its subway lines are commonly described as 都営 Toei, meaning "operated by the metropolitan government ." It is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Tokyo Metro.-Toei Subway:The lines were originally...

operates Toei bus

Toei Bus

The is a bus service operated by the Bus Service Division, the . It is also called .The bureau mainly operates bus routes in the special wards of Tokyo, as well as those in the city of Ōme in the western Tama Area...

es mainly within the 23 special wards while private bus companies (mostly the subsidiaries of the large train operators listed above) operate other bus routes, as do other city governments, such as Kawasaki City Bus, Yokohama City Bus, etc. Toei buses have a fixed fare of 200 yen per ride, while most other companies charge according to distance. Some train operators offer combined bus/train tickets; special fares apply for children, seniors and the disabled. Some routes feature non-step buses with a kneeling function to assist mobility-impaired users.

Taxis

Taxis also serve a similar role to buses, supplementing the rail system, especially after midnight when most rail lines cease to operate. People moving around the city on business often chose taxis for convenience, as do people setting out in small groups.

, taxis cost ¥710 (~$7.89 at ¥90/$1 USD) for the first two kilometers, and ¥90 for every 288 meters thereafter, or approximately ¥312.5 per kilometer. Most companies tend to raise fares by 20% between 22:00-5:00, but other companies have kept fares low to compete in a crowded market.

Roads

Local and regional highways

National, prefectural and metropolitan, and local roads crisscross the region. Some of the major national highways are:

Route 1
Route 1 (Japan)
National Route 1 is a major highway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It connects Chūō, Tokyo in the Kantō region with the city of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture in the Kansai region, passing through the Chūbu region en route. It follows the old Tōkaidō westward from Tokyo to Kyoto, and the old Kyo Kaidō...

links Tokyo to Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

along the old Tōkaidō
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
Route 6
Route 6 (Japan)
National Route 6 is a Japanese highway which goes from Tokyo via Mito and Hitachi in Ibaraki Prefecture towards Sendai. The route traces the old Mito Kaidō from Tokyo to Mito...

and Route 4
Route 4 (Japan)
National Route 4 is a major highway in eastern Honshū, Japan. The longest of the ordinary highways in Japan, it originates in Chūō, Tokyo and stretches north for 743.6 km to the city of Aomori in Aomori Prefecture. From Saitama Prefecture to Iwate Prefecture, it parallels the Tōhoku...

carries traffic north all the way to Sendai
Sendai, Miyagi
is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...

and Aomori
Aomori, Aomori
is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 302,068 and a density of 366 persons per km². Its total area was 824.52 km².- History :...

respectively.
Route 14 connects Nihonbashi
Nihonbashi
, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...

with Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...

.
Route 16
Route 16 (Japan)
National Route 16 is a national highway in Japan. A beltway around Tokyo, it links the major prefectural capital cities of Yokohama , Saitama , and Chiba as well as Hachiōji . It also serves Yokosuka and Sagamihara , Kasukabe , and Kisarazu...

is a heavily travelled circumferential linking Yokosuka
Yokosuka, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²...

, Yokohama, western Tokyo, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...

, and Chiba
Chiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....

.
Route 17
Route 17 (Japan)
National Route 17 is a highway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It originates at Nihonbashi in Chūō, Tokyo and terminates in the city of Niigata , where it meets Routes 7, 8, 49, 113 and 116)....

originates in central Tokyo and passes through Saitama en route to Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...

.
Route 20
Route 20 (Japan)
National Route 20 is a national highway connecting Tokyo and Shiojiri, Nagano prefecture in Japan. Originating at Nihonbashi in Chūō, Tokyo, it passes through Shinjuku and four other wards, and then seven cities, including Hachiōji in Tokyo. It follows a westward route into Kanagawa Prefecture,...

crosses Tokyo from east to west, continuing into Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...

.

The datum from which distances are reckoned is in Nihonbashi.

Expressways

The Shuto Expressway

Shuto Expressway

is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely...

network covers central Tokyo, linking the intercity expressways together, while primarily serving commuters and truck traffic. The Bayshore Route

Bayshore Route

Wangan has many meanings. See Wangan for a list.The Bayshore Route of Shuto Expressway is a stretch of toll highway in Greater Tokyo, 70 km, that runs from Yokohama city, Kanazawa ward, to Ichikawa city of Chiba Prefecture...

bypasses Tokyo by traveling from Kanagawa Prefecture

Kanagawa Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...

in between, above, and under manmade islands around Tokyo Bay to Chiba Prefecture. The Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line

Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line

The , also known as the Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway, is a bridge-tunnel combination across Tokyo Bay in Japan.It connects the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture with the city of Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture, and forms part of National Route 409...

, which goes underneath Tokyo Bay, links Kawasaki to Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture. Important regional expressways include the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway

Tokyo Gaikan Expressway

The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Overview:The name Gaikan refers to the route's status as an outer ring road for Tokyo. The expressway is also referred to simply as Gaikan for short...

, Daisan-Keihin Road, and Keiyō Road

Keiyo Road

The is a toll road in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Keiyō is a kanji acronym of two characters, each representing the two major urban areas connected by the route...

. Presently under construction (with some segments operating), the Ken-Ō Expressway

Ken-O Expressway

The , or , is a partially completed ticket system toll expressway in Japan, owned and operated by the Central Nippon Expressway Company and East Nippon Expressway Company. In conjunction with the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line and the Bayshore Route of the Shuto Expressway, it will form a full outer ring road...

will be a major circumferential through the area.

Many long-distance expressway routes converge at Tokyo including the Tōmei Expressway

Tomei Expressway

The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...

, Chūō Expressway

Chuo Expressway

The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Officially the expressway is designated as the Chūō Expressway Nishinomiya Route , the Chūō Expressway Nagano Route , and the Chūō Expressway Fujiyoshida Route The (lit. Central...

, Kan-Etsu Expressway

Kan-Etsu Expressway

The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming: is the kanji acronym of and the old comprising modern-day Niigata Prefecture....

, and Tōhoku Expressway

Tohoku Expressway

The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned by Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Tōhoku refers to the Tōhoku region, the northernmost region on the island of Honshū....

Passenger ferries

The notable route which serves as internal transport is Tokyo-Wan Ferry

Tokyo-Wan Ferry

The is Japanese car ferry operator. Its line links Yokosuka, Kanagawa and Futtsu, Chiba, across Tokyo Bay in some 40 minutes. Headquartered in Yokosuka, the company started its service from 1957. The ferry started to accept PASMO smart cards from June 2008....

, the car-passenger ferry

Ferry

A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...

route between Yokosuka, Kanagawa

Yokosuka, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²...

and Futtsu, Chiba

Futtsu, Chiba

is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of September 2010, the city had an estimated population of 47,705 and the population density of 232 persons per km²...

, crossing Tokyo Bay

Tokyo Bay

is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...

. Other passenger services within the bay are mostly used as scenic cruises, such as Tokyo Cruise Ship

Tokyo Cruise Ship

The is a water bus operator in Tokyo. Unlike Tokyo Metropolitan Park Associartion , another water bus operator in Tokyo, Tokyo Cruise Ship is a private company. The services include public lines listed below, as well as event cruises and chartered ships.-Lines:Arrows indicate ships only go that...

and Tokyo Mizube Line

Tokyo Mizube Line

The is a water bus service in Tokyo. A public company called operates the lines on Tokyo riverside. The services include public lines listed below, as well as event cruises and chartered ships. All lines close on Monday , and between December 29 and January 3.-Lines:Arrows indicate ships only go...

in Tokyo, The Port Service

The Port Service

is a ship operating company in Yokohama. Its English name includes "the". Founded in 1953, the company operates seabuses, an excursion cruise ship, and a restaurant ship, all within the Port of Yokohama. The services include public lines listed below, as well as chartered ships.-Lines:Arrows ...

and Keihin Ferry Boat

Keihin Ferry Boat

The is a ship operating company in Yokohama. Founded in 1963, the company operates water buses and an excursion cruise ship, both within the Port of Yokohama. The services include public lines listed below, as well as event cruises and chartered ships.-Lines:...

in Yokohama.

Out of the bay, the car-passenger ferries to the Izu Islands

Izu Islands

The are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ōshima....

and the Ogasawara Islands

Ogasawara Islands

The Bonin Islands, known in Japan as the are an archipelago of over 30 subtropical and tropical islands, some directly south of Tokyo, Japan. Administratively, they are part of Ogasawara Municipality of Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo...

, Shikoku

Shikoku

is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...

, Kyūshū

Kyushu

is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

, the Amami Islands

Amami Islands

The are a group of islands that is part of the Satsunan Islands, which are then part of the Nansei Islands. The islands are part of Kagoshima Prefecture, in the Kyūshū region of Japan...

and Okinawa serve from the ports of Tokyo or Yokohama

Port of Yokohama

The is operated by the Port and Harbor Bureau of the City of Yokohama in Japan. It opens onto Tokyo Bay. The port is located at a latitude of 35.27.–00°N and a longitude of 139.38–46°E. To the south lies the Port of Yokosuka; to the north, the ports of Kawasaki and Tokyo.-Facilities:Yokohama Port...

.
The car-passenger ferries to Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

serve from Ōarai, Ibaraki

Oarai, Ibaraki

is a town located in Higashiibaraki District, Ibaraki, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 19,606 and a density of 845.45 persons per km²...

. There are some other freight ferries (which can carry less than 13 passengers) serving out of the Bay.

Shipping

Shipping plays a crucial role for inbound and outbound freight, both domestic and international. The Port of Tokyo

Port of Tokyo

Port of Tokyo is one of the largest Japanese seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Pacific Ocean basin having an annual traffic capacity of around 100 million tonnes of cargo and 4,500,000 TEU's....

and Port of Yokohama

Port of Yokohama

are both major ports for Japan and Greater Tokyo.

External links

JR East official website, showing the map of the Suica/PASMO accepting area, which roughly corresponds with Greater Tokyo Area
Greater Tōkyō Railway Network, unofficial railway map of Greater Tokyo
Tokyo Railway Map, bilingual railway map of central Tokyo

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Primary airports

Secondary airports

Military

Helipads

Overview

Busiest stations

Japan Rail

Other railway operators serving central Tokyo

Subways operators

Suburban railway operators of Greater Tokyo

Ridership

Buses

Taxis

Roads

Local and regional highways

Expressways

Passenger ferries

Shipping

See also

External links