Using the Train Systems

I love the train system, or rather lack thereof, in Tokyo. By my own less-than-scientific count, there appears to be about 13 different companies running the rail system in Tokyo. There is no one central source for all your public transportation needs. To add to the confusion, I believe that there are a number of authorities / private companies running the bus systems as well - but that is a matter for a different post. As a foreigner, I found this lack of single-point-of-contact train transportation system somewhat confusing (read: very extremely, almost annoyingly so). After speaking with some Japanese people and hardcore Tokyoites, it seems that foreigners are not alone in this feeling. Even the locals find themselves screwing up the train exchanges once in a while. The most famous and most used companies in Tokyo are JR, Metro, TOEI. It's these 12-14 lines that appear on most tourist train maps of Tokyo.

The first train/subway map that I grabbed was in full colour, all English, and to scale. I thought it was so comprehensive, including 13 different lines, and apparently 3 different companies. However, as I immediately jumped into the fray and started using the maps to check out all the tourist attractions (and I do mean ALL - imagine kid-in-candy-store feeling), I quickly found that some lines were ... um... missing? "Excuse me," I would ask at the information desks - or at some of the smaller train stations, it might just be the security guard. "I think there's been a mistake," I continue. "This line that I want to change to doesn't appear to be on this map." Info booth person would just smile and say something like "That train line exists but your map doesn't have it. Please [follow these pen marks on this map that I will give you]." Of course, this is the much cleaner, more concise version of the conversation. In truth, back when I first arrived, it would have taken about 6 or 7 minutes, a lot of thumbing through Japanese conversation guidebooks, and several attempts at getting the correct nouns and verbs in place to have the actual conversation. I do love their attempts at helpfulness and their sheer politeness and attitude to helping foreigners.

Now, I know that there are many small, private lines and to see these lines on a map, you have to get their map. Sometimes, a train map is only available in Japanese, so knowing some Kanji would be good if you don't mind some uncertainty and you actually enjoy trying to guess at the station names.

Being a somewhat seasoned Tokyoite, I now know, that I can check online beforehand. It's easy as pie too (or asameishimae in Nihongo!). You just enter your start destination and your end destination and away you go. If you want exact travel times - as most natives are prone to wanting - you can enter in a specific date, time, and some pass-through stations. Locals prefer Yahoo! Japan for their train route searches. However, I find Hyperdia and Jorudan to be more English-speaking friendly. Bookmark these two pages, you will use them over and over again if you are living or staying anywhere in Japan.

http://www.hyperdia.com

http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english

I would write more... but I'm off to do a Costco run by train, in fact.