The metro in Tokyo began to work in 1927, after the Japanese entrepreneur Hayakawa Noritsugu came from Europe, inspired by the local subway. In a short period of time, he collected the necessary amount of money and laid the first metro line in all of Asia. Today, Tokyo Metro carries the largest number of passengers annually. There are 290 stations and 304.5 kilometers of rails. More recently, the Tokyo subway was inferior to the Moscow subway in terms of passenger flow.
Today there are several private railway lines, as well as Japan Railways. Many owners of personal vehicles prefer to use public transport. The metro in Tokyo is very comfortable, safe and clean. Almost every company pays employees travel from home to work.
Scary sizes
There are many rumors that the number of Tokyo metro stations is so large that it is very easy to get lost in the subway. Such an impression can be created if you simply look at the whole line diagram.
main feature
In 1920, the construction of the metro in Tokyo began. Today, underground transport runs along 13 lines. The main feature of the Tokyo subway is the lack of a contact rail. In fact, such trains are ordinary electric trains. They begin and end their movement at a great distance from the city center. Approaching the main part of the infrastructure, trains go into the tunnels and pass under the metropolis.
Tokyo subway. Instructions for use
Each line in the diagrams, as well as trains that follow them, are marked in a separate color. Inside the circle, each station is identified by a letter, as well as a number indicating the remaining distance. The length of some distances between the lines exceeds 800 meters. Due to the large number of signs and numerous free schemes, navigating the subway is quite simple.
You can get lost while trying to find the desired exit from the station, which in some places there are about a dozen. They are all numbered and often built into buildings, so it’s quite possible to go to the supermarket immediately from the subway. Crossings lined with stalls, cafes and shops can stretch hundreds of meters.
Trading trays can be found even on platforms. The Tokyo Metro, in fact, is a whole underground city from which you can’t even get out. The Japanese managed to successfully integrate a variety of transport systems into a single network. In addition to the usual entrances, elevators for the disabled are also provided.
Distinctive features
Some platforms at the stations are curved. The tunnels provide lighting. Compared with the Soviet underground "palaces", the monotonous tiled walls of the Tokyo subway are generally not impressive. Most of the stations are shallow.
Free toilets are provided in the crossings, and drinking fountains are on the platforms. Each carriage has fans or air conditioners. The number of cars in each train reaches ten. Blinds are provided on the windows to protect against heat while moving on the surface. Stations are announced in Japanese and English.
Passenger Safety
Dozens of cameras are located in the transitions and at each station. Using video surveillance, drivers can control the landing process. Since there are many among the Japanese who want to jump onto the rails under the train, high and low barriers are provided in case of a fall.
Protective pressurized seals are not available in the Tokyo subway crossings. The Tokyo Metro scheme provides only thin roller blinds. There are no doors at any station. Metro entrances are located under canopies of buildings.
Metro mixed with commuter trains
The Tokyo Metro is an interweaving of 12 lines with local suburban railways. In total, we have a list of more than 70 destinations and several hundred stations with a daily passenger flow of up to 20 million. In addition, Tokyo electric trains sometimes travel through subway tunnels.
Interesting Facts
The first branch was 2.2 kilometers long. Now only one line is state. All others are property of private firms. Japan was the first Asian power to build the subway. Since 2005, wagons for women have been provided on each line. The management made this decision after receiving a large number of complaints from girls about sexual harassment. Tokyo Metro is equipped with wireless internet.
Fares vary depending on the distance between the stations. Ticket prices are indicated near the items on the diagram. From five in the morning until one in the morning, the subway operates in Tokyo. The subway is divided between two companies. Each has its own rules, and this circumstance sometimes confuses passengers. Large stations in Japan are rare. White predominates in the interior of some of them so that the subway does not seem so cramped.
Toei Features
Our compatriots, who happened to visit the Land of the Rising Sun and use underground transport, in their reviews warn that you need to be very careful when purchasing tickets for the metro in Tokyo. When buying an Economy Pass for one day, in addition to the metro, passengers can also use the buses of this company. A ticket from Toei cannot be used on Tokyo Metro lines. You need to keep this in mind. Toei subway passes will also not be valid for the JR Yamanote line - the local ring train line.
Useful advice
Tourists from Russia after visiting the Japanese capital in their reviews recommend that you buy a one-day pass for 1000 yen and not fool yourself with the need to take into account the belonging of the necessary metro line to a particular company. In addition, they say that there are several more options available. Everyone can choose the most convenient for themselves.
You can use the branches of one carrier company so as not to spend extra money if there is no need to change the owner of the lines. It is better to remember several routes and overcome the path with their help.
Japanese rush hour
The Tokyo Metro is usually crowded from seven to half past eight in the morning and from six to ten in the evening. According to the reviews of tourists from Russia, it is better for travelers at this time not to meddle here, especially in the central part of the city. Tokyo metro is also undesirable to use on Friday nights. This is especially true for stations such as Shinjuku and Shibuya. They will be filled as the time of departure of the last commuter train approaches. Most of the cars at that time were filled with crowds of tipsy toilers heading home from corporate parties.
Conclusion
The number of Tokyo metro stations totals more than a thousand items. The layout looks very confusing, and one gets the impression that it is very easy to get lost here. Thanks to the existing markup system, navigating is very easy. In addition to subway trains, the diagram shows the lines along which suburban electric trains pass. For the safety of passengers, each Tokyo subway station is equipped with fences and many surveillance cameras.
The wagons are provided with video screens, which indicate the current station and the distance to the next stop. Thanks to air conditioning systems, the Tokyo subway cannot be called a choking place, despite the huge flow of passengers. The sufficiently long duration of the crossings and the number of numerous shops and places for recreation turn the subway in this city into a special place, from where you can not even go out.