From the airport to the city centre Tokyo

To get to the city from Narita airport:

Skyliner. The Skyliner connects with Nippori and Ueno stations, both in eastern Tokyo. Ueno's Keisei station is just a few minutes' walk from the JR Yamanote subway line, which offers quick connections to Tokyo, Akihabara, Shinjuku and Shibuya. The journey costs ¥2,570 and takes 45 minutes. Tickets can be purchased just before taking the train or booked online. Depending on the time of day, a train leaves every 20-25 minutes, between 6am and 10:40pm.

Keisei Limited Express. This is the second option offered by Keisei. The ticket costs just ¥1,030 and the journey takes 1h20. It links Ueno Keisei station to Narita airport. For more information on the Skyliner and Rapid Limited Express: ✆ +81 47634 8763, www.keisei.co.jp

The JR Narita Express (N'EX) takes passengers to Tokyo station in less than an hour, for ¥3,070. It continues to Shinjuku (¥3,270) in 1h22. JR also offers another line, the JR Airport Liner Rapid Train. It takes 1h20 to reach central Tokyo station and 1h40 to Shinjuku. English site: www.japanrail.com

Limousine-bus. These buses, which aren't as limousine-like as they look, can get you to Tokyo's most important hotels in 1h30 when traffic jams aren't too bad. Areas served include Ikebukuro, Shiba, Hibiya, Shinjuku, Shinagawa, Ginza and Akasaka. Very convenient for busy travelers. From ¥1,000.

Bus - TCAT. TCAT (Tokyo City Air Terminal) is located in Nihombashi, near Suitengu-mae station on the Hanzōmon line. From TCAT, you can take a shuttle bus to Tokyo station or a limousine-bus (¥2,800) to Narita airport. When leaving Tokyo, it is sometimes possible to check in luggage and obtain a boarding pass at TCAT. Check with your airline.

Cabs. A trip to central Tokyo costs around ¥30,000. It is possible to reserve a vehicle in advance to reduce the cost of the trip. See Narita international airport transfers on the booking site Klook.com

Getting to the city from Haneda airport:

Shuttle buses run between Tokyo City Air Terminal (T-CAT) and Haneda, taking around 30 minutes and costing ¥900 (double that for night buses). From Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, you can also take the limousine-bus service, which costs around ¥1,200.

A line called Airport Kaitoku from Haneda, or Access express from Narita, links the two airports by rail for ¥1,800, as does a limousine-bus for ¥3,000 (www.limousinebus.co.jp).

A flat-rate cab from the center takes only about half an hour and costs around ¥7,000 to ¥9,000, depending on your destination in Tokyo. To book a flat-rate cab: www.haneda-tokyo-access.com/en/haneda-airport/taxi.html

Arrival by train Tokyo

From Kobe and Osaka airports, trains serve the main stations. Other stations are easily reached by JR lines and the lines of the various Kansai train operators. JR West (www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/), Kintetsu Railway (www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/), Osaka Metro (www.osakametro.co.jp/en/), Hankyu Railways (www.hankyu.co.jp/global/en/), Hanshin Electric Railway (www.hanshin.co.jp/global/en/), Keihan Railway (www.keihan.co.jp/travel/en/) and Nankai (www.howto-osaka.com/en/) are the main companies you'll come across when traveling in Kansai. The name of the operator usually precedes the name of the station. Ticket prices vary according to operator and destination.

Shinkansen trains take you from Tokyo to Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Himeji and Maibara. A new section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which runs to Toyama on the Sea of Japan, was inaugurated in March 2024. From Tokyo, it takes just 3 hours to reach the cities of Fukui and Tsuruga.

Public transport Tokyo

Train and metro tickets are priced according to departure and destination stations. All ticket machines allow you to buy tickets in English or other languages.

The JR pass allows you to travel on JR lines and shinkansen (Japanese high-speed trains). It's especially useful if you're planning to visit Kyoto, Osaka and other parts of Japan.

PASMO PASSPORT is a transport card valid on the Kanto train, subway and bus network, and reserved for tourists. It is only issued on presentation of a passport, and is valid for 28 days only. It's free, but you need to deposit a starting sum of ¥1,500, then recharge it regularly. It offers numerous discounts for tourist attractions, restaurants and shopping. More details at www.pasmopassport.jp.

Many types of day pass are available, but three are particularly interesting for getting around Tokyo. The subway day pass gives access to all subway lines for ¥600. If you're traveling on JR lines only, the Tokunai pass costs ¥760. Finally, the Tokyo Combination Ticket allows you to travel on all lines for ¥1600 per day.

The JR Tokyo Wide pass is ideal for those planning trips around Tokyo, to Mount Fuji, Nikko, Kamakura or Izu. It costs ¥15,000 for three days. For more information on JR passes, please visit the official website www.jreast.co.jp.

Bike, scooters & co Tokyo

Cycling is commonplace in Tokyo, and self-service bicycle rental services are on the increase. These include www.hellocycling.jp, cogicogi.jp and docomo-cycle.jp. Agencies, stores and hotels can also offer bike rentals(japanbikerentals.com). Recently, start-up LUUP deployed bicycles and scooters in Tokyo, Kyoto and other cities. While these bikes are not the most comfortable for long rides, they are very practical for short strolls. It's advisable to download the application (in English) in advance to take the Japanese Highway Code test and scan an identity document. You can find out more about LUUP in the "Move & bubble" section of this guide.

With a driver Tokyo

It's perfectly possible to hail a cab on the street in Japan, or to wait for one at designated stops in front of railway stations. For information on cabs in Tokyo, visit www.tokyo-tc.or.jp/en, where you can access lists of English-speaking drivers directly. The Go Taxi application, widely used in Japan, has recently been opened up to tourists. The app, which now accepts credit cards and foreign phone numbers, makes it easy to book a cab. ¥500 for the first 1,096 m, then ¥100 for every 255 m. Charge 20% more at night between 10pm and 5am.

By car Tokyo

We don't recommend using a car in Tokyo. There's a lot of traffic and it's not easy to find parking spaces, which quickly become very expensive. However, if you need to, you can reserve a car via rentalcars.com. You'll need an international driver's license, or an official translation of your driver's license if you're French. Car rentals start at around ¥7,000 for 24 hours.

Accessibility Tokyo

In major thoroughfares and stations, sidewalks and platforms are paved with pedometer tiles. Most stations are also equipped with standard elevators, giving priority to disabled passengers and parents with children. Where necessary, staff can provide assistance with moving around, and can even supply steps. To enquire about these matters or request assistance, the JR network has an English-language number: ✆ +81 3 3423 0111. It's also advisable to book wheelchair-accessible cabs in advance, with Hinomaru Taxi or Tokyo Airporter.