New App Aims to Make Tokyo Train Travel Easier
How useful is it?
By Jay Andrew Allen
Getting around Tokyo for first-time tourists can be confusing. Specifically, it can take a few days to get a handle on how the train system works. Now, a new smartphone app from Tokyo Metro aimed specifically at tourists from multiple countries aims to make life a little easier.
What makes getting around Tokyo hard
Japan’s train system is renowned for its convenience. However, many tourists who come here for the first time don’t realize how complicated it can be to navigate.
The major factor leading to confusion is the structure of the train system. It’s not a single unified system but an intricate, intertwined network operated by multiple private companies and government agencies.
The sprawling interconnection of multiple rail companies has made things a bit of a mess. Even locals find stations like Shinjuku and Shibuya, which grew organically as these individual companies grew, hard to navigate.
One frequent mistake we’ve seen our tour clients make is entering the wrong gate at a…
