Distinguish the networks first
JR’s Yamanote line is not part of the same pass coverage as Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. Trains serving the same city can have different operators and ticket rules. A Tokyo Metro-only 24-hour ticket is also a different product from Tokyo Subway Ticket covering both subway operators.
An IC card such as Suica pays eligible fares from stored value; possessing the card does not grant unlimited rides. An airport limited express or separate seat product may require rights beyond the basic fare, so read the train and ticket conditions together.
Use the revised 2026 prices
The visitor-ticket prices changed on March 14, 2026. An older adult table of JPY 800/1,200/1,500 gives the wrong break-even point. The table here records checked base prices, not seller bundles, converted-currency displays or promotions.
Read the official rules for child categories and purchase eligibility. The product is not sold to every domestic resident on identical terms. Japanese-language readers should also verify residence and channel requirements rather than assuming eligibility from the language of the purchase page.
| Hours | Adult JPY | Child JPY |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 1,000 | 500 |
| 48 | 1,500 | 750 |
| 72 | 2,000 | 1,000 |
Not every format starts at the first ride
The official Japanese page describes the ordinary paper ticket as starting at first use, but the IC version as starting at purchase. Calling every format “24 hours from your first ride” would be inaccurate. Read the activation and validity rules for the format you are actually buying.
A first-use-based 24-hour ticket activated in the afternoon can support travel into the following afternoon, subject to its displayed expiry. Also distinguish a QR exchange voucher from a QR ticket used directly. Advance purchase alone does not establish whether the clock has started.
Count only journeys you will actually use
This is arithmetic practice, not a quote for real station pairs. Assuming each covered journey costs JPY 230, four cost JPY 920 and six cost JPY 1,380. Against a JPY 1,000 adult 24-hour ticket, individual payment is JPY 80 cheaper in the first case; the pass is JPY 380 cheaper in the second.
If some of those six rides are JR, their fares do not disappear with the subway pass. Replace the assumptions with actual route fares. Do not add unnecessary rides or exchange an easy JR connection for awkward subway transfers merely to recover the pass price.
Avoid mistakes at the gates
Use the same medium to enter and exit; do not alternate cards and phones. Keep the intended ticket ready so you do not accidentally enter using stored IC value while holding a pass. If you enter incorrectly, ask staff to inspect the travel record instead of repeatedly trying different gates.
Finish by checking expiry, covered lines, interchange instructions, balance and phone battery. Review child and accessibility needs separately. A pass on subway-heavy days and an appropriate pay-as-you-go method on other days is a reasonable combination; every day need not use the same product.
Sources & verification
Prepared by Gollaba using the sources below. Planning suggestions are editorial judgments, not claims of a personal visit.
- Tokyo Metro — Tokyo Subway Ticket ↗Source checked:
- Tokyo Metro — 2026 fare revision ↗Source checked:
- Tokyo Metro — Tickets for visitors ↗Source checked:
- JR East — Suica ↗Source checked:
- Tokyo Metro — One-day tickets ↗Source checked:
