What this solves / who it's for
Tokyo has more parallel rail lines than any other city on earth, and the cheapest route from A to B often isn't the obvious one — sometimes a "wrong direction" Metro trip is faster than the direct JR line, sometimes a 15-min walk beats two train transfers. This router asks for origin station, destination, time, weather, and luggage, then ranks Metro / JR / Walk / Taxi / Bus by total cost, time, and stress. The unique feature is the rain hack — a 5-min walk becomes 15-min with an umbrella, and the cost math flips toward taxi. It also surfaces JR Pass interaction: a Metro ride that costs ¥220 might be ¥0 with a JR Pass on JR lines, or might still cost full price on Tokyo Metro. Best for: anyone with a JR Pass who wants to use it correctly, anyone with luggage in the rain, and anyone optimizing tight connections.
Rain hack
A 5-minute walk in clear weather becomes 10–15 minutes in rain (umbrella + careful footing + dodging puddles). When this happens for the "last mile" between station and hotel, a ¥1,500 taxi is often the right call — particularly with luggage. The math: walking saves ¥1,500 but costs 10 extra minutes, wet clothes, and stress. Taxi saves 10 min and stays dry but costs ¥1,500. For groups of 3+, the per-person taxi cost drops to ¥500 — almost always worth it.
Route your trip
How to interpret the result
Three ranked options are shown — best (★), runner-up, and a fallback. Each row gives total time (door to door), per-person cost (assuming 1 person), the line/route name, and a one-line reason. The route doesn't include waiting-on-platform time (~5 min per transfer is typical) and assumes IC card tap-in/tap-out. JR Pass holders should add an extra column mentally — JR routes become ¥0 for them. The taxi estimate assumes available cabs; late-night on weekends in Roppongi/Shibuya may need a 10-min wait.
Pro tips & common pitfalls
- • Tokyo Metro and Toei Metro are different companies — they're not interchangeable. JR Pass covers JR lines only. A "Metro Pass" (Tokyo Metro 24-hour ¥600) covers only Tokyo Metro lines.
- • Don't assume JR = fastest. The Ginza Line beats JR for Shibuya→Asakusa at peak because JR requires a transfer at Kanda.
- • Walking beats trains for distances under 1.5 km in clear weather — you'll beat the time of "station + platform + wait + train + walk out" total.
- • Taxis are honest about distance — meter always starts at ¥500 and clicks every ~250m. No tipping, no haggling, no surge pricing.
- • Last trains (Yamanote ~00:30, Metro often later) — check before taxi-stranding yourself.
- • A "wrong direction" train for 1 stop often gets a seat — see the Train Crowdedness Planner for the reverse-commute trick.
Frequently asked questions
Is a JR Pass worth it for short Tokyo trips?
When is a taxi actually the right answer?
Are there Tokyo travel passes worth getting?
Should I use Google Maps or Jorudan for routing?
How do buses fit in?
Known limitations
Routes are simplified — the tool doesn't model every JR/Metro/Toei line combination, only the most useful 2–3 options per trip. Travel times assume normal traffic; typhoons, snow, or rush hour can double taxi times. Taxi cost estimates exclude highway tolls (~¥500–1,000 typical in central Tokyo) and late-night surcharge (¥500+ after 22:00). The "JR Pass" mode is a simplification — JR Pass holders still need to verify each segment is JR-operated (it covers JR lines, JR buses, Tokyo Monorail; not Metro or private railways).