When most travelers think about getting around Tokyo, the very first things that come to mind are the PASMO or Suica cards. These are undoubtedly convenient and commonly used. But during my recent trip, I discovered another option that ended up being incredibly useful, the Greater Tokyo Pass. It makes a lot of sense if you prepare to check out areas in the Greater Tokyo, or like us were staying in the Greater Tokyo Area. This pass is only available to tourists checking out Japan.
Why Greater Tokyo Pass
This pass is particularly helpful if you’re remaining outside central Tokyo, in what’s referred to as the Greater Tokyo Area. For example, I was based in Yokosuka, a city in Kanagawa Prefecture. The day-to-day commute from Shiori Station, where I was remaining, to numerous parts of Tokyo rapidly accumulated. A one-way ticket could cost anywhere between 700 to 1,000 yen, depending upon the destination within Tokyo. Multiply that by 2 for a round trip, and after that once again for two people– that’s around 4,000 yen each day simply on transportation!
So, when I understood that my daily travel expenses were getting out of hand, I began looking into options, day passes, multi-day passes, anything that could alleviate the burden on my budget plan. That’s when I came across the Greater Tokyo Pass, and it turned out to be precisely what I required.
What is a Greater Tokyo Pass
The Greater Tokyo Pass is valid for five successive days and expenses 6,500 yen per individual. For that price, I had the ability to take pleasure in endless travel throughout a broad network of personal trains, subways, and even some buses within the Greater Tokyo area. It covered most of the routes I needed, from Shiori in Kanagawa to main Tokyo and back, without having to worry about private ticket costs.
Buy It Online
Purchasing the Greater Tokyo Pass is remarkably simple. You can buy it online through the main website. The procedure is straightforward– it requests a couple of fundamental information like your e-mail address and phone number, and you can make the payment easily with a charge card.
As soon as the payment is complete, the pass is delivered digitally to your email and phone. From there, you simply activate the hand down the day you wish to begin utilizing it. After activation, you’re great to go– able to take a trip easily across the entire Greater Tokyo Metro location.
Exclusions
It’s important to note, however, that the Greater Tokyo Pass does not cover all lines. For example, it does not work on JR lines, the Tokyo Monorail, and certain regional buses. So if you’re planning to utilize those, you’ll require to purchase separate tickets or use a Suica or Pasmo card for those paths.
That said, the pass is extensively accepted across numerous personal train companies and train lines, and it’s well-recognized at the stations. I never ever dealt with any confusion or concerns while using it, it was a smooth experience in general.
For Paths Not Covered Usage a PASMO or SUICA
For the paths not covered by the Greater Tokyo Pass, having a PASMO or SUICA card actually comes in useful. I had two PASMO cards with me at all times. Whenever I required to take a JR line I just tapped my PASMO card and continued my journey without any hassle. It’s a great backup and complements the Greater Tokyo Pass perfectly.
Practical Wisdom
After using the pass for 10 days, I have some useful suggestions. Given That the Greater Tokyo Pass is a digital pass and not a physical card with a scanner, it won’t open the automated ticket gates like a SUICA or PASMO would. Rather, you require to go to the side gate and reveal your pass to the station personnel.
My sis and I did this throughout our journey, and we were happily stunned, every station master instantly acknowledged the pass. We never ever needed to explain. However, if on busy stations, there was a line then we had to wait in the line to reveal the pass. However for acknowledging it, it was a smooth and constant procedure at every station we visited.
At one station, I even experienced a situation that surprised me. A station staff lady informed us to simply go through the routine gate and physically press the barrier aside, basically, to bypass eviction since the pass would not open it.
It felt awkward at first because you’re taught to appreciate evictions, however this was a main advising us to do so! She reassured us not to worry about the gate not opening and just walk right through. It wasn’t difficult to do, and it demonstrated how versatile and comprehending the personnel can be with this pass.
What to do When a Staff is Not Present
However here’s where it got a little intriguing, and even amusing at times. The fun begins when there’s no station master around. Yes, that can occur! At smaller stations or during late hours, you might discover there’s no one at the side gate to show your pass to.
This really occurred to me at Shiori Station initially, which is a reasonably little station in Kanagawa. Suddenly, there was no personnel in sight, and I was standing there with a valid pass, but no other way to exit the station through the regular gate.
That’s where a bit of a crisis starts, do you wait? Do you search for somebody? Do you simply stroll through and hope no alarms go off? These are the amusing little moments that make travel remarkable.
Eventually, I found that there are 2 methods to handle this situation when there’s no staff at the station, and I want I had actually understood the second one earlier!
First, the simplest choice: simply walk through the side gate. You’re not breaking any guidelines– you have a valid pass, which’s what matters. It felt a bit odd at first, but once I got used to it, I understood it was perfectly acceptable.
Second, and this one I only figured out later by seeing some locals towards completion of my trip: there’s normally an intercom button near the gate. If you press it, someone from inside the station, probably a station master, looks out. They can see you on a cam, and you just need to hold up your pass to show them. That’s it!
Because I don’t speak Japanese, I was reluctant to use the intercom initially. I worried about what to state, or if they ‘d understand me. But seeing locals do it gave me the self-confidence that it’s alright, even if you do not say anything, just showing the pass normally works.
General The Greater Tokyo Pass is Great Worth for Money
In the end, I discovered the Greater Tokyo Pass to be extremely affordable and convenient, it truly works. The station personnel were constantly incredibly practical and friendly. On one occasion, I was confused about which line to take and thought I had no choice however the JR line, which the pass doesn’t cover. But the JR staff kindly encouraged me to use a different personal line covered by the pass rather, suggesting I conserve my cash and avoid unnecessary costs.
That stated, in some cases I still gave up and utilized my PASMO card to take the JR line out of benefit or practice. But overall, the pass made traveling around the Greater Tokyo location a lot simpler and more economical.
If I had one dream, it would be that the Greater Tokyo Pass included a scanner to open evictions automatically, just like a PASMO or SUICA card. That would use it even more hassle-free and smooth.
I’m positive that in the future, this feature may be included. However for now, if you decide to use the Greater Tokyo Pass, you’ll need to reveal it physically to the station master at the side gates. If no staff are present, you can either utilize the intercom to show your pass by means of camera or simply stroll through the side gate, both techniques worked well for me.