From the Airport

Most arriving passengers take the train or bus to the city from the airport. Taxis are extremely expensive (up to 30,000 yen or more) and slow (2 hours, compared to 50-70 minutes by train or bus). Limousine buses are the most convenient as they stop at major hotels and train terminals, and passengers can board right outside the arrival hall. Trains are faster but passengers have to lug their bags to the lower levels of the terminals where the stations are located. Buy your train tickets outside the arrival hall.

Fares from the airport to the central business district:
By airport shuttle bus: 3,000 yen
By express train: 3,000 yen
By Narita Express: 3,000 yen to Tokyo
BY Skyliner: 2,000 yen
By cab/car: taxi: 20,000 yen or more

Following are the travel times of the different modes of transport:
By airport shuttle bus: 75 minutes
By express train: 90 minutes to Tokyo Station
By Skyliner: 61 minutes to Ueno Station
By Narita Express: 53 minutes to Tokyo Station; 74 minutes to Shinjuku Station; 84 minutes to Yokohama Station
By Taxi/car: 80 minutes or more to Tokyo Station; 120 minutes or more to Shinjuku Station

City transport

Subway and Monorail
With 13 subterranean lines crisscrossing the city, a Tokyo subway map looks mighty intimidating. But it's still the best way to get around the city, especially if you're on your own. In fact, Tokyo's efficient subway system turns out to be quite easy to understand.

First thing to remember is that the system is color-coded. The Ginza Line, for example, is orange, which means all its coaches are orange. If you're transferring to the Ginza Line from another line, just follow the orange signs to the correct platform. Just make sure the train is headed in the right direction.You can transfer from one subway line to another without having to buy another ticket, but cannot transfer to a JR train line without buying a separate ticket for the surface rail system.

There are ticket vending machines at all subway stations with fares starting at 160 yen and ranging up to 290 yen. Children under 6 ride free, while children 6 to 11 pay half the adult fare. Vending machines give change and some even accept 1,000-yen notes. To buy a ticket, insert coins and the fare buttons will light up. Push the amount for the ticket you want, and your ticket and change will drop onto a little tray at the bottom of the machine.

Fares are posted on large subway maps above the vending machines, but most are written in Japanese with only a few stations having maps in English. So be sure to ask your hotel concierge for a copy of a subway map with listings of stations in English and Japanese. Just match the Japanese characters and the English names to locate your station and the corresponding fare.

If you aren't sure how much to pay, best to buy the cheapest ticket. If the fare turns out to be higher than the price of your ticket, you can pay the balance at the fare adjustment window. If you pay too much for your ticket, however, the unused portion of the fare is not refundable.

You can also purchase a prepaid stored-value ticket called the SF Metro Card. These cards are available at vending machines in denominations of 1,000 yen, 3,000 yen, and 5,000 yen.

Generally, subway trains arrive every 3 to 5 minutes. The subways run from about 5 a.m. to around midnight, but better check the schedules posted in the stations. Be sure to get a late train that takes you all the way to your destination. If you don't, you may be forced to get off only partway there and get stuck paying a hefty taxi fare to make it the rest of the way.

You probably heard of stories about commuters packed like sardines into the trains, with "platform pushers" shoving people in so that the doors can close. If you want to see this for yourself, then join the madding crowd during the morning rush hour (about 8-9 a.m.). Shinjuku Station is a particularly bustling place during rush hour.

Make sure you know which exit to take. Shinjuku, for instance, has more than 60 exits. Although the exits at all stations are numbered and some stations have English signs directing passengers to exits for major buildings and other points of interest, it is still best to ask directions before leaving for your appointment. Getting proper directions is especially important when heading off for a business meeting, as addresses in Tokyo can be very confusing.

Tokyo also has a new monorail, the Yurikamome Line. The fares are more expensive than the subway but it is the best way to get to the Tokyo Big Sight convention center and passes over the picturesque Rainbow Bridge. Its city terminal is located in the Shimbashi Station.

Trains
Although there are different rail companies in Japan, Japan Railways (or simply JR) is the country's main rail network. JR services most major rail lines a foreign visitor would use. And Japan is one country where the foreign visitor -- even the business traveler -- is likely to use the fast, convenient and extremely efficient rail service for travel between cities.

In Tokyo, it is worth noting that all subway lines connect at some point with the JR Yamanote train (green) line which encircles central Tokyo. JR operates two other lines in the city: the Keihin-Tohoku line (blue) which runs between Tokyo and Yokohama; and the Chuo line (yellow or orange) which slices across the city east to west. The main hubs for JR lines are the seriously hectic Ueno, Shinjuku and Shimbashi stations. Both trains and subways usually run from 5 am until around midnight, but check exact schedules. For information in English call the JR infoline on 3423-0111.

If you think you will be using the JR Train often, consider buying a Tokyo Free Kippu, which is a one-day pass providing access to JR and Toei trains (except for JR express trains), Toei buses (except the double-deckers) and Eidan subway. There is also a Tokunai Free Kippu, a one-day pass for JR trains (except express trains) only.

For visitors thinking of touring the country, the Japan Rail Pass is an excellent buy as it can offer substantial savings over regular fares if used extensively. The JR pass provides virtually unlimited access to the entire JR network, including some local transport networks and the legendary bullet trains, which are actually called Shinkansen in Japan (with the sole exception of the new "Nozomi" super-express trains). A 7-day pass costs less than the round-trip fare from Narita Airport to Kyoto via Tokyo. Fourteen-day and 21-day passes are also available. Travelers must, however, buy their JR passes before coming to Japan. They are available to only non-Japanese residents and can be purchased from travel agents outside Japan or Japan Airlines (for those flying JAL).

Taxis Taxis may be convenient for intra-city transportation but taking a cab in Tokyo can be very expensive. Flag-fall rate is 660 yen for the first 2 kilometers and 80 yen for each additional 280 meters. There is an additional surcharge of 30 per cent of the fare from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

But if you must, to flag down a taxi, look for a red light in the lower right corner of the windshield as you face it. Any other color means the taxi is reserved or occupied. Passengers enter the back door on the left side (traffic moves on the left side of the road), which the driver opens and closes automatically. If you are visiting someone's home or company, be sure to have its location on a map, as an address is not enough, given the complicated street layouts in the big cities. Tipping is not practiced. Pay only the metered fare.

Buses
Buses are difficult to use in Tokyo. Not only are the destinations written in only Japanese, but most bus drivers don't speak English.

Car rentals
International car rental agencies, like Hertz, and Avis, offer their services in Japan. Rental for a medium-sized Japanese car averages 11,500 yen for the first 24 hours with unlimited kilometers. The rate is lower for the next 24 hours.

One can use an international driver's license for six months but if you are staying longer, you must apply for a Japanese driver's license. Remember that traffic drives on the left.

The booklet "Rules of the Road" from the Japan Automobile Federation (Tel: 3436-2454), costing 1,840 yen, is recommended for visitors thinking of driving a car. But considering the complicated layout of the streets in Tokyo, think twice and then think some more.

(unless specified, all numbers are country code-city code 81-3)

AVIS Rent-A-Car MYK Building 13-19, Ginza 3-chome Chuo-ku, Tokyo Tel: 5550-1015 Fax: 5550-1012

Hertz 2F, Shiba Koen Ridge Bldg. 8-21, Shiba Koen 1-chome Minato-ku, Tokyo Tel: 0120-489882 (toll free)

Nissan Car Leasing Landic Shiroganedai Bldg. 2-10 Shiroganedai 3-chome Minato-ku, Tokyo 141-0032 Tel: 5424-4111 Fax: 5424-4200

Car and driver hire

Imperial Hotel Limousine Service Imperial Hotel 1-1-1, Uchisaiwaicho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Tel: 3580-9326 Fax: 3580-9310 Prices: 9,000 yen/ hour for use of a big car within the downtown area Hours: 6 a.m. to midnight

Kokusai Hire Tel: 3585-5931 Fax: 3586-5932 Prices: 6,000 yen/ hour Hours: 24 hours a day