This page Sumida City Guide Transportation

Transportation

Bicycles (Jitensha)

There is an increasing number of accidents involving bicycle riders violating traffic rules such as riding two people on a bicycle, or ignoring stop signs at crossings. Be careful, particularly when you make left or right turns at crossings or when you cross the street.

Bicycle Parking Lots (By Registration)

Nearby the above-mentioned restricted areas, there are specified parking lots for bicycles which use a registration system. The registration fee per bicycle is 2,000yen, effective from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. Those qualified to use these facilities are: people who use their bicycles form commuting to work or school and people who live or work 700 meters (about 10 minutes walking distance) or further away from the station nearest the parking lot. In detail, refer to Sumida-Ku no Oshirase (Sumida Newsletter) issued in January. Also, bicycle parking lots located on the ground floor of the north exit at Kinshicho Station are available on a monthly and daily basis. (2,000yen for adults, 1,500yen for students, 100yen for one-day use.)

For further information, contact the Administration Division, City Hall, 10F, Tel. 5608-6203

Illegally-Parked Bicycles

Bicycles left randomly on the street cause inconvenience to the public. If it happens around railway stations, the bicycles cause inconvenience not only to pedestrian traffic, but also impede access of emergency vehicles during emergency situations such as fire. For this reason, in Sumida City, bicycles may not be left around the following stations: JR-Ryogoku and Kinshicho, Toei Subway Line Honjo-Azumabashi and Kikukawa, Tobu-Hikifune, Narihirabashi, Kanegafuchi, Higashi-Mukojima, Keisei-Hikifune, Oshiage, and Yahiro. Except for short-term parking while shopping, all bicycles left around these stations for long period will be removed.

Removal of Bicycles (Jitensha no tekkyo)

Bicycles left in prohibited areas will be removed and kept at either Umayabashi, Kyojima, or Tachibana Storage Areas. When you retrieve your bicycle, you must bring the key to the lock on your bicycle, some identification such as your foreign residents' registration card and your family stamp. If it is not retrieved within one month, it will be disposed of. You can retrieve your bicycle on Sunday, Wednesday, or Saturday, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. only.

Bicycle Parking Lot at Kinshicho

Traffic Accident Mutual Insurance (Kotsu saigai kyosai)

This is a mutual insurance system providing coverage for traffic accidents. According to premiums of 500yen, 1,000yen, 2,000yen per unit per year, this mutual insurance program provided benefits (a minimum of 10,000yen up to a maximum of 6 million yen) when you are involved in a traffic accident. You can purchase a membership in the insurance plan for up to two units per person. Applications for membership are handled at the Traffic Accident Mutual Insurance Counter, Sumida City Hall 5th floor, or at any banking facility (including post offices) within Sumida City.

Useful Phrases

Bus Service

There are two bus services in Sumida. One is the Tokyo Metropolitan Bus Service; the other is the Keisei Bus Service, a private sector transport service. Both services share the same bus stops and routes. Please confirm the destination of the bus by looking at the sign above the drive on the outside of the bus. It indicates the route number and destination; you also may check by asking the drive before you board.

Fare

The fare for adults within the city is the same (200yen) for both bus lines. The fare for children under 12 years old is half the adult fare. One child under grade school age is free if accompanied by an adult. The second and subsequent child/children must pay the child fare.

Trains and Subways

Available lines in Sumida City are the JR Tobu-Isezaki Line, Tobu-Kameido Line, Keisei-Oshiage Line, the Toei-Shinjuku Subway Line, and the Toei-Asakusa Subway Line.

Fare

Train fares are based on distance traveled, with a minimum set fare. Children under 12 years of age pay half the adult fare. The first two children under six years of age ride free if accompanied by an adult; but the third and subsequent child/children must pay the child fare.

Transfer

When JR, private lines and metropolitan subway lines have mutual service arrangements or connections, you can purchase a through ticket to your connections, you can purchase a through ticket to your destination. In some cases, when you change lines you have to exit the wicket of one line, then enter another wicket to continue. In such as case, do not hand your ticket to the attendants at the intermediary wickets. Just show the attendants your ticket and proceed.

Pre-Paid Card

You can use a pre-paid card purchased beforehand to obtain a ticket from ticket vending machines. There are some premiums on these cards. Among them, Orange cards and IO cards by JR are well known. T cards and SF cards which can be used both for Metropolitan Subway Lines and Eidan Subway Lines are available. Bus Kyotsu cards, with three amounts of credit (1,000yen, 3,000yen, 5,000yen) are available on buses, at season pass wickets and depots.

Note: The orange card requires one to purchase a ticket first, at the ticket vending machines. The other cards may be used directly at the automatic ticket wickets.

Season Passes and Coupon Tickets

If you travel a specific route on a daily basis, a season pass or book of coupon tickets are very convenient and economical as well.

Season Passes (Teikiken)

With your season pass, you may board or exit any station along the route covered by the pass at any time. You can purchase these passes for either one month, three months, or six months for trains. With the Tokyo Metropolitan Bus Line, a season pass for either one or three months is available. Passes for buses cover all routes that run in Tokyo. If you travel between a certain route more than 15 days a month, it may be more economical to purchase one of these season passes. Student passes with a much higher discount are also available if you first obtain a student certificate issued by your school. These passes may be purchased at the Season Pass counters at major stations.

Coupon Tickets (Kaisuken)

This is a system for purchasing many tickets at one time. You get a set of 11 tickets for the price of 10. For JR, the validity of the coupon tickets is three months from the date of issue, and they are valid on the specified route only. For subways, the coupon tickets have a set fare instead of a specific route. You can enter any station and ride for the distance the ticket is worth. Validity is two months from the issue date. You can purchase coupon tickets at the ticket windows of any subway station, or from a ticket vending machine.
For buses, you can purchase common coupon tickets good for seven different bus companies operating in Tokyo, or you can purchase a bus company's individual coupon booklet. Discount rates and validity differ from company to company. They are available at the sales counter of the bus companies, at stores near bus stops, or on the bus itself.

Taxis

You can catch a taxi at taxi stands in front of all the major stations, or you can stop a taxi on the street if it is not already engaged. The fare is indicated on a meter installed near the dashboard. It is not necessary to tip the driver.

Lost and Found Information

JR Lines: Tokyo Station Lost and Found Office, Tel. 3231-1880
Metropolitan Subway, Bus Lines: Tokyo Metropolitan Transportation Bureau, Lost and Found Office, Tel. 3812-2011
Eidan Subway: Eidan Subway, Lost and Found Corner, Tel. 3834-5577
Taxi: Taxi Modernization Center, Tel. 3648-0300

Driver's Licenses (Unten menkyo)

Obtaining a Driver's License

(1) Those who possess a driver's license issued in their home countries should take their license to their nearest driver's license testing center and complete the necessary procedures.
(2) Those who would like to obtain a first-time driver's license in Japan should enroll in a driving school or go directly to a driver's license testing center and take the driving test.

Driver's license test centers in Tokyo:
Samezu Driver's License Test Center
1-12-5, Higashi-Oi, Shinagawa-ku, Tel. 3474-1374
Koto Driver's License Test Center
1-7-24, Shinsuna, Koto-ku, Tel. 3699-1151
Fuchu Driver's License Test Center
3-1-1, Tamacho, Fuchu-shi, Tel. 0423-62-3591

---