TransferShinkansen to local lines
A platform-to-platform route with realistic walking times and elevator notes.
Open guide →Tokyo transport & area guide
Tokyo Station decoded.
The brick landmark is only the surface. Learn the exits, underground passages, useful meals and the fastest ways to make a transfer without stress.
Quick answer20+ platforms · 2 very different sides · Easier with the right exit
Start with the essentials
Walked, photographed, and checked in person.
- Best forTransfers & day tripsShinkansen hub
- Time needed45 min–half dayMore if you include Marunouchi
- RememberMarunouchi = westYaesu = east
- Field checkedSummer 2026Exits and routes walked
Pick your problem
Tokyo Station by real travel situation
The station is manageable once you stop treating it as one building.
Transfer
Orientation
LuggageLockers, storage and hotels
Where capacity is better and why the first locker bank is rarely the best one.
Open guide →Orientation route
A 60-minute station confidence loop
Walk this once and later transfers become much easier.
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Route at a glance1.8 km · indoors if needed
Marunouchi North Dome
Look up, then locate the central north–south passage before choosing a line.
Suggested time · 0 minCentral passage
Use the overhead line colors as anchors; storefronts change more often than signs.
Suggested time · 10 minYaesu underground
Connect to the bus terminals and underground shopping without crossing traffic.
Suggested time · 25 minKITTE rooftop
Return west for the clearest free overview of tracks and the brick facade.
Suggested time · 50 minA five-minute transfer is not five minutes
“Platform arrival time and the time you reach the next gate are different clocks.”
Tokyo Station signs are good, but the walking distances are real. Add ten minutes for elevators and unfamiliar gates, and twenty if you have large luggage or need to buy a reserved ticket.
Checked August 2026
Station meals
Eat according to the time you actually have
A good station meal depends more on your departure clock than any ranking.
Under 15 min · ¥500–1,200
Platform and gate-side food
Reliable soba, onigiri and bento options that keep you near the train.
Read the food note →30–45 min · ¥1,000–1,800
Ramen Street strategy
When the famous basement lane works, and the backup choices nearby.
No rush · ¥2,000+
Marunouchi with a view
Cross the plaza for calmer dining and a reason to see the station exterior.
Before you transfer
Tokyo Station essentials
How early should I arrive for the Shinkansen?
Aim to reach Tokyo Station 25–30 minutes before departure if it is your first time. Add more time if you need tickets, food or luggage storage.
Which side has the red-brick building?
The Marunouchi side, west of the tracks. Yaesu is the east side and is more useful for highway buses.
Can I cross the station without a train ticket?
Yes. Use the free north passage or routes around and below the station. Do not enter the paid gates just to cross.