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5 most useful tourist services and facilities in Tokyo Station

Find English language support for buying train tickets and planning travel itineraries, plus baggage storage and lockers

Don’t feel bad if you’ve ever lost your way in Tokyo Station – it’s happened to the best of us. The massive transport hub is undoubtedly one of the city’s most confusing train stations , with a bewildering array of shinkansen lines, local trains and Metro services all running through here.

Help, though, is at hand. Throughout Tokyo Station, you’ll find various tourist services with English-speaking staff to help you navigate the station like a pro. What’s more, you can even get advice on travelling around Japan, including useful information about itineraries and rail passes. You never need to feel lost in Tokyo Station again.

RECOMMENDED: Explore Japan by train with these JR rail passes for foreign tourists

Tokyo Station made easy

JR East Travel Service Center

One of the most useful services in Tokyo Station is this travel centre outside the Marunouchi North Exit ticket gate, which offers English-language support for international tourists. If you’ve bought the excellent Japan Rail Pass , which gets you unlimited travel on most JR trains and shinkansen around Japan, you can pick it up here. You can buy the pass at this centre, too, but it’s cheaper to purchase it before you arrive in Japan . This service centre is also the place to get tickets for limited express trains to reach popular day trip destinations from Tokyo. 

There are luggage storage (8.30am-8pm) and currency exchange services (11am-7pm) near here as well. You’ll also find a prayer room that’s open to all religions and denominations, which is available from 8.30am to 7pm (until 5pm on weekends).

Open 7.30am-8.30pm daily. Marunouchi North Gate (ground floor, outside ticket gates).

Tourist information

There’s nowhere better to begin your journey beyond Tokyo than Tokyo Station. Shinkansen lines stretch from here all the way north up to Hokkaido and right down south to Kyushu, and that’s not to mention the local lines that connect you to popular day trip destinations in nearby Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures. But if you need some inspiration for your next journey, stop by Tokyo Station’s tourist information centre, which is next to the JR East Travel Service Center .

Here, you’ll find travel information with a particular focus on the JR East area, which covers the Greater Tokyo and Tohoku regions, plus Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures (the last two are great spots to see Mt Fuji ). There are English language pamphlets on the different destinations, but you can also ask the English-speaking staff for advice about making travel itineraries.

Open 7.30am to 8.30pm daily. Marunouchi North Gate (ground floor, outside ticket gates).

Japan Rail Cafe Tokyo

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of this mega station, take a breather at the Japan Rail Cafe Tokyo . Start by swapping out your usual coffee for a Japanese green tea set with wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) before exploring the useful services on offer.

Stop by the ticket information counter, where English-speaking staff can help plan your itinerary and sell you train tickets. There’s a place to buy souvenirs, too, and sometimes you can see traditional Japanese cultural performances. Check the café’s Facebook page for the latest events. You’ll also find plenty of power outlets dotted around if you need to charge your devices, plus free wifi. 

Café open 8am-10pm weekdays, 8am-9pm weekends and holidays (information counter 9am-5pm daily). Gran Tokyo North Tower, outside Yaesu Central Exit (ground floor, outside ticket gates).

Station information

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in Tokyo Station – don’t worry, we’ve all been there – make a beeline for one of the station information counters. There are seven of these here, with the main two being the Central Corridor and Marunouchi Central information counters. But all seven counters have English-speaking staff.

These are the places to visit if you have any questions about Tokyo Station. Of course, you can ask for help finding your train, but the support also stretches to advice about the incredible selection of shops and restaurants in the station, including those on Tokyo Character Street and Tokyo Ramen Street .

All counters open 10am-6pm daily. You can see the location of the counters here . 

Baggage services

Tokyo Station offers some useful baggage services that can make your trip a lot more comfortable. Both Baggage Storage + and Tokyo Station Baggage Service Counter can save you a tonne of hassle by sending your luggage to your hotel or next destination (anywhere in Japan). What’s more, these services can also store baggage and arrange for packages to be delivered. They both have English-speaking staff, too.

You can store smaller luggage and shopping bags in the coin lockers dotted around the station. There’s no shortage of lockers both inside and outside the ticket gates; check this useful map on the station website to find your nearest storage options.

Baggage Storage + open 9.30am-8pm daily. Gransta Underground North Exit (B1F, inside ticket gates). Tokyo Station Baggage Service Counter open 5.30am-11pm daily (storage 9.30am-8pm). Yaesu South Exit (ground floor, outside ticket gates).

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The Survival Guide to Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station is — as you may have guessed — one of the main train stations in Tokyo. But it’s more than just a transport hub. This station is an architectural delight packed full of history and things to do. Also it is much easier to navigate than Shinjuku or Shibuya Stations. Read on to learn more about Tokyo Station and what makes it so special.

Tokyo Station: The basics

Tokyo Station is located in Chiyoda Ward in central Tokyo, just a short walk away from the Imperial Palace . It has a grand total of 28 train platforms servicing eight local train lines, seven Shinkansen lines, and a Metro Line. There are also numerous bus services with stops there.

Tokyo Station is considered the busiest train station in Japan, based on the number of train departures per day. However, when it comes to passenger numbers, Tokyo Station is still nowhere near as busy as Shinjuku Station. According to JR East in 2021, an average of 282,638 people per day used Tokyo Station compared to the 522,178 passengers who used Shinjuku Station.

Fun Fact: Tokyo Station has five ‘sister stations’ across the world: Grand Central Terminal (U.S.A), Frankfurt Haptbahnhof (Germany), Beijing Railway Station (China), Amsterdam Centraal station (the Netherlands), and Hsinchu Station (Taiwan).

What train lines stop here?

The following train lines stop at Tokyo Station:

• Local train lines: Tōkaidō Main Line, Ueno–Tokyo Line, Keihin–Tōhoku Line, Yamanote Line, Chūō Main Line (including the Rapid service), Sōbu Main Line (including Rapid and Limited Express services), Yokosuka Line (including Limited Express), and the Keiyō Line.
• Shinkansen lines: Tōhoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Hokuriku Shinkansen, Hokkaidō Shinkansen , and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen.

What bus services stop here?

There are numerous bus stops serving different purposes all around Tokyo Station. Here are some of the main ones you should know about:

• JR Bus Expressway Terminal: This terminal is located outside of the Yaesu South Gate, and services Express Buses (also known as Highway Buses ). These are long distance buses that will take you to different parts of Japan including places like Osaka and Kyoto . There are day and night services, as well as airport services to both Haneda and Narita Airports.
• Sight-seeing Bus stops: A few different Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tours have stops on the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station. Two popular tour operators are Sky Bus and Hato Bus. However, at the time of writing Sky Bus is not accepting reservations, and Hato Bus is only accepting reservations on their Japanese website .
• Local bus stops: There are stops for local buses all around Tokyo Station, but there are slightly more on the Marunouchi side. These buses mostly cover short distance routes within the city.

Heading to Kyoto? Check out our Kyoto Station survival guide for everything you need to know before you arrive.

Despite its age, Tokyo Station has quite good facilities. Both inside and outside the ticket gates there are a good number of bathrooms (including accessible toilets and baby changing facilities), and coin lockers. There are also ATMs and Money Exchange machines, although they are mostly outside the ticket gates.

Foreign visitors should take note of the JR East Travel Service Center (pictured above). It’s just outside the Marunouchi North Gate Exit, to your right when exiting the ticket gate. The staff here can assist with buying tickets, making seat reservations and provide general tourist information. However, don’t get this place confused with the other JR East Travel Service Center opposite it — that one is targeted at domestic tourists and has different information. The one for foreign visitors is next to Tokyo Station Gallery . It also has a noticable ‘i’ (Information) symbol on the door. In the same area you’ll also find a small office offering Luggage storage/delivery services .

There are other places offering tourist information and luggage storage in the station, however these ones have the best services for foreign visitors.

Navigation tips

Admittedly, getting around Tokyo Station can be a little confusing. Not only is it large, it’s also busy and has multiple exits, but with these tips you’ll be breezing through the station like a local.

• Yaesu North, Yaesu Central, and Yaesu South Gates are on the eastern side of the station. On this side on the first floor, you’ll find the JR Expressway Ticket Office and bus terminals, and the Daimaru department store. Head down to the basement level and you’ll find Character Street, Okashii Land, and Tokyo Ramen Street . Outside of the station itself there isn’t too much of interest for tourists, as it’s mostly a business area.
• Marunouchi North, Marunouchi Central, and Marunouchi South Gates on the western side of the station. Here you’ll find the JR East Travel Service Center, Tokyo Station Gallery, and Tokyo Station Hotel . Head outside the station and you can see the station’s iconic facade. There are also several shopping malls adjacent to the Marunouchi side and the Imperial Palace is a short walk away.
• Tokyo Station has multiple platforms named Platform 1, 2, 3, and 4. Make sure to check your train line carefully, in addition to the platform number.
• Ecute and Gransta Tokyo are shopping malls inside the ticket gates. If you’d like to shop at them you need to enter with a valid train ticket or buy an admission ticket.
• On signs, yellow is used to show exits, while white is used for station facilities and train lines.

Catching the Shinkansen at Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station is a great place to catch the Shinkansen . Because it’s the first stop on the Shinkansen, the train will be totally empty before you get on. For this reason we recommend getting on the Shinkansen here, rather than at Ueno or Shinagawa Stations if you don’t have a reserved seat.

However, if you are going to catch the Shinkansen from here, it’s important to know that there are separate ticket gates for north and south bound Shinkansen lines. In both cases, the ticket gates are on the Yaesu side of the station. North-bound routes are accessed via the North Transfer Gates, to get to them you have to enter the local train ticketed area first. On the other hand, south-bound routes can be accessed via the South Transfer Gates, you can access these directly from both outside the regular ticketed area, as well as from within. Confused? Yeah, we were too. Luckily there are plenty of maps and signs around the station to help you figure out where to go. In the meantime, this map can help you get an idea of what to expect.

Things to do in and around Tokyo Station

There’s plenty to see and do in the station area. Of course, we’ve already sussed out all the most interesting things and put them in their own article, which you can read here .

The short version is that Tokyo Station is a great area for souvenir shopping — for both omiyage (traditional souvenir snacks) and pop culture/anime merchandise — as well as exploring galleries, admiring architecture, and gobbling down some excellent ramen. You can also easily wonder down to the Imperial Palace, or even to Yurakuchō or Ginza . It’s very easy to fill an hour or two between train departures — or even a whole day — just in the station area.

Food and drink options

Tokyo Station is a good place to be hungry, simply because there are so many options. If you’ve got time to sit down and eat, First Avenue Tokyo Station (outside of the ticket gates on the Yaesu side of the station) is home not only to Tokyo Ramen Street, but also Tokyo Gourmet Zone and Nippon Gourmet Road . These areas mostly specialize in Japanese food or fusion cuisine, so they’re quite popular with tourists.

There are also cafés inside and outside the station gates, including local chains like Beck’s Coffee and Dean & Deluca, as well as Starbucks. You’ll also find a fair few bakeries, and if you’re after take-away options there are plenty of convenience stores and even a McDonald’s.

Ekiben — The ultimate train journey lunchbox

No long distance Shinkansen ride is complete without an ekiben — a type of bentō (lunch box) sold at train stations. And at Tokyo Station there are plenty of options to choose from. If you don’t mind keeping things simple (and cheap) you can pick up a bentō from just about any convenience store in or around Tokyo Station for around ¥ 500 . But if you want the true ekiben experience, you have to buy it inside the station — and pay the premium, ¥ 800 to ¥ 1,500 .

There are a number of shops inside the ticket gates selling ekiben, but one of the most well-known ones is Ekiben Matsuri (Ekiben Festival). Ekiben Matsuri is part of the Gransta mall, located along the central passageway. It specializes in selling ekiben from all over the country — yes, there are regional ekiben. Another option is the bentō section in the Ecute mall, which has a number of different bentō shops. Keep in mind that there are actually fewer ekiben shops once you enter the Shinkansen gates, so grab one before you go through.

When it was first conceptualized in 1894, Tokyo Station was meant to connect just two train lines. Construction was delayed due to the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, and the station wasn’t finished until 1914. It officially opened on December 20, and at that time had only four platforms. Today, those same platforms are used for the Yamanote, Keihin–Tōhoku and Tōkaidō Lines.

In 1945, parts of the station were destroyed by World War 2 fire-bombing. It was rebuilt within a year, but some changes were made to the original architecture — the new building was only two stories tall instead of the original three, and the domed roofs were replaced by angular ones. Over the following decades, there were numerous renovations and extensions, including adding platforms for the Shinkansen routes. More recently, in 2012 there was restoration work to the Marunouchi side facade, which included returning the roofs to their original domed shape.

Assassinations

Japanese Prime Ministers were attacked at Tokyo Station on two separate occassions. In 1921, Takashi Hara was assassinated while preparing to board a train to Kyoto. Then in 1930, Osachi Hamaguchi was shot — he survived the initial attack but passed away a year later from his injuries. There are plaques in Tokyo Station commemorating both of these incidents, Prime Minister Hara’s is inside the ticket gates near the Marunouchi South Gate Exit, while Prime Minister Hamaguchi’s is almost exactly in the center of the station, halfway between Yaesu and Marunouchi Central Gates.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth staying near Tokyo Station? If you are looking for accommodation with good transport connections, yes. However, if you’re after something different see our guide on where to stay in Tokyo for other ideas.

Is Tokyo Station busy? Tokyo Station is one of the busiest stations in terms of the number of train departures per day. However, when it comes to daily passenger numbers Shinjuku Station snags that title.

Does Tokyo Station have good connections to the airports? Tokyo Station has good connections to Narita Airport , however the connection to Haneda Airport isn’t as good. For more information on how to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo check out this article . For Haneda Airport to Tokyo check out this one .

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JR EAST Travel Service Center(Tokyo Station)

• Multilingual Staff English, Chinese, Korean
• Wi-Fi Available for free

Location Information

1-9-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005

• Nearest Station Tokyo Station ･ Tokaido Shinkansen Line ･ Hokkaido Shinkansen Line ･ Tohoku Shinkansen Line ･ Akita Shinkansen Line ･ Yamagata Shinkansen Line ･ Joetsu Shinkansen Line ･ Hokuriku Shinkansen Line ･ JR Tokaido Main Line ･ JR Yokosuka Line ･ JR Sobu Main Line ･ JR Sobu Main Line (Rapid) ･ JR Keihin-Tohoku Line ･ JR Yamanote Line ･ JR Chuo Main Line ･ JR Keiyo Line ･ JR Ueno Tokyo Line ･ Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
• Hours 7:30am - 8:30pm
• Closed None
• Public Computer Available Public Computer available for free

Further Facilities & Services

• Information Counter
• Category3 Full-time service in English as well as at least two other languages. Tourist information is available in all of Japan, operating seven days a week with on-site Wi-Fi. The location acts as a gateway for a large number of international tourists.
• Category2 English-speaking staff is available and the information service covers a large area.
• Category1 The location provides a minimal amount of English without full-time staff. The information service covers the local area.
• Partner A facility that actively provides regional and neutral tourist information to international visitors without specializing in the tourism business itself.

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JR East Service Center, Tokyo

An essential destination for travellers

If you’re going to East Japan, whether you’re planning on travelling across the country or just within a city, then chances are you’ll need to make a stop at a JR East Service Center . The main one of these is in Tokyo Station, and it’s the place to make all your travel enquiries, book Shinkansen tickets and rail passes, and pick up information brochures on all the places you can think of going to in East Japan. When you visit, you also get a glimpse of Tokyo Station , one of the world’s busiest train stations.

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• Transportation

JR East Travel Service Center

Convenience at tokyo station for the tohoku region.

For the Japan tourist looking to travel around the Tokyo Metropolitan area and the Tohoku region of Japan but do not want to pay for the hefty price tag that starts from the 7-day nationwide Japan Rail pass , they can opt to buy the JR East Pass . What's great about this pass is that unlike the JR pass which remains active for 7 consecutive days regardless of usage, the JR East Pass offers the flexibility of traveling on any 5 days within a 14-day period. And at 22,000 yen, it is a whole lot cheaper.

The JR East Pass is one of the many ticket services available at the JR East Travel Service Center at Tokyo Station , with the latter previously known as Central Station but renamed to its current title during its inauguration in 1914. Due to its monumental cultural value, it was successfully preserved and returned to its original state in 2012. The inside of Tokyo Station is now a spectacle to behold, a blend of old Victorian architecture with modern interior design. There is also the Tokyo Station Gallery, which serves to offer travelers an insight into art and culture in Tokyo Station, rather than having the latter be a mere transportation hub.

The JR East Travel Service Center, exclusively for Japan travelers, are staffed with friendly people fluent in English, Mandarin and Korean. Besides providing JR East exchange passes and sales, the service center offers tourist information around the JR East service area and the rest of Japan, with travelers even able to purchase package tours here. There is also a separate booth containing international ATMS and foreign exchange, which will most definitely put your financial worries at ease.

One distinct feature of the travel service center is baggage services. For travelers unwilling to lug their hand luggage while going around the Tokyo Metropolitan area, they can leave their luggage at the service center for a minimal fee of 500 yen per item, which needs to be reclaimed before business hours end. The service center also offers delivery services for packages within Japan and abroad, and even also offers porter services should one require help with their luggage. With the latter coming at a reasonable price of 1500 yen for 3 baggage pieces, it's something to keep in mind for the traveler looking to do heaps of shopping in Tokyo.

The JR East Travel Service Center aims to be your one stop service center for your travel needs, and travelers will definitely feel much at ease with all their queries answered here.

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Jerome Lee @jerome.lee

Singaporean who lived in Melbourne, Australia for 3 years, and undertook a journalism degree. A lover of soul, funk music (Motown especially), and many other forms of music. Love meeting new people, and creative things (art, fashion, photography, design, films...). Currently working at JapanTrave...

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JR East Travel Service Center - Tokyo Station - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Sun - Sat 7:30 am - 8:30 pm
• (0.11 km) The Tokyo Station Hotel
• (0.19 km) Marunouchi Hotel
• (0.35 km) Shangri-La Tokyo
• (0.35 km) HOTEL METROPOLITAN TOKYO MARUNOUCHI
• (0.39 km) Oakwood Premier Tokyo
• (0.01 km) Stand T
• (0.02 km) Torio
• (0.04 km) Asian Restaurant Basil Marunouchi
• (0.04 km) Hantei
• (0.05 km) Ten Honmaru

• Welcome to Tokyo Station City
• Station Map/Area Map
• Coin Lockers/Baggage Storage

Ticket Office

• Child-Friendly/Barrier-Free
• Automated Teller Machine

Wi-Fi Service

• Money Exchange

Information

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• Bus/Taxi Service
• Tokyo Station Shopping Guide
• Tokyo Station Overview/History
• Tokyo Station Highlights
• Marunouchi Station Building Highlights
• Surrounding Area Information/Links

Tokyo Station Map / Area Map

Tokyo Station Map / Area Map Coin Lockers Baggage Storage Ticket Gate Ticket Office Restrooms Child-Friendly / Barrier-Free ATM Wi-Fi Service Money Exchange Services Information

Coin Lockers/ Baggage Storage

Ticket Gate

Child-Friendly / Barrier-Free

Money Exchange Services

View Suica Locker Availability

"To Locca" locker reservation service

*Tap the "Availability" tab on the screen that opens from the link.

You can also download and use the "TOKYO STATION NAVI" app for smartphones.

*You can check the availability of Suica lockers in real- time.

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Shinkansen Parcel Service & Baggage Storage

Location: Outside Yaesu South Gate Hours: 5:30 to 23:00

• Service Details : luggage transportation (Hakobyun Quick), temporary luggage storage
• “Hakobyun Quick” is a luggage transportation service, for city to city delivered by JR-East Shinkansen (bullet trains only within JR-East areas). You can make a delivery request until 30 minutes before each train leaves, with even 1 item is available and no pre-registration is required.

Coin Lockers/Baggage Storage/Same-day baggage hotel delivery service at Tokyo Station

Baggage storage.

Outside ticket gates

Shinkansen Parcel Service & Baggage Storage.

Jr east travel service center baggage storage.

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BAGGAGE STORAGE +

Shinkansen south transfer gate temporary storage.

Reserve with your smartphone LUGGAGE STORAGE IN STATION

* Ticket offices (Inside the gate): You can buy tickets only for today.

1F Marunouchi South Gate

1F Marunouchi Central Gate

1F Yaesu Central Gate

1F Yaesu South Gate

B1 Station Concierge inside GRANSTA TOKYO

1F Central Passage

1F Yaesu North Gate

B1 Marunouchi Underground North Gate

B1 Marunouchi Underground South Gate

B1 Yaesu Underground Central Gate

Seven Bank ATM

① 1F Marunouchi North Gate

② 1F YAEKITA SHOKUDO

③ 1F Nihombashi Gate

④ B1 First Avenue Tokyo Station

⑤ B1 GRANROOF

Japan Post Bank ATM

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Other Major Bank ATM

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② 1F Yaesu South Gate: Mitsubishi UFJ (MUFG)

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④ 1F YAEKITA SHOKUDO: Mizuho Bank

⑤ 1F YAEKITA SHOKUDO: Resona Bank

⑥ 1F Marunouchi Underground North Gate(Inside NewDays): Mizuho Bank

⑦ 1F Marunouchi Underground South Gate(Inside NewDays): Mizuho Bank

⑧ B1 Yaesu Underground Central Gate:Mizuho Bank

⑨ B1 GRANROOF: Sumitomo Mitsui (SMBC)

⑩ B1 Yaesu Underground: Mizuho Bank

⑪ B1 Yaesu Underground: Resona Bank

JR EAST Travel Service Center

Location : 1F Marunouchi North Gate

Opening hours : 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

No. Currencies Handled : 31

Station Concierge Tokyo

Location : B1 Inside GRANSTA TOKYO

Opening hours : Temporarily closed

No. Currencies Handled : 33

How to use a Suica card -Movie-

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Our Tourist Information Office

Tourist Information Center (Narita International Airport):Terminal 1

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JR EAST Travel Service Center (Tokyo Station)

• JR EAST Travel Service Center (Shinjuku Station)

Our experienced staff offer tourist information and provide brochures and maps in various foreign languages. The information covers everything tourists may need during their stay in Japan, such as destinations, transportations and accommodations all over Japan. If tourists unfortunately find themselves in difficulties during their stay in Japan, we will do our utmost to help them out. We are glad that we have received many thank-you letters from visitors we helped, and are very happy to know that they really enjoyed traveling in Japan.

ITCJ is a nonprofit public organization founded in 1990 and its principal role is to improve convenience for visitors to Japan and make their stay a most pleasant one. We have been involved in planning and conducting tourism-related activities with JNTO, local governments and companies as well as operating tourist information centers in Tokyo and Narita international airport. We would like to extend our warmest welcome to every visitor from abroad.

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A basic guide to coin lockers and temporary storage services at Tokyo Station

NAVITIME TRAVEL EDITOR

Tokyo Station is one of the main stations in Japan, receiving travelers and commuters from across Japan every day. While coin lockers and storage services are scattered throughout many areas of Tokyo Station, knowing the exact details of the available services will come in handy. So take a look at this basic guide and prepare for your trip to Tokyo!

【How to use coin lockers】

You can check the availability of more than 5,000 coin lockers in the station on the “Locker Concierge” website, so you can get a rough idea of where to go. The cost is around 400 to 800 yen, depending on the size of the locker, which range from small (for backpacks) to extra-large (for big suitcases). You can store your luggage for a maximum of three days and the extra storage fee will be added after 2am every day. 【Related Links】 ． Realtime Online Checking of Coin-lockers at Tokyo Station ． Coin Lockers Map（1F） ． Coin Lockers Map（B1）

For those taking the Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train): 1st floor on Yaesu North and Central Gates

When you exit through the North Gate, you will find more than 100 lockers on your right-hand side. If these aren’t available, walk towards the Nihonbashi Exit or the Central Gates, as there are plenty more lockers available here. Areas around the Yaesu South Gates also have lockers but they tend to be full by the morning, since it's close to the bus terminal.

For those taking the Narita Express: Take the escalator down to the Sobu Line

This coin locker spot is the closest one to the Narita Express (N'EX) platform. Once you enter the station yard, find an escalator (marked with N'EX and Sobu line) near the Marunouchi Central Gate and go down to the basement floor. When you turn around, you can find 1,363 key-type lockers (Suica cards are not accepted).

Yaesu Underground Central Gate: 1,219 coin lockers and a cloak room

If you want to enjoy shopping and dining at Gransta mall free from heavy or cumbersome luggage, you can store your bags in the coin lockers near the Yaesu Underground Central Gate. Entering from the Yaesu Underground Central Gate, follow the “coin lockers” sign on the ceiling. You can find 1,219 coin lockers (small, medium and large-sized) here. If the lockers are all occupied or your luggage can't fit, try the cloak service instead (luggage storage service).

Hole-in-the-wall coin locker spot near Marunouchi Underground South Gate

Those using the Keiyo Line/Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line can try this spot outside the Marunouchi Underground South Gate. Walk towards the “Keiyo Line” sign and you will find 173 coin lockers. This is one of the hidden spots at Tokyo Station, so those desperately in need of a luggage spot can try their luck here too.

To store perishables: Daimaru department store's refrigerated coin lockers

If you purchase perishables at Daimaru's underground floor and wish to store your items, look for the refrigerated coin lockers inside the department store. Once you find the green goods section, go straight towards the end and you will find the lockers on your right. The cost is 100 yen and the temperature is about 7°C. The refrigerators will be turned off when the store closes (9pm on weekdays and 8pm on weekends/holidays).

【How to use baggage storage services】

While coin lockers are probably the easiest option to free yourself from lugging around suitcases or other bulky travel items, there's no harm in learning about temporary baggage storage services. In many cases, they can store extra-large items (that won't fit into lockers) for more than a day and you can access your baggage as often as you like.

JR EAST Travel Service Center (7:30am to 8:30pm): Same-day baggage storage service

Head out through the Marunouchi North Gate and you will find the JR EAST Travel Service Center. The center accepts items for 600 yen (per item) but you must make sure your items are smaller than 250cm (total dimension) and less than 30 kg. The center also handles the delivery of items to hotels and airports.

JR EAST Travel Service Center

Marunouchi Hotel, Tokyo

1-6-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda Ku Tokyo

Multi-day baggage storage: Rail Go Service (8am to 8pm)

Starting at the Yaesu South Gate, walk through the bus terminal on your right and proceed until you see a “Recruit” sign. Take the elevator at the end of the hallway and follow the arrow/instructions to the Rail Go Service. Here they will store your luggage for a maximum of 15 days if it’s not more than 200 cm (total dimension) and less than 30 kg. The cost is 420 yen per item (per night) and will be increased to 840 yen after six days.

Tokyo Service Center for extra-large items (7am to 11pm)

The Tokyo Service Center near the Nihonbashi Exit offers a temporary baggage storage service. The service costs 800 yen per day (maximum five days) and costs 1000 yen for larger items (taller than 160cm). One of the benefits of leaving your luggage here is that you can access it as often as you like. The center also offers a delivery service to hotels, airports and international shipping. Registration finishes at 10pm but you can pick your items up until 11pm.

TOKYO SERVICE CENTER

Hotel Metropolitan Marunouchi

1-7-12 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

Gransta Cloak for large luggage (8:30am to 9pm)

Those traveling with luggage that’s larger than what’s accepted in the coin lockers can try Gransta Cloak near the Yaesu Underground Central Gate. They offer a same-day storage service priced at 600 yen (per item), with the service finishing at 8:30pm. Your items should be smaller than 250 cm x 200 cm and less than 30kg. They also offer a delivery service to hotels and airports.

The Tokyo Station Hotel

1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

【More spots for coin lockers and baggage storage services】

If you're taking a long-distance bus from the Yaesu South Exit, you can check the same-day coin lockers in the waiting room (accessible from 6:30am to 12:30am). There are 42 lockers in total (small, medium, large and extra-large) and the prices range from 400 to 800 yen, depending on the size.

Known for its black cat logo, Yamato Transportation also offers same-day storage for 600 yen (open from 10am to 8pm, with pick up available until 7:30pm). It’s located in Kitchen Street, which is near the Nihonbashi Exit. Your items should be smaller than 250 cm (total dimension) and less than 30kg.

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Japan Rail Pass Exchange Offices

• Published on : 01/03/2023
• by : Japan Experience
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Where can I exchange my Japan Rail Pass in Japan?

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Offices: the major offices throughout Japan where an Exchange Order can be exchanged for a Japan Rail Pass. Below are a few of the 51 offices throughout Japan where the Exchange Order can be exchanged for a Japan Rail Pass.

Once you’ve got your Japan Rail Pass Exchange Order in hand, there’s only one more step left! After arriving in Japan, you’ll need to turn in the exchange order (voucher) at the nearest exchange office. 

Don't have your pass yet? Buy your Japan Rail Pass now!

Japan Rail Pass National Discover all Rail Passes in Japan

• Included : Economic and simple, Unlimited travel

Here’s our step-by-step guide so that you’re extra prepared.

1. Locate the nearest exchange office

JR Pass Exchange Offices are located in most major train stations and airports (but not all, for example not in Chubu Airport in Nagoya ).

Plan out ahead of time where and when you’ll exchange your pass using this official list of offices .

It’s important to note: Regional passes can only be exchanged at certain exchange offices within the region. Please check beforehand.

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Offices in Tokyo

Narita airport terminal 1.

• JR East Travel Service Center (Ekitabi concierge) 8:30-18:00, every day of the year
• JR Ticket Office 6:30-8:30, then 18:00-21:45, every day of the year 
• Narita International Airport Terminal 1 Travel Center 10:30-18:00, every day of the year

Narita Airport Terminal 2

• JR East Travel Service Center (Ekitabi concierge) 8:30-20:00, every day of the year

Haneda Airport International Terminal 3 (Tokyo Monorail)

• JR East Travel Service Center ( Tokyo Monorail 2F Ticket Gate/Arrival Lobby ) 6:45-20:00, every day of the year

NOTE THAT THE JR RAIL PASS CAN BE USED ON THE  TOKYO MONORAIL

JR Pass office at Narita Airport

Tokyo Station

• Japan Rail Pass Exchange Corner ( Yaesu Central Ticket Gate, 2F ) 7:30-20:30, every day of the year  
• Japan Rail Pass Exchange Corner ( Yaesu North Ticket Gate, 2F ) 9:00-19:00, every day of the year  
• JR East Travel Service Center ( Japan Rail Cafe ) 9:00-17:00, every day of the year  
• JR East Travel Service Center ( Marunouchi North Exit ) 7:30-20:30, every day of the year  
• JR Tokai Tours Tokyo Office 10:00-19:00, every day of the year

Shinjuku Station

• JR East Travel Service Center ( New   South Ticket Gate ) 8:00-19:00, every day of the year
• JR East Travel Service Center ( Central East Ticket Gate ) 9:00-18:00, every day of the year  

Ueno Station

• JR East Travel Service Center ( Central Ticket Gate ) 8:00-18:00, every day of the year  

Shibuya Station

• JR East Travel Service Center ( South Ticket Gate ) 9:00-18:00, every day of the year  

JR Office at Tokyo Station

Ikebukuro Station

• JR East Travel Service Center ( West Exit ) 9:00-18:00, every day of the year  

Shinagawa Station

• JR-Central Ticket Office 9:00-19:00  
• JR Tokai Tours Shinagawa Office Mon-Fri: 10:00-18:00  

JR office at Shinagawa Station.

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Offices in Yokohama

Shin-yokohama station.

• JR-Central Ticket Office ( Shinkansen East Ticket Gate ) 8:00-20:00, every day of the year  
• JR Tokai Tours Shin-Yokohama Office ( Shinkansen West Ticket Gate ) Mon-Fri: 10:00-18:00  

Yokohama Station

• JR East Travel Service Center ( Central South Ticket Gate ) 10:00-18:00, every day of the year

Eastern shinkansen entrance at Shin-Yokohama Station.

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Offices in Osaka

Kansai international airport.

• JR Ticket Office ( Kansai-Airport Train Station, JR Ticket Gate ) 5:30-23:00, every day of the year

Osaka Station

• JR Ticket Office ( Central Gate, No. 12 and 13 ) 6:00-22:00, every day of the year  
• Nippon Travel Agency TiS Osaka Branch ( Travel Service Center Osaka ) 8:00-20:00, every day of the year

Shin-Osaka Station

• JR East Travel Service Center 8:00-20:00, every day of the year  
• JR Ticket Office (JR-West East) 6:00-22:00, every day of the year  
• JR Ticket Office (JR-Central Central) 5:30-23:00, every day of the year  
• Nippon Travel Agency TiS Shin-Osaka Branch Mon-Fri: 7:00-20:30 Sat/Sun/Holidays: 7:00-20:00  
• JR Tokai Tours Shin-Osaka Office ( Shinkansen South Ticket Gate ) Mon-Fri: 08:30-20:00

JR East Tourist Information Center in Shin-Osaka Station.

@Osaka-info.jp

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Offices in Kyoto

Kyoto station.

• JR Information Counter ( 1F, International Arrivals Lobby ) 8:00-20:00, every day of the year  
• JR Ticket Office ( 1F, Central Gate ) 6:30-21:00, every day of the year.  
• JR Ticket Office ( 1F, JR-Central Hachijo Shinkansen ) 8:30-23:00, every day of the year  
• JR Tokai Tours Kyoto Office ( 1F, Hachijo Exit ) 8:00-20:00, every day of the year

Kyoto Station, Kyoto

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Office in Chubu

Nagoya station.

• Japan Rail Pass Exchange Office 10:00-19:00, every day of the year  
• JR Ticket Office 6:00-10:00, then 19:00-23:00  
• JR Tokai Tours Nagoya Office ( Central Concourse ) Mon-Fri: 8:00-20:00 Sat/Sun/Holidays: 8:00-19:00  
• JR Tokai Tours Nagoya Station Hirokoji Entrance Office ( Hirokoji Exit ) Mon-Fri: 7:30-20:00 Sat/Sun/Holidays: 8:00-18:00  

Hamamatsu Station

• JR Ticket Office ( Shinkansen Transfer Gate ) 8:00-20:30, every day of the week  
• JR Tokai Tours Hamamatsu Office ( Shinkansen Ticket Gate ) 10:00-18:00, every day of the week

Shizuoka Station

• JR Ticket Office 8:00-20:30, every day of the week  
• JR Tokai Tours Shizuoka Office 10:00-18:00, every day of the week

Ticket gate at Shizuoka Station

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Office in Hokkaido

New-chitose airport railway station.

• JR Hokkaido Visitor Information Desk ( B1F, Ticket Gate ) 8:30-19:00, every day of the year

Sapporo Station

• JR Information Desk ( Temporary Location: West Ticket Gate ) 8:30-19:00, every day of the year
• JR Ticket Counter for Rail Pass 10:00-12:30, then 13:30-18:00, every day of the year

Kushiro 

• JR Ticket office 10:00-18;00  every day of the year

Sapporo Tourist Information Desk in Sapporo.

@www.sapporo.travel

Japan Rail Pass Exchange Office in Kyushu

Kokura station.

• JR Ticket Office 10:30-18:00, every day of the year

Hakata Station

• JR-KYUSHU Ticket Office 7:00-21:00, every day of the year

Nagasaki Station

• Ticket Office 10:00-17:30, every day of the year

Saga Station

• Travel Service Center Mon-Fri: 10:30-12:00, then 13:00-18:00 Sat: 10:30-18:00  
• Ticket Office Sun/Holidays: 10:30-18:00

Oita Station

• Ticket Office 10:00-18:00, every day of the year

Kumamoto Station

• Ticket Office 11:00-18:00, every day of the year

Miyazaki Station

• Ticket Office 10:30-18:00, every day of the year

Kagoshima-Chuo Station

• Travel Service Center Mon-Wed/Fri-Sun/Holidays: 10:00-18:00  
• Ticket Office Thu: 10:00-18:00

JR Office at Kagoshima Chuo Station.

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• <Tokyo Station>TOKYO SERVICE CENTER

<Tokyo Station> TOKYO SERVICE CENTER

The TOKYO SERVICE CENTER is located at the Nihonbashi Exit of Tokyo Station, the starting point for sightseeing in Tokyo, and offers various services such as temporary luggage storage and same-day delivery to hotels and airports for the convenience of Tokyo Station users.

Branch Information

Hours available for package pickup are subjected to change in facilities' opening hours.

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Available services

Stricter security measures (searches for explosives during temporary storage of baggage)

We have installed explosives detection equipment to check each and every piece of baggage.

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JR EAST Travel Service Center (Ueno Station)

JR EAST Travel Service Center Ueno

• Tokyo Station
• Shinjuku Station
• Narita Airport Terminals 1 and 2・3
• Haneda Airport International Terminal

Welcome to Japan

-->The JR EAST Travel Service Center is located at Ueno Station central ticket gate, and is staffed with English speakers ready to provide you with information about tickets, passes and sightseeing.

They provide assistance with JR EAST's extensive transportation network serving the Tokyo area and northern Honshu including the Shinkansens (bullet trains) and express trains. Ueno Station is an excellent place to start your travels, no matter where you are headed, and offers a wide range of services, including JR pass exchange/sales services (a convenient way to travel by rail), and travel information.

JR EAST Travel Service Center - Ueno Station

Map of Ueno Station

Business Hours

*Temporary Hours of Operation 9:00-16:30 Temporarily closed for construction from January 29 to 31, 2022

*Temporary Hours of Operation 10:00-17:00

12/29～1/3: 8:30-17:00

For ticket purchases outside these service hours, use JR Ticket Office (Midori-no-madoguchi).

Credit Cards

We accept the following credit cards. Only cash (Japanese currency) can be used to recharge Suica cards.

UnionPay Card

Products That Can Be Purchased by UnionPay Card : JR EAST PASS , JR Kanto Area Pass Note: Other discount tickets and train tickets cannot be purchased with the UnionPay Card.

Products Available at JR EAST Travel Service Centers

Tourist information.

• Travel information and guidance is provided for throughout Japan, and particularly for the JR East service area.
• The JR EAST Travel Service Centers carry tourism pamphlets and offer free Wi-Fi.

Recommended sightseeing areas in the JR East service area

Tokyo sightseeing

Short trips from Tokyo

JR EAST Travel Service Center (Tokyo Station)

Major Travel Services and Pass Exchanges

Pass services

• JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area)
• JR EAST PASS (Nagano, Niigata area)
• JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
• JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
• Hokuriku Arch Pass
• JR TOKYO Wide Pass

Ticket services

• Shinkansen and limited express ticket sales
• Various other tickets
• Package tour sales
• Lodging reservations

Recommended travel passes and tickets

Districts [ edit ]

Central Moscow districts [ edit ]

Outlying districts [ edit ], understand [ edit ].

Moscow is the financial and political centre of Russia and the countries formerly comprising the Soviet Union. It has a population of around 13 million and an area of 2,511 square kilometres (970 sq mi) after an expansion in 2012. One-tenth of all Russian citizens live in the Moscow metropolitan area. Moscow is the second most populous city in Europe, after Istanbul , and has the most populous metropolitan area in Europe, with some 21 million residents. Moscow is in the UTC+3 time zone; there is no daylight saving time.

Many years since the break up of the Soviet Union, the economy has improved, and the modern era has brought upon a wide variety of construction projects, modern architecture and newer transport systems replacing the derelict ones during Soviet times.

Geography [ edit ]

Moscow is a large metropolis on the Moskva River, which bends its way through the city. The historical center is on the northern bank of the river. The other major waterway is the Yauza River, which flows into the Moskva east of the Kremlin.

Much of Moscow's geography is defined by the 3 'Ring Roads' that circle the city at various distances from the centre, roughly following the outline of the walls that used to surround Moscow. With Red Square and the Kremlin forming the very centre, the innermost ring road is the Boulevard Ring ( Bulvarnoye Koltso ), built in the 1820s where the 16th century walls used to be. It runs from the Christ the Savior Cathedral in south-west central Moscow, to the mouth of the Yauza in south-east central Moscow.

The next ring road, the Garden Ring ( Sadovoe Koltso ), derives its name from the fact that landowners near the road in Tsarist times were obligated to maintain gardens to make the road attractive. In Soviet times, the road was widened, and there are now no gardens there.

The Third Ring Road, completed in 2004, is not much use for tourists but is a heavily used motorway which absorbs a bit of Moscow's traffic. It roughly follows the outline of Kamer-Kollezhsky val , the customs boundary of Moscow in the 18th – early 20th century. The outer edge of Moscow is largely defined by the Moscow Ring Road (widely known by its abbreviation: MKAD-Moskovskaya kolcevaya avto doroga), a motorway which is 108 km (67 mi) long and encircles the entire city (similar to London's M25 and Paris' Périphérique ).

Climate [ edit ]

The climate of Moscow features warm summers and long, cold winters.

Get in [ edit ]

See Russia#Get in for visa requirements to Russia.

By train [ edit ]

Moscow is a railway hub, with connections to all parts of Russia and far into Europe and Asia. Due to its hub status, Moscow's train stations are often crowded; trains are the usual form of intercity transport for most Russians. The stations have a reputation for being unsafe but paradoxically the threat of terrorism has improved things: security gates, policing and surveillance deter the casual thugs and villains. Guard your valuables and yourself as you would in any big city.

All long-distance trains are operated by Russian Railways and its subsidiaries, except for a few international trains with other operators. Tickets can be bought at stations or online . For domestic trains, you can show the ticket officer your online boarding pass; however, international trains require a printed ticket. There are usually ticket counters with English-speaking personnel - they may be marked as such, or the clerk may direct you to another counter if they can't cope with your English. See Russia#By train 2 for more details on travelling in Russia by train.

From Europe [ edit ]

All trains from Europe halted since 2020

Train stations in Moscow [ edit ]

Moscow has 10 train stations, 9 of which are near metro stations close to the center of Moscow. Be sure to note the station from which your train is departing, which will be indicated on the ticket, or online . Three stations ( Leningradsky , Yaroslavsky , and Kazansky ) are on one huge square, informally known as the "Three Stations' Square". A running joke among Moscow taxi drivers since the Soviet times is to be able to pick up a fare from one of them to the other, taking the unwary tourist on an elaborate ride in circles. Be prepared for enormous queues trying to enter or exit the Metro at peak times, as people are getting off or on the commuter trains.

By car [ edit ]

Many entry points to Moscow over the Ring Road and into the city feature rotating roadblocks, where teams of traffic police may stop a vehicle, especially if it is not featuring Moscow plates. You may be stopped and questioned but you'll be allowed to proceed if you have all the proper documents.

Foreign cars, especially expensive cars, might attract unwelcome attention, and there is cumbersome paperwork involved to enter Russia by car.

By boat [ edit ]

There is no scheduled passenger service to Moscow by boat; however, cruise ships do provide service to the Northern River Terminal, on the Moscow Canal near the Khimki Reservoir. The pier is not convenient to the city and it can take over 2 hours to reach the city centre by car.

A system of navigable channels and locks connects the Moskva River with the Volga River, which is further connected to the Baltic Sea , White Sea, the Azov, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea. In the Soviet times this allowed the official propaganda to refer to Moscow as "a port on the five seas".

By bicycle [ edit ]

Moscow is the easternmost destination of the EuroVelo cycling routes . Eurovelo Route 2 , the Capitals Route, is a 5,500 km (3,400 mi) route starting in Galway , Ireland , passing through Dublin , London , Berlin , Warsaw and Minsk before terminating in Moscow.

By metro [ edit ]

The Metro is open from 05:30-01:00. Station entrances are closed at 01:00, and at this time the last trains depart from all of the termini stations. After 01:00, many locals will enter the train station using the exits, which are still open. Service on the ring line runs until 01:30, although entrances are closed at 01:00. The down escalators are also shut off at 01:00.

There is signage in the Metro stations in English and the Latin alphabet, but these signs are not everywhere. Each train carriage has a map in Latin script and there is one near the entrance to each station. Note the direction of the train before you alight. It is worth printing a map of the metro system in both Cyrillic and Latin letters to take with you.

All trains in the system have free WiFi onboard, but you will need to have a Russian phone number to get the authorization code to access the WiFi. Some of the older train cars are not climate controlled.

2 or 3 stations may be connected as transfer points but will each have a different name. There are 2 stations called Smolenskaya and 2 stations called Arbatskaya , but the station pairs are not connected to each other despite having the same name. Some of the stations are very deep underground, and transfer times between certain metro lines can take a lot of time. In the city centre, it can save time to go directly to the above-ground entrance of the line you want to take rather than to enter at a connecting station and transfer underground. On the escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left except for peak hours, when standing on the left side is also allowed.

Some of the train stations include beautiful architecture and it is worth taking a guided tour of the metro system. The most interesting stations in terms of decor are Komsomolskaya (ring line), Novoslobodskaya (ring line), Kievskaya (ring line), Kropotkinskaya (Line #1 - red), Kievskaya (Line #3 - dark blue), Arbatskaya (Line #3 - dark blue), Ploschad' Revolyutsii (Line #3 - dark blue), Mayakovskaya (Line #2 - dark green). Also look at the architecture of the ground entrance building of Arbatskaya (Line #4 - light blue) and Krasnye Vorota (Line #1 - red). History buffs may appreciate that Metro Line #1 (red) has the oldest stations, opened in 1935.

The Vorobyovy Gory Metro Station on Line #1 (red) is unique in that it is on a bridge crossing the Moscow River. This bridge also carries auto traffic road on another level. There is a beautiful view through the transparent sides of the station. A great observing point around Moscow is located nearby on Vorobyovy hills, next to the main building of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

There are a couple of unique trains operating through the system and you will be lucky if you get to ride them. Aquarelle (Watercolor) is a train that includes an art gallery. The train operates daily on Line #3 (dark blue). The Sokolniki Retro Train is a train modeled after the original 1930s trains and it occasionally is placed into service, usually around a major anniversary of the metro system.

The metro is relatively safe, although pickpockets are a problem, as they are in any environment where a lot of people are pressed together. Opportunistic petty crime, such as snatching someone's mobile phone and jumping out just as the doors are closing, is also commonplace. Take the usual precautions at night when gangs of inebriated teenagers may look for an excuse to beat someone up. There is no train guard or conductor, so the first car near the driver may be the safest. Every car is equipped with an intercom to the driver's cabin; they are beige boxes with a grill and a black button near doors, and mostly work, unless visibly vandalized.

By tram [ edit ]

There are several tram routes, although trams are not common in the city centre.

By monorail [ edit ]

Moscow Monorail is a 4.7 km (2.9 mi) monorail line with 6 stations. It is slower, less frequent, and has shorter operating hours when compared with the metro (every 30 min, 08:00-20:00). However, the view is picturesque. It is useful to get to the Ostankino Tower, or to get to the VDNKh exhibition centre from Metro Line #9 (silver). Interchanges between Moscow Metro and Monorail is free, no additional fee will be charged.

By hop-on-hop-off bus [ edit ]

The hop-on-hop-off bus is a convenient way for tourists to see the major sights quickly and efficiently. The buses feature English-speaking guides to answer any questions. A 1 day pass costs $24 for adults and $15 for children.

See [ edit ]

Do [ edit ].

Moscow has many attractions, but many of them are not friendly to a non-Russian-speaker. English-language newspapers like The Moscow Times , Element [dead link] , Moscow News and others can help to navigate towards English-language friendly attractions and services.

Circuses [ edit ]

Theatres [ edit ].

• Bolshoi Theatre , one of the oldest and best known ballet and opera companies in the world.

Learn [ edit ]

Moscow remains the educational center of Russia and the former USSR. There are 222 institutes of higher education, including 60 state universities & 90 colleges. Some of these offer a wide-spectrum of programs, but most are centered around a specific field. This is a hold-over from the days of the USSR, when Sovietwide there were only a handful of wide-spectrum "universities" and a large number of narrow-specialization "institutes" (mostly in Moscow & St.Petersburg). Moscow offers some of the best business/management, science, & arts schools in the world. Moscow is also a popular destination for foreign students to learn Russian.

Work [ edit ]

You will need a work visa which is not an easy process. The visa needs to be arranged well in advance of traveling. It is possible to work in Moscow, you just need to find a good company to support you. The main obstacle for many foreigners will be a mandatory Russian language exam required to obtain a work permit.

Shopping malls [ edit ]

Large shopping malls are common near metro stations.

Tipping [ edit ]

For information on tipping in restaurants, see Russia#Eat .

Ethnic food [ edit ]

Authentic ethnic food from countries of the nearby Caucasus ( Azerbaijan , Georgia , Armenia ) is common in Moscow. Japanese food, including sushi, rolls, tempura, and steakhouses are very popular in Moscow. Other Asian cuisines including Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese are becoming increasingly more common.

Budget [ edit ]

Street food [ edit ].

Free-standing kiosks serving sausages, meat pies, or kebobs are plentiful, although the origins of the meat served is questionable and the food has been known to occasionally make people sick.

Muscovites are also fond of their ice cream, consumed in any weather, even in the dead of winter, cheap and usually of superior quality; kiosks can be found all over the center and near all Metro stations.

Foodcourts 2.0 [ edit ]

This term is used in articles by local food critics: since 2016, several special food courts were opened with independent and small food chains, for those people who get bored of McDonald's-like food. They offer a wider choice of cuisines.

Clubs [ edit ]

Nightlife in Moscow is bustling, intense and exciting. It starts quite late; it's common for the headliners to start at 02:00-02:00. Most noticeable are areas near Solyanka street and Krasniy Oktyabr' place. At summer time a lot of clubs opening open-air terraces called "verandas". Most of clubs in Moscow are very picky of who they let in, so make sure you have a positive attitude and dress up if you are going to a fancy club.

Gazgolder [dead link] (not far from Kremlin) is among the best.

Cafes [ edit ]

Moscow has several café chains with great coffee including Coffeemania and Coffee Bean [dead link] . Moscow also has a good selection of tea saloons. High-quality infusion teas such as Newby, are widely available in cafes, both in packets and loose.

Asking to add boiling water to the tea you ordered earlier is a practice that some cafes don't welcome, but normally it's acceptable.

Sleep [ edit ]

Stay safe [ edit ].

Moscow enjoys a relatively low crime rate.

Drunk people are the most likely sources of problems. In the past years, lots of policemen were corrupt, and it was best to avoid them. Nowadays Moscow has a Tourist Police force, whose officers are able to speak foreign languages and help tourists. Police officers are equipped with body-cameras.

It is preferable to avoid some parts of the outer districts of Moscow, especially in the south. Some of those areas are notorious for gopniks (drunkards notorious for muggings and starting fights with strangers, and will do so seemingly unprovoked), who normally hang out in sparse residential areas and in industrial zones. The same problems can be witnessed in the surrounding regions and in other Russian cities as well.

While traveling in Moscow, as in the rest of Russia, you should always have your passport with you. If you look non-white, your papers may get checked more often than otherwise. The police may demand to see your papers to check if you have been registered within 7 business days of your arrival into Moscow. Always remember that if you stay in a hotel then you are automatically registered and will be handed a confirmation paper at a time of check-in, so don't worry in this case. The police are usually looking for migrants from Central Asia and unless you fit this profile, you are unlikely to be questioned.

Women should take caution walking alone late at night since they may receive unwanted attention from drunk men. Women should also stay clear of large companies of men in front of bars, restaurants, etc. It is best to walk with a friend if possible.

Streets can become very slippery in winter. Wear shoes or, even better, boots with decent grip to prevent twisted ankles. Ice patches can be hard to spot. A waterproof raincoat is also sensible.

Traffic is poorly handled, and vehicle accident rates are very high.

If you need help with translation, ask students or pupils: younger people are more likely to be able to help you than the older generations.

Connect [ edit ]

For information on using telephones and buying SIM cards in Russia, see Russia#Connect .

Mobile Internet is quite affordable in Russia, but you have to buy Russian SIM-card first.

Wireless Internet [ edit ]

Moscow Metro has Wi-Fi in all trains. It is ad-supported.

Mosgortrans has Wi-Fi spots on every bus, trolleybus and tram. Also sometimes you can find Wi-Fi spot on a public transport stop.

Beeline Wi-Fi [dead link] operates the largest network of both paid and free Wi-Fi access points. If there is a charge, you can pay online via credit card.

There is a large network of free Wi-Fi hotspots in the city centre; check your device in the middle of a busy area and you may find one.

Many cafes and restaurants offer Wi-Fi - ask for password. Most bookstores offer free Wi-Fi, including "Dom Knigi" on New Arbat Street or "Respublika" bookstore on Tverskaya near Mayakovskaya Metro Station.

Some establishments that offer free Wi-Fi may require you to verify an authorization code sent to a Russian phone number before gaining access, but for the most part, foreign numbers also work as of 2016.

Cope [ edit ]

Embassies [ edit ].

Moscow is one of the global diplomatic capitals, competing with Berlin , Brussels , Beijing , Paris , London , Tokyo and Washington D.C. . Most of the world's countries have their embassies in the city.

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2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

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