Are buses in Tokyo 24 hours?

Other cosmopolitans may be used to public transport running all night, but in Tokyo, buses and trains stop running during the night until the early hours of morning.



No, standard buses in Tokyo are not 24-hour services. Most Toei and private bus lines in central Tokyo begin service around 6:00 AM and end between 10:00 PM and midnight. While Tokyo is a "non-stop" city, the public transport network—including the subways and most buses—shuts down for a few hours in the middle of the night for maintenance. However, there are a limited number of "Midnight Buses" that operate on certain popular routes (often departing from major hubs like Shibuya or Shinjuku) until about 1:00 AM or 2:00 AM, though these charge double the standard fare. For 24-hour transit in 2026, travelers almost exclusively rely on taxis or rideshare services like S.Ride or Uber. During the New Year's Eve period, some specific lines may operate all-night services, but for the typical 2026 traveler, the "last bus" is a critical deadline to keep in mind.

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Trains run generally from 5am to around midnight.

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Yes, drinking water from taps in Japan is safe. For environmental reasons, try to use a refillable water bottle rather than buying bottled water in Japan. Metro train stations have public water fountains, but otherwise these can be hard to find (this is the land of vending machines after all).

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However, in Tokyo, you'll notice that using the Uber app for rides isn't as common as you'd think. In short, yes, you can use Uber in Tokyo, but mostly to hail a taxi. But, more often than not, stopping a random taxi on the street might be faster (and cheaper) than requesting a taxi via the ubiquitous app.

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Tokyo taxis are quite expensive, especially in comparison to Kyoto or foreign cities. It's very easy to catch a taxi in Tokyo. Tokyo taxi drivers are honest and safe. There are taxi ranks outside most train stations, bus terminals and some larger shops.

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Buses. For travel within the city, the bus system can be useful for making those trips that the subway doesn't handle well ? like Roppongi to Shimbashi. Fares are cheap and you can use Pasmo/Suica IC cards to pay.

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Especially when visiting large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, you will want to avoid traveling during rush hour. Throughout Japan, rush hour typically lasts from 7 AM to 9 AM each morning, and 5 PM to 7 PM each evening.

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Tipping in Japan is not expected, and attempts to leave a tip will almost certainly be turned down (a potentially awkward moment). In Japan, it's thought that by dining out or drinking at a bar, you are already paying the establishment for good service.

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Many taxis accept payment by credit card, and an increasing number accept payment by IC card, such as Suica. Stickers on the door often indicate accepted payment methods. When paying in cash, try to avoid paying small amounts with large bills. Tipping is not done in Japan.

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DON'T: PAY TIPS Japan does not have a tipping culture and drivers neither expect nor accept money in excess of the fare displayed on the meter. They will not accept haggling either. Cash is the safest way to pay, though an increasing number of taxis now also take IC cards like Pasmo and Suica as well as credit cards.

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Yes, drinking water from taps in Japan is safe. For environmental reasons, try to use a refillable water bottle rather than buying bottled water in Japan. Metro train stations have public water fountains, but otherwise these can be hard to find (this is the land of vending machines after all).

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Travelling between Tokyo and Mount Fuji by local trains takes about 2 to 3 hours, and includes at least one transfer. At Shinjuku Station, you can catch the JR Chuo limited express train and arrive to Kawaguchiko Station in about an hour.

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Every station has multilingual ticket machines where you can buy a one-way fare ticket, or you can use a rechargeable IC card to swipe in and out of the ticket gates. Tokyo Metro and Toei have teamed up to offer a subway pass for tourists that can save you some yen, as well as being super convenient.

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