Toward the end of my last stay in Tokyo, I wound up helping an American serviceman find his way to Ueno and the Keisei Skyliner while we were on the Yamanote (The Skyliner is a waaay cheaper way to get to Tokyo from Narita, best if u dun have an expense account or a JR Pass).
He was a bit flustered as he ran in the car (getting his arm caught in the door in the process). Seems that he was trying to get to Narita and got the JR (Japan Rail) and the Tokyo Metro mixed up. Here’s some general rules about rail in Tokyo.
JR usually runs above ground. The Yamanote and the Chuo/Chuo Rapid are JR Lines. At JR stations, you go UP to the platforms.
Tokyo Metro generally runs underground. You go DOWN into the Metro station and usually once there, you go DOWN again to get to the platforms. This is the rule in central Tokyo, although as you head further out, some Metro lines become elevated.
To make things even more confusing, Tokyo Metro as it’s known by everyone, is actually run by two operators. The actual “Tokyo Metro” which makes up most of the subway lines on your map is operated by a private company while several lines (Oedo, Asakusa, Mido, Shinjuku) are known as the Toei Subway, which is run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Why this matters is because the fare structure is slightly different between the two systems. However, if you have a Suica or a Pasmo, which are prepaid transit cards, it’s not an issue. You can purchase these at JR or Tokyo Metro stations respectively.
Transferring about can be a challenge if you’re not competely familiar with the city (as I’m not, at least not yet!). I found this page run by Tokyo Metro that helps you transfer between the two subway systems.
Neat, wish I knew about this site while I was there! Live and learn and know for the next visit…