Tokyo is an extremely busy city — after all, it’s the capital of Japan! Driving around by car is not something for the faint of heart, especially at rush hour times when you can expect to sit in traffic for hours on end. That’s part of the reason why Tokyo has their own rapid transit system — to smooth out traffic and get tourists and commuters where they need to go, but quicker. However, if you’re new to the area, finding subway information isn’t always easy.
But, you’re in luck! There’s an app for that! If you follow along below, we’ll show you the best options for navigating the Tokyo mass transit system with a Subway Map app for iPhone! Let’s dive right in.
Best Tokyo Subway Map App for iPhone
1. Tokyo Subway Map Offline
Let’s face it, if you’re out traveling from, say, the United States to an international country like Japan, you want to use as little data as possible. International charges are insanely expensive, and that’s not a bill you want to come home to! Just download the Tokyo Subway Map Offline app over a Wi-Fi connection or while you’re at home, and then you can use it to find all of the subway rails wherever you are, whether you have a data connection or not.
Download it now: here
2. Tokyo Subway Navigation
Whether you’re touring the city or if you’re a regular commuter, the Tokyo Subway Navigation app is a must have on any smartphone. This one is fairly simple and straightforward as far as the design goes; however, you’ll be able to see all of the train and subway lines across the Tokyo metropolitan area. Not only that, but the app pulls real-time data, giving you real time status information on individual subway lines. There an internal guide inside of the app, which shows you the best stations to exit or get off at to see all of the awesome tourist sites that Tokyo has to offer. You can search for station names, search for stations by landmark, and even search for a station by nearby location.
3. Citymapper
Coming down on the third place, we have Citymapper. With a beautiful user interface that is easy to navigate, Citymapper easily rises above the others on our list. The clean and easy-to-navigate service is actually something that you don’t normally see in transit and Subway map apps like this.
Citymapper will show you information for Tokoyo, as well as the surrounding metro area — and any other major city you visit. Citymapper also has plenty of international support. The app can even show you downloadable subway and bus maps for wherever you are in the world. Citymapper has all the usual transit features like bus, subway and train routes and real time departure and arrival times as well. There’s even ridesharing features for bikes, mopeds, and scooters. Citymapper is constantly updated, so you’ll always have all of the latest transit information at your fingertips.
Download it now: here
4. Transit
Coming in at fourth place, we’re looking at Transit. This is a must have on any smartphone or tablet. The big highlight of Transit is actually its versatility of working in most major cities — leaving Tokyo? You can Transit in your destination city as well. Another highlight is the extremely clean user interface. Transit’s highlight really is its versatility — Transit supports many more cities across the world, such as in the Asian regions, whereas Citymapper does not. Transit will put subway and bus arrival times at planned routes right at your fingertips. You’ll be able to see any delays, as well as the service status of the transit system that you’re using. Transit has a number of Subway Maps and transit system maps that you can download for offline viewing as well.
Download it now: here
5. Tokyo Metro Subway Map and Route Planner
Another simple and straightforward Subway Map app, Tokyo Metro Subway Map and Route Planner is an essential. This one is an offline Subway Map app that will not eat up your data plan. It loads extremely quickly, so you can get the information that you need in a jiffy. A Location Tracker to show you nearby stations in the event that you don’t know where the nearest is. Tokyo Metro pulls real-time data from the Tokyo transportation authority, giving you real-time estimated arrival and delays, as well as any potential service outages or notifications you need to know.
Download it now: here
Best Tokyo Subway Map for iPhone Verdict
Here we’ve shown you five of the best Subway Map apps for navigating the hectic system that is Tokyo’s rapid transit. It’s a dense and populated area, which keeps all modes of traffic pretty hopping; however, with a Subway Map app handy on your smartphone, you can easily find your way around Tokyo’s metro system and get where you need to be, on time.
Do you have a favorite transit application for iPhone? Let us know what it is in the comments section below!