Getting around Tokyo with kids
You will use trains and the subway for almost everything. They are frequent and reliable, and a rechargeable IC card saves buying a ticket each time. The effort is in the stations, which are large and busy, more than in the rides.
Child fares
On Tokyo Metro the child fare applies from age 6 to 11 and is half the adult fare. Rules for under-sixes differ by operator, so check before a long ride. The Tokyo Cruise boats, for example, carry one under-six free per adult.
Strollers on the subway
Tokyo Metro says it is working to give every station a step-free route from street to platform. It asks you to take the child out and fold the stroller on escalators, so use the lift instead. Allow extra time, because the lift is not always near your exit.
Avoid rush hour
Commuter hours on weekdays are the hard part of the system with a stroller. Start your day after the morning rush and aim to be back before the evening one. This is our advice, not an operator rule.
Taxis and car seats
Taxis are easy to find and useful for short hops with a tired child. We found no operator page that promises a child seat in a regular street taxi, so assume there is none. If you need one, book an airport transfer that lists a child seat.
Airport to the city
From Narita, the Keisei Skyliner reaches Nippori in as little as 36 minutes and Keisei Ueno in about 41. From Haneda, the Tokyo Monorail takes 13 minutes to Hamamatsucho. Haneda is much closer, which matters after a long flight with children.
Walking and distances
Central Tokyo is mostly flat, and temple grounds like Senso-ji are level with a lift at the main hall. The walking adds up inside stations and between sights. Group your stops by area and use the river boats from Asakusa as a sit-down transfer.
Checked against the operators' official pages: Oct 4, 2026