trainspotting question

[ramchop]

Firstly I'll need to admit to being a cheap bastard.

I happily walk the 40 mins to Shinjuku rather than fork out the 290 yen for the JR/Tozai tickets. But the kiddies are back and the walking option is almost ruled out.

3 Eidan trains is 8 stops (190yen), but lugging half a pushchair in one arm and the FG 2 yr old in another up and down stairs on the ultra-kiddie-unfriendly Japan subway stations is not fun.

So the question: Can I zip out west to Ogikubo and transfer to the Marunouchi line without passing through a ticket machine?

(The Tozai fare chart only stretches to Nakano but the train goes all the way to Mitaka, going the other way through Otemachi is 15 stops and a long walk at Otemachi)

[GomiGirl]

At Ogikubo the Tozai line shares a platform with the JR line so to get to the Marunouchi you need to change and thus go through a ticket gate - twice.

If you buy transfer tickets you can save about 50yen per ticket but if I am doing a heap of travelling I always buy a day ticket which is unlimited eidan subway rides all day. to get information on day tickets in English, just ask the station master at your local station. They will have it all there.

I try to use the teiki-ken as much as possible as you can get on and off at all stations on the route. You don't need to tell them why you need particular stations when you buy them and they save a heap of money. I get my teiki-ken between my home and work but I have it extended 2 stations past work as this is where I do karate.