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Tokyo's Free Sightseeing Buses - Explore the City, the Comfortable Way!

Tokyo's Free Sightseeing Buses - Explore the City, the Comfortable Way!

Last updated: 20 December 2019

Tokyo is a massive city; while sightseeing is incredibly fun and there's much to discover, your feet are bound to hurt at some point. Here's where Tokyo's incredibly convenient and entirely free sightseeing loop buses come in!
Famous locations such as Tokyo Station and Odaiba can be visited by bus and without paying a single yen - let's take a look at the city's major free loop buses.

Table of Contents
  1. Tokyo Bay Shuttle - Exploring Odaiba!
  2. Marunouchi Shuttle - Touring Around Tokyo Station
  3. Metrolink Nihonbashi - Getting to Know Nihonbashi
  4. Panda Bus - Asakusa Sightseeing, the Adorable Way

Tokyo Bay Shuttle - Exploring Odaiba!

Tokyo Bay Shuttle - Exploring Odaiba!

Odaiba is known as Tokyo's beautiful bay area, featuring landmarks such as Venus Fort and the Fuji TV building. Those popular tourists spots are scattered over the entire area, making exploring the island on foot not impossible but certainly somewhat of a challenge.

The Tokyo Bay Shuttle bus, however, visits Odaiba's many attractions entirely for free! Even on weekends and holidays, this loop bus operates every day between 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., leaving in intervals of about 20 minutes. With barely any waiting time in between the buses, this is one of our favorite ways to explore Odaiba!

Operates: Daily
Hours: 11:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Frequency: Every 20 minutes

Main Stops

  • 1) National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
    第1停車場:日本科学未来館
    • Address 2-3-6, Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0064
    • Miraikan

  • 3) Venus Fort
    第3停車場:ヴィーナスフォート
    • Address 1-3-15, Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0064
    • Palette Town

  • 5) DiverCity Tokyo Plaza
    第5停車場:ダイバーシティ東京プラザ
    • Address 1-1, Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0064
  • 6) Hilton Tokyo Odaiba
    第6停車場:ヒルトン東京お台場
    • Address 1-9-1, Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 135-0091
  • 8) Fuji TV
    第8停車場:フジテレビ
    • Address 2-4, Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 135-0091

Marunouchi Shuttle - Touring Around Tokyo Station

Marunouchi Shuttle - Touring Around Tokyo Station

Naturally, Tokyo Station is one of the Japanese capital's major traffic hubs where many train lines cross - local, express, and even Shinkansen. Because of that, the area around the station is not only filled with hotels and restaurants but also with a whole variety of all kinds of different landmarks and sightseeing spots.

The Marunouchi Shuttle is a sightseeing loop bus that covers the entire area, a wonderful choice for both shoppers and sightseers alike. Added to which, it's a rare opportunity to gaze upon Tokyo's hustle and bustle from a relaxed bus ride.

In general, the Marunouchi Shuttle buses' route takes about 40 minutes, but on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., a special "Otemachi Route" is in place, particularly made for the business people of the morning rush hour, skipping Yurakucho Station - make sure to keep that in mind!

Operates: daily
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on weekdays
10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
Frequency: Every 12 to 15 minutes

Main Stops

  • 2) Otemachi Tower
    第2停車場:大手町タワー
    • Address 1-5, Otemachi , Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0004
    • Marunouchi Oazo

  • 7) Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
    第7停車場:三井住友銀行
    • Address 1-31-3, Marunochi , Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005
  • 11) Dai-ichi Life
    第11停車場:第一生命
    • Address 1-13, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006
  • 12) Hibiya
    第12停車場:日比谷
    • Address 1-8, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006
  • 13) Shin Kokusai Building
    第13停車場:新国際ビル
    • Address 3-4, Marunochi , Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005
    • Bic Camera

Metrolink Nihonbashi - Getting to Know Nihonbashi

Metrolink Nihonbashi - Getting to Know Nihonbashi

Just recently, the two massive shopping facilities COREDO Muromachi 2 and COREDO Muromachi 3 have opened in an area called Nihonbashi. In the Edo period, the area flourished and prospered as a castle town directly next to Edo Castle - even today, the historic glory of this era is still both palpable and visible. Many a long-established restaurant offer the delicious, authentic tastes of old cuisines, while the latest technology and trends can be found at shops and cinemas just next door.

Metrolink Nihonbashi is a free sightseeing bus that departs from the busy Tokyo Station, making its way to Shin-Nihonbashi over five stops. Buses depart every 10 minutes, and each and every stop has unique spots of interest and sightseeing attractions to offer within walking distance.

The Metrolink Nihonbashi is also a great choice for shoppers as its main route is the Chuo-Dori, where shops and stores of all genres can be found. Hop on!

Operates: Daily
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Frequency: Every 10 minutes

Main Stops

  • 3) Nihonbashi Station(subway)
    第3停車場:地下鉄日本橋駅
    • Address 1-2, Nihombashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0027
    • COREDO Nihonbashi

  • 5) Mitsui Memorial Museum
    第5停車場:三井記念美術館
    • Address 2-1, Nihombashimuromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0022
    • 近くの観光スポット:千疋屋總本店

  • 7) Nihonbashi Muromachi Itchome
    第7停車場:日本橋室町一丁目
    • Address 2-2, Nihombashimuromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0022
    • Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi

  • 9) Nihonbashi Nichome
    第9停車場:日本橋二丁目
    • Address 2-4, Nihombashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0027
    • Takashimaya

  • 14) Yaesu Underground Mall
    第14停車場:八重洲地下街
    • Address 1-1-1, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0031

Panda Bus - Asakusa Sightseeing, the Adorable Way

Panda Bus - Asakusa Sightseeing, the Adorable Way

The famous sightseeing area of Asakusa does of course have its very own free sightseeing bus - and it's an unmistakably adorable one! The Panda Bus is just that - a bus in the cute shape of a panda that takes eager sightseers around Asakusa's most famous places and hot spots. It operates on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, and it's a wonderfully convenient way to stop by all of Asakusa's must-visits in one day, such as Kaminarimon or Senso-ji Temple.

The Panda Bus also crosses the Sumida River, taking you straight to Tokyo Skytree(R) on the other side. Since this famous landmark is a fair distance away from Asakusa Station, people commonly use either the subway or a taxi to reach Tokyo Skytree(R), but why not just make use of the Panda Bus for free?

Operates: Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (no service between 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
Frequency: Every 40 minutes

Main Stops

  • 3) Kaminarimon
    第3停車場:雷門
    • Address 2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0032
  • 1) in front of ROX
    第1停車場:ROX前(浅草ROX)
    • Address 1-25-15, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0032
    • Asakusa ROX

  • 4) in front of Tokyo Skytree Station
    第4停車場:とうきょうスカイツリー駅前
    • Address 1-4-1, Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, 131-0045
  • 6) Tobu Asakusa Station
    第6停車場:東武浅草駅
    • Address 1-4-1, Hanakawado, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0033
  • 7) Nitenmon
    第7停車場:二天門
    • Address 2-3-61, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0032

Top image credit: Vassamon Anansukkasem / Shutterstock.com

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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