Transport – Ueno or smaller stations?

Hello everyone!

I make a somewhat technical query for those who know Tokyo well.

Booking.com has just canceled my reservation in Asakusa, where it was 100 meters from that station, and my new place is in Ueno, 500 meters from the station (in Asakusa’s side, too).

Now I am reviewing maps to re-mark my daily trips in Tokyo (the classical districts, plus Odaiba & Disney) and surroundings (Kamakura, Enoshima, Yokohama) and I have the following doubt:

What is best for each day, walk to Ueno and take the subway/metro there, or look for smallers stations?
The hotel (Tokyo Ueno New Izu Hotel) is well located, at good distance from Ueno (500 mts), Okachimachi (650), Shin-Okachimachi (700), Ueno-Okachimachi (850) and also Inaricho (400), in the Ginza line.

Is it easier try to catch the metro always in small stations? How complex is really find the right platform in large stations like Ueno? Do you spend a lot of time there? Or should you go to Ueno to take the trains with less people inside?

We are from Buenos Aires. Even the biggest stations are simple here!

Thank you very much for any advice!

Regards!

I have stayed near Ueno station before. It's convenient with JR line, Shinkansen, subway line, Skyliner (to & from Narita airport). Is it complex? A little. But all you need to do is follow the signs, which are all over and written in Japanese and English (& other languages).

A smaller station would be simpler and less crowded, but I like larger station for subways. Because subway station sometimes has different entrances for going inbound or outbound, and sometimes there is no way to go from inbound platform to outbound platform (in case you made a mistake in choosing the entrance) without going up to the street-level again. Once you get used to it (ridden a few times), then it is not an issue.

According to the hotel web site, it's supposed to be 5 minute walk to JR Ueno station (it always takes more time for me than advertised) - that is not bad in Japan.

Train and subway stations in Japan are full of signage. You will probably need some time to look for the right signs and just navigate through the station slowly.
But with having so many different stations close to your hotel I would take the one that is most convenient (I.e. Less train changes down the line) depending on your final destination.

Ueno actually isn't that big. At least not when compared to Shinjuku ;-)

Enjoy your trip to Japan!

Ueno is fine.

What is best for each day

To pull up Google Maps and key in your destination. The go to whatever station it tells you to use.

Ueno Station map http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/img/map_e/e204.pdf

I'd stick with Ueno. It seems like the closest station to your hotel, plus you wont have to deal with as many potentially confusing transfers like if you used the smaller stations. Give yourself some extra time to get acclimated to the station the first few times you use it, and pretty soon you'll learn the station well and have no problems!

Also, if you do have trouble, there's more likely to be an English-speaking station staff to help you there than at the smaller stations. But I don't think you'll have much trouble. It is a bit overwhelming at first, but just a few minutes studying the maps and finding your way to the correct platform, and you'll get the hang of it!

The size of the station is not important.
It is important where you can go from those stations.

See the rail map.
http://urbanchange.eu/arquivos/downloads/tokyocorridors.gif
Ueno : I(i) - 4 (map block / top-side)
TDR(Tokyo Disney Resort) : J - 6 (TDL=LAND / TDS = SEA, Maihama stn)
Odaiba : H - 6 (lower right)
Yokohama : F - 8
Kamakura : E - 9
Enoshima : C - 9

Use Google MAP or HyperDia.

Trains dep and station direction signs using ENG(Roman) with, no worry.
https://youtu.be/RBmOuVqpxBA
http://otacky.tokyo/structure/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/akihabaraekim...
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-4ERDBXcAMxAKB.jpg

Again,
the railway network in Tokyo is complicated than your imaginations.
http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/konnnatv/imgs/b/c/bc0322cf.jpg
http://www.demap.info/tetsudonow/ (drag the map)
You don't have to remember all lines and stations,
but you have to know what is the best choice in advance if no cellphone(SIM rent or).

You are 300m (3 minutes) from Ueno with both JR and the subway at Ueno - that's pretty close. Given an average day walking in Japan for my groups is 7km, that's nothing.

Choose the most suitable station for your daily trips.

For example:
To go to Odaiba, take a Ginza subway line train at Inaricho station (direction for Shibuya), get off at Shinbashi station and change for Yurikamome Line.

To go to DisneyLand, take a Hibiya subway line train at Ueno station (direction for Naka-Meguro), change for JR Keiyo line at Hacchobori station (opposite direction to Tokyo station), and get off at Maihame station.

And so on…
The important thing is that you should cosult, in advance or on the way, your Tokyo town map with transportion map.

I don’t understand what you mean by ‘the classical districts’. In Tokyo, there are no classical districts which would deserve the name.

For Yokohama, Kamakura, Enoshima, these destinations are certainly in the same direction and close to each other, but, I don’t think it’s doable in one day. If you want to return to Ueno in the day without staying in any of these destinations, it will be very hard, starting very early in the morning and returning late in the evening, or it will be a trip without visiting anything. If you have only one day for these destinations, you should better plan either a trip to Yokohama and Kamakura without Enoshima, or Kamakura and Enoshima without Yokohama. I recommend the latter.

Subway Ueno Station (G-16, H-17) is much simpler than (JR) Ueno Station.

- Tokyo Metro: Map of Ueno Station (in Japanese)
http://www.tokyometro.jp/station/yardmap_img/_station_%E4%B8%8A%E9%87%...
: Trains on the Ginza Line from Inaricho Station (G-17) arrive at Track 1.
: You can go up by elevator to the concourse, pass through the ticket gate,
　and go further up by elevator to the main entrance of JR Ueno Station.

- JR-East: Map of Ueno Station
https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e204.html

I suppose you will not need to get to (JR) Ueno Station
except when your destination is inside or around Ueno Onshi Park
and when you use (Tohoku, Joestu or Hokuriku) Shinkansen.

To use JR lines,
you can walk directly to Okachimachi Station | Ueno Station or,
head first to Inaricho Station (G-17),
take a subway train to (G-16) Ueno Station
and make a transfer to JR.

the classical districts

Which places do you plan to visit?

at good distance from Ueno (500 mts), Okachimachi (650), Shin-Okachimachi (700), Ueno-Okachimachi (850) and also Inaricho (400)

When you take a taxi from Tokyo Ueno New Izu Hotel to any of these stations,
your taxi fare is estimated at around 500 yen per car (unless the road traffic is very crowded).

Okachimachi Station is a JR Station on the Yamanote Line.

- JR-East: Map of Okachimachi Station
https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e355.html

Subway Shin-okachimachi (E-10) and Ueno-okachimachi (E-09) Stations are Toei Subway stations on the Oedo Line.
(There is also Shin-Okachimachi Station of Tsukuba Express.)
Subway Inaricho Station (G-17) is a Tokyo Metro Station on the Ginza Line.

- Tokyo Subway Route Map with station codes
http://www.tokyometro.jp/lang_en/station/rosen_en_1702.pdf

- Google Maps:
(1) Walking route to Okachimachi Station: North Entrance
https://www.google.co.jp/maps/dir/35.7101260,+139.7791500/35.7076991,1...
(2) Walking route to Inaricho Station: Entrance 1
https://www.google.co.jp/maps/dir/35.7101260,+139.7791500/35.711215,+1...

- Tokyo Metro: Map of Inaricho Station (in Japanese)
http://www.tokyometro.jp/station/yardmap_img/_station_G17%E7%A8%B2%E8%...

Regarding the stations on the Ginza Line
: In Inaricho (G-17), Suehirocho (G-14) and Shibuya (G-01) Stations,
　gates and platforms are in two completely separate zones which differ by directions of trains.
　e.g.
　When you take a Shibuya-bound train from Inaricho (G-17) Station, you cannot choose Entrance 3.
: In the other 16 stations, two platforms are connected or two tracks are beside one same platform.

As above - use Google maps, Citymapper, or a similar app and do whatever they tell you to.

The good apps will also tell you really useful things like what the platform number is, which carriage to get on the train so that any changes between lines are quicker, what alternative routes you have (there is often more than one way to get from A to B), etc....

I'm not a huge fan of technology on holiday, but with something like transport in a big city it can be a huge help.

Many thanks to all, you are amazing!

All right,

Following his advice, I will choose to lose fear for Ueno and to use the corresponding stations by focusing on avoiding many connections. From what I understand, it would be preferable to spend a few more minutes on a train, on a longer route, than to lose many minutes more underground trying to make a connection with another line.

About the “classical districts”, I mean that I will have days of travel around in districts like Shinjuku & Shibuya, Asakusa, Yanaka, Ginza, Marinouchi, Odaiba, etc.

About Kamakura / Enoshima / Yokohama in a single day, my focus will be on Kamakura Daibutsu alone, then enjoy the Enoden train, and then in Minato Mirai and Chinatown in Yokohama, so it will be quick and fast pace. In addition, I will go in winter, so there will not be much beach to enjoy ...

Thank again to everyone!

If you're really concerned- maybe check out a few routes now, using google or an app, and you'll see the options.