How expensive are Japanese taxicabs?

[chris888222]

(YEAH... I KNOW THE FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI WOES AND THE ELECTRICITY RATIONING)

I'm now in New York for a presentation (and holiday actually) and will be heading back in about a month. The air tickets back to Singapore? I prefer a stopover as I do not want cramped legs after a 24 - 26 hour nightmare (I had experienced it on my trip here).

The perfect stopover location I see is Tokyo, apart from South Korea, mainly due to price and the fact that I know and understand Japanese.

As I have not sat on a Japanese taxi before and have heard about its atrocious prices, I would like to ask, how expensive is it? I have sat the JR and it is considered pretty affordable for me but it doesn't run in the wee hours of the night. About how much does it cost by taxi to reach Ginza from Narita Airport?

Yes, I know about the radiation woes from Fukushima Daiichi and all other stuff after the March 11 earthquake.

Thanks in advance

 

[CarbonX13]

Narita Airport's website says getting to Ginza (part of Chuo District if I'm not mistaken) should have fares of 19,000 Yen to 21,000 Yen. The train/subway system is much more affordable.

 

[chris888222]

Narita Airport's website says getting to Ginza (part of Chuo District if I'm not mistaken) should have fares of 19,000 Yen to 21,000 Yen. The train/subway system is much more affordable.

Well, 19,000? to 21,000? does not include late night surcharge and toll fees...

I expect at least 26,000? (close to S$400!!!!)

Wow... that IS expensive... Better book a flight which arrives at daytime!!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Hop2089]

never take a Taxi in Japan, $200-300 US for a ride is not even worth it. Monorail ftw.

 

[Ikki]

You should take the trains/subways/whatever they are.

I've been told they are extremely punctual. They're probably always packed though.

 

[doyama]

A cab to Ginza is going to cost you an arm and a leg. You're basically doing the equivalent of landing in Newark and trying to get to Manhattan.

That said I do know that the train system is somewhat unreliable now. Due to the rolling blackouts, they are not as punctual as before and do not operate as smoothly. Now 'not as punctual' might mean 'just as good as in America' since the Japanese are very very very anal about their train system. So it's hard to gauge how 'bad' it will be, since I have only heard from my relatives about the issue and not really experienced it myself.

It's about an hour by train into Tokyo or Shinagawa station by train. From there you have to loop around the JR line to hit Ginza.

 

[CarbonX13]

I took the subway system very recently, and haven't had any issues with it. You can go anywhere in Tokyo just from the subway system, they have stops almost every 15 minutes of walking distance, sometimes even less. Very convenient if you ask me. "Not as punctual" nowadays probably still indicates "superior to the rest of the world" considering how easily the Japanese can get ticked off by about problems with public services like this. I haven't experienced any problems in the Tokyo subway besides it being a bit confusing at first with the multiple companies operating.

 

[machomuu]

Where's Densetsu when you need him?

But mean seriously, 19,000 for cab fare!?

 

[tlyee61]

You should take the trains/subways/whatever they are.

I've been told they are extremely punctual. They're probably always packed though.

Plus your 3DS will explode from StreetPasses

 

[CarbonX13]

You should take the trains/subways/whatever they are.

I've been told they are extremely punctual. They're probably always packed though.

Plus your 3DS will explode from StreetPasses

The 3DS isn't selling particularly well in Japan right now...

 

[jan777]

You should take the trains/subways/whatever they are.

I've been told they are extremely punctual. They're probably always packed though.

Plus your 3DS will explode from StreetPasses

The 3DS isn't selling particularly well in Japan right now...

I believe a hell lot of people got it a launch.

 

[chris888222]

Due to the March 11 Earthquake and the Nuclear Power Plant closures, electricity has been somehow 'rationed' in Japan. This causes JR (or might as well also add in shinkansen) trips to be cut.

During my last trip, JR rides were pleasant and pretty affordable (at least better than Singapore... delays and constant notices that the train will terminate early

), and yup almost brought me anywhere in the city. (Poor hokkaido)

I must say though, Japanese cabs are seriously very expensive. A trip from Narita to Ginza is only slightly more than 60 km and the fare is US$200 - 300. In Singapore a trip from Changi Airport to Jurong and back is also around 60+ km and the fare is well less than US$100, even during peak hours or midnight.

EDIT: one more benefit about JR, get more StreetPass tags

EDIT AGAIN: Well, with the cab fare, I could get another 3DS in Japan! Holy crap!

 

[Mazor]

2 years ago I payed 40 000 for a Taxi from Narita to Hachioji, just west of Tokyo. The Yen wasn't as strong back then but yeah, that was pretty fucking expensive.

 

[chris888222]

Japanese services: top-notch, extremely efficient, expensive

Singapore services: depleting, somehow inefficient, cheaper but getting more expensive.

US services: I guess in the middle? (still not used to tipping yet!!)

That's the main difference...

P.S anyone here came to Singapore before and had a bad experience?

 

[chris888222]

Sorry for double post...

This video can CLEARLY prove to you how great and extensive Japanese service is, although it is quite a 'bad' example, being a catastrophe.


[youtube]rU1bYspMyQw[/youtube]

Note especially the part of the Tsunami warning... They had multiple languages being aired. (Mandarin Chinese was the most noticeable)

 

[Devin]

[youtube]X9nnXw_6WQs[/youtube]

 

[chris888222]

[youtube]X9nnXw_6WQs[/youtube]

LOL

Frankly speaking last time I went, I have never encountered such a thing before.

 

[boktor666]

Sorry for double post...

This video can CLEARLY prove to you how great and extensive Japanese service is, although it is quite a 'bad' example, being a catastrophe.


[youtube]rU1bYspMyQw[/youtube]

Note especially the part of the Tsunami warning... They had multiple languages being aired. (Mandarin Chinese was the most noticeable)

They did broadcast it throughout all of the country.. I think that is one of the most well functioning warning systems, as this will pop up at tokyo's billboard in the shopping district, the one on the large building (for those who dont know, its the thing just as TWEWY).. Still it wasnt enough to prevent catastrophy... Btw, i heard some korean through that message right?

 

[chris888222]

Sorry for double post...

This video can CLEARLY prove to you how great and extensive Japanese service is, although it is quite a 'bad' example, being a catastrophe.


[youtube]rU1bYspMyQw[/youtube]

Note especially the part of the Tsunami warning... They had multiple languages being aired. (Mandarin Chinese was the most noticeable)

They did broadcast it throughout all of the country.. I think that is one of the most well functioning warning systems, as this will pop up at tokyo's billboard in the shopping district, the one on the large building (for those who dont know, its the thing just as TWEWY).. Still it wasnt enough to prevent catastrophy... Btw, i heard some korean through that message right?

In four languages actually,

English, Mandarin Chinese, Korean and of course, Japanese

 

[CarbonX13]

The Japanese services always broadcast in Japanese, English, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean. In written text, they also translate to these languages, with Chinese provided in both Simplified and Traditional formats. You can notice this whenever you're traveling on the subways and buses in Tokyo. They are extremely organized and efficient in this fashion.