Nagoya is the compact city even though it is the major city of the central region, and also Nagoya has a great public transportation system.
You can get around popular attraction spots in and out of the city using public transportations.
Because of the attractive surroundings of Nagoya, you can plan a day-trip to the countryside or other cities form Nagoya easily.
Here is the site which introduces the major public transportations in Nagoya.
To make your trip easy, don’t forget buying the prepaid transportation card!
Subways
The Transportation Bureau City of Nagoya owns and operates 6 lines of Nagoya subway network.
Higashiyama Line (Yellow Line)
Higashiyama Line is the busiest subway line among the Nagoya subway network, which runs between west and east connecting with Major stations, Nagoya station, and downtown Sakae.
It is because of the main subway, cars are always packed but you don’t have to wait for the next subway for long.
It is the main line to access downtown Sakae and Higashiyama Zoo & botanical garden.
Sakuradori Line (Red Line)
Sakuradori Line is the newest and deepest subway line in Nagoya, as the name of “Sakura Dori”, it covers “Sakura Dori(street)”, it also connects with Nagoya station and Downtown Sakae (Hisayaoodori station).
If you want to go to the central park (the underground shopping district in Sakae), take Sakurdori Line and get off HisayaOodri station is easier.
Tsurumai Line (Blue Line)
Tsurumai Line is useful for going to the Osu shopping district, and the unique feature is that the line shares with the part of the “Meitetsu” line.
When you want to go to “Toyota-city”, there is the Meitatsu train toward Toyota city a few times every hour. But you need to be careful the actual train to get on, because others are just Tsurumai subway and Meitetsu train but not toward Toyota. (toward Akaike)
If you use it as the subway network, it doesn’t matter at all.
Meijo • Meiko Line (Purple • Double purple line – Lines)
Meijo Line is the loop line in Nagoya, pay attention to which way the subway runs when you get on.
Meiko (literally means Nagoya port) Line is the original of “Meijo Line” before the Meijo line became the loop line. The line begins from Kanayama to the Nagoya Port, and it is a little confusing when you want to go to Nagoya port where the aquarium is located.
When you look up the time table and you see the letter “港” on left side of the number(time), it means the car goes to Nagoya port, not goes around the loop.
Make sure the car goes toward the Nagoya port or the loop line when you get on. If you get on the loop line, you can’t get to the port forever.
Kanayama station can be the second terminal station after Nagoya station, easy to transfer to local trains.
Kami iida Link Line (Pink Line)
Kami iida line is the shortest subway line in Japan, which is only 800 meters long.
The line is connected to the Nagoya city center and Northern cities, the main passengers are local residents.
Download the subway map in Nagoya
“Meitetsu” Line
Nagoya Railway company aka “Meitetsu” is the main local transportation network system in Aichi and Gifu prefecture.
The main color of the local trains is “red’.
JR line network covers major lines connecting major stations, but on the other hand, Meitetsu line covers whole prefectures includes rural regions.
Meitetsu also operated the airport shuttle train, “Myusky“.
“Manaca”, “Toika” and other compatible cards are available,
but the extra fare is required for rapid and special cars.
| Fu tsu u | 普通 | Regular train (stop all stations) |
| Jyun Kyu | 準急 | Semi special express train |
| *To kkyu | 特急 | Limited express train |
| *Kaisoku tokkyu | 快速特急 | Rapid limited express train |
| Kuko Kaisoku Tokkyu | 空港快速特急 | The airport limited express (the first two cars are first-class) |
| Myu sky | ミュースカイ | The airport shuttle |
The airport express, the limited express, the rapid limited express trains have first-class cars which require a First class car ticket or extra fare with a regular ticket or IC card. (The ticket costs 360 yen and is called a “Myu Ticket”.)
When you purchase the ticket, your seat is reserved.
Major sightseeing places with Meitetsu local train
- Toyokawa Inari (Toyokawa-Inari station)
- Inuyama Castle (Inuyama station)
- Chita peninsula
- Tokoname poetry (Tokoname station)
- Toyota city
- Atuta Jingu shrine (Jingu-mae station)
- Kanayama Boston museum (Kanayama station)
- Seto poetry (Owari-Seto station)
JR Line
Japan Railway company aka “JR” is the largest transportation network system nationwide because the company was originally owned by the government of Japan.
Therefore, no exception, JR line efficiently covers each prefecture in the central region.
Central JR company operates local train lines and Tokaido Shinkansen line.
Major sightseeing places with JR local trains
- Nishio City
- Ena city
- Tajimi city
- Takayama city
- Nabana no Sato (Kuwana station)
- Ise • Shima peninsula
If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can ride JR local trains without a regular ticket.
If you don’t, you can use “Manaca” and also “Toika”, which are the prepaid transportation cards you can buy at the station.
Central Japan Railway company official website
Buses
The Citybus
Inside of Nagoya city, mainly city buses operated by The Transportation Bureau City of Nagoya.
“Manaca”, “Toika”, and other IC cards are available.
Get on the bus from the front door, pay a fare with an IC card or cash.
If you want to pay for all members together, tell a driver before payment.
I want to pay for (number).
“(number) Bun, ha ra i ta i de su.
• 2 people…Futari
• 3 people…Sannin
• 4 people…Yonin
Nagoya citybus official website
Sightseeing route bus
The Transportation Bureau City of Nagoya also operates “Nagoya sightseeing Route Bus”, which runs and stops the major sightseeing spots in Nagoya.
You can use “Manaca” and other compatible transportation cards, or a one-day ticket for the sightseeing route bus where you can buy from ticket vending machines or drivers.
The sightseeing route bus starts at 0.Nagoya station,
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
- Noritake Garden
- Shiken Michi
- Nagoya Castle
- Nagoya Castle East (City hall)
- Tokugawa Garden
- Cultural Path Futaba Museum
- Nagoya city Archive
- Nagoya TV tower
- Hirokoji-Sakae
- Hirokoji-Fushimi
Meitetsu bus
Route buses cover Aichi and Gifu prefectures area (including short-distance express bus and high-way bus lines).
There are many high-way express buses to go to rural regions for sightseeing,
this option can be faster, cheaper and easier than taking local trains especially heading to deep mountain regions in Gifu prefecture, and surrounding prefecture such as Nara, Toyama, Fukui.
Airport shuttle bus
Meitetsu bus operates the “airport shuttle limousine” between “Centrair Int’ airport” and downtown Nagoya.
The limousine bus stops major places between Nagoya station and Sakae bus terminal, you can pick up closest bus stops from them.
The fare is ¥1,300, you can pay cash or Manaca & other compatible transportation cards on the bus, but there are a few buses that don’t accept transportation cards.
No credit card payment.
There is a non-reservation system for the airport limousine so that you have to wait for the next one if the bus is full at the point of your stop.
“Kintetsu” Line
“Kintetsu” railway company owns public transportation network systems in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, and Aichi prefectures.
The train color is Yellow.
People in Nagoya mostly use “Kintetsu” trains when they go to the Ise • Shima peninsula, Nara prefecture and Osaka.
I feel fares are a little pricer than other local trains, but the Kintetsu line is handy if you want to visit the Ise • Shima peninsula and Nara prefecture from Nagoya.
Aonami Line
“Aonami Line” is connected between Nagoya station and the Kinjyo-futo (NagoyaKinjo wharf).
The popular attraction spots along Aonami Line are
- Sasashima Live (109 movie theater, the music hall)
- SCMAGLEV and Railway Park
- Legoland (R) Japan
- Maker’s Pier
Manaca and other IC Cards are available.
Linimo
The Linimo in Nagoya is an unmanned Maglev (magnetic-levitated) train which built at great cost for Aichi Expo 2005 and operates for 9 stops between Fujigaoka station and Yakusa station.
The popular attraction spots are
- Toyota Automobile Museum (Geidai Dori station)
- Aichi Earth Expo Memorial Park (Aichikyūhaku-kinen-kōen Station)
There is “Satsuki & Mei’s house” from “Neighbor’s Totoro”, studio ghibli movie in Aichi Earth Expo Memorial Park, and moreover, “Studio ghibli Park” is coming in 2022!
Manaca and other IC Cards are available on the Linimo.
