Getting Around Nagoya: Subway, Buses, Day Passes and Contactless Payment

Last checked: October 19, 2026, against the Visit Nagoya website and the Nagoya City Transportation Bureau website. Fares, tickets and rules change, so please confirm before you travel. This site is independent and is not affiliated with any transport operator. This post may contain affiliate links; if you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Most of Nagoya’s sights can be reached by subway, and the city has a few day tickets that save money if you plan your days around them. The newest change is that you can now pay for the subway by tapping a contactless bank card or phone, without buying a ticket. This guide explains the options, the day passes, and which one suits which kind of day.

The short version

Option	Price	Good for
Subway single ride	210 yen to 340 yen, by zone	A few rides
City bus single ride	210 yen	Places the subway does not reach
1-Day Ticket (city buses and subway)	870 yen	A day with many rides
Subway 24-Hour Ticket	760 yen	A subway-only day
Weekend Eco Ticket	620 yen	Weekends, public holidays and the 8th of each month
Me~guru One-Day Pass	Sold on the Me~guru bus	Riding the sightseeing route bus

Prices are from the Visit Nagoya official guide on the date above. The pass sellers and discounts are described below.

The subway

According to the Visit Nagoya guide, Nagoya has six subway lines: Higashiyama, Meijo, Meiko, Tsurumai, Sakuradori and Kamiida. The Meijo Line became a loop in October 2004, and connects to all the other subway lines at Sakae, Kanayama and other stations. The guide says the main tourist attractions are within walking distance of the subway.

Fares are 210 yen for one zone, up to 340 yen for five zones.

Two lines matter for our other guides:

• Meijo Line. It stops at Nagoyajo for Nagoya Castle (see our Nagoya Castle guide), and at Jingu-Nishi for Atsuta Jingu and Kamimaezu for Osu (see our Atsuta Shrine and Osu guide).
• Tsurumai Line. The Visit Nagoya guide says it is jointly operated with Meitetsu from Akaike and Kami-Otai stations, giving access to Toyota and Inuyama. See our Inuyama Castle guide.

Tapping a contactless bank card

The Transportation Bureau page says this service began on September 3, 2026.

• Where. All Nagoya City subway stations. Some ticket gates may not have a compatible reader yet. In that case, tell the station staff at the gate.
• Which cards. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Discover and UnionPay cards that have a contactless function, or a phone or wearable that carries one.
• How. Hold the card over the reader until the light turns from blue to green, when you enter and when you leave.
• Use the same card. You must use the same card or the same device when you leave. For example, you cannot enter with the card and leave with a phone.
• One person, one card. One card cannot be used by several people.
• Adult fare only. Every ride is charged as an adult single fare. Child fares, disability discounts and transfer discounts do not apply. Use a ticket or an IC card for those.
• Not with other tickets. You cannot combine it with a 24-hour ticket or other passes.
• Debit and prepaid cards. Some can be used, but you need enough balance. Check with your card issuer if you are not sure.
• Billing. The fares for the day are settled together from the next day onward.
• Meitetsu. The Transportation Bureau says Meitetsu does not accept this except at 13 stations, including Chubu Centrair International Airport, Meitetsu Nagoya, Kanayama, Jingu-mae, Inuyama and Meitetsu Gifu. For other Meitetsu stations, use a transport IC card or a ticket.

Tapping is simple if you take only a few rides. If you plan many rides in a day, a day ticket is usually the better deal, so compare.

City buses

The Visit Nagoya guide says city buses cover the whole city, with the main terminals at Nagoya Station and at Sakae (the Oasis 21 terminal). The fare is a flat 210 yen. The Meitetsu Bus Center at the south end of Nagoya Station is where Meitetsu buses and highway buses leave, including the buses for our Takayama and Shirakawa-go trips.

The day tickets

• 1-Day Ticket, 870 yen. Unlimited rides on city buses and the subway for one day.
• Subway 24-Hour Ticket, 760 yen. Unlimited subway rides for 24 hours.
• Weekend Eco Ticket, 620 yen. Unlimited city bus and subway rides on weekends, public holidays and the 8th of each month, which is Environmental Conservation Day. On buses it is limited to city buses and the Nagoya Sightseeing Route Bus.
• Not valid on. The elevated section of the Yutorito Line, Meitetsu buses and the Aonami Line. The Aonami Line is the line to LEGOLAND Japan, so a day ticket does not cover it. See our LEGOLAND Japan access guide.
• Discounts. Visitors get discounts at some tourist facilities, shops and restaurants if they show a Weekend Eco Ticket or a 1-Day or 24-Hour Ticket. The Visit Nagoya guide points to the Transportation Bureau’s Nagoya Toku Navi page for the list. The Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium is one example, and we explain its discount in our aquarium guide.

Where to buy

For the Weekend Eco Ticket, the official guide lists the i Center at Oasis 21, the Kanayama Tourist Information Center, ticket counters at subway stations, city buses, stationmaster offices, Manaca ticket machines, special Weekend Eco Ticket machines at Nagoya, Kanayama, Fujigaoka, Nonami and Akaike stations, and some other sellers. Check the Transportation Bureau page for the sellers of the other tickets.

The Me~guru sightseeing route bus

Visit Nagoya says the Nagoya Sightseeing Route Bus Me~guru runs from Tuesday to Sunday. If Monday is a holiday, it does not run on the following weekday. You can ride as often as you like in one day with the One-Day Pass, which is sold on the Me~guru buses. The route covers the city’s main tourist spots. We have not checked its current timetable or stops on an official page, so look at the Visit Nagoya site before you go.

The Nagoya Science Museum is one stop from Nagoya Station on the Higashiyama Line (see our Nagoya Science Museum guide). The Tokugawa Art Museum is one place the Me~guru bus goes to. See our Tokugawa Art Museum guide. If you plan a day trip outside the city, see our Ise Jingu day trip guide.

IC cards

The Visit Nagoya guide lists the Manaca and TOICA IC cards as a convenient option. If you already have a Japanese transport IC card, check on the card issuer’s site whether it works in Nagoya.

Which one should I use?

• One or two rides. Pay for each ride, by tapping a contactless card or buying a ticket.
• A sightseeing day with 4 or more rides. Compare the 870 yen 1-Day Ticket with your total fares. On weekends, public holidays and the 8th of the month, the 620 yen Weekend Eco Ticket is cheaper.
• A day to Inuyama, LEGOLAND Japan or the Toyota museum. The official guide says the day tickets cannot be used on the Aonami Line or on Meitetsu buses. Meitetsu trains and the Linimo are run by other companies, so check whether a city day ticket covers them before you rely on it.

Map

Open these places in Google Maps:

• Nagoya Station
• Sakae Station
• Kanayama Station

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Nagoya subway ride? 210 yen for one zone, up to 340 yen for five zones.

Can I use a contactless bank card on the Nagoya subway? Yes, since September 3, 2026, at all Nagoya City subway stations, with the rules above. Most Meitetsu stations do not accept it.

Is there a day ticket for the subway and buses? Yes. The 1-Day Ticket costs 870 yen, and the subway-only 24-Hour Ticket costs 760 yen.

What is the Weekend Eco Ticket? A 620 yen ticket for unlimited city bus and subway rides on weekends, public holidays and the 8th of each month.

Does the day ticket cover the Aonami Line? No. The day tickets cannot be used on the Aonami Line, Meitetsu buses or the elevated section of the Yutorito Line.