Taxi Apps in Japan (2026): GO or Uber, and What a Taxi Costs
In Japan a taxi app calls an ordinary licensed taxi to where you stand, gives you a number to confirm the assigned taxi, and lets you pay by card in the app. Install GO for the widest coverage; keep Uber if you already use it at home and you're in a big city.
Either way you ride a licensed taxi, and a booking charge set by the taxi company can be added. We checked GO's English site, Uber's Japan page and the Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association's fare table on 7 November 2026, plus Japan's official tourism site (JNTO) for taxi manners.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Taxi apps themselves are free to install.
GO or Uber: which should you use?
GO
Japan's main taxi app, nationwide. Its site is in English, Korean and Chinese. Pay with an international credit card or Apple Pay. Coupons are being ended for users with non-Japanese phone numbers, so expect to pay the full fare.
Uber
Uber's Japan page lists Uber Taxi in ten major cities, a list of main airports, and UberXL vans for up to 6 people. Handy if your card and account are already set up.
S.RIDE, DiDi and others
The Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association also lists S.RIDE, DiDi and the Tokyo Musen app. Useful as a backup when GO shows no cars nearby.
Hail one
The sign in the windscreen is usually in Japanese but colour-coded: red means free, green means taken. Raise your hand at the kerb, or queue at a taxi stand at stations.
How to set up GO
- Install GO before you fly Download it from the App Store or Google Play and register with your phone number and the verification code the app sends. Do this at home, where your number can receive the code.
- Add a card or Apple Pay Set up GO Pay with an international credit card, or choose Apple Pay.
- Set pick-up and drop-off Set the pick-up point at a spot where a car can stop safely, set the destination, and tap Request a Taxi.
- Request and watch for the car The app gives a confirmation number for the assigned taxi. Check it before you get in, and wait at the pick-up point.If no car is available, try again in a few minutes or walk to a taxi stand.
- Ride and get out Tolls and any booking charge are added to the fare.
What does a taxi cost in Tokyo?
Taxis from the airport
Skyliner to Ueno
¥2,580 and as little as 41 minutes to Keisei Ueno, then a short taxi from there.
Affiliate linkNarita Express
No change to Tokyo, Shinjuku and Shibuya. ¥5,200 return for foreign passport holders.
Affiliate linkAll options: Narita to Tokyo · Haneda to Tokyo
What if…?
…GO says no cars are available?
Try again in a few minutes, try another app, or walk to the nearest station taxi stand.
…my card is declined in the app?
Try Apple Pay or another card. You can also pay the driver: JNTO says credit cards can generally be used in major-city taxis, but cash may be the only option in the countryside.
…the driver doesn't speak English?
You don't need to talk: the destination is already in the app. If you hail on the street, show the address in Japanese on your phone.
…I left something in the taxi?
If you booked in an app, use its help section. If you hailed the taxi, contact the taxi company if you know it, or report it at a police box (交番).
Questions
Is Uber more expensive than GO?
Both call licensed taxis. Booking charges and app fees can differ, so compare the estimate in each app before you request.
Can I book a taxi in advance?
GO's English site describes on-demand requests only. If you need a car at a set time, look for a reservation option in the app before your trip, or ask your hotel to call a taxi.
Do I tip?
No. JNTO says taxi drivers do not expect or accept tips.
Do taxi doors open by themselves?
Yes. JNTO says the doors open and close automatically, so don't handle them as you get in and out.
GO's English site: all 47 prefectures, international credit cards and Apple Pay, phone number and verification code to register, GO Pay, confirmation number for the assigned taxi, coupons ending for non-Japanese phone numbers. Booking fee not stated.
Uber's Japan ride page: Uber Taxi cities and airports, UberXL up to 6 people. Payment methods not stated.
Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association: fare table (¥500 first 1.0 km, ¥100 per 232 m, +20% 22:00–05:00, 10% off over ¥9,000, tolls and ordering charge extra), dispatch apps list and Haneda fixed-fare rules.
Narita Airport's taxi page: fixed fares ¥28,000–¥32,500 to zones B–D (central wards), tolls extra, late-night surcharge 22:00–05:00.
JNTO's taxi and tipping pages: red sign means free and green taken, automatic doors, no tips, cards generally accepted in major cities but cash may be needed in the countryside.
Before you go
Install GO, add a card, and make sure you'll have data. Then a taxi is a few taps away at night, in the rain, or with heavy bags.
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