The Complete Shinjuku Station Guide｜Exits, Transfers and Coin Lockers Without Getting Lost

According to fiscal 2024 ridership data published by JR East, Shinjuku Station averaged 666,809 boarding passengers per day, ranking first among the company's stations. That figure covers JR lines only; in reality it is a huge terminal where Odakyu Electric Railway, Keio Corporation, Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway all converge. With so many ticket gates, it is certainly a station that can confuse first-time visitors. But if you grasp a few principles in advance, getting around is not difficult. This article walks through the lines, how to think about exits, transfers and coin lockers, in that order.

Sorting out the railway companies and lines at Shinjuku Station

The first thing to do is figure out which company runs the line you will use. At Shinjuku Station, lines from the following companies connect.

• JR East: Yamanote Line, Chuo Line Rapid, Chuo-Sobu Line Local, Saikyo Line, Shonan-Shinjuku Line, and limited express trains. Platforms run from Track 1 to Track 16.
• Odakyu Electric Railway: Odakyu Line. The Romancecar limited express bound for Hakone also starts here.
• Keio Corporation: Keio Line and Keio New Line. The Keio New Line platforms are at "Shinsen-Shinjuku Station," in a different location from the Keio Line platforms.
• Tokyo Metro: Marunouchi Line (Shinjuku Station, M08).
• Toei Subway: Shinjuku Line (Shinjuku Station, S-01) and Oedo Line (Shinjuku Station, E-27).

One line to watch out for is the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line. The Fukutoshin Line does not stop at Shinjuku Station; it stops at the neighboring Shinjuku-sanchome Station (F13). Shinjuku-sanchome Station is also served by the Marunouchi Line (M09) and the Toei Shinjuku Line (S-02), and it is linked to Shinjuku Station by underground passages and at street level, but it is signposted as a separate station. If you plan to use the Fukutoshin Line, searching for "Shinjuku-sanchome" as your destination is the surer bet.

Seibu-Shinjuku Station is a different station from JR Shinjuku Station

The one international visitors most often get wrong is Seibu-Shinjuku Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line. Seibu-Shinjuku Station is not inside JR Shinjuku Station; it is some distance away toward Kabukicho. According to a media outlet run by JR East, the two stations are about 400 m apart, a walk of roughly 7–8 minutes. Even if a route-finder app shows "Shinjuku Station," to board the Seibu Shinjuku Line you need to leave the station and walk.

From JR Shinjuku Station, the starting point is the East Gate on B1. There are three main routes. The street-level route is the shortest: exit the East Gate, go up toward Kabukicho and follow the tracks. On rainy days, the underground route via the Shinjuku Subnade shopping arcade from the East Gate is convenient, though it is a little longer than the street route. For strollers and wheelchairs, a barrier-free route via the elevator near the East Gate and through Lumine EST Shinjuku is recommended. Treat all walking times as rough guides.

Remember the main exits by "what they are near"

Gate names and exit numbers at Shinjuku Station can change due to renovation work. Rather than memorizing numbers, it is more practical to remember what lies in which direction. JR East's station guide lists the following gates at Shinjuku Station: South Gate, West Gate, Central East Gate, Central West Gate, East Gate, East South Gate, New South Gate, Koshu-kaido Gate, Miraina Tower Gate, and the Odakyu Transfer Gate. Roughly speaking, they correspond as follows.

• East Exit: Kabukicho, Shinjuku-sanchome, and the area packed with restaurants and drugstores. Seibu-Shinjuku Station is also on this side.
• West Exit: The skyscraper district including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the Odakyu Line and Keio Line platforms, and the West Exit underground mall.
• South Exit: The exit facing Koshu-kaido Avenue. This is the way to the highway bus terminal Busta Shinjuku.
• New South Gate: According to Busta Shinjuku's operator, this gate is directly connected to Busta Shinjuku, a 2-minute walk. However, it is only usable from 5:45 to 24:00; outside those hours, allow about a 4-minute walk from the South Exit.
• Miraina Tower Gate: The gate closest to JR Shinjuku Miraina Tower and its shopping facilities.

For the actual layout, always check the latest official station maps from each company.

Moving north–south inside JR, and the East-West Free Passage

JR Shinjuku Station is long and narrow from north to south, so the East and West Gates toward the north and the South and New South Gates toward the south are quite far apart, even though they are in the same station. If you go down from the platform at the wrong place, you will end up walking a long way to your gate. Before boarding, it helps simply to keep in mind whether the exit you want is toward the north or the south.

For moving east–west, remember the East-West Free Passage. According to Shinjuku City, this passage opened on July 19, 2020, and is about 100 m long and about 25 m wide. Because you can cross between the east and west sides of the station without passing through the ticket gates, it is handy if you do not have a ticket, or if you came out at the East Exit when you meant the West Exit (or vice versa).

Note that, according to Keio, when the East-West Free Passage opened, the route from the Keio Line connecting gate through the JR concourse to the Central East Gate could no longer be used. To head from the Keio Line toward the East Exit, use the East-West Free Passage via the Keio Line's West Exit or similar.

Common transfer patterns

Transfers at Shinjuku Station tend to fall into the following combinations.

• From JR lines to the Odakyu Line: Use the Odakyu Transfer Gate listed among the JR gates, or go out to the West Exit side and head to the Odakyu gates.
• From JR lines to the Keio Line: The West Exit and Central West Gate area is closer. The Keio Line floor map shows the connection with the Keio West Exit and the JR Central West Gate.
• Using the Keio New Line or Toei Shinjuku Line: The platforms are at "Shinsen-Shinjuku Station," separate from the Keio Line, and deep underground. From the Keio Line platforms, follow the signs.
• To the Toei Oedo Line: Besides Shinjuku Station (E-27), if you are heading toward the Metropolitan Government Building, the next station, Tochomae (E-28), may be more convenient.
• To the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line: As mentioned above, go to Shinjuku-sanchome Station.

Allow plenty of time for transfers. The Oedo Line and Keio New Line in particular are deep underground, so moving up and down takes time.

Finding coin lockers and luggage storage

Shinjuku Station has coin lockers in many locations both inside and outside the ticket gates. A media outlet run by JR East highlights spots such as the East Exit underground passage and street level, and near the South Gate. As a rough guide, fees range from about 300 yen to about 1,000 yen depending on size, and may be higher during peak periods.

During busy periods it can be hard to find a free locker, so checking in advance is the safest approach. Availability for some lockers in the station can be checked on a dedicated website, and some accept advance reservations (reservations cost extra). There are also services that deliver stored luggage to hotels in Tokyo on the same day, or to a specified address. If a large suitcase will not fit, luggage storage counters around the station are another option.

How to get back on track when you are lost

If you still get lost, stay calm and try the following steps in order.

• First, check which floor you are on. At Shinjuku Station, walkways overlap from the basement levels up to the 2nd floor, and the scenery changes just by being on a different floor.
• Next, check whether you are on the east or west side. The side where you can see the Metropolitan Government skyscrapers is west; the Kabukicho side is east.
• If you lose your bearings inside the gates, do not force your way forward; going back to the East-West Free Passage lets you reorient yourself.
• If you get confused underground, it also helps to go up to street level once. It is easier to get a sense of direction above ground.
• When you are short on time, telling station staff where you want to go and asking for directions is the most reliable option.

Shinjuku Station may be huge, but every company has well-developed signage. Figure out the line and company first, and remember exits by "what they are near." Just keeping these two points in mind makes getting around much easier.

*The information in this article is current as of August 2026. Station layouts, gate names and exits may change due to renovation work and other factors. Please check each railway company's official station maps before you go.