Ikebukuro station is the third busiest station in Japan, which daily ridership is 2.68 million. Four railway companies; JR East, Tobu, Seibu and Tokyo metro are operating at this station.
Ikebukuro is the second busiest station for JR but the busiest for Tobu, Seibu and Tokyo metro. JR operates Yamanote, Saikyo, Shonan-Shinjuku lines. Tobu operates Tojo line, Seibu operates Ikebukuro line and Tokyo metro operates Marunouchi, Fukutoshin and Yurakucho lines.
Ikebukuro station is a terminal for Tojo and Ikebukuro lines which is running toward Saitama prefecture, Ikebukuro is known as the gateway to Saitama. Not only Tojo and Ikebukuro lines, Saikyo and Shonan-Shinjuku lines also connect Ikebukuro and municipalities in Saitama prefecture. Therefore a lot of citizens of Saitama prefecture commute to Ikebukuro for work and school.
For foreign tourists, Ikebukuro station is a gateway to Kawagoe, Chichibu and Nagatoro, major tourist destinations in Saitama.