Tips for Using Narita Airport and How To Get from Narita Airport to Tokyo

Narita International Airport is the second biggest airport next to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in Japan. Narita Airport, with Haneda Airport, is fully operational as a Tokyo Metropolitan hub airport. If you travel in Tokyo, you may use these Airports. But, Narita Airport is quite far from the city center of Tokyo. So on this page, I will introduce tips on how to use Narita Airport and how to get to central Tokyo from Narita Airport.

Narita Airport or Haneda Airport?

International flights and LCC base

Various international flights can be used

Tokyo Metropolis has Haneda Airport located in southwest Tokyo and Narita Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture. There used to be only Haneda airport, but in the 1960s Japan developed economically and the number of passengers of aircraft increased sharply. For this reason, Haneda airport alone could not deal with increasing demand, and in 1978 Narita airport was opened. Tokyo’s international flights were moved to Narita Airport, and Haneda Airport was regarded as the airport for domestic flights.

However, Narita Airport is more than 60 kilometers away from the city center of Tokyo even at a straight line distance. It is too far away as a hub airport in Tokyo Metropolis. Meanwhile, at Haneda Airport, there has been a significant expansion. International flights arriving and departing from Haneda are now being operated. A new international terminal building was opened at Haneda Airport.

LCC flights have soared

At Narita Airport, besides regular flights, there are an increasing number of LCC flights. Jetstar Japan and other LCC companies began using Narita Airport as a hub airport. Thus, Narita Airport has started to have an aspect of LCC’s base airport with international flights.

Narita Airport is far from Tokyo center

People who fly to Tokyo by airplane may think about whether to use Narita Airport or Haneda Airport. From the conclusion, I recommend using Haneda Airport if possible. Narita Airport is a nice airport but it is too far from Tokyo center.

However, Narita Airport has two advantages. One thing is that there are so many international flights. And the other is that the charge is somewhat cheaper than the flights of Haneda Airport. If there are attractive flights in these respects, you may use Narita airport.

In that case, you should plan your strategy beforehand on how to go from Narita airport to the city center of Tokyo. If you stay at a hotel near the main station such as Tokyo station, Shinjuku station, Shibuya station, I recommend JR ‘s “Narita Express” go straight to these main stations. If you stay at a hotel in eastern Tokyo such as Ueno station, Keisei railway’s “Skyliner” is also recommended.

If you want to reduce transportation costs cheaply, you can take a JR or Keisei railway train or a bus. However, since they take time to downtown Tokyo, let’s move with time.

>> The official website of Narita Airport is here

Receive Japan Rail Pass

Well, I will show you how to get to Tokyo from Narita Airport. However, before that, please let me explain a bit about how to receive the Japan Rail Pass.

Tourists from abroad can purchase and use the “Japan Rail Pass” provided by JR (Japan Railways Group). Japan Rail Pass is a mechanism to purchase only vouchers before going to Japan and get it after arriving in Japan. If you use the Japan Rail Pass, you should receive it when you arrive at Narita Airport first.

>> Please see my article about Japan Rail Pass

You have to line up to receive it …

If you use the Japan Rail Pass, you can also board the Narita Express without additional charge.

However, very unfortunately, if you try to receive the Japan Rail Pass at JR stations in Narita airport, you often have to line up in a row. A lot of tourists will try to receive the Japan Rail Pass, just like you. You will have to wait around 30 minutes. In some cases, you have to wait an hour or more.

For this reason, some tourists do not receive the Japan Rail Pass at Narita Airport but receive it in the city center of Tokyo. And they pay for the Narita Express …

I will introduce about JR, Keisei Railway, limousine bus etc. from now on this page. In conclusion, I think that it is best to use JR’s Narita Express to go to the city center of Tokyo. However, if you use the Japan Rail Pass, there is a risk that you will be kept waiting very long before you ride.

Japan Rail Pass is a very profitable pass, but when you arrive, there are problems like the above. Please be aware of that point.

Narita Airport to Tokyo

JR express “Narita Express”: Convenient to go to Tokyo, Shinjuku, Yokohama etc.

If you go from Narita airport to the city center of Tokyo, I recommend you to use JR’s Narita Express (N’EX). It takes you from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station in as fast as 53 minutes.

This limited express is operated accurately at 15 – 30 minute intervals. The price is 3,020 yen (Ordinary Cars) from Narita airport to Tokyo station. If you use Green Cars (first class), the same section is 4,560 yen. All seats are reserved.

Stations

Narita Express stop at the following stations.

Train entrance

There are two JR stations in Narita Airport.

Narita Airport Terminal 1 (Narita Airport) Station
Narita Airport Terminal 2 · 3 (Airport Terminal 2) Station

There is a ticket office and ticket gate on the basement floor of the terminal building respectively. You can also receive the Japan Rail Pass here.

Keep in mind that the ticket gate of Keisei Railway is also nearby.

Terminal 3 does not have a station. Please move to Terminal 2 by free bus and use underground Narita Airport Terminal 2 · 3 (Airport Terminal 2) Station.

Narita Airport Terminal 2 · 3 station is at Terminal 2. The Japanese notation of this station is “Airport Terminal 2”. However, “3” is added in English notation. I think this English notation is unkind for people who do not know Narita Airport.

>> For details of Narita Express please visit the official website

Keisei Limited Express “Skyliner”: Convenient to go to Ueno etc.

Keisei railway is a private railway in Chiba Prefecture. The route diagram of the Keisei Railway is as shown in the image below. Click on this image, the route map of the official website and timetable will be displayed on a separate page.

Keisei railway operates the limited express “Skyliner” of 160 kilometers per hour between Narita Airport and Keisei Ueno station in Tokyo. If you use Skyliner, you can go to the city center of Tokyo earlier than JR’s Narita Express. If you get off the Skyliner at Nippori station, you can transfer to the JR Yamanote line. Narita Airport Terminal 2 – 3 (Airport Terminal 2) Station is 36 minutes from Nippori Station. The fee from Narita Airport to Nippori and Keisei Ueno stations is 2,470 yen per adult. All seats are reserved.

However, the Skyliner does not go to as many stations as Narita Express. Skyliner stops at Nippori station and Keisei Ueno station in eastern Tokyo. Nippori station is a station that can be changed to JR Yamanote line, but it is far from Tokyo station and Shinjuku station. Keisei Ueno Station is located a 10-minute walk from JR Ueno Station. In other words, when you use Skyliner, you may take time to travel in the city center. Of course, if you plan to stay at a hotel near Nippori and Ueno, the skyliner is the best.

Stations

The Skyliner will stop at the next station.

Narita Airport Terminal 1 (Narita Airport) Station
Narita Airport Terminal 2 · 3 (Airport Terminal 2) Station
Nippori Station
Keisei-Ueno Station

Train Entrance

Keisei railway also has two stations in Narita Airport.

Narita Airport Terminal 1 (Narita Airport) Station
Narita Airport Terminal 2 · 3 (Airport Terminal 2) Station

Just like JR, there are ticket offices and ticket gates on the basement floor of the terminal building respectively. It is next to JR.

Terminal 3 also does not have a station at Keisei Railway. Just like Narita Express, please use the free bus to Terminal 2 and use underground Narita Airport Terminal 2 · 3 (Airport Terminal 2) Station.

Access Express is cheap and recommended

In addition to the Skyliner, Keisei Railway operates several limited express trains. Among them, there is a very reasonable and recommended express train. That is “Access Express”.

By using Access Express, you can reach Keisei Ueno station from Narita Airport in about 70 minutes. It will take some time. However, it does not need express charges. So, the price is 1,030 yen per adult from Narita Airport to Keisei Ueno Station. I think that Access Express of Keisei Railway is the limited express train with the best cost performance.

>> For details of Keisei Railway please visit the official website

Bus : Direct to all over Tokyo. Cheap but risk of traffic jam

Let’s find the bus that suits you

At Narita airport there are so many buses operated. You can search all these buses on the following page of Narita Airport official website. Recently, there are an increasing number of buses going directly from Narita Airport to distant cities such as Kyoto, Sendai and Kanazawa. Please try looking for a suitable bus for you.

>> For details of the buses at Narita Airport, please see here

Cheap buses are recommended

If you plan to stay at a hotel around Tokyo station, I recommend using cheap buses. If you use the regular limousine bus to Tokyo station, the fare for one way costs approximately 3,000 yen per adult. On the other hand, if you use cheap buses, it costs 1,000 yen per person. These buses are also busy. However, these buses can carry only one suitcase per person. If you bring two or more big suitcases, or bring a long baggage such as a surfboard, you may want to use a regular limousine bus.

AIRPORT BUS「TYO-NRT」

I recommend a cheap bus named “TYO-NRT” seen in the above video. This bus is operated between Narita Airport and Tokyo Station / Ginza Station. The price for one way is 1,300 yen per adult. Children are half price.

Many of the buses departing from Narita Airport need to purchase tickets at the counter inside the airport before getting on board. In contrast, in the case of The Access Narita, you do not need to purchase a ticket. You should prepare 1,300 yen per person. Please hand the 1,300 yen to the driver when you get on this bus.

This bus is operated 142 times a day. It runs every 15 minutes during daytime peak hours. The problem is the travel time to Tokyo station. It is said to be around one hour on the official website. However, unlike trains, buses are at risk of traffic congestion. Please think that it takes more time when the road is crowded.

>> The official site of TYO-NRT is here

Taxi : It takes about 20,000 yen to Tokyo central

If you go from Narita airport to the city center of Tokyo, I can not recommend using a taxi very much. It is more than 60 kilometers away from Narita Airport to the city center of Tokyo. The taxi fare will cost around 20,000 yen. In addition, expressway fee will be added. If the road is congested, it may take more.

If you use a taxi, I would suggest riding the Fixed Fare Taxi. If you use Fixed Fare Taxi, you will not be charged a high fee even if the road is heavily congested. To use Fixed Fare Taxi, please tell the clerk at the taxi stand of each terminal building.

>> For details of Narita airport taxis please visit the official website

Explore Terminals 1, 2, 3 at Narita Airport

Passenger terminals are divided according to alliances. Basically, Northern Wing of Terminal 1 is used by SkyTeam member companies, and Terminal 1 South Wing is used by Star Alliance member companies. Terminal 2 is used by one-world member companies. Terminal 3 is used by LCC companies. However, please be aware that there are many exceptions. I prepared a list of airlines for each terminal below. The flights of each terminal are often changed, but I’m happy if you refer to the following data as a rough guide.

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 is a large building with various shops and restaurants. There are home electronics store “Laox”, clothing store “UNIQLO”, and others. For the latest store information please refer to the official website below.

>> Click Here for Terminal 1 store information

North Wing (Only international flights)

South Wing

International flights

Domestic flights

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 also has various shops and restaurants. There are home electronics store “Bic camera”, clothing store “UNIQLO”, and others. For the latest store information please refer to the official website below.

>> Click Here for Terminal 2 store information

Flights

International flights

Domestic flights

Terminal 3

Terminal 3 is a new facility opened to accept LCC flights. For this reason there are not many shops and restaurants. Instead, Terminal 3 has a large food court. For the latest store information please refer to the official website below.

>> Click Here for Terminal 3 store information

Flights

International flights

Domestic flights

 

I wrote the following articles on Japanese SIM Card and Pocket Wifi Rental. You can also prepare these at Narita Airport. For details, please click the following article.

Please refer to the following article about tourist information in Tokyo.

 

Thank you for reading to the end.

Now, let’s plan to make your vacation in Japan the best experience ever!

 

 

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