Are you travelling to Tokyo and want to know how to get to the city centre from Narita Airport ? In this article we will tell you about all the transport options from Narita to the centre of Tokyo , compare their advantages and disadvantages and tell you how we did it.
How to get from Narita to central Tokyo
The first thing you need to do is find out the name of the airport you are arriving at, as the Japanese capital has two international airports : Narita and Haneda . Narita International Airport is located about 60 km northeast of Tokyo and there are several ways to travel between the two places. Choosing one of them will mainly depend on where your accommodation is located and obviously on your budget. Let's analyze them all:
1. Narita Express (N'EX)
If you are going to buy the JR Pass , you should know that the Narita Express is the best way to get to Tokyo from Narita Airport, especially because it is included in the pass and is a quick and efficient way to get to the city center. What you will have to do, once you land at the airport, is find the JR office , activate the pass and, important!, reserve your seat.
The main stations on this line are: Narita T1 and T2-3, Chiba, Tokyo Station, Hamamatshucho (connection with the monorail to Haneda), Shibuya or Shinjuku. The journey takes just under an hour to get to Tokyo Station and the frequency is approximately 2 trains every hour.
If you don't have the JR Pass, the ticket price to Tokyo Station is about 3,100¥ (approx. €19), so the following option will be much more worthwhile. More information on the official website .
2. Skyliner
Not only is it cheaper, but it is also faster , although it should be noted that it does not go all the way to the city centre, but will drop you off in the Ueno and Nippori areas in just 41 minutes . If, like us, you are staying in the Asakusa district , this option is very interesting since Ueno and Asakusa are very well connected by metro or train. This was the option we chose for this reason.
The train, operated by Keisei Electric Railway, stops at Narita Airport T1 and T2-3 stations and only stops at Shin-Kamagama, Aoto, Nippori and Keiso-Ueno. It also has a fairly high frequency. This, together with its price of around ¥2,600 (approx. €15), makes it the fastest and cheapest option for getting from Narita Airport to central Tokyo. You can buy your Skyliner ticket online and save time .
Important : There are other train lines that are ideal for backpackers as they are somewhat cheaper than the Skyliner, however they take much longer, sometimes you have to make transfers at intermediate stations and we do not think the price difference is worth it.
3. TYO-NRT Bus
If you're looking for the cheapest option to get from Narita Airport to central Tokyo, this bus is the answer, costing ¥1,300 (about €8). It stops at stations in all three terminals and goes directly to Tokyo Station in a journey time of just over an hour . Some of the buses continue to Ginza Sta and Shinonome Aeon-mae stations. The frequency is high, even with departures every 10 minutes during peak times.
Seats on the buses are not reserved and you can buy tickets at the counters in the 3 terminals, or at the bus stop itself, for which it is best to bring cash. More information on the official website .
Please note : only 1 suitcase per person is allowed in the trunk (on the bus you can take one personal item with you, such as a purse or backpack).
Remember to get the Revolut card ( with a €10 promo ), the best option to avoid commissions when paying and withdrawing money abroad
4. Taxi or private transport
The most convenient option is, of course, also the most expensive: taking a taxi or booking a transfer service online from Narita to Tokyo can cost you more than €100 per trip . Taxis have a fixed price depending on the area you go to, for example to Shinjuku-ku, Shibuya-ku, etc. it costs no more and no less than 30,000¥ (about €180). So between the two alternatives, the private transfer is a bit more expensive, but we don't think it's worth it unless you're a millionaire or you're traveling with more people to split the cost.
Have you already decided how you are going to get to the Japanese capital? Hopefully this article will help you choose the best way to get to Tokyo from Narita Airport .
