If it is your first time traveling to Tokyo and you don’t have a guide, the first challenge you might encounter is how to get to the hotel in Tokyo from the airport. While the transportation system in Tokyo is really convenient, it is also somewhat complicated. Below is a summary of how you can get from Narita Airport to Tokyo’s city center. If you are landing at Haneda Airport, refer to our Guide on How to Get from Haneda Airport to Tokyo!
There are several ways to get you from Narita Airport to your hotel in Tokyo. Depending on your destination and needs, the mode of transportation that suits you the most will differ.
List of Content in This Article
Tip: If you are a vegan, refer to HERE for a list of cafes and restaurants that serve vegan meals. But note the information may be outdated due to COVID-19.
A Summary of How to Get to Tokyo from Narita Airport and Vice Versa
By Taxi
Taking a taxi from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station usually costs around 23,000 yen. Although it is the most expensive mode of transportation, taxis have the advantage of being available 24 hours a day, so it is a very convenient option for those arriving late at night or early in the morning. Also, if you carry very large and/or multiple pieces of luggage, taking a taxi that can drop you off or pick you up from anywhere will make your travel to and from the airport much easier.
But just bear in mind that the cost and the required time will increase significantly if you run into traffic jams.
Tip: Besides the standard taxis, there are also flat-rate taxis (定額制タクシー) that you can consider. Below is a list of our recommendations you can choose from.
☛ Book your fixed-rate private transfer from Narita Airport through klook.
☛ KM Taxi (also has services to Tokyo Disney Resort)
☛ AIRPORT TAXI
☛ If you read Japanese, you can also book with Hoshimaru.
How to Get to Tokyo from Narita Airport by Bus
| Mode of Transport from/to Narita Airport | One-Way Cost | Time Required | Frequency | Where to Purchase the Ticket |
| Airport Limousine Bus (リムジンバス) | 3,200 yen to Shinjuku Station | Around 60 to 90 minutes | At least one per hour. Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable and destinations | ☛ From Airport Limousine’s ticket counter ☛ Major hotels’ concierge ☛ Book online through Klook |
| Airport Bus TYO-NRT | 1,300 yen | Around 60 to 90 minutes | At least one per hour. Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable and destinations | ☛ Narita Airport: From the ticket counter ☛ Bus stops in Tokyo: Cash and Japan’s transportation IC card can be used when onboard ☛ Tokyo Station: Purchase a ticket from JR Express Bus Ticket Office if you want to pay by cash |
| WILLER EXPRESS | ☛ 1,500 yen for advance booking ☛ 1,900 yen for on-the-spot ticket purchases | Around 60 to 90 minutes | At least one per hour. Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable and destinations | ☛ Narita Airport: From the LCB bus ticket counter ☛ Ikebukuro: Cash and Japan’s transportation IC card can be used when onboard. ☛ Online: Book your ticket on WILLER’s website HERE. |
Important:
☛ Please keep in mind that only one piece of luggage is allowed per passenger. The staff may ask you to forward your extra belongings to your destination.
☛ The bus fare will most likely be doubled for the services in the early morning and late at night.
Tips:
☛ You can pay the bus fare with one of Japan’s transportation IC cards. But you will most likely still need to get a seat reservation ticket at the ticket counter at Narita Airport. On the other hand, a reservation is not required when you board the bus in Tokyo.
☛ While a reservation is not required to board a bus to Narita Airport, if you want to travel before late morning, from 12 pm to 3 pm, or in the late afternoon to evening, it is best to make a reservation. But please keep the cancelation/amendment rules in mind just in case you don’t make it.
How to Get to Tokyo from Narita Airport by Train
Two train companies offer train services from Narita Airport to Tokyo, JR and Keisei.
Tips:
☛ If you plan to take Narita Express, reserve your ticket as early as possible for a discount on eki-net.com.
☛ If you plan to take Keisei Skyliner and explore Tokyo, consider getting the Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket to save! The ticket includes a one-way or a round trip on Skyliner and a 24, 48, or 72-Hour Tokyo Subway Ticket. This means that the Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket covers the Narita Airport to Ueno cost. You can also travel to the most popular attractions in Tokyo’s 23 wards for free!
☛ You can also get a discount for a one-way ticket by purchasing the Skyliner ticket through Klook!
| Mode of Transport from/to Narita Airport | Train Company | One-Way Cost | Time Required | Frequency | Where to Purchase the Ticket |
| Narita Express/ N’EX (成田エクスプレス) | JR | ☛ One-way to Tokyo: From 3,070 yen ☛ Return within 14 days: 4,070 yen. Refer to HERE for more information. | Around 1 hour | At least one per hour. Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable. | ☛ From JR’s automatic reserved seat vending machine ☛ JR EAST Travel Service Center, the JR Ticket Office (Midori-no-Madoguchi) ☛ Online through the JR-East Train Reservation website HERE. |
| Narita Line (成田線) | JR | 1,340 yen | Around 1.5 hour | At least one per hour. Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable. You can translate the webpage using Google Chrome’s translation function at the right of the address bar. | Automatic ticket vending machine |
| Skyliner (スカイライナー) | Keisei | ☛ 2,570 yen for advance ticket purchases ☛ A discounted return ticket costs 5,140 yen ☛ Get a discount HERE by purchasing from Klook! | Around 40 minutes to Ueno | Around 2 to 3 services per hour during the day. Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable | ☛ Narita Airport: From the Skyliner Ticket Counter, Skyliner & Keisei Information Center, or Keisei Electric Railway Ticket Sales Counter ☛ Nippori Station and Keisei-Ueno Station and Aoto Station, and Shin-Kamagaya Station |
| Access Express (アクセス特急) | Keisei | 1,240 yen to Ueno | Around 60 minutes to Ueno | Around 2 to 3 services per hour during the day | From the station’s ticket vending machine |
| Rapid Limited Express・Limited Express (快速特急・特急) | Keisei | 1,050 yen | Around 70 to 90 minutes to Ueno via Funabashi | Around 2 to 3 services per hour during the day | From the station’s ticket vending machine |
- Refer to the train route map HERE for Skyliner and Keisei Line.
- For the Narita Express, refer to HERE for more details.
Important: For Narita Express and Skyliner, remember to reserve your seat before boarding using the reserved ticket vending machine at a station, from a ticket office, or online.
Should I take Narita Express or Skyliner?
If you can’t decide whether to take JR’s Narita Express or Keisei’s Skyliner to Tokyo, you can find the answer by looking at your destination.
- If your hotel is around Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, or even Yokohama Station, take Narita Express.
- If you want to head straight to Nippori Station (日暮里) or Ueno, take Skyliner.
Tip: A cheaper but still faster way to get to Tokyo Station by train is to take Keisei’s Skyliner to Nippori Station and transfer to a JR train there. While you can certainly transfer at Ueno Station, JR and Keisei’s Ueno Station aren’t beside each other. So it will take up to 10 minutes to transfer at Ueno Station.
The Best Way to Get to Tokyo from Narita Airport
The best way to get to Tokyo after you clear customs at Narita Airport differs as each of us has different preferences regarding transportation.
Furthermore, if you have been to Tokyo previously, your best way to get to Tokyo from Narita Airport may not be the same, as your circumstances may have changed.
So how to determine which transportation mode you should use to get to your hotel in Tokyo next time? Consider the following factors that matter to you the most:
- Time-saving
- Your best options are either JR’s Narita Express or Keisei’s Skyliner.
- Comfortability
- JR’s Narita Express is the most comfortable way to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo. The seats are wide and comfortable, with plenty of legroom. There is also enough space for bulky luggage. USB charging points and tables are also available for each seat.
- Accessibility to your hotel
- If the Airport Limousine Bus has a stop at your hotel, then taking a limousine bus might be the best option for you. While it takes longer to get to Tokyo, you won’t get lost in Tokyo’s confusing train system. Plus, you can avoid being pushed around in potentially crowded trains/stations while carrying your luggage.
- On the other hand, consider taking a train if the limousine bus doesn’t stop near your accommodation.
- Has services to connect to early morning or late night flight
- Generally speaking, unless you depart for/from Shinjuku, taking a train is a better or even the only option.
- Another thing to watch out for is if you want to take a bus, there may be a special service charge applied to those departing early morning or late at night.
- Please refer to the links to the timetables above to plan ahead.
- Transportation cost
- By Bus: Airport Bus TYO-NRT or WILLER BUS
- By Train: Keisei’s Rapid Limited Express・Limited Express or JR’s Narita Line (成田線)
- A set transportation ticket includes the cost from the airport to Tokyo.
- Keisei Skyliner: The Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket is a great transportation deal when visiting Tokyo.
- The ticket includes a one-way or a round trip on Skyliner and a 24, 48, or 72-Hour Tokyo Subway Ticket. This means that the Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket covers the cost from Narita Airport to Ueno. You can also travel to the most popular attractions in Tokyo’s 23 wards for free!
- Refer to HERE for more information and to pre-purchase your Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket.
- JR’s Narita Express: Narita Express is included in the below transportation passes’ validity routes.
- Keisei Skyliner: The Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket is a great transportation deal when visiting Tokyo.
- Easiness of traveling with more than 1 piece of large luggage
- JR’s Narita Express is your best option. Keisei’s Skyliner comes next.
- Taking a bus isn’t recommended if you have more than one piece of large luggage. Bus companies do tend to restrict the number of luggage per person, allowing only one luggage per person most of the time.
- Besides the Skyliner, Keisei’s trains are no different from ordinary trains. This means things can get hard and awkward if you travel during peak hours.
A Summary of the Access Information from Narita Airport to Tokyo’s Big Train Stations
| Area in Tokyo | Access Information from Narita Airport |
| Tokyo Station (東京駅), Ginza (銀座), Nihonbashi (日本橋) | ☛ Around 50 minutes via JR’s Narita Express to Tokyo Station. ☛ Around 60 minutes via Keisei’s Access Express to Nihonbashi Station. You can also take this train to Higashi-Ginza Station. ☛ Around 60 to 90 minutes via Airport Bus TYO-NRT to Tokyo and Gina Station. |
| Shinjuku (新宿) | ☛ Around 90 minutes via JR’s Narita Express to Shinjuku Station. ☛ Around 2 to 2.5 hours via Airport Limousine Bus to Shinjuku Station. ☛ Around 60 to 90 minutes via Keisei Skyliner and transfer at Nippori Station to JR Yamanote Line. |
| Shibuya (渋谷) | ☛ Around 90 minutes via JR’s Narita Express to Shibuya Station. ☛ Around 75 minutes via Keisei Skyliner and transfer at Nippori Station to JR Yamanote Line. |
| Ikebukuro (池袋) | ☛ Bus services via Airport Limousine Bus are currently suspended. ☛ Around 60 minutes via Keisei Skyliner and transfer at Nippori Station to JR Yamanote Line. |
| Shinagawa (品川) | ☛ Around 70 minutes via JR’s Narita Express to Shinagawa Station. ☛ Around an hour and 25 minutes via Keisei’s Access Express or Rapid Limited Express・Limited Express to Shinagawa Station. ☛ Bus services via Airport Limousine Bus are currently suspended. |
| Ueno (上野) | ☛ Around 40 minutes via Keisei’s Skyliner to Ueno Station. ☛ Around 1.5 hours via Keisei’s Access Express to Ueno Station. Please ensure you board the train bound for Ueno instead of Haneda Airport. |
| Asakusa (浅草) | Around 60 minutes via Keisei’s Access Express to Asakusa Station. Please note the train will become Toei’s Asakusa Airport Kaitoku (都営浅草線エアポート快特) bound for Haneda Airport at Oshiage Station (押上駅). No transfer is required at Oshiage Station. |
| Tokyo Disney Resort | Around 60 minutes via Airport Limousine Bus. |
Discover Tokyo’s Transportation Tickets That Can Save You Money
Now that you know how to get to Tokyo from Haneda Airport, the next step in your planning is probably finding out if there is a discounted transportation pass that will save you money.
So refer to our Guide to Tokyo’s Transportation Passes for a list of tickets that can be used in Tokyo and/or the surrounding tourist destinations!
The Ultimate Guide to How to Get to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo
Kawaguchiko (河口湖) or Lake Kawaguchi is one of Japan’s top tourist destinations. But because the lake at the foot of Mt. Fuji isn’t located in Tokyo’s city center, you may be wondering how to get from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko. If that is the case, refer to our Guide to How to Get to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo. Whether it is from Shinjuku, Haneda Airport, or Shinagawa, we got you covered!
