How I Get from Narita Airport to Tokyo Every Time

I’ve been to Tokyo many times but I normally fly to Haneda airport, so when I booked my cheap flight to Narita airport and saw how far it is from Tokyo I legit freaked out. 

But actually it’s a super easy trip! There are quite a few alternatives but I highly recommend the Narita Express. I only sat down with my carry-on next to me and got to Tokyo Station under 1 hour. The seats are comfortable, the train is spacious and clean. 

When travelling from airports to Tokyo I always head to Tokyo Station because it’s the most convenient place for me to leave my luggage in storage lockers before exploring.

I don’t always go straight to my accommodation, sometimes I prefer leaving my luggage at the lockers right in Tokyo station and explore the city. 

Because of this, I usually take the Narita Express since it brings me right where I need to be.

👉Book Narita Express seat here. It’s the fastest and easiest way to get to the city!

There are several ways to reach Tokyo, including fast trains, comfortable buses, car hire, or even a private driver if you prefer a simple door-to-door journey.

Below you will find the best options with journey times and who each choice suits best.

Quick Overview

Below, I have listed all the options available, along with prices and duration of each journey:

Transport type	How long it takes	Price and CTA
Narita Express	Around 50 minutes to Tokyo Station	From about $19 one way 👉 Book Narita Express
Skyliner	Around 35 to 40 minutes	Around $14 one way 👉 Book Skyliner
Airport Limousine Bus	Around 70 minutes or more	Around $18 one way 👉 Book Limousine Bus
Keisei Access Express	A bit more than 60 minutes	Around $14 one way 👉 Get Suica for this train
Local trains	Around 90 to 100 minutes with changes	Around $7 one way 👉 Get Suica card
Private driver	Around 60 to 90 minutes	Around $80 per car 👉 Book transfer
Car hire from Narita	Around 60 to 90 minutes	From about $24 per day 👉 See car hire options

#1 JR Narita Express

The Narita Express is the smoothest and quickest way to reach major stations such as Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa, and Ikebukuro. The journey normally takes around 50 minutes to Tokyo Station.

There is plenty of space for your luggage right next to the entrance door of the carriage as well as above the seats.

Honestly, I have really long legs but there was still extra space between my knees and seat so I fitted my carry-on between my knees and the seat in front of me very easily!

The price hovers $19 without an assigned seat and $23 with a reserved seat.

I always get the reserved seat because I don’t want to stand up and move with my luggage if someone claims my seat or risk I don’t have a place to seat. After a long flight I have no energy to spare!

👉 Book your Narita Express ticket on Klook.com. This website is very popular in Asia, I’ve always used it with my eyes closed!

This train is operated by the JR line (Japan Railways), so if you purchased the Japan Rail Pass, you can totally use it for this journey!

#2 Skyliner

The Skyliner is one of the fastest airport trains, reaching Ueno in about 40 minutes and Nippori in about 35 minutes. It is very smooth, comfortable, and ideal if you are staying near Ueno or Asakusa.

The price for the Skyliner is around $14 and it’s quite spacious. You would have enough room for your luggage.

👉 Book your Skyliner ticket here and

Again, if you are going to Tokyo station instead, for for the Narita Express otherwise you will have to get off the Skyliner and take a local train. You would hate that, considering you will be carrying your bags!

#3 Airport Limousine Bus

The Limousine Bus is a comfortable option that connects Narita Airport with many Tokyo hotels and popular neighbourhoods. It is perfect if you have luggage or if you land tired after a long flight.

Journey times vary due to traffic and can take 70 minutes or longer. Seats are comfortable and you do not need to change transport along the way.

The price in this case would be around $18.

👉 Check availability for the Airport Limousine Bus ticket here

#4 Keisei Access Express

This is one of the most budget-friendly options. It connects the airport with stations such as Asakusa and Nihonbashi.

It is slower than the Skyliner, seats are not reserved, and peak hours can be crowded. But honestly, if you have luggage, don’t take it because it could be a nightmare!

The price is around $14 and it would take you a bit more than 1 hour to get to Tokyo. And that is if the train is not delayed or cancelled.

You can get on this train with your Suica card. This transport card costs around $14 and it’s pre-loaded with about $13. You can top it up at stations and convenience stores!

👉 Book Keisei Access Express ticket through Suica Card here

I’ve used this train many times to get to Asakusa because I stayed at one of my favourite hostels here (which is the Glamping Tokyo Asakusa).

If you are going to Asakusa Station, search for elevators! This station has endless stairs and I ruined my back carrying my bags. The elevator is there, so make sure you use it. Follow the signs or ask anyone, don’t make my same mistake. 

Important note: The Skyliner and the Keisei Access Express are not the same. The Skyliner is the fast premium service with reserved seating, while the Access Express is the cheaper commuter-style train.

#5 Local Trains

Local trains also reach central Tokyo, although they are slower and usually require changes. They can be helpful if your accommodation is near a smaller station.

Again, you can go on these via Suica card these are cheaper than Keisei Express.

Again, you can go on these via Suica card these are cheaper than Keisei Express. 👉 Get Suica Card here

This is the cheapest way to get to Tokyo, around $7 but oh boy, you’ve got to be very patient! To the point where you don’t mind when you will get to the destination!

Local trains can be busy, delayed and can change their final destination while you’re on the train. It is the definition of a nightmare.

But if you want to go through it, these are my tips: 

• Use Google Maps, pick 1 suggested journey and stick to it. Follow the steps religiously.

• Get the Suica card. Each train is a different company meaning that every time you change train you need a different ticket – I’m not kidding! So the only way around this is getting these cards because they allow you to change from train to train smoothly. 

• If you don’t get the travel cards mentioned above (first of all why not? Why do you want to suffer?). The alternative to that is getting a ticket for each train as you go. Each trainline has its own machine so you can’t just go to any ticket machine! Plus, bring cash because it’s very rare you can pay by card 🙂 

• Don’t travel during rush hour, you will not fit with your bags! Have you seen those videos of station officers pushing people inside the trains so they can close the doors? Yes, these videos are real! One time I left my suitcase at the airport and only went to Tokyo with my backpack because I was only staying a few days and then flying to Okinawa. If you can, leave as much as possible at the lockers by Narita airport so you can travel light to Tokyo.

#6 Private Drivers

Taxis from Narita Airport to Tokyo are expensive (around $80) and the journey can take 90 minutes or more.

A private driver is more comfortable and offers fixed pricing, but it still costs more than trains or buses.

This is a good option for late-night arrivals, travellers with a lot of luggage, parents with children, or anyone who prefers a door-to-door experience.

👉 Book your private driver here!

#7 Car Hire

You can also hire a car at Narita Airport. It can be useful if you plan to visit places outside Tokyo such as the countryside or Mount Fuji. It is less useful for central Tokyo due to traffic and parking costs.

Driving in Tokyo can be slow and parking is expensive, so this option is better for travellers who want to visit areas outside the city.

Renting a car in Japan is super easy; the staff will give you all the details you need, and the cars are excellent!

Prices start from $24 per day but remember to bring your international driving licence 🙂 

👉 Check cars available here. I had a lovely experience with car rentals in Japan. I would definitely recommend it!

Not Sure Where Everything Is?

Suica Travel Card: How Does It Work

My Suica card made my trip in Japan really easy. It’s a transport card you can top up any time and you will use it A LOT in Tokyo. 

I paid for everything with it! Not just trains but also tickets to museums, got things from the machines on the street and I even use it to pay for my custom noodle cup at the Noodles Cup Museum in Yokohama! 

Also, you know all these really affordable lockers you can find at stations and airports? You guessed it, you pay for those with your Suica card!

Sometimes they call it Suica IC card or only IC card but it’s the same thing. You can also get Pasmo card, it’s the same thing but honestly, I’ve seen Suica around more so I went for that one!

I mentioned this before but if you want to easily move around Tokyo you have to get one, otherwise you need to get a ticket for each train separately. I’ve done it before, it’s a nightmare!

Getting an IC card is the best thing to do and it’s the same price (if not sometimes cheaper) than individual tickets!

👉 Get your card here it costs about $14 but it has $13 pre-loaded. 

How much do you need in your card to get around Tokyo? 

I was topping up JPY 2,000 every 2 days but I was using it to buy small things at shops too.

Public transport is super affordable in Tokyo, you can check prices for each journey on Google Maps!

Hotels Near Narita Airport

If your flight lands very late at night or you want a simple first night before heading into the city the next morning, staying near the airport is a smart choice.

Here are some reliable options:

Get Your Luggage Delivered

I know this sounds strange, but you can get your luggage delivered to your accommodation and it’s actually really cheap! 

Prices start from $12. It’s a really good idea if you are coming with a lot of luggage or you just don’t want to carry anything with you!

👉 Get your luggage delivered here. This is something I’ve only seen in Japan. It has always worked really well, you should give it a go!

FAQs

What Next? 

You should be all set! Narita is a very well-organised airport, so don’t worry, you can easily follow the signs and get anywhere you need to go.

If you haven’t booked your accommodation yet, check out this blog post on the best neighbourhoods and places to stay in Tokyo for female solo travellers!

Ciao for now,

Silvia x

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