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Most tourists to Japan will come in and out through Tokyo’s Narita Airport. But like many international airports, Narita is not exactly on the doorstep of a major destination city, and travellers headed for Tokyo will usually make the 60-kilometer journey to the metropolis via the Narita Express, a high-speed rail service with a single-trip fare of 3,020 yen.
What’s perhaps less well-known is there are two budget bus services that take you from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station for as little as 900 yen. Tokyo Shuttle and The Access Narita seem to offer similar airport shuttle services, but which is the better option? And can they match the Narita Express in comfort and convenience? We sent one of our Japanese reporters to test out both services and find out!
First things first, let’s have a look at the vital statistics for each service.
1) Fares and times
Tokyo Shuttle: Reserved seats for all services cost 900 yen and can be booked online in English. The walk-up fare is 1,000 yen, or 2,000 yen on early morning services (before 5 a.m.).
The Access Narita: Tickets cost a flat rate of 1,000 yen; you can also book online, but the website is in Japanese only.
Both services run approximately every 15-20 minutes (except services before 5 a.m. which are less frequent), with journey times of 60 to 80 minutes. By comparison, the Narita Express leaves every 30 minutes, with a journey time of just 53 minutes, although it doesn’t run as early in the morning as these buses.
2) Routes
Tokyo Shuttle operates between Narita Airport and locations in Tokyo: Ginza Station, Tokyo Station, Shinonome Shako, and the Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba.
The Access Narita, meanwhile, runs between the airport, Ginza, and Tokyo Station, and also runs a service between Tokyo and the major hotels at Narita airport. So if you’re staying near Narita Airport before flying home, The Access Narita is a good bet.
3) Location of Tokyo bus stops
When heading to the airport on your way home, you’ll need to be able to find the bus stop. Tokyo Shuttle’s stand was a little way away from Tokyo Station, and our reporter had a hard time finding it. The Access Narita, however, was close to the station exit and easy to find. He felt this gave it the edge in terms of convenience.
Tokyo Shuttle buses, operated by Keisei, are easily identifiable, unlike The Access Narita which is operated by different bus companies depending on the time of day.
4) Onboard facilities
With tickets purchased and bus stops located, it was time to ride to Narita Airport. Next up, our reporter wanted to check out the facilities available on each service.
Tokyo Shuttle’s buses have electrical sockets and Wi-Fi which could be very handy if you’ve just arrived in the country (don’t forget your adapter). The Access Narita, on the other hand, has more leg-room and an onboard toilet.
We think this contest is almost a tie, to be honest, but our Japanese reporter felt that the extra leg-room and onboard restroom made The Access Narita the winner in his book. He offered the following words of advice for new riders:
-- When you ride the bus from Tokyo to the airport, an official comes onboard and checks tickets and ID. So keep your ticket and passport accessible, not buried in the bottom of your bag under all those souvenirs.
-- If you don’t make a reservation, it’s possible the bus might be full and you might have to wait for the next one. So we recommend either booking in advance online, or leaving a little extra time to get to the airport on your return journey.
With these points in mind, you should be able to enjoy a cheap and easy trip from Narita to Tokyo.
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© Japan Today
6 Comments
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Raymond Chuang
However, if your Tokyo-area hotel is very close to JR East Tokyo, Shinagawa, Yokohama (NOT Shin-Yokohama), Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebuburo Stations, I'd rather pay a bit more to ride the Narita Express. That way, you don't need to deal with the problem of sometimes very bad traffic jams on Tokyo streets and expressways or having to dealing with crowded commuter trains when you get off the Keisei Skyliner to transfer to a JR East commuter train at Nippori Station. This is a particular problem for flights from the USA West Coast to Narita, which arrive in the late afternoon (right at the very height of the commuting hours).
The buses mentioned in this article certainly are inexpensive, but you still have to consider traffic delays between Narita Airport to circa Tokyo Station. It may be convenient if your hotel is within close walking distance of the bus stop near Tokyo Station, though.
Pandabelle
Normal train to my home is much cheaper than the Friendly Airport Limousine, and basically any train is cheaper than the overpriced Nex.
I'm surprised the Keisei Skyliner isn't mentioned - cheaper to the Yamanote than the Nex, and quicker as well.
JeffLee
Skyliner suits me best. Way faster than NEX
Last time I took a bus, it got bogged down several blocks from the terminal station for around 20 minutes. I vowed then never to take the bus again.
Fadamor
As the article is about shuttle buses, I'm not surprised that only the NEX is used as a comparison.
Paige Smith
It is interesting that there are so many different options you can take from the Narita Airport to get to and from your flight. Also, it is interesting to learn that the shuttle buses are cheaper then the train. Where I live, the train cheaper then the bus and much more efficient. Airport navigation is so important especially in big cities. <http://www.fl-limousine.com/FLL-airport-limo-car-service.html >