From Tokyo Big Site to Narita Airport
February 28, 2010 4:04 PM Subscribe
What is the best way to take Tokyo's railways from the Tokyo Big Sight (Comiket) to Narita Airport? I've gone to this site and this site and looked at several railway maps from the various transportation companies, but I am just getting more confused. I don't mind a long ride, so the fewer transfers the better. I'm leaving on a Saturday evening.
Actually, the easiest way seems to be to take the Rinkai line from Kokusai-Tenjijo to Oimachi.
At Oimachi, transfer to the Keihin-Tohoku Line (bound for Tokyo and Ueno).
At Ueno, take the the Narita Express to Narita.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:20 PM on February 28, 2010
At Oimachi, transfer to the Keihin-Tohoku Line (bound for Tokyo and Ueno).
At Ueno, take the the Narita Express to Narita.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:20 PM on February 28, 2010
I don't think you can get the Narita Express at Ueno, it's the Skyliner that starts there. If you want the Narita Express, you will want to transfer at Tokyo instead. That is before Ueno on the Yamanote line anyway, so it's more convenient. You can also take a local train to from Tokyo to Narita Airport, there is one every hour or so. (I like the Skyliner, since it has better scenery and is cheaper... but in this case, the NEX is easier. I have also taken the local train from Tokyo ("Airport Narita"), and didn't find that too bad. It takes longer, but it is cheaper than both the NEX and the Skyliner.)
In any case, check the schedules before you go. It will take at least a half hour to get from Odaiba to Tokyo, and then at Tokyo there is a lot of walking between the Yamanote Line tracks and the Sobu/Yokosuka line tracks that the NEX runs on. And you have to buy a ticket in the middle. Count on 20 minutes for that.
Finally, Narita is in the middle of nowhere, and with worst-case waiting times for the train, it will take an hour and 45 minutes to get there. Leave early so you don't miss your flight.
posted by jrockway at 4:28 PM on February 28, 2010
In any case, check the schedules before you go. It will take at least a half hour to get from Odaiba to Tokyo, and then at Tokyo there is a lot of walking between the Yamanote Line tracks and the Sobu/Yokosuka line tracks that the NEX runs on. And you have to buy a ticket in the middle. Count on 20 minutes for that.
Finally, Narita is in the middle of nowhere, and with worst-case waiting times for the train, it will take an hour and 45 minutes to get there. Leave early so you don't miss your flight.
posted by jrockway at 4:28 PM on February 28, 2010
And as KokuRyu mentions, you can basically leave Odaiba on either train -- Yurikamome to Shimbashi (and then Yamanote/Keihin-Tohoku to Tokyo), or the Rinkai Line to Oimachi and then the Keihin-Tohoku line to Tokyo. Or you can take the Rinkai Line to Shin-kiba, and take the Keiyo line to Tokyo. (Or you can take it in the other direction to Chiba, but it's less easy to get from Chiba to Narita Airport, despite being closer.)
Anyway, lots of options. Get to Tokyo and it's easy from there.
posted by jrockway at 4:36 PM on February 28, 2010
Anyway, lots of options. Get to Tokyo and it's easy from there.
posted by jrockway at 4:36 PM on February 28, 2010
jrockway is right to point out the difference between the Skyliner and the NEX. The thing about Narita is that, unless you're leaving from Tokyo or Shinagawa, the Skyliner, or even an express train to Narita leaves more often and is more convenient.
Branching from KokuRyu's advice, from Shinbashi, you could just take the Yamanote line to Shinagawa, and board the NEX from there.
There are also rapid trains (usually one an hour) that go to Narita on the Yokosuka (dark blue) line, which shares tracks with the NEX. Cheaper, but slower.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:36 PM on February 28, 2010
Branching from KokuRyu's advice, from Shinbashi, you could just take the Yamanote line to Shinagawa, and board the NEX from there.
There are also rapid trains (usually one an hour) that go to Narita on the Yokosuka (dark blue) line, which shares tracks with the NEX. Cheaper, but slower.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:36 PM on February 28, 2010
As some can tell, I'm only kinda sorta familiar with Tokyo railways (I usually enter and leave Japan via Kansai Kuuko, and before that the ultra super duper convenient - a real rarity for Japanese intl airports - former Nagoya airport at Komaki) but I found taking the Keisei Line (Skyliner) from Ueno to Narita a couple of years ago was pretty easy.
I think the OP needs to have the process of changing trains at Ueno or Tokyo spelled out as a step-by-step process.
Tokyo Station is fucking huge and confusing, and I liked the fact that it's pretty straightforward to reach Keisei Ueno Station by walking out of equally huge Ueno Station towards the main entrance to Ueno Park (relative to Ueno Station) to catch the train to Narita.
Ghidorah's suggestion of taking NEX from Shinagawa sounds like it would be the absolute simplest method, though.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:52 PM on February 28, 2010
I think the OP needs to have the process of changing trains at Ueno or Tokyo spelled out as a step-by-step process.
Tokyo Station is fucking huge and confusing, and I liked the fact that it's pretty straightforward to reach Keisei Ueno Station by walking out of equally huge Ueno Station towards the main entrance to Ueno Park (relative to Ueno Station) to catch the train to Narita.
Ghidorah's suggestion of taking NEX from Shinagawa sounds like it would be the absolute simplest method, though.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:52 PM on February 28, 2010
You don't even have to leave the paid area to do the transfer at Tokyo. Tokyo Station is huge, but you just follow the signs to "Narita Express". It's not too difficult. "Down" is the operative word.
The disadvantage of starting from Shinagawa instead of Tokyo is that some trains start only at Tokyo (so you have fewer options), and that Tokyo has better facilities for non-Japanese-speaking people. (Actually, I have no idea how you buy a NEX ticket without speaking Japanese, as I've never tried. But presumably it is possible, at least at Tokyo and Narita.)
posted by jrockway at 6:12 PM on February 28, 2010
The disadvantage of starting from Shinagawa instead of Tokyo is that some trains start only at Tokyo (so you have fewer options), and that Tokyo has better facilities for non-Japanese-speaking people. (Actually, I have no idea how you buy a NEX ticket without speaking Japanese, as I've never tried. But presumably it is possible, at least at Tokyo and Narita.)
posted by jrockway at 6:12 PM on February 28, 2010
I live in Tokyo.
No matter what, you'll have to make at least two transfers. Your easiest options are one of the following:
A.
1) Kokusaitenjijo -> Ooimachi (via the Rinkai Line)
2) Ooimachi -> Shinagawa (via the Keihin-Tohoku Line)
3) Shinagawa -> Narita Airport (via the Narita Express)
B.
1) Kokusaitenjijo-Seimon -> Shimbashi (via the Yurikamome Line)
2) Shimbashi -> Tokyo (via the Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku Lines)
3) Tokyo -> Narita Airport (via the Narita Express)
Both options cost approximately the same; Option B requires slightly less walking to get to the first station, but it takes about 5 minutes longer and costs 50 yen more. Once you board the Narita Express, both are comfortable and take you directly to the airport.
You can purchase a ticket at any JR East station with a Midori-no-Madoguchi ticket window or via a reserved seat ticket machine (explained here). You can also reserve them online in advance for the particular train you wish to ride, then pick up the tickets when you arrive in Japan.
There's no need to use the Skyliner (and definitely no reason to use a regular limited express) from Keisei Ueno or Nippori -- the stations are fairly distance at Ueno, and the amount of time it takes to get to Nippori is not worth the difference price. This is especially so if you use the combined Suica and N'EX ticket.
posted by armage at 6:34 PM on February 28, 2010
No matter what, you'll have to make at least two transfers. Your easiest options are one of the following:
A.
1) Kokusaitenjijo -> Ooimachi (via the Rinkai Line)
2) Ooimachi -> Shinagawa (via the Keihin-Tohoku Line)
3) Shinagawa -> Narita Airport (via the Narita Express)
B.
1) Kokusaitenjijo-Seimon -> Shimbashi (via the Yurikamome Line)
2) Shimbashi -> Tokyo (via the Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku Lines)
3) Tokyo -> Narita Airport (via the Narita Express)
Both options cost approximately the same; Option B requires slightly less walking to get to the first station, but it takes about 5 minutes longer and costs 50 yen more. Once you board the Narita Express, both are comfortable and take you directly to the airport.
You can purchase a ticket at any JR East station with a Midori-no-Madoguchi ticket window or via a reserved seat ticket machine (explained here). You can also reserve them online in advance for the particular train you wish to ride, then pick up the tickets when you arrive in Japan.
There's no need to use the Skyliner (and definitely no reason to use a regular limited express) from Keisei Ueno or Nippori -- the stations are fairly distance at Ueno, and the amount of time it takes to get to Nippori is not worth the difference price. This is especially so if you use the combined Suica and N'EX ticket.
posted by armage at 6:34 PM on February 28, 2010
As for transferring at Tokyo or Shinagawa:
At Tokyo, you will arrive via the Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku Lines at tracks 3 or 4 (they share two sides of the same platform). The Narita Express departs from the basement platforms for the Sobu Line (also numbered 1-4, but underground). Just follow the signs, as the path is clearly marked. Ensure that you do not inadvertently pass through a ticket gate -- all platforms can be accessed without exiting them.
At Shinagawa, you will arrive via the Keihin-Tohoku Line at track 3. The Narita Express departs from tracks 13 or 14 (two sides of the same platform). Shinagawa is smaller than Tokyo with fewer platforms, so it's easier to navigate and requires much less time and use of escalators/elevators. As with Tokyo Station, ensure that you don't inadvertently exit the ticket gates.
posted by armage at 6:43 PM on February 28, 2010
At Tokyo, you will arrive via the Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku Lines at tracks 3 or 4 (they share two sides of the same platform). The Narita Express departs from the basement platforms for the Sobu Line (also numbered 1-4, but underground). Just follow the signs, as the path is clearly marked. Ensure that you do not inadvertently pass through a ticket gate -- all platforms can be accessed without exiting them.
At Shinagawa, you will arrive via the Keihin-Tohoku Line at track 3. The Narita Express departs from tracks 13 or 14 (two sides of the same platform). Shinagawa is smaller than Tokyo with fewer platforms, so it's easier to navigate and requires much less time and use of escalators/elevators. As with Tokyo Station, ensure that you don't inadvertently exit the ticket gates.
posted by armage at 6:43 PM on February 28, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Using the Yurikamome Line:
Kokusai-Tenjijo Seimon Sta. --> Shinbashi (terminus)
Walk over to Shinbashi Sta on the Yamanote Line
Shinbashi (Yamanote Line) --> Ueno Sta
Ueno Sta --> Narita via Narita Express
Here's a map here with links.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:16 PM on February 28, 2010