Transfers & transports
How to move around town & airport transfer options
There are different ways to get to Tokyo from both Narita and Haneda airports.
FROM NARITA AIRPORT
The easiest and cheapest way: trains
- Narita Express: this train belongs to the Japan Rail lines, so if you have the JR Pass it's included. It leaves every 30 minutes from 7:00 in the morning till past midnight and it takes an hour to get to Tokyo Station. Tickets cost between 3000 and 6000 ¥ and it gets to different stations like Shibuya, Shinjuku and Shinagawa. Make sure to be in the right wagon is you go further than Tokyo Station because the train divides there.
- Keisei Skyliner: this train goes from the airport to Ueno Station. It takes 40 minutes and it leaves every 20-40 minutes from 8:00 to 22:00. Tickets cost around 2400 ¥.
Some door to door options: Taxi and Uber
There are official taxi stops in the terminals and they cost between 19.000 and 25.000 ¥. On the other hand, you can book an Uber from the app on your phone and it costs around 8.000¥.
The best door to door option: Private Transfer
With this service you'll have a driver waiting for you at the arrivals hall and will take you directly to your accomodation. It costs from ¥ 23,750 per group up to 5 people and it takes approx. 90 minutes. You need to book in advance!
FROM HANEDA AIRPORT
The cheapest way: train or Monorail
The Keikyu Main Line gets all the way to stations like Ginza, Tokyo station, Ueno, Shibuya and Shinjuku. The trains leave every 10 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night. The fare starts at 410¥ and it varies depending to which station you're going.
The Tokyo Monorail is an express service that gets to Hamamatsuchō station where there are connections with the Yamanote line to other parts of the city. It takes 15 minutes to get from one place to the other, and it leaves every 3-5 minutes during the day and a little less frequent at night. Tickets cost around 500¥.
The least recommended door to door option: Taxi
There are official taxi stops in the terminals and they cost approximately 8.000 ¥ to get to the center of the city. There are usually long lines to get a taxi, which makes the waiting too long.
The cheapest door to door option: Shared Transfer
You'll share a shuttle service with passengers that are going to the same direction as your accomodation. It costs from ¥ 2,380 per person and the time it takes depends on wether you are the first to be left at your hotel or not.
The private door to door option: Private Transfer
With this service you'll have a driver waiting for you at the arrivals hall and will take you directly to your accomodation. It costs from ¥ 13.600 per group up to 3 people and it takes approximately 1 hour.
The public transport in Tokyo consists of JR East trains, subway and buses. Buses are the least advisable because the stops are written in Japanese and are difficult to understand. There are different cards you can get to use public transport:
Public Transport if you have a JR Pass
-The JR Pass, in Tokyo, only works for JR lines and not the subway or buses. If you don't have a JR Pass and want to travel on JR lines only you can buy the Tokunai ticket which costs 750 yen and is valid for one day.
-For subway and buses you can get the SUICA card, which is a prepaid and rechargable card. It costs 2.000 yen with a 500 yen refundable deposit when you return it. The cost of the trips depend on the length of the journey, usually between 170 and 310 yen.
-For subway you can buy a Metro Pass. It's valid for either 24, 48 or 72 hours for the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines. The cost goes from 1.482 yen per person and it can be delivered to your hotel.
Public Transport if you DON'T have a JR Pass
For subway, buses and JR lines you can get a PASMO card. It's prepaid and it has a 500 yen refundable deposit when you return it. It can be charged with amounts between 1.000 yen and 10.000 yen. It can also be used as a debit card in some convenience stores.
Door to door options: Taxi and Uber
These options are the least advisable because traffic can be really heavy in the city. The minimum fare for taxis is 730 yen for the first 2 km and then it starts to add 90 yen for every 300 meters.
The comfortable and panoramic way: Hop On- Hop Off buses
With these buses you'll get to go around the city and get off and on at your desired stop. The ticket is valid for 24 hours and you can change between 2 different routes. The price goes from ¥ 3,500 per person.
Have you just started to plan your trip? Too many things to decide? Too long do it all by yourself? Special needs or wishes? Then, you should plan your trip with a local to get tailored travel plans & advices.
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