Most tourists choose to get to Tokyo Station from Narita Airport by train or bus.

A variety of companies operate different train lines in Japan. These rail companies offer convenient services connecting the airport with key destinations.
・Airport trains will whisk you to a destination quickly with a minimum of stops in between. These are generally more expensive than conventional express trains and require seat reservations.
・Conventional express trains stop at a greater number of stations and are generally cheaper (and somewhat slower) than airport trains.

Major airport trains
The first option many travelers will come across is the Narita Express. This paid airport express train (covered under the Japan Rail Pass) stops at several main stations within the Tokyo metropolitan area for maximum convenience. The time taken between stops is also relatively short.

Some stations along its route are Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Yokohama, and Omiya.

Keisei Electric Railway also offers a reserved seating paid express train service called the Keisei Skyliner. This train takes visitors from Narita Airport to the Ueno area. You’ll need to change to a conventional train after that to get to Tokyo Station.

If you’re adventurous enough, you can get to Tokyo Station from Narita Airport just by conventional train alone! Since these are regular commuter trains, the time taken to get to Tokyo will be longer, but you’ll surely shave off a lot of cost from your travel budget - especially if you don’t activate your Japan Rail Pass.

Finally, you can also consider taking the Airport Bus, which sets off from Narita Airport and takes you directly to Tokyo Station without the hassle of changing trains. Something to consider if convenience is your top priority!

In review, here are a few methods you can use to get to Tokyo Station from Narita Airport:
1. Narita Express
2. Keisei Skyliner + conventional train
3. Conventional trains only
4. Airport Bus

In the following sections, we'll take a closer look at the time and cost needed for the various transport options.

The Narita Express takes passengers directly from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station.

Besides the sheer convenience, there are five main advantages to this train service:
1. Reclining seats
2. Seats with table and power outlet
3. Video billboard showing information in Japanese, English, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean
4. Trip takes about 1 hour
5. Covered under the Japan Rail Pass

This service's single disadvantage is its high price (if you don't use a Japan Rail Pass). A ticket for the standard carriages costs 3,070 yen (Tax included, 200 yen discount during off-peak season, 200 yen during peak season, and 400 yen additional during peak season). The premium green car (first class) carriages would cost 5,340 yen (tax included).

For travelers without a Japan Rail Pass, while the price may seem prohibitive at first, especially if you're traveling in a large family group, this is the best method if you're looking to get to Tokyo Station as quickly as possible and most comfortably. Another plus point is that there's no need to transfer to other trains.

The Narita Express can be boarded from Narita Airport Station or Narita Airport Terminal 2 Station.

Narita Airport Station is accessible from Terminal 1, whereas Narita Airport Terminal 2 Station is connected to Terminals 2 and 3. Since you'll be boarding the train at different stations depending on the terminal, your plane will arrive at, check the schedule carefully before boarding!

Tickets for the Narita Express can be bought online, at the ticketing counters, or at travel agencies.

A cheaper alternative to the Narita Express is the Keisei Skyliner, an express train that can also be used to go to Tokyo Station with a quick transfer to a conventional train in between.

Here is the basic route you'll be taking:
Narita Airport Station on the Keisei Electric Railway → (Board the Keisei Skyliner) → Nippori Station on the JR Lines → (Transfer to a train on the Yamanote Line) → Tokyo Station

After boarding the Keisei Skyliner, disembark at Nippori Station and transfer to a train on the JR Yamanote Line before continuing to your final destination, Tokyo Station.

The advantages of this method are:
1. Relatively short traveling time
2. Cheaper than Narita Express

Even with a transfer in between, it takes about an hour or so to get to Tokyo Station using the Keisei Skyliner + conventional train combination, which is about the same amount of time as the Narita Express.

Price-wise, the entire trip will cost you about 2,730 yen (tax included), making it an attractive alternative for those looking to save as much cost on transport as possible while still keeping the trip duration short.

There are disadvantages as well, of course. The main one would be the need to transfer trains. The Narita Express takes you directly to Tokyo Station, but you'll need to put in a bit more effort to get there on the Keisei Skyliner.

However, if your hotel is in the Ueno or Asakusa area, this may be the most straightforward option by train.

Japan's train transfer system is notoriously complicated - even local Japanese residents are occasionally confounded by it. The Yamanote Line is a busy track with trains rolling into the station every few minutes, so even if you missed a train or two, it wouldn't delay your trip duration by too long.

You may wish to avoid rush hour (around 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.), especially if you have a lot of luggage or larger suitcases, as you might find the train to be a bit of a squeeze. If you're a complete newcomer to Tokyo, the Narita Express will most definitely be a much easier and hassle-free way to get to your destination.

Tickets for the Keisei Skyliner can be reserved or bought online and over several ticket counters. Reservations can also be made over the phone. The online website is also available in English, making it easier for international visitors to order their tickets online.

If you are looking to save money and aren't worried about time, you can get to Tokyo Station from the airport by conventional train alone. This method's most significant advantage over all the others is that it will help you keep transport costs at an absolute minimum.

There are two ways to get to Tokyo Station via this method:
1. Narita Airport Station on the Keisei Electric Railway → (Board an express train on the Keisei Main Line) → Funabashi Station on the Keisei Electric Railway → (Walk for about 7 minutes) → Funabashi Station on the JR Lines → (Board an express train on the JR Sobu Line) → Tokyo Station on the JR Lines
・Duration: About 1 hour and 50 minutes
・Cost: 1,150 yen (tax included)

2. Narita Airport Station on the Keisei Electric Railway → (Board the Access Express on the Keisei Narita Skyaccess Line) → Shimbashi Station on the JR Lines → (Transfer to the JR Yokosuka Line) → Tokyo Station on the JR Lines
・Duration: About 1 hour and 30 minutes
・Cost: 1,490 yen (tax included)

Although this method increases the travel time to about 1.5 hours and isn't recommended for visitors with a lot of luggage, it offers significant cost savings in ticket prices. Frequent travelers or visitors who are familiar with Japan's train transfer system may prefer to opt for this method.

You can also take a bus from the airport to Tokyo Station, which offers a few advantages as well:
1. No need to transfer vehicles
2. No rushing
3. It Also brings passengers directly to several hotels within the vicinity of Tokyo Station

As for disadvantages:
1. May not be able to arrive at a destination precisely on time.

Japanese trains are famous for their punctuality, but buses are under the mercy of traffic and weather conditions. Therefore, if you decide to take a bus instead of the other options, be sure to plan a lot of leeway into your schedule so that what should have been a relaxing ride doesn't end up developing into a stressful situation.

Tokyo Shuttle is jointly operated by four Keisei Group bus companies, including Keisei Bus, Keisei Bus System, and Narita Airport Transportation. It costs 1,300 yen one-way between Narita Airport and Tokyo Station and 2,600 yen for late night and early morning. Tickets are purchased at ticket counters in each terminal building at Narita Airport. All seats are unreserved.

As a side point, we'd like to note that a bus is going directly from Narita Airport to Maihama Station (Tokyo Disney Resort). Since it's pretty accessible from the airport, we do highly recommend going for a bit of sightseeing around the Maihama area as well, if time permits!

Yet another option to consider is taking a taxi to town, but this is going to cost you a hefty chunk of change! Even if you manage to get on a flat-rate taxi, the fee is usually fixed at 20,000 yen (tax included), and that is in addition to the extra toll charges you will incur for using highways. The taxi will take about an hour to reach Tokyo Station, and they can be reserved over the phone.

Nihon Kotsu Narita Airport Flat Rate Taxi
・Phone: 03-6265-6389
・English language operators: 03-5755-2336
・Reception: 24 hours daily

Airport transfers are an economical way of getting from the airport to Tokyo. These are especially convenient for family trips or for larger traveling parties with plenty of luggage.

As a recap, here's a brief summary of all the available routes from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station that we've covered in this article. All prices in this chart are inclusive of tax.

With so many ways to get to Tokyo Station from Narita Airport, visitors who are new to Japan may find it challenging to choose the right one for them, even after much research. We hope this comprehensive list of pros and cons of each method can put you on the right track and allow you to spend more time enjoying your trip instead of mulling over transport options!

Narita International Airport (more commonly known as just Narita Airport) is the largest airport in Japan. It has three terminals serving domestic and international flights, and there are plenty of convenient facilities like shops and restaurants in the airport as well. As fun as Tokyo may be, you could definitely spend an entire day shopping at the airport if you like!

Another thing you can consider doing before setting off for Tokyo is a cycling tour around the airport, which is surrounded by beautiful fields and landscapes beyond its buildings. The tour will bring you around scenic sights like famous rivers and cycling roads.

Known as the gateway to Japan, Tokyo Station is a trendy place, particularly among tourists. It is conveniently located near the Imperial Palace and countless other sightseeing hotspots that you won't want to miss.

Right in the station itself is the JR EAST Travel Service Center, which provides several essential services for foreign visitors coming directly from the airport, such as Japan Rail Pass sales, baggage storage (with Yamato Transport) and currency exchange.

This center is located just outside the Marunouchi North Exit ticket gates.

Written by Hiroto.K, Dali Corporation

Actively wrote online while still in college. Currently writing for multiple media publications while also doing his day job. A fan of soccer, music (especially classical and rock), reading (foreign literature), traveling, and video games.

English translation by Huimin Pan

*The information in this article is current as of June 2020, and was re-edited in October 2022. Please check the official website of each store/facility for the latest information.