From Narita Airport into central Tokyo you travel between about 36 and 90 minutes, depending on the train. The fastest is the Keisei Skyliner (36 to 41 minutes to Nippori and Ueno), the cheapest are the Keisei trains with no surcharge (from about ¥1,240), and the most comfortable with lots of luggage is the Limousine Bus. All details come from the operators, as of 25 October 2026, and fares and timetables can change.
Key takeaways
- Most comfortable: a pre-booked private transfer straight to your hotel, with a fixed fare and an English-speaking driver in the arrivals hall. With Welcome Pickups* (advertising) from €139 per vehicle for up to four people.
- Skyliner: fastest train, 36 to 41 minutes to Nippori and Ueno, ticket total ¥2,580, all seats reserved.
- Narita Express (N’EX): direct to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Yokohama, from 53 minutes, from ¥3,140. Restricted from 6 to 8 November 2026.
- Keisei Access Express and Main Line: no surcharge and no reservation, roughly ¥1,030 to ¥1,240, but slower.
- Limousine Bus: ¥3,100 to Tokyo Station, ¥3,600 to Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ikebukuro, with no transfers.
- Late and early: the last trains leave around 23:00 and the last Limousine Bus at 23:05. A taxi is the expensive fallback.
The most comfortable option: a private transfer straight to your hotel
If you do not feel like ticket machines, changing trains and stairs with a suitcase after your flight, book the transfer in advance. It is not the cheapest option, but it is the most comfortable: an English-speaking driver meets you in the arrivals hall after landing, helps with your luggage and takes you to your address. You pay a fixed fare in advance and do not have to keep an eye on a taxi meter or a timetable.
- Welcome Pickups* (advertising): fixed fare, payment in advance, a driver with a name sign in the arrivals hall of Terminal 1, 2 or 3, flight monitoring and up to one hour of waiting time according to the provider. To Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno or Asakusa the provider states from €139 for a vehicle with up to four people, and from €167 at night (19:00 to 5:59) (as of 25 Oct 2026). With four travellers that is about €35 per person.
- Kiwitaxi* (advertising): transfer from Narita at a fixed fare that you see before you pay.
- GetTransfer* (advertising): drivers submit offers here, you compare vehicle and price and choose yourself.
For comparison: the train is much cheaper per person. The private transfer pays off for groups, families, a lot of luggage or a late arrival, when you simply want to arrive. Check prices and availability with the provider.
Which connection is right for me?
Decide by your destination in the city, your luggage and the time of day. For Ueno, Nippori and the east of the city, the Skyliner is the first choice. To Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya or Yokohama, the Narita Express takes you without a change. If you want to save money and have time, take the Keisei trains with no surcharge. If your hotel has a Limousine Bus stop, you avoid all stairs and transfers.
| Connection | Travel time | Fare | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private transfer to your hotel: Welcome Pickups (advertising), Kiwitaxi (advertising), GetTransfer* (advertising) | about 67 to 79 min (according to Welcome Pickups) | Fixed fare in advance, with Welcome Pickups from €139 per vehicle (up to 4 people) | book online in advance |
| Keisei Skyliner | 36 to 41 min to Nippori and Ueno | ¥2,580 (¥2,567 with IC card) | all seats reserved |
| JR Narita Express | from 53 min to Tokyo Station, approx. 87 min to Shinjuku | ¥3,140 Tokyo, ¥3,330 Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa | seat at no extra cost, unreserved seats also possible |
| Keisei Access Express | approx. 50 min to Asakusa | from approx. ¥1,240 to Nippori and Ueno | no |
| Keisei Main Line | longer than the Access Express | from approx. ¥1,030 to Nippori and Ueno | no |
| Limousine Bus | approx. 55 to 100 min depending on time of day | ¥3,100 Tokyo Station, ¥3,600 Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro | depends on the route |
| Taxi | depends on traffic | fixed fare approx. ¥23,500 to ¥38,500 excl. tolls | no |
How fast and expensive is the Skyliner?
The Skyliner runs three times an hour. The ticket costs ¥2,580 in total: a ¥1,280 fare plus a ¥1,300 Skyliner surcharge. All seats are reserved, and advance sales start one month ahead. Without a Skyliner ticket a ¥300 surcharge applies, and the ticket is sold at the Skyliner counter. Each car has its own luggage area. From Narita Terminal 1 the first train leaves at 7:23 on weekdays and the last at 23:00 (timetable December 2025). If you prefer to buy the ticket before your trip, the Keisei Skyliner and the N’EX Round-Trip Ticket are also sold by Klook* (advertising). Compare prices and conditions there with the figures from Keisei and JR East.
How do I take the Narita Express?
JR East’s Narita Express (N’EX) runs directly to Tokyo Station (fastest train 53 minutes), Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Yokohama. In the Ordinary Car the ticket costs ¥3,140 to Tokyo and ¥3,330 to Shinagawa, Shibuya and Shinjuku (Yokohama ¥4,480). Seat reservation is free and possible up to a month ahead, and there is now also a ticket for unreserved Ordinary Car seats. Luggage goes into an area with a combination lock. The N’EX TOKYO Round Trip Ticket costs ¥5,200 and is valid for 14 days.
Important from 6 to 8 November 2026: because of construction work, the Narita Express then runs only to and from Tokyo Station, and trips between Tokyo and Shinjuku are cancelled. The Sobu Rapid Line between Tokyo and Shinagawa also does not run on those days. JR East offers no replacement service on other railways. If you arrive that weekend, check JR East’s current notices before you travel.
How do I get into the city cheaply?
The Keisei Access Express and the Main Line (Rapid Limited Express) charge no surcharge and need no reservation. According to the Keisei fare list the trip to Nippori and Ueno costs about ¥1,240 (Access Express) or ¥1,030 (Main Line), to Asakusa about ¥1,290 or ¥1,100 and to Shinagawa about ¥1,520 or ¥1,330. The fare list is undated, so check the prices in Keisei’s fare calculator before you travel. The Access Express runs directly to Asakusa and Shimbashi, from about 5:41. The Tourist PASMO and the Welcome Suica also pay for these trips, with details in our guide to the IC card.
Is the Limousine Bus worth it?
The Limousine Bus is slower than the train but comfortable: no transfers, no stairs, and your luggage stays in the bus. To Tokyo Station and T-CAT it costs ¥3,100, to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro and many hotels ¥3,600 (half for children). According to the timetable of 25 October 2026 the first bus leaves between 7:05 and 7:25 depending on the terminal, and the last from Terminal 1 at 23:05. The ride takes roughly 55 to 100 minutes depending on traffic and time of day. Whether you must reserve depends on the route. Cheaper buses (Low Cost Bus) run to Tokyo and Ginza for ¥1,500 according to the airport, but are not suitable for early or late flights.
What does a taxi cost?
The airport publishes fixed fares by destination zone, roughly between ¥23,500 and ¥38,500 excluding tolls (depending on the zone and the route via Keiyo Road or Bayshore). A night surcharge applies between 22:00 and 5:00. You do not need a reservation. This only makes sense after a very late arrival or with several people. Use the official taxi stands (Terminal 1 No. 15, Terminal 2 No. 28 and 31-A).
How do I get away at night or early in the morning?
Narita has flight operations only from 6:00 to 24:00. The last Skyliner leaves Terminal 1 at 23:00 and the last Limousine Bus at 23:05. The Keisei trains with no surcharge run until shortly after 23:00 according to the timetable, in part only to Keisei-Takasago, where you have to change. If you land later, a hotel at the airport is often a better choice than a taxi: you will find them in our comparison of hotels at Narita Airport. Early in the morning the first Access Express leaves at about 5:41, and the first Skyliner only at 7:23.
How do I get from Narita to Haneda?
The Limousine Bus runs from Narita to Haneda for ¥3,600 (children ¥1,800) and takes 65 to 95 minutes depending on the time of day. The first bus leaves Terminal 3 at 6:50, the last Terminal 1 at 20:35. By train it takes about 89 minutes without transfer time for around ¥1,800, according to Keisei. Allow plenty of buffer between two flights. Our guide Narita to Haneda (and back) compares all options between the airports, including a private transfer. What awaits you in Haneda is in our guide Haneda Airport at a glance.
If you do not want to take your luggage along, our guide to sending luggage by Takkyubin helps.
Landing late in the evening? Last trains, night buses and alternatives are in the guide Arriving in Tokyo at night.