I've also posted this in the Asia section in FT Travel but thought I'd cross post in hopes of getting a response.

Can anyone familiar with the process of exchanging your Japan Rail Pass voucher for the actual pass in the terminal at NRT tell me where the actual counter is? From what I can gather, there are two bus/rail counters on the ground floor, right before the exits out but I'm not certain that these are the counters that we need.

I just want to have our route mapped out clearly prior to arriving so that we can make the earliest Tokyo express train possible and to the Shinkansen to Kyoto.

To add to my other reply:

If you are in a hurry, Narita airport is just about the best place for getting your JR pass issued, as the staff there is very familiar with the procedure. As long as there are no other people in line, you should be out in less than 5 minutes. I once spent half an hour at Shibuya for the same http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ftairports_forum/frown.gif

Do skip the ticket counters on the arrivals ground floor, they are not able to issue the passes.

Transferring to the Shinkansen at Tokyo station entails climbing from the bottom-most level to the top level. If you are unfamiliar with the layout, budget some 20 minutes for the transfer.

At NRT Terminal 1, after you get out the immigration and custom, you just go down the level where you can take JR. Right after you get off the escalater, you will find JR ticket office where you can exchange the voucher to JR pass. It takes only several minutes. You can also get the ticket for Narita Express and book the reserves seat for Shinkansen at the same time. So you have no hustle at Tokyo station.
Narita Express arrives at B4 floor of Tokyo station and you have to go up all the way to ground floor. You could find either EV or escalater easily. And just follow the sign to Tokaido-Shinkansen which will take you to Kyoto.

After the customs, 2 escalators down to hit the JR sales office. One more escalator down to the JR train platform. http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ftairports_forum/smile.gif

Thanks all. You guys are the best!

Hi!

Have 2h50mn connection at NRT on way to ICN. Back to Japan via KIX a couple of days later.
Wondering if i have enough time to go to JR office to
1/ exchange JR pass and make book trains
2/ get/buy JR west pass for the 3 days i will be in Kansai area and using the JR west pass before JR 7 days pass.
Thank you for your help.

Depends on the immigration line. If you have the boarding pass for your next flight and the immigration line is less than 30 minutes long, you have plenty of time.

I doubt if you can get a JR West pass at NRT, the exchange office is a JR East office and I don't think they have it. However, the JR West office at KIX was very efficient when we used it last. In fact, they were so efficient, I would say you needn't bother to exchange at NRT and make bookings unless you plan to travel during golden week or something like that.