kevincrumbs

How often do the Narita Express trains sell out and if so, how far in advance? I'm looking to travel from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport Terminal One in a few weeks time on a Monday but won't be able to purchase my ticket until that morning. I see that you can purchase the tickets online but I'm not sure that I can pick up ticket prior to the 9pm cutoff for the day prior to departure.

Should I worry about not being able to purchase a seat on this particular day and if so, is it likely that the Keisei Skyliner from Nippori would also sell out?

closetasfan

Extremely unlikely to sell out. I wouldn't worry about it. If NEX is sold out, go Skyliner. If they're both sold out, take the commuter trains on JR or Keisei. There is plenty of options. Hell, Limousine Bus would work too.

MSPeconomist

From Tokyo Station, there's a very frequent limo bus very which at most stops at TCAT.

However, I always purchase my train or limo bus tickets as soon as I arrive at my hotel in Tokyo. I've never done it in advance on line.

basscadet75

I didn't even realize N'EX *could* sell out. Whenever I've ridden it, it's been standing room only, all up and down the aisles. I avoid it like the plague mostly for that reason (though also for the expense).

The Keisei Skyliner has been mostly empty whenever I've taken it. Tokyo Station is a different beast than Nippori (or Ueno).

Cedar Jet

So for an early morning arrival into NRT(land at 8am) how likely is it that the NEX will be standing room only? If chances are high ill take the limo bus-at least ill get a seat on that. Ill be flying in from Beirut via Amman and Moscow(oneworld ticket) i wont have the energy to stand

RichardInSF

The N'Ex must sell out at absolute peak times, like at the beginning and end of Golden Week. At other times (when I've been there) I've never seen it sell out.

As all seats are reserved, if you don't want to stand, go buy a ticket, if it sells you a regular ticket, you have a seat. In the extremely unlikely chance there are only standing room seats, don't buy, go back upstairs, and take the bus.

basscadet75

I think the chances are pretty high. Others may have had different experiences but you're going to be taking it at rush hour. A lot of business types do fly in on early morning flights and take N'EX in to do a day's work... that's in addition to all the regular vacationers and tourists.

You could still get a seat yourself, but there may not be space for your luggage and you may have trouble getting through a crowd of people with your bags at Tokyo (assuming that's where you're going). I've had that happen. Not just the seats but the luggage racks can be totally full. I have not gone during Golden Week or anything, this was just at rush hour.

I have taken the limo bus and much as I love trains, I much prefer the bus to Tokyo. Or the Skyliner, if you happen to be going somewhere that's easy to get to from where it stops. But the bus stops at T-CAT which has not been crowded the times I've been there, even at rush hour.

Of course, if you really need to go to Tokyo Station or Shinjuku, then N'EX is still probably the best option. Maybe think about a green car if you can afford it - they rarely fill up on any train.

Cedar Jet

Thanks for the info. Im staying at the Hyatt in Shinjuku so Im told either limo bus or NEX are easy as the Hyatt has a free bus from hotel to Station. Im not sure what a green car is or the skyliner are..where it stops where I take it from at Narita etc?

NewbieRunner

Some early morning N'EX trains to NRT do sell out even several days before departure. They can only sell a limited number of tickets for standing room per carriage.

I've never been on N'EX from NRT which is anything like full.

NewbieRunner

A green car is first class.

Check this thread about the skyliner.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...ew-trains.html

flozano

It's been a long time since I've taken the N'ex (I usually go straight to Skyliner or to Limousine Bus if departure time is close enough), but I've always found it almost empty, and I usually land during the morning (LH from FRA, LH from MUC, LX...). I have never think about the possibility of not being able to get a ticket... hope it doesn't happen (end of golden week) when I land there next Sunday...

kevincrumbs

Thanks for the reassurance, folks. I'll be leaving Tokyo Station in the early afternoon, so it doesn't sound like it'll be peak time. In addition, I didn't know that they sold standing room tickets. While not ideal, I'd rather stand than not get to my flight, if it ever came down to that.

mikkelrev

I am going from Narita to Shinjuku at about 11:30 am next Thursday. I thought of Narita Express, but it seems like the Keisei Skyliner to Nipporo, and Yamanoto line to Shinjuku is both faster and more frequent (it seems to be the same when I will go back to Narita - early in the morning a week-day). Is Nipporo a big station? Any problem finding the right line when changigng trains at Nipporo, if I choose the Keisei Skyliner instead of the Narita Express?

RichardInSF

I've done both. The Keisei Skyliner/Yamanote line combo can be a bit faster than N'Ex to Shinjuku and it definitely is cheaper (although the N'Ex ride is a lot more comfortable than the Yamanote line, where you may have to stand). But overall the fastest one to take is whichever one is leaving next at the moment you arrive at the Narita airport train station.

Nipporo is not a big station and the transfer is well marked. Some of the exits may still require you to carry your bags from the station level downstairs to the Yamanote line; others have escalator/elevator access.

Rpcfly

You'll occasionally get standing room but over the last 8 years there I've NEVER been on a sold out train.

Just make sure you get a return ticket at NRT and the "free" Suica card that will give you 1000yen of travel around on any other train around Tokyo (not the bullet train).