747FC

My weekday flight arrives around 3:30 PM in Narita, and need to get to the Hilton Tokyo-Shinjuku. The Hilton website advises either taking the "Airport Limousine Bus" or the "Narita Express Train." Each will take about 2-hours to get to the Hilton, including the train transfer. Any other good options? Will a taxi, while very expensive, get me there much more quickly? Many thanks for your expert advice!

warthog1984

Short answer- no. Narita is 60km away from downtown Tokyo IIRC.

Limo Bus works, might be a bit cheaper; but the N'Ex goes direct NRT-Shinjuku in 1:45. Pair it with a Suica for 3500 Yen & you're golden.

IceTrojan

I've stayed at this property.

A taxi will definitely get you there more quickly* and directly to the lobby doors. But you'll pay an arm and leg (and probably part of another leg) to get there.

The Limosine Bus will drop you off right at the door as well, but may make a few stops along the way.*

*Both of the above are subject to traffic conditions.

The NEX will get you into Central Tokyo with no traffic to be concerned about. However, you'll have to disembark at Shinjuku Station (with luggage in tow) and find the stop for the complimentary shuttle to the Hilton, which could be frustrating if you're not navigationally inclined. Or, it's a 10-15 minute walk to the Hilton from the Shinjuku Station.

Personally, I would take the NEX route. Just be ready for the masses of people at Shinjuku Station when you arrive.

RichardInSF

The Hilton stop at Shinjuku is bus stop #20 (I think, it might be 21 or 22). You need to exit Shinjuku station using the west exit. This is quite a walk from the Narita Express, I would say at least 500 meters and is not that well marked. I would not recommend it on a first visit, especially with bags. Instead, exit the train by going up the first escalator you see to the New South exit. Walk out to the bridge the crosses over the tracks and take a taxi to the Hilton. It will only cost the flag drop of y710.

cardesigner2000

Take the limousine bus. Not cheap, but door to door service and probably 80-120 minutes depending on traffic and number of stops. They also have some sort of Suica combination ticket I think. If you have the cash you could maybe save a few minutes and spend 10x as much on a taxi. NEX will take the most time considering spending all the time you'll be lost in the huge Shinjuku train station. Even my Japanese friends who commute through Shinjuku still get lost even with their gps smartphones... so can only imagine a jetlagged tourist passing through at rush hour

jib71

Yeah. It's like The Poseidon Adventure in there. Tens of thousands of regular commuters all arguing about which way is out.

joejones

The end of the station where the NEX arrives is not all that bad so I would not hesitate to recommend RichardinSF's suggestion.

warthog1984

With the large, graphical, multi-language signage it's not bad to navigate the main tracks/bus stop area. Now the underground mall on the other hand...

NickW

... which one? There are about four of them, depending how you count!

747FC

Many thanks for sharing your advice. I really appreciate the FT community!

cardesigner2000

Why no love for the limousine bus Door to door vs train + taxi at Shinjuku seems like an easy choice. Even for a hotel directly at the station like the Tokyu Excel Shibuya I preferred the bus vs. train and then having to walk through Shibuya station up and down the steps. Bus was faster, more convenient and the same cost.

gnaget

I keep saying this here: the timetables for limo bus are ridiculous. They factor in two major accidents en route and the worst travel day around New Years or golden week.

Recently I took the bus to Shibuya. About 1 hour and 5 minutes, or 1 hour from the last NRT stop (term 1 north). It takes about the same to Shinjuku. You can also look up "current travel times" on the Limo bus website.

At 3:30 pm you might hit some minor congestion. 20 extra minutes at most. Right now is the worst possible time for travel in Tokyo on highways. 5:30 pm on a Sunday. Traffic is heavier on highways during weekends; many people only drive on weekends. Google maps says 1 hr 20 min to Shinjuku Hilton. And it assumes speed limits, which are very low and even the bus ignores it when the roads are open.

You are guaranteed to get there quicker door to door by bus as long as you don't have a long wait for a direct bus at NRT. The bus will not be slower than a taxi unless the cab drives a lot faster than the speed limit. Some bus drivers drive faster than others.

p.s. The bus might make multiple stops in Shinjuku. I have no idea since I don't live there. This could add to your time. You can figure it out if you look at timetables for different hotels in the Nishishinjuku area. In Shibuya there are only two hotels and I get on/off at the last stop to/from airport.

p.p.s. The Keisei line to Nippori will be faster than NEX but you need to change and travel on a potentially crowded commuter train for 20something minutes. I think it will get you to Shinjuku station in 65 minutes or something like that. The NEX takes 90 to Shinjuku because all the way around following the Yamanote loop line about 180 degrees of the loop from Tokyo station.

RTW1

Traffic is simply unpredictable.... That's why a lot of us prefer the train.

Last time I took the limo bus it took almost 3hours to get me to Sjinjuku, on a friday evening starting around 7pm. The "only" good thing is you don't have to transfer....

gnaget

That's an extreme anomaly. Where was the congestion?

It's generally predictable for those of us who spend a lot of time here. I can predictably tell you that it takes 1 hour and 10 min to get to NRT from Shibuya by bus leaving in early morning until 4 pm.

I generally take the train from the airport because of the Suica/NEX deal and the timing.

Also, there is a pretty large risk that the NEX gets cancelled due to winds. So that's why taking the bus to the airport is a better idea.

NewbieRunner

The NEX platforms are closer to Yoyogi (the next station on the Yamanote Line) than to some parts of Shinjuku Station. Getting to the west exit from there is not for the faint-hearted or a first-timer.

I have travelled through Shinjuku Station every day for 17 years (though the layout was different) and understand the language but can still get lost changing from NEX to the Chuo Line with luggage (i.e. without using stairs).