evergrn

Your kids are still elementary-school ages. Email Tokyu Excel, tell them you've got 2 elementary school kids who don't need separate beds (ie, can share with parents). And then ask: 1).whether they'll let you book a standard twin room for your family; 2).if so, then whether they could stick the two beds together in a Hollywood-twin configuration.

Each twin bed at Tokyu Excel will be too narrow to fit two of you. But if you stick them together, it will make a 240cm wide bed which should fit all 4 of you as long as you aren't big people. In Jpn, my family of 4 depends on Hollywood-twins. We'll hold out on having to book 2 separate rooms as long as possible.

Also, Tokyu Excel has a room with 4 beds, although I'd imagine that'd be expensive.

Madone59

The airport(s) at which you are transiting: HND/ NRT
The airline on which you are arriving: CX (HKG-HND)
The airline on which you are departing: TG (NRT-BKK)
Your connection time in hours/minutes: 4hours 5minutes
How you are connecting: International -> International
Booked as: separate awards

No checked bags. What is the most efficient way to NRT? How tight is this going to be?

jib71

Quite tight. What is the arrival time at HND and departure time from NRT?

Madone59

Arrival 13:25 Depart 17:30

jib71

OK ... So that's ...
Cathay Pacific 548 - Scheduled arr. at HND: 1:25 pm
Thai Airways 677 - Scheduled dep. from NRT: 5:30 pm

Limousine Bus schedule is no good for you, based on your arrival time. For a first time visitor, I would recommend taking Keikyu Airport express trains at HND. Double check the times below by using Hyperdia or another online service.

- If CX arrives on time and you are super-quick off the plane, you might make it onto the 1:45pm Airport Limited Express departure, which takes you all the way to NRT with no changes. Arrival at NRT is 3:17pm.

- If you aren't Usain Bolt, you could catch the 2:25pm Airport Limited Express, which gets you to NRT at 3:57pm ... giving you about 90 minutes to make it onto the TG flight. That makes for a somewhat anxious train ride, since you are on separate tickets for the two flights.

If the second option above seems too tight for comfort, you can get more of a cushion by throwing in a couple of connections. But these add some complexity, which might not be suitable for a first time visitor. For example:

1:54pm Keikyu Rapid Ltd. Exp. to Shinagawa
(Then exit the Keikyu station and go to JR station)
Take JR Yamanote Line to Nippori
(Then exit the JR station to enter the Keisei station)
Then take Keisei Skyliner to NRT.
(Gets you to NRT at 3:23pm)

2:14pm Keikyu Rapid Ltd. Exp. to Shinagawa
Same route as above
(Gets you to NRT at 3:43pm)

I've included details of the changes of railway company to emphasize that this is not as straightforward as the no-connections options. The distances that you have to cover in each case are not huge, but you'd better be ready with the right tickets.

Madone59

So to me this seems OK but I have never been to NRT...or HND for that matter. I can't envision making the 1:45 no matter how fast I am because I assume it will take more then 20 minutes to get through the terminal, past customs and buy that train ticket.

In your professional FT opinion should I amend my trip and arrive Tokyo the evening of the 17th instead of trying to grab another night in HKG?

NewbieRunner

The arrival gate can be some distance from passport control, you'll then have to find your way to the Keikyu Line entrance (which may not be difficult), buy a ticket and find your way to the platform. 20 minutes seems too tight. Although I've been through NRT and HND numerous times, I'm more familiar with NRT than HND and despite understanding the language I still find HND more difficult to navigate. I don't think you will make the 1:45 Airport Limited Express unless your flight arrives very early.

Arrival in NRT at 3:57pm should be fine for a 5:30pm departure.

I don't recommend the Keikyu, Yamanote, Skyliner option to a first-timer.

Madone59

Thank you!

jib71

If I were you, I would arrive earlier in Tokyo. Basically, this connection is do-able. I regularly do things with worse odds (for example, I have been known to buy lottery ticket!) but the cost of failure is lower. In this case, the downside in the event of failure is high because you're on two separate tickets. Airlines are not obliged to help you if you fail to make that connection - and if your incoming flight is delayed you could easily miss that connection.


But ... YMMV.

Madone59

I'm not worried because these are award tickets and I have the status to make last minute changes which are effectively cost less. If I get delayed on HKG I can hop onto my phone and change my ticket out of Tokyo. I know the airline risks, that worries me less an average traveler. Thank you for your thoughts, I will weigh arriving the night of the 17th and exploring Japan a little bit.

MINAZO

You can take the Limousine Bus option.

Actually, there are much more Limousine Bus departure to NRT but only from HND domestic terminal. (every 15 min departure)
You can take free shuttle bus to the domestic terminals. (every 4min departure, 10 min ride)
http://www.haneda-airport.jp/inter/e...s/portbus.html
Then take the Limousine Bus from there.

If I were you, I'd do this.
1. upon arrival go to the information desk and ask about the traffic to NRT. If traffic is bad, you may have to give up bus option and take train.
2. if the traffic is good hop on the shuttle bus to domestic terminals, and get off at terminal 2.
3. go to the bus ticket counter and buy the earliest bus ticket.

You can find the timetable here,
http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/pla...ches/index/1/6

If your flight arrive on schedule, I think you can at least make 14:20 bus and arrive NRT (terminal 1) at 15:45

Between HND and NRT, usually, bus is faster and easier than train.

Madone59

Thank you all for the advice and tips. I have chosen to change my inbound flight and overnight in Tokyo instead of Hong Kong.

evergrn

I think you did the right thing.
I consider 4hrs HND-NRT safe, 3hrs absolute minimum but way too close for comfort... if same ticket.
But all bets are off with separate tickets.

I'd also hate to do this transfer, if it involved anything other than just a straightforward one-shot ride on Limo Bus from your arriving terminal at HND to NRT.

angra

plus, a night in Tokyo can be very pleasant.

Madone59

That is TBD. Figuring out a hotel that provides reasonable transit options between both HND and NRT makes me feel like I am trying to get to Hogwarts . I settled on the Courtyard Tokyo Station.