bocastephen

I am flying NA-NRT, overnighting and then HND-TSA then TPE-NRT, overnighting and then NRT-NA.

Normally I just grab a Y4,000 r/t NEX train ticket and that's it, but with one departure out of HND, I need one r/t and one o/w and it looks like the o/w NEX ticket is almost as much, if not more expensive than a visitor r/t.

I am curious about the Kansei Skyliner option on the first arrival with my destination being Shinagawa especially being able to use my iPhone SUICA and just tap and go instead of waiting to buy a ticket.

What I am a little confused over, is the Kansei website shows two options - Sky Access and Mainline, with different prices. Ideally I am looking for an option to Shinagawa that does not require changing trains - Skyliner seems to require a change to JR Yamanote at Nippori, while Main Line does not, and is cheaper.

So the question is: which option is faster, and by how much, and thus is it worthwhile to take Mainline vs Skyliner with the connection, and can I really just tap and go without buying a paper ticket?

mnbp

The Sky Access line is the "new" Keisei line to Narita Airport. Unreserved travel using the Sky Access line cost slightly more than unreserved travel using the original Keisei Main Line to Narita Airport. The cost difference between the two options is approximately 190 JPY.

There are direct, no change of train, departures from Narita Airport to Haneda Airport via Keisei Sky Access line. Travel time is approximately 95 minutes. Travel via Keisei Main Line, which involve an easy transfer, are typically 110-120 minutes.

I recommend researching your options using Hyperdia. I think you'll find that travel via Sky Access line is 1) much cheaper, and 2) just as fast as travel via either JR N'EX or Keisei Skyliner, from Narita Airport to Haneda Airport.

https://www.hyperdia.com

jpdx

I've been a big fan of the Sky Access line for the past few years, but it has recently become more well-known and thus crowded. I don't mind trading an extra 10-15 minutes for a ~2k yen savings (compared to Narita Express), but with the unreserved seating (in subway style cars), the prospect of standing for an hour+ after a 12 hour flight isn't all that appealing.

AlwaysAisle

As explained above when taking Keisei Line from Narita Airport there are trains which takes two different routes toward Tokyo; Keisei Main Line and Narita Access Line.

If you take a train which runs via Narita Access Line then fare from Narita Airport to Shinagawa is 1,520 yen.

If you take a train which runs via Keisei Main Line then fare form Narita Airport to Shinagawa is 1,330 yen.

If you want to get to Shinagawa without transfer, single train ride, then it has to be Narita Access Line Train.

Train schedule from Narita Terminal 1 is:

11:24 a.m.
12:04 p.m.
12:40 p.m.
1:24 p.m.
2:04 p.m.
2:44 p.m.
3:24 p.m.
4:04 p.m.

Where 4:04 p.m. departure is the last direct train (no train transfer) to Shinagawa. Keisei trains after 4:04 p.m. requires transfer.

JR Rapid trains departing Narita Airport station also run direct to Shinagawa, single train no transfer and fare is 1,490 yen. JR Rapid trains departs Narita Airport station one or two per hour and last direct train (no transfer) to Shinagawa from Narita Airport station is 8:30 p.m.

bocastephen

Are all the trains on any of the Keisei options subway style bench seating or do any of the options offer proper club style seats with wifi?

Y1,500-1,800 is fine for a one-way with club style seats, wifi and tap-and-go payment.

Edited to add: unreserved seats on NEX appear to be only Y1,490, so if I can find a spot to sit and tap and go for payment, this might be the best option vs subway bench seats and no wifi.

AlwaysAisle

All none Skyliner trains on Keisei are bench style commuter train.

Non-reserved tickets on NEX are sold only when reserved seats on trains are sold out.

bocastephen

So that requires a change at Nippori to the Yamanote line, which means about 30 min of potential standing with my bags, or at least bench seating.

The JR site does not mention this - it says, although not entirely clearly, that if you buy an unreserved seat and someone comes to your seat with a reservation for it, you need to get up and let them sit down - essentially playing musical chairs until you find an unoccupied seat. I take that to mean you can use SUICA to tap in and out of the NEX gate and have the base fare deducted from your account - or is this not the case?

AlwaysAisle

This is incorrect information. Non-reserved, open seating, seating ticket on NEX is same as reserve seating ticket. JR express trains fare consist from two parts. One is base fare which is by distance traveled and passengers pay regardless of which train they take. Then express trains such as NEX has additional express train surcharge. NEX fare from Narita Airport to Shinagawa is:

Base fare: 1,490 yen
Express Surcharge: 1,700 yen
Total: 3,190 yen

You will pay same regardless of you buy reserved ticket or non-reserved ticket on NEX.

If you decide to take Rapid Service train on JR (commuter train) form Narita Airport, which also runs direct to Shinagawa, one train no transfer service, then you will only pay the base fare of 1,490 yen.


No, Narita Access Express train on Keisei Line I have posted departs Narita Airport and runs through Narita Sky Access Line, this train runs via Takasago, Aoto, Oshiaga, then run directly through Subway Asakusa Line to Sengakuji, and still continues on Keikyu (keihin Kyukou) Line to Shinagawa. All in one train with no transfer and this train is run by commuter trains with bench seating.

I do think you are confusing a lot of information here.

bocastephen

I am talking about taking the Skyliner to Nippori...then I believe I have a proper seat (not sure about wifi), but I will need to transfer to the Yamanote line at Nippori, and from there I am on a local commuter train with bench seating and the possibility of standing for some or all of the trip down to Shinagawa.

If I take the Narita Access Express train with bench seats and no wifi, does it take the same 1 hr to get to Shinagawa as the NEX train?

I guess another option is to buy the Y4,000 NEX r/t ticket and just sell the open return portion to a foreign tourist for Y2,000 which will save each of us Y1,500.

evergrn

If you want comfortable seating and don't want to change trains, forget about keisei access or skyline. Just take NEx. But forget about getting the 4000y round trip with the idea of trying to find someone to sell the return portion to.

Nex is is reserved seats only. In rare situations where it's full, they will let you on but you still have to pay the tokkyu supplement fee.

O Sora

Narita Airport station is the one that Sky Access express trains originate from. "Kuko dai 2 biru" or Airport Terminal 2 is the second. If you arrive at T2 or T3, position yourself at T1 station taking the free shuttle bus. Then the train seats are easier to grab.

mapleg

Not sure I have every seen a full Sky Access train departing from Narita Airport....I suppose it could happen, but I always land at T-1 so with the train commencing from there, never a problem

The last couple of times I took it most carriages were fairly empty. (4pm or so)

mnbp

+1

I too have always had a seat departing T1 on the Sky Access line.

bocastephen

I ended up taking the Skyliner today from Narita to Nippori. For a one-way trip where the Y4,000 NEX ticket is not practical, the Skyliner is a decent alternative, but had a few drawbacks.

First, no Wifi outside of the station. JR has free Wifi on the NEX train, but the Skyliner has station-based Wifi only. Not a deal breaker for me, but might be for others who did not get SIM cards or wifi boxes at the airport.

Second, while the train accepts SUICA for both the entrance gate and the seat supplement machine on the platform, it only accepts phone-based SUICA at the entrance gate - the ticket machine and the ticket office both require a physical card, they don't have a device to read SUICA off an iPhone or Android device. This was a bummer as the office had to reverse my gate scan with my phone and redo the ticket from scratch using a credit card.

On the plus side the train seemed to run much faster than the NEX, and arrived at Nippori in about 40 minutes - but adding the transfer to JR down to Shinagawa brought the total time back to about an hour.

ksandness

My general rule is that if I'm staying in northern Tokyo (i.e. north of Shibuya), I take the Skyliner. If I'm staying in southern Tokyo, I take the N'EX.

The price difference isn't enough to fuss about compared to the cost of flying to Japan.