joejones

Actually they don't sell commuter passes for the NEX because it is reserved seating or reserved standing room only, unlike the Shinkansen which has open seating cars.

xiKiNGix

Hi All,

We arrive into NRT on 4/30 at 15:05 and depart on 5/1 at 09:50. We thought it would be a great opportunity to see Tokyo for the night and have settled on reservations at Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku. From my research it seems to be the best area for a quick stay?

Based on my search, it looks like we have 3 options to get into Tokyo: Narita Express, Limousine Bus and Standard Train. I read some threads discussing the options and the consensus seems to be split between Narita Express and the Limousine Bus. We had originally settled on the Limousine Bus as we felt it would be the least hassle, however, given our early departure, it doesn't look like we would get back to NRT in time to catch our flight (08:40 arrival to Terminal 1 from our Hotel). So now we figure we'll just take the Narita Express both ways, rather than walk to another hotel pick up station for the Limousine Bus.

I read you can make reservations for the Narita Express, but I wasn't sure how/if this was even necessary? My main concern is securing our return leg in the morning. My other concern is obviously the fact that we're not natives, but it looks like there are plenty of English signs to guide us? Also, if I read correctly a RT fare should cost 5500 yen per person?

Thanks in advance.

MikeFromTokyo

For such a short stay I would take the n'ex both ways, especially given the proximity of your hotel to Shinjuku station. If you are travelling with a lot of checked baggage, you might consider storing your bags at NRT and just traveling into Tokyo with light overnight bags.

Can bags be checked through to final destination for an overnight layover?

5khours

Or checking the bags all the way through.

I'd also lose the hotel in Shinjuku and pick something in the Ginza, Marunouchi, Tokyo area. It will give you an extra hour for roaming about.

jib71

No. As 5k stated, it's more efficient for you to stay on the East side of town.

The area around Tokyo station is good can be but somewhat expensive. I see that you're staying at a Sunroute. There's a Sunroute in Shinbashi which would be similarly priced to the one in Shinjuku ...

Plan C would be to take the Keisei Skyliner to Ueno and stay there. In terms of transit time and cost it's one of the cheaper options and certainly the quickest option. The area can be a bit gritty but it's safe and quite interesting.

gnaget

Taking NEX to Shinjuku is a bad idea. It takes 90+ minutes and follows a circuitous route. Keisei Skyliner would be much faster but you have to deal with connecting on the Yamanote line.

I am not a huge fan of Shinjuku.........

The Limo bus also pads their timetables with up to 45 min. (I am guessing that the bus leaves at 07:00?) Figure 1 hour 10 minutes from Shinjuku in decent traffic. There is a link on their site that shows current traffic travel times. Traffic is usually pretty good in the morning to NRT.

If the bus timetable says arrival 1 hour 10 minutes before departure then it's reasonable. That could be considered a worst case scenario with major accident en route. Airlines have 1 hour cutoff at NRT for luggage check and some are not overly strict about it. I had a visitor the other week who arrived 1 hour before departure.

The reason for the above was that the NEX cancelled all morning trains because it was a bit windy....... Another reason not to take NEX to the airport.

ksandness

I agree with the advice to take the Keisei Skyliner to Ueno. As one of the posters above said, Ueno is gritty but safe, and to my mind, you'll get more of a feeling of being in Japan as opposed to being in some anonymous neighborhood of skyscrapers.

You're close to the Ueno National Museum, the Shitamachi Museum, the street market of Ameya Yokocho, and pretty close to Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.

Furthermore, there are plenty of perfectly acceptable hotels in the neighborhood.

ImTokyoJoe

Friend I tried to post here but it's not showing. Forget Narita, there's only one place to visit while you're here, and that my friend is good old Tokyo Town. There are two places in Japan friend, Tokyo - and Not Tokyo. So do yourself a big favor and get the train or bus into Tokyo Town, sleep at a love hotel, coffin apaato, gran bagus cyber cafe or capsule hotel and visit one of these districts: Asakusa, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi or Ginza - or visit all of them on the Yamanote line and metro.

Take care friend.

twotooto

Just curious, but why would you be interested in an internet cafe if you won't have a laptop? NRT does rock though.

BuildingMyBento

What?
--

I didn't have much success finding an internet cafe in Narita city, but I can say that the Mercure Hotel has paid terminals to use. But IIRC, the Aoki shopping center closer to the Keisei Narita station might have internet facilities, though you must bring your passport to register. The price may have put me off too.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

Internet cafes also provide computers.

SiberianTiger

Having the same quandary right now, staying in NRT for 10hrs with my teenage son. Choices...choices

sfoactuary

Just traveled through NRT with my friend, he left the airport and I didn't, and in the end we were both very happy with our choices. I think it depends on you - if you're the type that gets antsy then it's definitely worth it for a breath of fresh air. Also, big factor will be if you have lounge access since that was a big factor in my willingness to stay at the airport.

SiberianTiger

Exactly! Layover at NRT for 9.5 hrs, with my teenage son, I'm in a quandary:
Should I got to Narita city or should I go to Tokyo. My son says he wants to see the capital of Japan
We are also on a tight budget, coming back from Veitnam.
Please advise

JDiver

Moving to the destination (Japan) forum, where it is appropriate, and merging into the Narita layover thread.

BTW, please do not bump up threads that have been unused over two years, per TOS. Thanks!.

JDiver
senior moderator