<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by xpacific:
1. The Citibank ATM is a little tough to find when you arrive, but it is probably the best bet for getting cash from your US card. ...
2. Generally speaking, the JR Narita Express is 100% reserved seating. ...
3. If you only have, say a rollaboard and briefcase, a better bet is to take the Keisei Railway express train from either Ueno or Nippori (both on the JR Yamanote line). ...
3. Another option if you are OK with the subways is to take the Hanzomon line to Suitengu-mae and head up to the Tokyo City Air Terminal (escalators all the way for your rollaboard). </font>
I haven't used the airport Citibank ATM since it seems so far away (maybe I would if I had tons of time before my train). I just use my credit card for the Narita Express, and then go to an ATM in the city. The best ATM for most people are the Post Office ATMs, which are all over the city. They accept Cirrus/Plus cards. Citibank ATMs are good because they're open 24 hours.
I use mostly Narita Express because I usually go to Shinjuku, but when I have used Keisei Skyliner, I was told to always go to Nippori since the walk between JR Ueno and Keisei Ueno stations apparently was very long (compared to Nippori). Is this no longer the case?
One other option is the Airport Limousine Bus, which leaves from many Tokyo hotels. They are often the most convenient option if you have a lot of luggage since you can take a taxi to the hotel and never have to touch the luggage again until arrival at the airport and no stairs anywhere. If you have a TON of luggage, then the most convenient option is to have one of the courier services(e.g., ABC) ship your luggage overnight to the airport (very reasonably priced option).
I took the HKG-NRT flight last week, and also found the Japanese citizen immigration line empty (I have a Japanese work visa and alien registration card that allows me to use that line). I was pleasantly surprised to find my luggage waiting for me on the carousel despite not having any wait at immigration. I ended up waiting a LONG time anyway as I had to wait for my colleague who had to trudge through the gaijin immigration line.
On the way out of the country, there was a United agent expediting passengers through immigration, so perhaps the original poster's experience is not typical. I have NEVER found the outbound immigration line to go all the way to the back wall, however (fortunately).
One last tidbit. I collect Starbucks city mugs. I found out that the Tokyo Starbucks mug is being replaced with a new mug. The only place to buy the old mug now is at the Narita Airport Starbucks (near the train entrance). The rest of the Starbucks in the City center apparently only have the new ones.