Originally Posted by
Finkface
I have 24 hours in Japan in Sept. Landing at NRT at 2025, departing the next night at 2010. I figured I would get a hotel in Narita, sleep, and then take a train into Tokyo the next morning but after reaidng this thread, I am re-thinking. So, should I:
1) get a Narita airport hotel, sleep, make it easy and just spend the next day around Narita town (temple, shopping etc) and head back to the airport for some lounge time the next day around dinnertime.
2) get a Narita airport hotel, sleep, take an early train into Tokyo the next morning
3) head straight into Tokyo that night, get a hotel in Ueno or ?, explore the next day and head back to NRT later that day.
I am leaning towards 3. And it seems the collective wisdom is Keisei to Ueno and hang out in the Ueno/Asakusa area. I have been to Tokyo once before and loved that area and also Yanaka.
So, which option? And what time to get back to NRT and have a bit of lounge time? Hotel suggestions (single female) appreciated as well. Do I need to buy a card for the Keisei and subway or can I just buy single ride tickets? And what time should I catch the train back to NRT?
I would do 1 or 3 and, as you suggest, # 3 - if you're going to go into Tokyo, may as well do it the evening you arrive and then you're ready to go exploring straight away in the morning.
Hyperdia will give you train times to/from Narita. Going back, up to you as to how much time to leave for check-in, lounge time etc. before your onward flight. Keisei Skyliner leaves Narita Airport terminal 2 at 20.42, 21.12, 21.54 and 22.33. Keisei Skyliner going back (about 40 minutes) leaves Keisei-Ueno at 15.00, 15.20, 15.40, 16.00, 16.20, 16.40, 17.00, 17.20, 17.40, 18.20 (no 18.00 apparently..)
For tickets, try this for
roundtrip Keisei ticket + subway. Note that it's subway only and doesn't cover the JR Yamanote line around Tokyo - shouldn't be an issue, just use the subway to get wherever you're going.