Originally Posted by
CPH-Flyer
That's such a "person not living in Japan" statement. People focus on the 14 minutes from T3 to Hamatsucho or 13 minutes from T3 to Shinagawa vs the 1.5 hours on the Limousine Bus from the terminal to the hotel.
Despite living smack in the middle of Tokyo, the difference between going to HND vs Narita is about 25 minutes for me. So basically it does not really matter which airport I go to. And as airports go, Narita is the far better airport experience.
LOL, well said. The difference between the two for me is more like 40 mins, but to be honest I get really tired of the crowded monorail if you're going out at anything near commuter hours. I don't know how many Airport Rapid versions they run these days in the mornings, but it doesn't seem to be many, almost all local and almost all rammed until you get to around Ryutsu Center. I'm pretty happy with the bus to NRT from Tokyo station, it's almost always about 1 hour and since I live on Chuo line, going to Nishi-Nippori for the Skyliner doesn't save me a lot of time but is significantly more expensive. (though also more comfortable... one you get to Nishi Nippori).
I think anyone how gets stuck on local monorails even a few times per year for morning departures at HND might appreciate the NRT option a bit more. Had a salaryman absolutely scowling at me for the first 2 stops out of Hamamatsucho the other day for having a carryon sized suitcase with me on the monorail, I bit my tounge but was about to say to him in Japanese, "it is the airport train after all". Some people get really worked up if you take up space with an inanimate object that prevents more humans from being squeezed into the train.