tight connection: international NRT arrival to train
 

I'm scheduled for a 4:45pm arrival into NRT this Friday on JL1 from SFO. I hope to take the train straight into Osaka that evening. After checking out Hyperdia, it seems that I need to be on the Narita Express that leaves Terminal 2 at 6:52pm; otherwise, I will either have to take a sleeper train or spend the night in Narita/Tokyo.

Do I have enough time to make this connection? After landing, I need to clear immigration and customs (flying economy, but hopefully with no checked luggage), pick up a prepaid SIM and rental phone from Softbank, exchange my voucher for a Japan Rail Pass at the Travel Service Center, and grab some money from the ATM. I am not familiar with the airport but I consider myself well traveled. Unfortunately I do not know any Japanese.

Of course I will have a fall back plan in case I miss the train, but if the plane arrives as scheduled at 4:45pm, do I have enough time to accomplish what I need to do and make the train? What's a reasonable amount of time from landing to the train (including all I have to do: immigration, SIM, ATM, Rail Pass)?

You should have enough time. There is a 8:20PM Nozomi 263 from Tokyo to ShinOsaka arriving around 11PM. There is a 8:30PM Nozomi 127 also.

You can catch them at Shinagawa about 6-7 minutes after Tokyo departure. Shinagawa is a bit easier transferring from NEX or NEX+Yokotsuka line.

Just remember to pick up an egiben at Tokyo or Shinagawa for dinner on the train.

Thanks for the Shinagawa transfer tip. Can't take the Nozomi with the Japan Rail Pass, unfortunately, so I have to make the 6:52pm NEX departure.

Unless your flight is significantly delayed, you'll easily catch that train. (I assume you're looking at the departure time from T2?).

All seating is assigned. Make sure you get into the right car. The train will split into two parts at Tokyo station. Only one half of the train goes to Shinagawa.

If your flight is greatly delayed and you don't make it onto that train, you might consider forgoing the JR pass and buying Nozomi tickets. it depends on your travel plans. Cost of a return trip to Osaka is not that much greater than the cost of a JR pass. (And you can get your exchange voucher refunded, minus an administration fee on your return to your country).

There are no sleeper services from Tokyo to Osaka that I know of.

Every train in Japan is a sleeper service. At least the passengers seem to think so.

;)

Agree that if the sole purpose of the JR pass is round trip Osaka Shikensen, it might be better to just refund it. There are series of sleeper bus from Tokyo to Osaka as well at competitive price. (which if you decide not to refund, there're some JR highway bus from Tokyo to Osaka that your pass is valid to travel with)

As a side topic, there's no direct sleeper train for Tokyo to Osaka, but Tokyo to Heimiji which bypass Osaka (which you will need to back track it to Osaka on Shikensen, but you need to pay the "sleeper surcharge")

Tokyo --> Heimiji
http://www.jreast-timetable.jp/1003/...35/036501.html

or Tokyo --> Nagoya then jump on shikensen
http://www.jreast-timetable.jp/1003/...90/094901.html

P.S. Just a side note: after checking JR West, on arrive Heimiji, you should use the normal train to go direct to Osaka Station for 1 hour (though if I hit Heimiji on sleeper, I will spend the first morning visiting the castle first)

Another Crazy work-around (though I prefer highway bus compare with this ...)
Tokyo --> Niigata --> Osaka
Shikansen MAXとき 349号 connected to きたぐに 502M
http://www.jreast-timetable.jp/1003/...70/074881.html
http://www.jreast-timetable.jp/1003/...35/036461.html

You should have plenty of time for what you need to do. Yesterday I arrived at Gate 95 in T2 (the worst possible and farthest gate you can imagine, involving the cockamun train and all) at 9:25 and I was at the NEX platform (after buying a ticket) at 9:38.

Yah. But I bet you were using sparkly eyes technique to get through immigration and customs.

Thanks. Sounds like I have plenty of time to make the connection. This was a very last-minute planned trip. I started thinking about this trip on Sun night, booked award tickets on Monday, and flying out Thursday. Bought a guidebook, rail pass voucher, made a few nights of reservations in Kyoto, and will play the rest by ear. 11 days in Japan -- I'm excited!

Did you have no checked baggage? It's hard to believe it took you only 13 minutes to walk from Gate 95, take the train to main terminal, go through immigration, pick up the bags, go through custom and take escalator downstairs to train platform. You must be a fast walker :p

No checked baggage this time, and I was dragging along Mrs. Pickles, who is a slow walker. My best time (with baggage) is 11 minutes, but that was getting off at one of the gates in the 70's, so no need for the Crazy Train.

Must be the sparkly eyes technique.

The secret is to pass as many people as possible between the plane and immigration. Try to get off the plane fast, walk fast (sometimes it's fastest to bypass the moving walkways, sometimes you just ask people blocking you to move). That's the one area where speed makes a difference -- no queues of any length typically for most anything else.

Once I arrived at the JR East pass redemption place just after some sort of youth tour all wanting passes and that was a problem, but there is no way to predict that -- and it's rare.

I had a knee problem this time and was walking with a cane. The guy at the head of the line spotted me and waved me straight into the diplomatic line! So that's always a possibility....LOL

That is indeed the trick. No dawdling. Also, if you have to take the Crazy Train, get on the car closest to the window and get on last. LIFO and you are a train-length closer to the immigration desk.

I think you can use that line if you are pregnant or physically challenged...

Sound advice, Theo!
Speak softly and carry a big stick. That's always been the best approach to diplomacy.