Report: NRT, by helicopter
Jan 27, 2012, 1:14 pm
#31
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
It can be done very fast by car, if you're willing to risk your licence. I usually drive if I'll be on a regional flight (i.e. no exhaustion and jetlag to deal with on the drive back to Tokyo), since the valet parking services are extremely reasonably priced at NRT. e.g. the USA parking J3 option.
But the caveat about 'willing to risk your licence' is important: 40km/h over the limit is the key number on the expressways. 140km/h is a 3 point penalty; 145km/h is a 6 point penalty and therefore an immediate 30 day suspension.
But the caveat about 'willing to risk your licence' is important: 40km/h over the limit is the key number on the expressways. 140km/h is a 3 point penalty; 145km/h is a 6 point penalty and therefore an immediate 30 day suspension.
I've gotten stopped twice, but no tickets. Once when I was over 160kph... "What officer I thought the speed limit was 100 miles per hour, I didn't know you used the metric system over here."
Heli is OK for the scenery, but it's slower and a huge hassle....take a car to the Mori Bldg., wait, take the heli, take another car to the terminal. Driving beats anything. Walk out your door, quick drive, surface park 50 meters from the terminal entrance, check-in and your done.
That said, if they had heli service to plane side, it would be a great way to go.
Jan 27, 2012, 11:55 pm
#32
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 4,596
Totally agreed on the convenience of surface parking, though. If you fly UA you also have the option of curbside check-in, which is awesomely fast.
Jan 28, 2012, 2:28 am
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,404
I read this and getter a better understanding of where Japanese racists get their ammunition from. Thanks a lot!
Jan 28, 2012, 7:49 am
#34
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 4,596
I watched a police videos show on TV a while back where a Russian woman was speeding way over the limit on an expressway somewhere in Kanagawa, got pulled over, acted like she could only speak very broken English, and was finally arrested after wasting the cops' time for a while. So it's a dangerous game on many levels.
Jan 28, 2012, 2:20 pm
#35
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Depends on where you have to go in Tokyo, and also on your definition of "driving slow." I've gotten into some killer traffic jams coming in from NRT -- usually around Koto-ku or Edogawa-ku somewhere, but sometimes around Ginza, Shinjuku or Roppongi as well.
Totally agreed on the convenience of surface parking, though. If you fly UA you also have the option of curbside check-in, which is awesomely fast.
Totally agreed on the convenience of surface parking, though. If you fly UA you also have the option of curbside check-in, which is awesomely fast.
I would define slow as 120.
Re: curbside check-in. Yes, but don't you still have to park so I don't see the time savings.
Oh and I just remembered, the longest time outbound was 7 hours (day after the quake). People were reporting 10 hours for the train that day.
If something had gone horribly wrong whilst you were committing this illegal act, I wonder if you would have pulled this bull with your unfortunate victims or their mourning relatives.
I watched a police videos show on TV a while back where a Russian woman was speeding way over the limit on an expressway somewhere in Kanagawa, got pulled over, acted like she could only speak very broken English, and was finally arrested after wasting the cops' time for a while. So it's a dangerous game on many levels.
Last edited by 5khours; Jan 28, 2012 at 5:15 pm