There is a JR counter right where you come out of customs. If you have Suica card you can just tap that and pay the difference in cash on the train or if no Suica, just tell the gate attendant you're going to buy on the train. They'll let you through and you can buy the ticket from the conductor on the train.

Excellent time BTW!

There are two parts to the fare you paid on Narita Express. This is an example on JR line. First, there is a base fare, josha-ken(乗車券), where Narita Airport-Shinjuku station is JYE 1450. If you take rapid commuter train, not Narita Express, from Narita Airport, then all you need to pay is JYE 1450.

On Narita Express you need additional express surcharge fare, tokkyu-ryoukin(特急料金), where on regular days the surcharge is JYE 1660. So riding Narita Express from Narita Airport to Shinjuku station on regular day will be total of JYE 3110. This is total fare on regular reserve seat, not Green Car. Green Car requires additional JYE 1290, total of JYE 4400 for Narita Express Green Car from Narita Airport to Shinjuku station on regular days.

However, there is high season and low season on express surcharge.

On year 2013 low season is Monday through Thursday of: January 16 � February 28, month of June, month of September, and November 1 � December 20.
During low season express surcharge is JYE 200 cheaper. Hence total of JYE 2910 on Narita Express regular reserved seat from Narita Airport to Shinjuku station. Again, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are not considered as low season.

On year 2013 high season is all national holidays, March 21 � April 5, April 28 � May 6, July 21 � August 31, and December 25 � December 31.
During high season express surcharge is JYE 200 higher. Hence total of JYE 3310 on Narita Express regular reserved seat from Narita Airport to Shinjuku station.

In summary, Narita Express regular reserved seat from Narita Airport to Shinjuku station:
Low season JYE 2910
Regular days JYE 3110
High season JYE 3310

Landed at 14:00 and was through with all the formalities and waiting for the bus with checked bag at 14:18 !

Which gate?

Best I managed from gate (had T1's gate 32 in that flight) to curb (stop 16 for the Crowne Plaza) with no checked bags was 8 minutes a couple years ago...and I could've done better if I didn't run into an FTer continuing onwards to SIN. The security queue for int'l connections that he proceeded to was the only line I saw that afternoon's NRT experience. If only all my arrivals were that way!

Something by DL !

Gate 55 and a 5 min immigration line today had me out at over 10 min, but still not bad! First off my flight, NH7, slightly late arrival. Transfer security looked empty as well.

Made it out in about 6 minutes from Gate 27. Bit of crowd at immigration.

Today with a checked bag: off plane at :57. (I was in the business exit row in back on A380 so not a good starting position. Plane touched down around :45ish with a short taxi.)

Exit from customs with bag at :12. Unfortunately my direct bus departed at :10. I waited 2 min for checked bag. Pretty good baggage delivery as usual in Japan!

I noticed that they had few agents at immigration and customs at 08:00ish.

p.s. The only time that I had bad baggage delivery was with SAS. Fault was of course in CPH where they loaded priority in wrong container. I told a staff member that my bag had not come out when regular bags started coming and she ran out and retrieved it within minutes. Impressive.

Gate 31. Aircraft door opened at 8:43.....made the 8:50 NEX.


If only the flight hadn't been delayed by 3 hours...I would have made my 9am meeting.

Hot damn, that is unreal. Hard to believe one can go through immigration, customs, get all the way downstairs, buy a ticket and get on board in that time. Impressive!

You don't need to buy a NEX ticket, as the master, 5k, has taught us.

From 31 it's very believeable. Look at my numbers last time. It would have been 12-13 min without checked bag wait. I had at least 5 min longer walk than gate 31 so that's 7-8 min.

The 08:50 NEX sux. It runs as a commuter. Very slow.

Doh! And after his harrowing escape from Narita, only to be on the slow boat to TYO....

Yeah.... morning transport into Tokyo stinks....although the 8:50 is not bad...arrives Shibuya at 10:15.

Oh and I did buy the ticket on the train.

Reporting my numbers from last week. Again for LH 710. Plane touched down around :52 or :55. After taxi and being in the rear of the C class cabin of the 380 it was 8:07 by the time that I saw the first clock. I was out by 08:16. I must add that after the long walk from gate 46 (or wherever 710 parks) at the far satellite, that I caught up with and passed the F class pax with escort.

Again, that means that I missed the 08:10 bus to Shibuya, the Skyliner (departing exactly that time, I think), the 08:13 NEX. Last time I experimented and took 08:40 Heiwa-Kotsu bus for 1000 yen. I don't know why, but I opted for the 08:50 slowpoke NEX. It was about 10 min delayed. This is the second time I have taken the "commuter" NEX and it has been 10-15 min delayed both times. Not because it actually picks up passengers. One person got on my car during the journey. Although this might be a bit late for most office workers.

The Skyliner is probably the best option at that hour, although I wonder how bad the Yamanote is at 09:00ish. But there is a huge gap in the schedule for over an hour at that time of day. They run these other trains like "Morning liner", which are much slower and it's better to take bus.