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Getting to NRT on a Sunday morning (was: An early Sunday morning taxi...)

Getting to NRT on a Sunday morning (was: An early Sunday morning taxi...)

Old May 15, 2019, 10:39 am
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siw
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Getting to NRT on a Sunday morning (was: An early Sunday morning taxi...)

Me and GF depart Narita T1 on a 09:15 flight, so need to be there at 07:00 for check-in. We are staying at Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi which is about 15 minutes walk to Tokyo station. The only suitable Narita Express train is the 06:18, which arrives at NRT T1 station at 07:18. And the price is JPY3,020 (~GBP21) each.

It might bet better to get a taxi? On Sunday mornings the roads should be quiet. How much would it cost? How long would it take? I could ask the hotel reception on the Saturday evening to reserve a taxi for the Sunday morning.

Thanks

Last edited by armagebedar; May 21, 2019 at 5:21 pm Reason: edited thread title to better reflect the discussion
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Old May 15, 2019, 10:46 am
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7:18 arrival at NRT (and let's say it's 7:35 or so by the time you get to the line for the check-in counters) seems sufficient to me. I've never taken a taxi from central Tokyo to NRT but it is going to be very expensive. The Narita Airport website is listing prices of 20,000, which doesn't include the highway tolls that the passenger must pay.
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Old May 15, 2019, 10:55 am
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Taxi will be about 150.

Better would be a 5 minute walk to Kanda station, take the Yamanote line to Nippori to catch the 6.25am Keisei Skyliner which gets to Narita T1 at 7.10
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Old May 15, 2019, 11:02 am
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Originally Posted by siw
Me and GF depart Narita T1 on a 09:15 flight, so need to be there at 07:00 for check-in. We are staying at Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi which is about 15 minutes walk to Tokyo station. The only suitable Narita Express train is the 06:18, which arrives at NRT T1 station at 07:18. And the price is JPY3,020 (~GBP21) each.

It might bet better to get a taxi? On Sunday mornings the roads should be quiet. How much would it cost? How long would it take? I could ask the hotel reception on the Saturday evening to reserve a taxi for the Sunday morning.

Thanks
I had a very similar itinerary before. You should be fine with Narita Express or Keisei if you're willing to do the transfers. If its your first time leaving from Tokyo Station, arrive early in case you need additional time. On my first time leaving from Tokyo Station, I came very close to missing the Narita Express due to issues with the ticketing machine and finding the correct platform.
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Old May 15, 2019, 12:16 pm
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Originally Posted by ajeleonard
Taxi will be about 150.

Better would be a 5 minute walk to Kanda station, take the Yamanote line to Nippori to catch the 6.25am Keisei Skyliner which gets to Narita T1 at 7.10
Thanks for the replies.

This is the best option; Keisei Skyliner. Is it possible to buy the tickets the day before travel? I doubt the ticket office will be open and I do not want to waste time figuring out a ticket machine on a Sunday morning? What time does the Yamanote Line start on Sunday mornings?
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Old May 15, 2019, 12:36 pm
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Originally Posted by siw
Thanks for the replies.

This is the best option; Keisei Skyliner. Is it possible to buy the tickets the day before travel? I doubt the ticket office will be open and I do not want to waste time figuring out a ticket machine on a Sunday morning? What time does the Yamanote Line start on Sunday mornings?

Hi,

I think the trains start running about 4:30 am;

Per here;
HyperDia | SearchResult


( Hyperdia is a very useful tool for planning travel routes on trains/subway)
Trains are running quite frequently after 5am taking about 10mins from Kanda to Nippori ( plus time to get to/from the platforms

Not sure when the ticket office opens but the machines should have a language button to convert to English ( it might be worth making a dummy trip to Nippori whilst you are in tokyo to get familar with the route before your departure date)- you could tie it in with a visit to Ueono park or the Yanaka district/cemetary with lots of small temples in the side streets

Regards

TBS
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Old May 15, 2019, 12:41 pm
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I'm a fan of the limobus for the combination of convenience and cost. Check whether there's service from your hotel or a nearby hotel.

Even with no traffic, a taxi would be outrageously expensive.
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Old May 15, 2019, 12:47 pm
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Yes, you can purchase tickets in advance. If you're flying into Narita, your best option might be to purchase the tickets when you arrive. There's a Keisei railway ticket desk at the airport railway station.
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Old May 15, 2019, 12:56 pm
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Hi,

There are early limosine buses from Tokyo City Air terminal ( T-CAT) to Narita ( 0545 and 0600) that get in at or before 7am

https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/ar..._tokyo/for/10/

You would probably need a taxi from your hotel to the air terminal ( have not used the T-CAT stop myself)

Regards

TBS
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Old May 15, 2019, 1:34 pm
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You might want to consider a taxi to Ueno/Nippori or Tokyo Station ( for the 1000 yen bus) vs JR depending on how much luggage you have.

Two bus companies run from Tokyo Station to Narita for 1,000 yen and the bus stops are outside the station (rather than the deep basement like Narita Express). The Keisei bus stop at Tokyo station is a little closer to your hotel if you are walking. Access Narita is closer to the taxi stands for a more protected exit.
http://honyaku.j-server.com/LUCKEISE...=utf-8&XJSID=0
THE ACCESS NARITA

If I had a carry-on and a personal item, I'd probably take JR/taxi and Keisei Skyliner. If I were traveling with a less-travel-savvy companion and/or a check-in+ I'd probably go with a taxi to Tokyo Station (a bit early, to get a spot on the bus) and Access Narita bus. The bus stations have attendants to help load/unload luggage vs train where you have to store it yourself in a tiered luggage/overhead rack while people wait behind you as the train is moving.

The Limo Bus is a good option for convenience but not running that early from your hotel's vicinity. You could get a taxi to TCAT and catch the limo bus from there but it isn't necessarily 2000 yen more convenient than a Tokyo Station bus if you have to get a taxi/connect.
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Old May 20, 2019, 12:50 pm
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Originally Posted by siw
Me and GF depart Narita T1 on a 09:15 flight, so need to be there at 07:00 for check-in.
I doubt that you do. The international check-in deadline at NRT and HND is one hour before departure. I typically give myself 90 minutes and end up with a ton of time to kill.
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Old May 20, 2019, 1:09 pm
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Originally Posted by joejones
I doubt that you do. The international check-in deadline at NRT and HND is one hour before departure. I typically give myself 90 minutes and end up with a ton of time to kill.
This. To the OP, how do you think all of the other passengers on your flight are getting to the airport? Probably not by taxi. The train will be fine, as long as you don't miss it.
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Old May 20, 2019, 1:56 pm
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Your other option is to travel to the vicinity of the airport the night before and spend the night in one of the hotels along the highway or in the town of Narita.
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Old May 20, 2019, 3:47 pm
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Originally Posted by joejones
I doubt that you do. The international check-in deadline at NRT and HND is one hour before departure. I typically give myself 90 minutes and end up with a ton of time to kill.
Yes. NRT is very efficient for both check in and security, plus getting to gates. I would not worry about taking a train that arrives at 7:18 for a 9:15 flight. The train will be on time (there is no late in Japan) and you'll be at the check-in area within 10 minutes. You will be through immigration and security within 10-15 minutes after that and the gates are all a reasonable walk.
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Old May 20, 2019, 5:03 pm
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Why would you possibly arrive at the airport two hours early for your flight. 90 minutes still gives you a huge cushion. 60 minutes would be fine as well. Take the NEX leaving Tokyo at 7:00 am unless you like waking up early or enjoy wasting time at the airport.
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