lobsterdog

Please stop spreading this weird myth about Japan. Trains are often delayed. And if you're trying to get home late at night and you miss your last connection because of delays you can get stuck with a very expensive taxi ride.

But yeah, a 7:18am Narita arrival for a 9:15am flight is quite reasonable.

evergrn

I would take the taxi to either Tokyo Station for the 6.18am NEx arriving 7.18am at T1, or to Keisei Ueno for 6.40am Skyliner arriving 7.30am at T1.

While OP's hotel is closer to Tokyo Sta, it takes a while to get from the taxi dropoff to the bowels of Tokyo Sta where you catch the NEx. On the other hand, it is a cinch to get to the Skyliner platform at Keisei Uneo. That plus the fact that Keisei Ueno is the first station so an empty spot in the suitcase storage area is almost guaranteed, as opposed to getting on NEx at Tokyo Station. Based on that, I'd probably go with Skyliner.

Yeah nothing being late in Jpn is a myth. These days, trains in Tokyo run late all the time.

Also, arriving 60min or 75min before departure at NRT may work if you're elite, flying premium, nothing to check, etc. Otherwise, if you're economy with bags to check and don't want to sweat it, then I strongly recommend arriving at least 100min before departure. If you have carry-on that you want to put up overhead, you'll want to be at the gate ~45min before because that's around when economy pax start forming queues.

freecia

Indeed. I learned that on the Haruka from Kansai airport (luckily not in the other direction) and no, I was not handed a "late slip". Fortunately, most major transit lines do notify via website/twitter when there's a significant delay.

JR posts train status in English on their respective websites East, West, Central, etc.
Keisei announces their delays on twitter https://twitter.com/keiseirailway which links �����d�S

joejones

I suppose everyone's mileage varies, but I have never encountered full overhead bins on a flight to/from Japan. IME, something like 90% of Japanese people check in a hard-shell suitcase with most of their stuff, and board with only a relatively small carry-on. It's not anything like domestic flying in the US where every single person on your 737 is hauling a 22" rollaboard and insisting on putting their purse/briefcase/coat in the overhead as well.

LapLap

Am glad there was a massive jump onto the �there is no late in Japan� fantasy.

Have experienced plenty of delays there, for all kinds of reasons.

Including, last month, the direct train into Sengakuji from Narita Airport that I enquired about on this forum. Information was really patchy right until the moment it arrived and we weren�t even sure if would be running at all. As it eventually arrived well past 11pm this hadn�t really give us any peace of mind (particularly as we hadn�t been able to withdraw any cash from any of the ATMs we had tried, just had the minimum needed for our fare)
Trains are mostly reliable, they are certainly not infallible.

Pickles

Indeed. Here is the issued delay certificate history for April and May 2019 for the 横須賀線・総武快速線 line where the Narita Express runs. As you can see, it's not uncommon to have a delay of up to 10 minutes pretty regularly, and if you hit the lottery, you can be delayed for over an hour, which has happened a few times in the last 60 days. I've been on delayed Narita Express trains and it's not a good feeling if you're cutting it close.

Having said that, earlier in the day is less delay prone (same as airplanes, for the same reason), and your odds of an on-time (or only slightly delayed) arrival are far better in Japan than pretty much else than anywhere else in the world.

Gradfly

Is this also integrated in apps like Google maps? I feel like I was getting delay notifications during my last trip. Remembered getting alternate routes as I headed towards Chiba from Shiodome.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

When I have been on Japan on the JR trains ( 7 times in tokyo) on most days on the display screens on the JR trains there were notices of delays to various lines ( none of my trains were affected though)

Regards

TBS

RichardInSF

It's really straightforward to transfer from the Yamanote iine to Keisei at Nippori. Go up from the platform and follow the signs for Keisei transfer (in Japanaese and English). Just before the turnstile into Keisei, there are ticket booths selling the Skyliner tickets, you just show your JR ticket or Suica card to them. I've never seen a long line. or indeed any line, although I suppose it is theoretically possible. And if the train is running, the ticket office will ALWAYS be open.

lobsterdog

You will sometimes see delay notices in Google Maps directions, but they are not particularly useful. In my experience the notices you see there are almost always for situations that have already cleared up, whereas current delays are rarely reflected.

5khours

I've ridden the Narita Express around 400 or 500 times. I've had two significant delays. One on 3/11/11 and one a couple of years ago. It's rare but If it happens you can always grab Uber or a taxi. The odds of a train delay early in the morning are zilch. If you check in at the airport, the flight won't leave without you no matter how long the security lines, and the worry about overhead bins is a canard. If you need to get to the airport early for your own piece of mind, that's fine, but there's no real practical reason for doing so.

tomcat007

I have to catch a 10:40 am flight on Sunday from Narita. I’m staying at the Shangri-La so I believe it is right above the Tokyo Station. The timetable online is not the easiest to read but I think the 7:31 train getting in at 8:35 should work? It’s not clear if the 7:15 train runs on Sunday.

Also I reach Haneda Saturday early evening. Is there much to do around the Tokyo Station area Saturday night?

Mizunara

The 7:31 Narita Express #7 from Tokyo to Narita T2 indeed operates on Sundays. The 7:15 Narita Express #5 is also in operation.

Tokyo Station is connected to several malls and plazas, plus there are a lot of restaurants and bars in that area. You�ll be spoiled for choice if that�s your thing.

FlitBen

Here is the online Hyperdia timetable for Oct 20 at around 710am. You may want to catch the 731am train as Mizunara recommends.

From Tokyo Station you could walk to the Ginza area, where the Chuo Dori turns into a lively pedestrian street.

Ginza - Japan's premier shopping district

tomcat007

thanks for clarifying

thanks for the information