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Japan Transit/Connection/Layover Master Thread

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Old May 21, 2020, 5:59 pm
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Japan Transit/Connection/Layover Master Thread

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Old Mar 10, 2024, 3:06 am
  #1846  
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Hi,

As long as you could get your Singapore airlines boarding pass by checking in online then theoretically it should be possible.
However, if you miss the SQ flight , JL/SQ would have no responsibility to rebook you and you could be looking at a new ticket.
I personally would not be comfortable with a 2 hour connection to a long haul destination on separate tickets although trasnsferring between airports is not great ( I have not done this between HND/NRT)
How long would your connection be if you picked a HND flight?
Regards

TBS
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Last edited by The _Banking_Scot; Mar 10, 2024 at 3:48 am
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 5:34 am
  #1847  
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Originally Posted by jschiefe827
Couldn't find a Narita specific thread so please move me if I am posting in the wrong one!
I am booked on JAL SEA > NRT 1/31/2025. My ultimate destination in BKK, so looking at onward flight options. I land at NRT at 16:35 pm. My question is, do we think it is possible/a good idea to book my transit flight with Singapore Airways for 18:40, giving me 2 hours to transit NRT? Some things that work to my advantage are: Flying J class for these flights and not checking a bag. Has anyone ever self-transferred in NRT and do we think 2 hours is enough time? I did look at my SEA > NRT flight's past flight records and it typically arrives on time, if not up to 1 hour early.

My other options all involve transiting to HND and taking a later flight.
Thanks for your guidance!
Since you are not going to be claiming bags, you can take the airside transit bus. Arriving from the US, there is no transit security so you can be at the bus in about 5 minutes after exiting the plane. The will let you take the bus without actually having your boarding pass from SQ, but you should have print of your e-ticket handy.

Two hours is quite tight, but if you are willing to run the risk of a delay having no protection for rebooking, then it is doable. You should figure about 30 minutes to change terminals airside, and SQ starts boarding about 25-30 minutes before departure. But you will probably be dependent on being able to at least do online check in, which should not be a problem. Personally I would like more time.

There is a lot of experiences in gce connection thread in the Japan forum. I'll ping a moderator to have these posts moved there.
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 7:09 am
  #1848  
 
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Originally Posted by jschiefe827
Couldn't find a Narita specific thread so please move me if I am posting in the wrong one!
I am booked on JAL SEA > NRT 1/31/2025. My ultimate destination in BKK, so looking at onward flight options. I land at NRT at 16:35 pm. My question is, do we think it is possible/a good idea to book my transit flight with Singapore Airways for 18:40, giving me 2 hours to transit NRT? Some things that work to my advantage are: Flying J class for these flights and not checking a bag. Has anyone ever self-transferred in NRT and do we think 2 hours is enough time? I did look at my SEA > NRT flight's past flight records and it typically arrives on time, if not up to 1 hour early.

My other options all involve transiting to HND and taking a later flight.
Thanks for your guidance!
Another consideration. Should you miss that second flight for some reason and have to layover overnight, you will have to enter Japan. Narita closes at night and does not allow overnight stays in the airport. So, you'd have to find a hotel, etc. Not impossible, but maybe something else to factor in.
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 8:03 am
  #1849  
 
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Buying tickets this far in advance, there is also a chance of schedule change. Ticket you purchase for Jan. 31, 2025 is based on the current schedule. There is possibility of schedule change twice from now and Jan. 31, 2025. When airlines load Summer 2024 schedule, and when airlines load Winter 24/25 schedule. With separate tickets, airlines will not give consideration to your connecting flights when re-accommodating you due to schedule changes.
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 9:28 am
  #1850  
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Originally Posted by CPH-Flyer
Arriving from the US, there is no transit security so you can be at the bus in about 5 minutes after exiting the plane. The will let you take the bus without actually having your boarding pass from SQ, but you should have print of your e-ticket handy.
Be careful there, this is not guaranteed. I've been in flights from the US where we had to re-clear security, and flights were we didn't. The difference between having time for a shower at the lounge and not having time.
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 10:28 am
  #1851  
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Originally Posted by Pickles
Be careful there, this is not guaranteed. I've been in flights from the US where we had to re-clear security, and flights were we didn't. The difference between having time for a shower at the lounge and not having time.
No transit security was there for a long while in Narita as a trial, then suddenly it was suspended for a brief while and then came back in both Narita and Haneda. There is a caveat which is if you get a bus gate, then transit security will be the name of the game.
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 1:03 pm
  #1852  
 
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Originally Posted by The _Banking_Scot
Hi,

How long would your connection be if you picked a HND flight?

TBS
The Haneda transit layover would be 6 hours.

Originally Posted by AlwaysAisle
Buying tickets this far in advance, there is also a chance of schedule change. Ticket you purchase for Jan. 31, 2025 is based on the current schedule. There is possibility of schedule change twice from now and Jan. 31, 2025. When airlines load Summer 2024 schedule, and when airlines load Winter 24/25 schedule. With separate tickets, airlines will not give consideration to your connecting flights when re-accommodating you due to schedule changes.
This is a great point, thank you. Might be best for me to hold off a few months to book my connection to BKK.

You are all so helpful here. I am going to wait a bit to see if my JAL flight to NRT happens to change before I book my self transiting ticket onward. Here are what I was considering as those options, if anyone would like to weigh in. Would a 5/6 hour layover be enough to transit to HND even or find later flights?

Arrive in NRT on 2/1/25 at 16:35
  • Stay in NRT and depart on Singapore Air to BKK (via SIN) at 18:40 on 2/1
  • Transfer to HND and depart on JAL to BKK at 00:10 on 2/2
  • Transfer to HND and depart on Thai to BKK at 00:20 on 2/2

Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; Mar 12, 2024 at 10:15 am Reason: To combine consecutive replies of same member to others' posts.
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 2:25 pm
  #1853  
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Originally Posted by jschiefe827
You are all so helpful here. I am going to wait a bit to see if my JAL flight to NRT happens to change before I book my self transiting ticket onward. Here are what I was considering as those options, if anyone would like to weigh in. Would a 5/6 hour layover be enough to transit to HND even or find later flights?

Arrive in NRT on 2/1/25 at 16:35
  • Stay in NRT and depart on Singapore Air to BKK (via SIN) at 18:40 on 2/1
  • Transfer to HND and depart on JAL to BKK at 00:10 on 2/2
  • Transfer to HND and depart on Thai to BKK at 00:20 on 2/2
Hi,

Both the HND flights would work ( i think the recommended time for a NRT/HND transfer all in is around 4hrs but it will only take about 2hrs for travel between airports ) so it would allow for maybe up to a 4hr delay on the SEA-NRT fight)
The overnight stay in NRT ( i think that is your first option above) is safest and you could explore Narita town or go into Tokyo as you have 1 day ( i think)

Regards

TBS
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 6:49 pm
  #1854  
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Originally Posted by CPH-Flyer
No transit security was there for a long while in Narita as a trial, then suddenly it was suspended for a brief while and then came back in both Narita and Haneda. There is a caveat which is if you get a bus gate, then transit security will be the name of the game.
So it's all on a trial maybe-maybe not basis, no explicit policy, and if you get a bus gate, you're hosed. So best not to expect security-free transit if coming from the US!
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 7:46 pm
  #1855  
 
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Originally Posted by Pickles
if you get a bus gate, you're hosed
...but not showered.
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Old Mar 10, 2024, 11:38 pm
  #1856  
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Originally Posted by Pickles
So it's all on a trial maybe-maybe not basis, no explicit policy, and if you get a bus gate, you're hosed. So best not to expect security-free transit if coming from the US!
It is no longer a trial basis. But yes the growing number of bus gates in the mess that Haneda has become in the afternoon arrival bank does put a bit of risk in to assuming. Bus gate arrivals in Narita are exceedingly rare.
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Old Mar 13, 2024, 10:46 am
  #1857  
 
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Originally Posted by ALGU
Does anyone know if Thai has an airside counter for transits in NRT? If so, where are their desks located? I know T1 South has at least 3 counters the 30s (UA), the 40s (AC), and the 50s (NH).
Originally Posted by CPH-Flyer
They used to have in the 40s where AC also does. But it has been a while since I have been that way around.
Thanks for sharing. Reporting back. Unfortunately TG is not currently operating a transit desk at NRT. I previously flew NRT-AKL and was able to do doc check/check in the NH lounge since NH does or did passenger services for NZ. I assumed if NH also did passenger services for TG (which they do), then I could do the same. This wasn’t the case and had to do check in and doc check at the gate. Wasn’t sure if I could enter the lounge without a boarding pass, but wasn’t much of an issue.
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Old Mar 19, 2024, 11:06 am
  #1858  
 
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We have a 21 hour layover at HND and will be entering Japan to enjoy a little of Tokyo. We want to roll out of bed and into the terminal for the connecting morning flight, so will be staying at Haneda and taking transit into the city from there after dropping our bags off. Trying to choose between the Royal Park in T3 or the Villa Fontaine Grand. Any thoughts on which is better these days? Room size? Quiet? Don't care about breakfast as we'll have lounge access in the morning.
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Old Mar 19, 2024, 1:51 pm
  #1859  
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Originally Posted by sambagrrl07
We have a 21 hour layover at HND and will be entering Japan to enjoy a little of Tokyo. We want to roll out of bed and into the terminal for the connecting morning flight, so will be staying at Haneda and taking transit into the city from there after dropping our bags off. Trying to choose between the Royal Park in T3 or the Villa Fontaine Grand. Any thoughts on which is better these days? Room size? Quiet? Don't care about breakfast as we'll have lounge access in the morning.
Hi,

Probably much of a muchness. I think the Villa fontaine grand is newer
The Royal park hotel entrance is connected to the departures level of T3
The Villa fontaine entrance is via the link on level 2 to the Haneda airport garden area ( shops,restaurants and a public onsen ( hot baths)

Regards

TBS
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Old Mar 24, 2024, 5:07 am
  #1860  
 
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Haneda 1 Hr 35 mins layover

Hi - we will have a 1.5 hour layover from Singapore to Haneda and Haneda-New Chitose on Japan Airlines. Traveling with young kids and have checked in luggage. JAL is not offering a flight reschedule of the second leg. Any tips and tricks to make it in time for the second leg? Shud we take the monorail from T3 to t1 or bus?
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