hagopik

Has anyone transferred planes going from Nurita Airport to Haneda and if so what is available and what is the cost. Travel agencies don't tell you about having to transfer from the different airports when you ask for travel from the U.S. to Okinawa. Is there any other routes to Okinawa. We want to visit grandchilren there in the Military. Thanks

Chiangi

There are shuttle bus services between Narita and Haneda. This is the timetable:

http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

You go through the passport control and then downstairs to the customs. Go through it and you will see on the same floor the counter where you can pay for the bus. (This procedure is the same at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.)

If you can route via Kansai airport in Osaka, you can transfer at the airport to a domestic flight to Okinawa. I think Taipei is also another good city for an easier transfer to Okinawa.

RichardInSF

Train is not as good an option as the bus in this case, unless you are at least moderately familiar with the Tokyo rail system. The best routes I can think of require two transfers.

Narita-Tokyo-Shinagawa-Haneda (change from JR to Keikyu line) OR
Narita-Tokyo-Hammatsucho-Haneda (last leg on monorail, however)

Probably better to fly to Kansai if possible, as previously suggested, although there are fewer options to Kansai from the U.S. than Tokyo (NRT).

Chiangi

If you want to take a train, Keisei might be better as you only need to change trains once on the way to Haneda and it's the same platform. Changing trains at stations like Tokyo and Hamamatsucho is a lot more complicated.

If I have some baggage, I would not take trains, though.

Flyingmama

Hope some more experienced travelers to Japan can answer this one:

Is three hours enough time to allow for deplaning at Narita and boarding a domestic flight at Haneda? I realize there is a 75 minute bus ride from Narita to Haneda involved - is it really 75 minutes, or sometimes much longer?

YVR Cockroach

Not ideal - I'd allow an hour more. Possible if your inward flight is on time, you can exit NRT fast (not a guarantee) and traffic through Tokyo isn't particularly horrendous (it can get a lot longer than 75 minutes).

DoubleJ

I agree. Not a good idea. My copy of "Narita Airport Access Guide" puts the Limosine bus travel time between Narita and Haneda at "90~100" minutes with 20~45 minute intervals between buses. It also states that the highways used "are usually jammed at morning and evening rush hours, at the end of the month, and on days before holidays."

I sometimes drive these same highways (Wangan/Higashi Kanto Expressway), and have on occasion been caught in some pretty big traffic jams.

jpatokal

Taking the train is slower, usually requires changes and is (slightly) more expensive -- but it's pretty much guaranteed to get you there in ~100 minutes. There are some direct NRT-HND services on Keisei now though; problem is, the middle of the trip runs through Toei Asakusa line subway tracks, meaning the train stops at every single station... some options:

http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ito-nori/spot/nrt_hnd.html

Once you do get to HND you don't need much time at all, since IIRC for domestic Japan flights check-in closes only 15 minutes before the flight. So I'd say 3 hours is in fact enough except for the random factor of NRT immigration, the speed of which varies wildly depending on the phase of the moon.

Flyingmama

You guys are terrific. I don't know what I'd do without you!

Okay, so possible option number two: I book a later flight out of Haneda giving us 6 1/2 hours to make the connection. Should be enough, right?

What if, by some miracle, we actually make it to Haneda in time to make the earlier flight. Do you think JAL or ANA would be willing to change our tickets at the last minute so we oculd take the earlier flight - assuming space is available?

I haven't flown these airlines before so I don't know how flexible they are. I've encountered some US airlines that will accomodate last minute changes like this, and others that won't, so would like some general guidance.

Thanks for all your advice. It is truly wonderful.

wideman

If it were me, and assuming that both your flight to Japan and your connecting flight within Japan are on the same ticket, I would book the earlier flight (3-hr connection), as long as it's a legal connection time.

If you get to Haneda in a reasonable amount of time, you'll be all set and will get where you're going without unnecessary delay. If you run into hiccups (get deleyed in immigration lines or traffic) and don't get to HND in time for the connecting flight, the airline will accommodate you on the next available flight. On the other hand, if you book the 6+ hour connection, the airline would have no obligation to let you on the earlier flight.

(If you book this as 2 separate tickets, though, I'd go for the longer connection.)

rkkwan

Where are you flying from Haneda? 6+ hours connection? You might as well take the train for most destinations on Honshu, as you may be already at your destination before your plane leaves Haneda. Just a thought.

monahos

If flying into KIX is an option with your transpac carrier, you would have a much easier same-building transfer, with nearly as frequent flights to all of Japan.

jpatokal

Not necessarily -- most flights from "Osaka" leave from Itami (ITM), which is a two-hour-minimum slog away from KIX. There aren't all that many domestic KIX flights, just like there aren't that many domestic NRT services either.

And I agree with rkkwon: in general, if you have to fly to NRT or KIX, the fastest way to get to somewhere else in Honshu is to take the bullet train. If you're trying to get to a more remote place like Hokkaido or Okinawa, look into flying straight to your destination via ICN (Incheon @ Seoul, Korea). KE, OZ, JL, NH fly to all major cities in Japan from ICN, and in my book a relaxing 3-hour wait at ICN's SQ *A lounge beats a hassled 3-hour commute across Tokyo in rush hour any day!

Chiangi

I think NRT-HND direct train connections are no longer there on Keisei. They reworked the timetable and you need now to change trains at Aoto station on the way (same platform transfer,not that difficult unless you know where the station is!).

I think KIX still has more domestic connections than NRT.

Agree with other posters. Avoid NRT. It is such an inconvenient airport.

Chiangi

About taking an earlier flight, it all depends on what type of ticket you are holding. Some tickets on JL and NH don't let you change at all. Ask the airline.