callmedtop

Trying to decide between a couple of options from the Ritz Carlton Tokyo to Narita on a Sunday morning - my flight is at 10:50a on JAL. I may have 1 checked bag (but potentially not), but full elite status + traveling in F. I'd love to sample the new JL F lounge for ~30 minutes, but don't need any more than that.

1. Limousine bus departing at 6:50a, arriving at 8:50a. This is a long ride as we are the first pickup, and gets us to the airport a bit early for my state.
2. Taxi to Tokyo Station, and then the NEX at 8:30a (9:25a arrival) or 7:55a (8:58a arrival); no idea how long it would take via taxi to get from Roppongi to Tokyo Station, buy tickets, etc.

What time would we need to leave the hotel to go to Tokyo Station to catch the NEX?
Any other options I should consider? I suppose #1 is just a lot less hassle, but the 6:50a departure is pretty early. Thanks for any advice.

AlwaysAisle

If it is on weekdays of weekends will make difference, it is morning rush hour time. As for Narita Express, the train arrive and departs at Tokyo station at a platform which is located at B4 floor underground of Tokyo station, 4th floor below the ground level. Once you arrive at Tokyo station it can take bit longer than you think to get to the platform for Narita Express.

If I were you I will simply take Limousine Bus, it is door to door service and it is convenient. Yes, it is little early departure but I think the time you need to wake up will be not that much different from taking Narita Express. So if you arrive little early at NRT, you have a lounge access. Just relax. I always say it is far better to be little early at the airport than be little late at the airport.

ksandness

You can reserve your N'EX ticket at any JR station that has a Midori-no-Madoguchi (the office with the four-leaf clover sign) at any time during your stay, assuming that it's less than a month, so that would streamline one step. As for how long it would take a cab to get to Tokyo Station from the Ritz-Carlton, your front desk or concierge would be the best source of advice on that, but my experience with cabs is that they can and do get stuck in traffic. (It boggles the mind to think of what Tokyo would be like if it DIDN'T have its fantastic transit system.)

Tell your cab driver (or have the hotel employee tell him) that you will be riding the N'EX (Na-ri-ta e-ku-su-pu-re-su) so that he takes you to the right entrance.

Always Aisle is correct in saying that the platform is in the sub-sub-sub-sub basement, but it is clearly marked. I took it from Tokyo Station on my last trip, and it had been years since I had done so, if ever, (I usually take the Skyliner or go to Shinagawa), so as I followed the signs, I had a bit of the "where are you taking me?" feeling, but it was a fast and comfortable trip.

callmedtop

Thanks to both of you! For whatever it's worth, this would be on a Sunday morning, so would imagine traffic would be very light. Does that change the equation at all?

5khours

Taxi to Tokyo Station is 10 minutes on a Sunday morning at that time. I'd use Uber to "Tokyo Station/Marunouchi North." If you know what you're doing it's 2 minutes from the taxi to the platform. (Take the elevator outside the Marunouchi North Exit to B1.) If it's your first time, I'd give yourself 40 minutes from the hotel to train departure.

Tickets are very quick. If you have a pasmo/suica card, you can go through the ticket gate with that and then use the card or cash to buy the ticket on the train.

If you're in F, you can get from the train to the lounge in under 10 minutes.

MSPeconomist

If you decide to use NEX definitely get your ticket in advance, which means picking the train you'll use. I've never managed to avoid some stairs in Tokyo station, so I'd avoid with luggage but YMMV.

paperwastage

Tokyo Station Map/Area Map?Tokyo Station City

Narita Express/NEX is on the marunouchi side(west), bottom of the maps has a box pointing to where you need to go

i would probably do the 7:55am NEX or bus

AlwaysAisle

Yes, the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo will be first departure point of Limousine Bus. After the Ritz-Carlton the bus will make stop at Hotel New Otani, Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho, the Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu, and the Capitol Hotel Tokyu before finally heading to NRT.

However, you are heading to NRT on Sunday morning. The second bus of the day is schedule to departure of the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo at 7:55 a.m. and schedule to arrival at NRT Terminal 2 at 9:50 a.m. but likely a bus will arrive before 9:30 a.m. because it is Sunday morning. I do not want to suggest to take 7:55 a.m. Limousine Bus but on Sunday morning 6:50 a.m. Limousine Bus will likely arrive NRT Terminal 2 before 8:30 a.m., I will be not be surprise if a bus arrive Terminal 2 around 8:15 a.m. Once I took Limousine Bus to HND on Sunday morning because I had a luggage and the bus arrived at HND more than 40 min. before the schedule arrival time because there was no traffic on Sunday morning. Last year I took Limousine Bus from Shinjuku to NRT around noon on Sunday and arrived at NRT 30 min. before the schedule arrival time. Limousine Bus schedule has cushion added for weekdays rush hours and holiday traffic. This is the reason you really do not hear about people missing their flight on Limousine Bus.

For Narita Express, Narita Express No. 11 departing Tokyo on 8:30 a.m. will do, arriving at Terminal 2 station at 9:25 a.m. Be ready to depart hotel by 8:00 a.m.

callmedtop

I figured there was quite a bit of cushion - even being the first stop, 2 hours on a Sunday at 7am to NRT seems unlikely. That said, the 7:55a bus is a little too late for comfort, as if anything does happen and I arrive even just 'on time', I'd be cutting it relatively close for my flight, especially if I end up checking a bag. A 7:30a bus would be perfect, but of course that's not an opinion.

Thanks again to everyone for their opining. It seems like leaving the hotel at 8a for Tokyo Station and taking the No. 11 NEX at 8:30a is the best case scenario. Hopefully in the lounge by 9:45, and then boarding at 10:20.

5khours

That's definitely the best plan. Train is a lot more comfortable than a 2 hour bus ride. I might give yourself a little extra time to get to the train. In all likelihood, it will be 15 minutes from the hotel to platform, but IME things tend to go wrong if you cut it too close.

electriclarry

If you are only travelling with carry on the subway may be the best answer. Don't only look at a subway map, because if you do only in the small print will understand that subway Asakusa Line goes from Hanada to Narita. Yes I know you could ride with any of five train companies trains on the Narita portion. There is at least twice hour service. The cost with a change staying on the Toei lines should be around 1400 to 1500 yen if you use an IC card.

If you look on you tube checking 'Only in Japan Go ' you will see John Dubb's well produced video on using the Narita 1000 yen bus from Tokyo station.

CPH-Flyer

Take a 5 minute. Taxi to the ANA Intercontinental, from there, I have never experienced the limousine bus to take more than 60 minutes to Terminal 2. It runs every 30 minutes in the morning. My favourite way to get to Narita.

5khours

+1. That's what I used to always do. Now I usually take the Narita Express. Just as fast and a lot more comfortable... at least in Green Car.

CPH-Flyer

It really depends on where you start from. Since I'd need 15-20 minutes to get to the NEX, with a less reliable traffic situation, and thus need for more buffer time. Going from the office, the bus looses out to the NEX, again due to initial transport time.

5khours

Yep.