Any suggestions for 3 hours at Narita- have no lounge access and have 2 teenagers. Help!!!

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Well, can't recommend a couple Valium- but be sure to bring lots of aspirin or Tylenol!

Check out the planes taking off and landing on the flight deck- or grab a few beers!
You know the Japanese make a few excellent dry beers
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/001099.html

Three hr isn't much time: get a snack and wander around the terminal a bit, that's about all you'll be able to do.

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Cheers
Michael *G

If you are adventurous, three hours is plenty of time to clear immigration, go to the train station in the basement of NRT, hop on the LOCAL train (NOT "NEX", Narita Express) to Narita town (10 minutes, 400 yen), and wander around for 45 minutes.

I love Japan, but hate Narita. You might wish to visit one of the food & beverage outlets or duty free shops. Did I mention that I hate Narita?

I always feel like John Belushi in the Samuri sketches from Saturday Night Live when I'm at Narita or transiting to/from Nartita.

See if you can get an one-day pass to any of the lounges - it's worth it!

As others have said, there isn't much to do at all at NRT itself, and Tokyo proper is too far away to risk it if you only have three hours.

I'd second the opinion that you might try to get a special one day pass for a lounge...at least then you can make calls, use laptop to check email, or maybe entertain your kids with games on your laptop headphones/earbuds required for sound, of course! :-).

-b-

Narita airport gives you an impression old and boring if you are flying a foreign carrier. Why don't you try to take a bus and go to a new terminal where JAL planes land ( I think that is Terminal 1, I am not sure)? The building is brighter and newer. There are at least some restaurants, book shops, post offices, and etc. I don't recommend to get out the airport unless you are comfortable with the public transportation there. (believe me, it is very complicated for foreigners...) from native Japanese

I'd go to Narita, except that I think you have to re-pay the airport tax ( hefty) if you go through customs/immigration again. But I agree that you'd have to be a little familiar with the train system in Japan. Tokyo is definitely too far.

I think it is Y250 o/w to go to Narita which you will need cash for. At the ticket machine, touch the line you want (Keisei) and then punch the Y250 button that corresponds to travelling to Narita (there are signs on the machine), or get one from the ticket counter. People seem to be very helpful even if you mess up and they don't speak English. There are ATM's at the airport if you need yen. Once in Narita town, you can walk along the main strip and get something to eat. There is an awesome graveyard which is really small. 3hrs is definitely enough time as the trains leave every 20 minutes in both directions and take only ten minutes or so between either NRT stop and Narita town. Just look at the sign while exiting Narita station to see when the next few airport bound trains depart. I think they depart on platform 5. Since you are connecting, you might risk going back quite late and running to your gate. They might hold the flight (at least for a few minutes) since they know you are around and expecting you! I did not have to pay the airport departure tax the last two times I did this although it may have changed since this was in January. I never thought to check out the JAL terminal and this also sounds like a great idea!

Thanks y'all. I can't say that I am looking forward to my Narita layover. Sounds like "better living thru chemistry" or lounge passes are the way to go. Any sympathetic lounge donors out there? This is a 30th anniversary celebration.

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