As your trip to Tokyo comes to a close, you’ll likely end up travelling to either Narita or Haneda Airport as your final stop before leaving the country. My trip this time ends with Narita Airport, and there’s a few different ways to make the journey there – from local subway lines to express trains bound directly for the airport.
I’ve been travelling with the Japan Rail Pass this time, and since the Narita Express (N’EX) is included in the pass (and is one of the fastest ways to get to Narita Airport), I obviously went for that. But since the N’EX is reservation-only, how does one go about to grab tickets for it, and how’s the overall N’EX experience? And what if you don’t have a pass? How much does a N’EX ticket cost compared to the other options? Let’s find out, then. How Good Is the Narita Express Actually?
Side Note: This Narita Express review is Part 3 of my JR Pass review series. You can check out my previous reviews here to see if the pass is worth the money for you:
Part 1: Tokyo to Osaka & Kobe
Part 2: Osaka to Kyoto & Tokyo
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💬 Where N’EX Services 💬
The Narita Express services between a few stations – starting off at either Shinjuku or Ofuna Station, then stopping at Tokyo Station, Chiba Station (some trains only,) then finally reaching its destination at Narita Airport (Terminal 1, Terminal 2 & 3.)
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✉️ Reserving your Narita Express Tickets ✉️
Unlike the Shinkansen, where seat reservations are optional (but highly recommended), taking the Narita Express requires you to book your seats in advance. You can book your tickets at any JR Service Counter, Ticket Office, or Ticket Machine. Just present your JR Pass and let them know you want to reserve a ride to Narita Airport via the N’EX.
If you’re not too sure on when to head out to Narita Airport, I recommend you make a reservation at either the Service Counter or Ticket Office (rather than the ticketing machine.) Over there, the staff will guide you through a timetable of the train’s schedule, so you can figure out how much time you can spend at Tokyo before making the trip.
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⏱ Comparison – Travel Times ⏱
Narita Airport is around 80 km away from the main Tokyo area, so the most cost-effective forms of transport will all be by train. Here are some of the direct routes to Narita Airport starting from the Tokyo area.
🚅 Narita Express from Tokyo Station – 50 minutes 🚅
(¥3,070 / ¥4,070 with round-trip ticket / Included in JR Pass)
🚅 JR Sobu Line (Rapid) From Tokyo Station – 1 hour 24 minutes 🚅
(¥1,340 / Included in JR Pass)
🚅 Keisei Skyliner from Keisei Ueno or Nippori Station – 41 or 36 minutes 🚅
(¥2,570)
🚅 Keisei Limited Express from Keisei Ueno/Nippori Station – 1 hour 22 minutes 🚅
(¥1,030)
Which option you choose here will depend on your location, budget, and available time. But if you have a JR Pass, the costs for the Narita Express and JR Sobu Line are covered, so take those options if you have the pass. (Prioritize N’EX of course, since that’s the faster option.)
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🚆 Heading to Tokyo Station 🚆
My hotel was around the Ueno area, so I had to take a quick train ride over to Tokyo station before riding the N’EX.
So after meeting up with my friend and entering the ticket gates, I boarded the JR Yamanote Line (included in your JR Pass) and took the 4 stop / 7 minute ride to Tokyo Station.
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🍣 Side Note – Arisozushi at Tokyo Station 🍣
Full Review: Arisozushi
If you arrive at Tokyo Station early and want to take a quick stop before the N’EX ride, you can find a few snack shops and restaurants within the station. I didn’t have breakfast yet that day, so for my final meal, my friend and I went for a bite at Arisozushi – located on the 1st floor inside the Gransta Tokyo area. The sushi here was actually really nice, and a great way to end my trip to Japan.
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🚆 Boarding the Narita Express 🚆
Now that you’ve arrived at Tokyo Station, follow the signs toward the Narita Express, and take the escalator down to the train platform.
From there, hop into the train and head to your seat (as shown on your N’EX ticket).
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🚅 Narita Express Overview 🚅
The ride to Narita Airport from Tokyo Station should roughly take around 50 minutes, with some trains making a quick stop at Chiba station.
As for the train ride experience? It’s surprisingly nice. The leg room – while not as massive as the Shinkansen – is spacious enough that you’ll likely won’t bump into the front seat.
And alongside a foldable table, you can also find power outlets by your seat should you need to charge up. And their free wifi? Based on my experience, I was able to watch a few YouTube videos without any issues at all. (So I guess it’s really good?)
And as for your luggage? You have the overhead shelf and the front of your seat for smaller luggages. For larger ones, you can find luggage storage compartments in front of each train car, so make sure to drop your bags (and secure them with the included dial locks) before heading to your seat.
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⏱ Terminal 1, 2, and 3 ⏱
Like a lot of larger airports, Narita Airport is separated into a few terminals, so make sure to find out which terminal your airline is at before you arrive. The N’EX doesn’t service Terminal 3, however, so if your flight is from there, you’ll need transfer from Terminal 2 either via walking through the Access Corridor (10 mins), or via their free shuttle bus (3 mins).
Find out which terminal your airline is at here: https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/t_info
And if you end up at the wrong terminal, you can also take the shuttle bus between terminals 1-3.
T3→T2: 3 mins
T2→T1: 10 mins
T1→T3: 14 mins
Do note that their shuttle bus from Terminal 1 and 2 only goes one way, so if you end up in Terminal 1 when you’re supposed to be at 2, you’re looking at a close to 20 minute travel time, so make sure to exit at the right terminal.
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🚆 Arriving at Narita Station 🚆
Once you’ve arrived at your terminal at Narita, hop out of your train and take the escalator up towards the station platform.
Scan out of the metro gates, and take another set of escalators to the airport.
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✈️ At Narita Airport ✈️
Now that you’re at Narita Airport, head over to the check-in counter and you’re just about ready to head towards the departure gate.
Check-in counters can be found on the 4th Floor for Terminal 1, 3rd Floor for Terminal 2, 2nd Floor for Terminal 3 – confusing, right?
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🛫 Inside Narita Airport 🛫
Once you pass immigration , you can now make way towards your flight’s departure gate.
If you have the time, you could always stop by the souvenir and snack shops throughout the terminal for some literal last-minute shopping.
Other than that, everything else from here is like any other airport – board the airplane and you’re on your way back home.
Side Note: You can also find drink vending machines throughout the airport. If you want to offload your coins before the end of the trip, why not use ‘em here and get some drinks as well!
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is the Narita Express (using the Japan Rail Pass) actually? Obviously don’t get the ¥50,000 pass just to ride the N’EX, that’s an easy way to lose money. Jokes aside, if you’re using the JR Pass during your stay in Japan, I see no reason why you shouldn’t take the N’EX to Narita Airport. A one-way trip to Narita is around ¥3,000, so be sure to include that in your calculations as you make your decision whether or not to buy the pass.
As for the Narita Express by itself? Yeah, the service is great – not to mention that it’s one of the fastest ways to get to Narita.
It’s not overly expensive without the JR Pass (even better with the round trip discount), so when you’re choosing how to head back to the airport, if you want to maximize your time in Japan and don’t mind the slight extra cost, then the N’EX is the way to go.
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