NRT to Tokyo by train and transport to Hotels

[Kyo]

The following example (calculated down to the minute) is for Narita - Hilton Shinjuku. It's described exactly as what I went through, so it was, at least for me, accurate. Your own mileage may vary.

Japanese trains, including the NEX run precisely on time. They are never early and they are never late.

The reason I missed my first ever flight was because I was on the wrong train in the opposite direction three years ago on the NEX through no fault of my own. Some of you have heard the story, some haven't. Not something I want to go into here.

I'll settle this debacle like so - official NEX booking engine receipt (remember, trains are ALWAYS on time, never early, never late):

[Reservation details]--------------------------------------------

-Date: Month:02, Day:23, Year:2010
-Train: Narita Express(Shinjuku) 5
-Boarding station: Shinjuku (06:51)
-Destination station: Narita Airport(Terminal 1) (08:10)
-Receipt Window: Shinjuku
-Receive Date: Month:02, Day:22, Year:2010
-Adult: 1 person(s)
-Child: 0 person(s)
-Seat type: Green (First-Class)
-Smoking preference: Non-Smoking (required)
-Window / Passageside: Window
-Part seat: No (Adjacent Seat Only)

Total travel time: 81 minutes precisely. Then you have to exit the station (finding the RIGHT exit nearest to your shuttle bus is also not as easy as it sounds for someone who hasn't done this before - there must be like six exits, and I had to ask the ticket control station), with luggage, presumably - find the correct shuttle bus stand , which is easily 10 minutes (91 mins now). You then have to wait for the bus to depart, which could be every 10-15 minutes (potentially 101-106 minutes now). Assume a time-saving of 5 minutes if you take a taxi immediately (86 minutes). The ride will take around 10 minutes, which is 96 minutes to a more likely 111-116 minutes. That's on the verge of hitting almost two hours door to door.

Here is a link to the NEX prices.

Here they are for easy reference:

Round-trip
5,500yen (regular) 8,000yen (Green/First-Class)

One-way
3,500yen (regular) 5,000yen (Green/First-Class)

And why isn't anyone mentioning the cost of a taxi from the station to the hotel (assuming Hilton Shinjuku)? 1,500 yen easily.

Limousine Bus: 3,000 yen flat-rate each way. The Hilton hotel concierge will also tell you 90 minutes, more or less depending on the traffic at the time of day (my example is for an early morning arrival/departure as I regularly take red-eye flights). Plus you don't have to go through the hassle of dragging your luggage in and out everywhere, up and down different platforms/levels. You arrive, you buy a ticket at the entrance, you wait for the bus (15 minute-intervals), you get on the bus, you arrive at your hotel entrance. And the buses are quite passable, I'd say - although I *am* surprised to hear the HUGE one doesn't hire a hotel car/limousine to ferry him to-and-from NRT, as we all know he normally lives LARGE..?

MAN Flyer, ask your brother to take the Limousine bus one-way and the NEX the other way. Let's see which one he prefers. That's what I did back in Feb and I'm recommending the Limo bus all the way. Cheaper, easier, and hardly uncomfortable.

I stand by my recommendation of the bus. It's been tested/tried and true. I also took the bus for the 4th time in the opposite direction to re-verify for my own future reference back in Feb.

[phaleesy]

The reason I missed my first ever flight was because I was on the wrong train in the opposite direction three years ago on the NEX through no fault of my own.

I stand by my recommendation of the bus. It's been tested/tried and true. I also took the bus for the 4th time in the opposite direction to re-verify for my own future reference back in Feb.

No fault of yours? Presumably you were on the right platform but the train driver decided to go the opposite direction?

I'd compare the departure times of both buses and trains on arrival before making a decision. Some bus departures are not that frequent but you could take the earliest departure to the nearest hotel in the vicinity and walk from there if you know your way around.

I think trains are a lot faster than buses from NRT during the evening rush hour.

I take the bus back to NRT sometimes because of the schedule of my flights. (Early morning departures, so it's always the first limo bus)

If you don't know your way around and have a lot of luggage, take the bus. Sit like a lemon and be chauffeured door to door. Shinjuku can be rather scary for the uninitiated. You'd have to lug your suitcases up and down the stairs at certain stations - can't remember about SHinjuku.

[Dent@SUB]

The following example (calculated down to the minute) is for Narita - Hilton Shinjuku. It's described exactly as what I went through, so it was, at least for me, accurate. Your own mileage may vary.

Japanese trains, including the NEX run precisely on time. They are never early and they are never late.

The reason I missed my first ever flight was because I was on the wrong train in the opposite direction three years ago on the NEX through no fault of my own. Some of you have heard the story, some haven't. Not something I want to go into here.

I'll settle this debacle like so - official NEX booking engine receipt (remember, trains are ALWAYS on time, never early, never late):

[Reservation details]--------------------------------------------

-Date: Month:02, Day:23, Year:2010
-Train: Narita Express(Shinjuku) 5
-Boarding station: Shinjuku (06:51)
-Destination station: Narita Airport(Terminal 1) (08:10)
-Receipt Window: Shinjuku
-Receive Date: Month:02, Day:22, Year:2010
-Adult: 1 person(s)
-Child: 0 person(s)
-Seat type: Green (First-Class)
-Smoking preference: Non-Smoking (required)
-Window / Passageside: Window
-Part seat: No (Adjacent Seat Only)

Total travel time: 81 minutes precisely. Then you have to exit the station (finding the RIGHT exit nearest to your shuttle bus is also not as easy as it sounds for someone who hasn't done this before - there must be like six exits, and I had to ask the ticket control station), with luggage, presumably - find the correct shuttle bus stand , which is easily 10 minutes (91 mins now). You then have to wait for the bus to depart, which could be every 10-15 minutes (potentially 101-106 minutes now). Assume a time-saving of 5 minutes if you take a taxi immediately (86 minutes). The ride will take around 10 minutes, which is 96 minutes to a more likely 111-116 minutes. That's on the verge of hitting almost two hours door to door.

Here is a link to the NEX prices.

Here they are for easy reference:

Round-trip
5,500yen (regular) 8,000yen (Green/First-Class)

One-way
3,500yen (regular) 5,000yen (Green/First-Class)

And why isn't anyone mentioning the cost of a taxi from the station to the hotel (assuming Hilton Shinjuku)? 1,500 yen easily.

Limousine Bus: 3,000 yen flat-rate each way. The Hilton hotel concierge will also tell you 90 minutes, more or less depending on the traffic at the time of day (my example is for an early morning arrival/departure as I regularly take red-eye flights). Plus you don't have to go through the hassle of dragging your luggage in and out everywhere, up and down different platforms/levels. You arrive, you buy a ticket at the entrance, you wait for the bus (15 minute-intervals), you get on the bus, you arrive at your hotel entrance. And the buses are quite passable, I'd say - although I *am* surprised to hear the HUGE one doesn't hire a hotel car/limousine to ferry him to-and-from NRT, as we all know he normally lives LARGE..?

MAN Flyer, ask your brother to take the Limousine bus one-way and the NEX the other way. Let's see which one he prefers. That's what I did back in Feb and I'm recommending the Limo bus all the way. Cheaper, easier, and hardly uncomfortable.

I stand by my recommendation of the bus. It's been tested/tried and true. I also took the bus for the 4th time in the opposite direction to re-verify for my own future reference back in Feb.

+1 for the Bus...

[Kyo]

No fault of yours? Presumably you were on the right platform but the train driver decided to go the opposite direction?

Yes, no fault of mine - I've told you the reason previously, so I don't think it's necessary me repeating it in public.

I take the bus back to NRT sometimes because of the schedule of my flights. (Early morning departures, so it's always the first limo bus)

Sounds like another vote for the bus.

If you don't know your way around and have a lot of luggage, take the bus. Sit like a lemon and be chauffeured door to door. Shinjuku can be rather scary for the uninitiated. You'd have to lug your suitcases up and down the stairs at certain stations - can't remember about SHinjuku.

Yes, you definitely have to lug your luggage up/down stairs at Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station and Shinjuku Station. And zig-zag in the tunnels beneath...

[HUGE AL]

Here is a link to the NEX prices.

Here they are for easy reference:

Round-trip
5,500yen (regular) 8,000yen (Green/First-Class)

One-way
3,500yen (regular) 5,000yen (Green/First-Class)

Do keep in mind that these quoted prices include a ¥2,000 Suica Card.


Who in the world takes the train back to NRT?

[Kyo]

Do keep in mind that these quoted prices include a ¥2,000 Suica Card.

Who in the world takes the train back to NRT?

Oh that's right, they could just permanently stay in Japan.

[SQ218]

If you don't know your way around and have a lot of luggage, take the bus. Sit like a lemon and be chauffeured door to door. Shinjuku can be rather scary for the uninitiated. You'd have to lug your suitcases up and down the stairs at certain stations - can't remember about SHinjuku.

Yes, you definitely have to lug your luggage up/down stairs at Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station and Shinjuku Station. And zig-zag in the tunnels beneath...[/QUOTE]

I was there in March. If you use the New South Entrance of Shinjuku, all you need to do is take the escalator up into the entrance and the NEX platform is only like 10 meters from the ticketing barrier on the left give or take a meter or two. Platform 5 & 6 for Narita Airport. Funny thing is the escalator takes you down the stairs and you have to walk up the stairs if you are arriving.

Shinjuku Station layout guide

[phaleesy]

Yes, no fault of mine - I've told you the reason previously, so I don't think it's necessary me repeating it in public.

The way I see it – you took the wrong train from the wrong platform. Unless the JR station had put the wrong platform number on the destination board, or the destination signage on both the train and the board were wrong, or a JR staff had given you that wrong information, it was nobody’s fault but yours.

I have no recollection of what you’ve told me before. I am bombarded with information every day – people tell me how much they earn, how often and when they last had sex, what they eat, their health concerns, wedding plans, car problems, childcare issues, shopping, holidays, FFPs, flight details, hotel stays, latest conquests… I cannot retain everyone’s trivial matters in my little brain!

[HUGE AL]

Yes, you definitely have to lug your luggage up/down stairs at Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station and Shinjuku Station. And zig-zag in the tunnels beneath...

I was there in March. If you use the New South Entrance of Shinjuku, all you need to do is take the escalator up into the entrance and the NEX platform is only like 10 meters from the ticketing barrier on the left give or take a meter or two. Platform 5 & 6 for Narita Airport. Funny thing is the escalator takes you down the stairs and you have to walk up the stairs if you are arriving.

Shinjuku Station layout guide

I don't necessarily call wheeling your luggage around the station on escalators and elevators "lugging one's luggage." Shinjuku is large, but extremely abundant with signs and ease of use. Tons of people use NEX every day. To make them walk up and down stairs with luggage wouldn't make any sense.

[Kyo]

I have no recollection of what you’ve told me before.

I won't be repeating it in public, but I'll clarify this with you next time I see you. You've forgotten, simple...

[StarG]

I have never taken the NEX before, so I can only say that the Limousine Bus is very convenient and IMHO comfortable enough for the journey. The last time I took a taxi from NRT to town was in 1997 when I didn't know better.

[Singapore Sling]

people tell me how often and when they last had sex.

I also get that quite a lot, people come up to me and start talking about their sex lives. But I have learnt a lot in the process.

As to lugging your luggage up/down stairs/escalators. Both stations do have elevators, which are well sign.

You could also use the Door-to-door delivery services (takuhaibin) for any luggage at the airport, if you don`t need your luggage straight away at the hotel.

[phaleesy]

As to lugging your luggage up/down stairs/escalators. Both stations do have elevators, which are well sign.

Thinking about it, I'm fairly sure now that Shinjuku has elevators but there might not have been escalators going up. Just need to walk up and down the platform to look for the elevators.

But there are many stations where one has to lug the luggage up and down the stairs. This is only a problem if one is travelling on a railpass across Japan and doing several interchanges during the trip.

But a straight forward journey like NRT-Shinjuku is easy really.

[SQTalked]

Hi all, how's that for a nick?

Off to Tokyo Haneda next week. First trip to Japan. I am guessing Limobus ICN style. Don't fancy changing trains. Or would cabs work out cheaper for two?

Will decide on hotel very shortly. Shibuya or Shinjuku for 5 nights? Any recommendations?

Is a day trip to Kyoto workable? Do we book the Shinkansen tickets in advance or purchase at station (without being murder on price UK style.)

Cheerio.

[jhm]

Welcome to SQTalk, SQTalked!

Off to Tokyo Haneda next week. First trip to Japan. I am guessing Limobus ICN style. Don't fancy changing trains. Or would cabs work out cheaper for two?

According to this, a limo bus from Haneda will cost JPY 1,000 each to Shibuya and JPY 1,200 each to Shinjuku. Given that, I think the bus will still be cheaper than taxi (leaving aside getting caught in traffic which will push up the taxi cost even more).

Is a day trip to Kyoto workable? Do we book the Shinkansen tickets in advance or purchase at station (without being murder on price UK style.)

It's workable only in the sense that it'll take you 2-3 hours each way by Shinkansen and cost about £150-200 for a return each (regardless of when you purchase). A bus is much cheaper but that takes about 7-8 hours.