How To Catch The Keisei Line At Narita Airport

Above, the Keisei Line Ticket Counter at Narita Airport's Terminal One. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whenever I've traveled to Japan, my arrivals and departures have always been at Narita Airport.

Depending on where I am staying in Tokyo, I'll either use the JR Narita Express or the the Keisei Line.

The last time I used the Keisei Line didn't work out too well. But it wasn't the line's fault. An unusually heavy snowstorm hit Japan the same day as I arrived. It was the biggest snowstorm in years and I ended up being stuck in a Keisei Line train car for about 22 hours at a Chiba Prefecture train station as snow prevented the train from proceeding to Tokyo.

Above, Keisei Line trains snowed in at a station in Chiba Prefecture in 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tokyo Cheapo has an article on how to catch the Keisei Line from Narita Airport.

They begin with:

If you’re going to be taking the Keisei Line from Narita Airport to your accommodation in Tokyo, you might want to give this walk-through a read first. To make your experience as smooth and stress-free as possible, we’ve put together a guide on getting from Point A (the Arrivals hall) to Point B (your destination). Let’s go! 

What a lot of travelers to Tokyo don’t realize is that Narita Airport is actually in Chiba—that’s the next prefecture over. Getting from the airport, which is out in the sticks, to the big city can take a little longer and be a bit more complex than expected. Luckily, both the Keisei Line and Japan Railways run trains throughout the day, including dedicated airport expresses. If you’re happy to pay for speed, Keisei’s fastest option, the Skyliner, can get you to downtown Tokyo in as little as 41 minutes. There are also a number of other ways to get from Narita to Tokyo.

To read more, go here.

Trains and Buses Compete For Passengers On Tokyo-Narita Route

Above, the Keisei Skyliner at Terminal One of Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's nothing like good, old fashioned competition for your travel dollars, or rather, yen.

Tourism to Japan has been on the rise for the past several years and with the 2020 Olympics coming to Tokyo next year, various transportation companies are in competition for the tourist's business. This includes trains and buses to and from Narita Airport and Tokyo.

Japan Today has an article on this and they begin it with:

TOKYO - In the run-up to next year's anticipated rise in international travel demand, last month, the curfew on landings at Narita Airport was extended to midnight. 

Weekly Playboy (Nov 25) also noted that the Keisei Railway Co introduced a new schedule from Oct 26, in which the number of Skyliner special expresses running between the Narita airport terminals and Keisei Ueno Station would be increased 1.4-fold, effectively shortening waiting time between train departures from 40 minutes to 20. 

This new development has not escaped notice of JR East, operator of the Narita Express trains,  which service the capital at 30-minute intervals. 

A writer who covers rail transport tells the magazine that Keisei clearly has the upper hand. 

"Connections by the Skyliner from Keisei Ueno to Narita Terminal 1 take 43 minutes, at a cost of 2,520 yen," he points out. "In contrast, a ticket from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport takes 53 minutes and costs 3,070 yen. Keisei has always been faster, but now with increased frequency, they've become the train of choice." 

The newly introduced aerodynamic 3100-type Skyliner cars boast a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour, making them the fastest non-Shinkansen trains in Japan.

Above, a Narita Express car at Terminal One of Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have used both the Keisei Lines and the Narita Express several times over the years. I really depends upon where in Tokyo I am staying at when I choose which train line. If I stay in the Ueno/Asakusa area, I'll use the Keisei trains. If I am staying elsewhere in Tokyo, I'll use the Narita Express.

To read more, go here. 

Narita Airport Gets Midnight Trains To Tokyo

Above, a Keisei Skyliner train at Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who have a late arrival at Narita Airport will soon be able to take a midnight train into Tokyo. Bus lines will also have later departures.

According to Nikkei Asian Review:

TOKYO -- Train and bus operators announced on Thursday plans to run more nighttime trips between Narita Airport and nearby Tokyo and Chiba to accommodate travelers taking advantage of the hub's service extension this fall. 

Narita, which now lets aircraft take off and land until 11 p.m., will push this back to midnight in late October. Both travelers and staff will need ways to get to and from the airport at that hour. 

Keisei Electric Railway's Skyliner express train to downtown Tokyo will add an 11:20 p.m. departure from Narita. A new timetable going into effect Oct. 26 will boost the number of daily trips by 40% to 41 in each direction, with about 20 minutes between each. 

The company will expand service on its regular line as well. Trains that had terminated at Keisei Narita Station will continue on to Narita Airport, meaning that the last train to the airport will be almost half an hour later than under the current schedule.

To read more, go here. 

Getting To Tokyo From Narita Airport

Above, inside a Narita Express train car. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Here's something useful for newbies as well as for experienced visitors to Japan.

Tokyo Cheapo has posted an article on how to get to Tokyo from Narita Airport and what each mode of transportation costs.

Generally, I use the Narita Express (N'EX) or, depending upon where I'm staying in Tokyo, the Keisei Line or Keisei Skyliner.

They begin their article with:

For newcomers to Tokyo, it can come as quite a surprise that Tokyo’s main international gateway—Narita Airport (NRT)—is not really very close to Tokyo at all. In fact, this Tokyo airport is so rural and remote that the view on the first part of the train journey from Narita to Tokyo is predominantly of rice paddies—oh, and a faux-Dutch windmill. In more practical terms, you’re looking at a distance of about 80 km from Narita Airport to Shibuya Crossing. 

As Tokyo is such a vast city, there’s no “one size fits all” answer as to which method or route is cheapest/best for getting from Narita to your accommodation. However, for certain major locations in Tokyo, it might help to have a look at our mini guides—they cover the fastest, cheapest and easiest transport options. You’ll find more general route information below, including bus and train prices.

To read more, go here. 

Getting From Narita Airport To Tokyo, The Cheapest

Above, inside a Narita Express train car. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Most people who travel to Japan from the U.S. generally fly into Narita International Airport. But, Haneda Airport in Tokyo is increasing its international service.

Narita International Airport is about an hour outside of Tokyo in "the sticks" of Chiba Prefecture. After landing, going through Immigration and Customs, one has to find a way into Tokyo.

Fortunately, there are many ways to do so and Tokyo Cheapo has an article on each one and which is the cheapest. Personally, I use either the Narita Express or the Keisei Line trains.

They begin with:

For newcomers to Tokyo, it can come as quite a surprise that Tokyo’s main international gateway—Narita Airport—is not really very close to Tokyo at all. In fact, it’s so rural and remote that the view on the first part of the train journey from Narita to Tokyo is predominantly of rice paddies—oh, and a faux-Dutch windmill. 

As Tokyo is such a vast city, there’s no “one size fits all” answer as to which method or route is cheapest/best. However, for certain major locations in Tokyo, it might help to have a look at our mini guides—they cover the fastest, cheapest and easiest transport options: 

• Narita to Shibuya
• Narita to Shinjuku
• Narita to Roppongi
• Narita to Ikebukuro
• Narita to Ueno
• Narita to Asakusa
• Narita to Disney

To read more, go here. 

Misconceptions About Japan's Trains

Above, a Keisei Line train stopped at a Chiba Prefecture station due to snow in 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the joys of visiting Japan is riding their trains (except during rush hour) . 

Trains vary from high-speed bullet trains (shinkansen) to older steam locomotives. Japan Today has an article the clears up five misconceptions about Japan's trains.

It begins with:

TOKYO - Japan is a train lovers paradise, but some trains are a bit more difficult to love. 

Japanese trains are famous all over the world for being high-tech, lightning fast, impossibly punctual and cramming passengers into the cars like Tetris blocks. But what if I told you this was only a half truth? 

A capital city is never a reflection of the entire nation. My home country of England is so much more than just London and Japan is so much more than just Tokyo. The trains may be a nightmare scrum in the metropolis, but the majority of Japan has a much lower population and thus the trains — and the way people ride them — are different in a variety of ways.

To read more, go here. 

Cheapest Transport To and From Narita Airport

Above, the Keisei Skyliner. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those of you who are flying to Tokyo and are landing at Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture, there are a number of ways of getting transported from the airport to Tokyo (and vice-versa).

Of the transports available, I have used the Narita Express and the Keisei Line trains. In 2014, I was going to try the Keisei Skyliner, but heavy snows shut down the train. I then took the regular Keisei Line, but made it only halfway to Tokyo before those same snows shut that train down. I didn't get to my hotel until 22 hours after landing.

Above, the Narita Express. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There are other ways of being transported to and from Tokyo and Tokyo Cheapo has posted a comprehensive guide to all of them.

They begin with:

For newcomers to Tokyo, it can come as quite a surprise that Tokyo’s main international gateway—Narita Airport—is not really very close to Tokyo at all. In fact, it’s so rural and remote that the view on the first part of the train journey from Narita to Tokyo is predominantly of rice paddies—oh, and a faux-Dutch windmill. 

As Tokyo is such a vast city, there’s no “one size fits all” answer as to which method or route is cheapest/best. However, for certain major locations in Tokyo, it might help to have a look at our mini guides—they cover the fastest, cheapest and easiest transport options.

To read the guide, go here. 

Tokyo Saw Heaviest Snow Since 2014

Above, snow covers streets near the Chiba Prefecture train station I was stopped at in February 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It doesn't seem like four years have passed since I experienced two heavy snowstorms in Japan. That kind of experience does not leave the mind that easily.

It was then that I had to wait nearly 24 hours in a Keisei Line train car in Chiba Prefecture while heading into Tokyo from Narita Airport. The train was stopped at a train station as heavy snows covered the tracks.

Above, with the Skytree in the background, snow covers the streets in Tokyo's
Kappabashi "Kitchen Town" district in February 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A snowstorm on January 23 was the heaviest since those February 2014 snowstorms.

According to Kyodo News:

Tokyo woke up on Jan. 23 to over 20 centimeters of snow that had accumulated from the previous day, with the heaviest snowfall in four years disrupting business and traffic, and leaving about 360 people injured across the Japanese capital. 

Snow began falling on Jan. 22 and triggered a heavy snow warning for Tokyo for the first time since February 2014.

To read more, go here.

"How To Catch The Keisei Line From Narita"

Above, the Keisei Line ticket counter below Terminal One at Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whenever I book a room at my preferred hotel in Tokyo, the Hotel Asia Center of Japan, I generally take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station rom Narita Airport to catch a connecting subway to my hotel. If no rooms are available there (due to different reasons), I have stayed in the Ueno or Asakusa areas of Tokyo. This happened the last two times I visited Japan. If this is the case, I would take the Keisei Line from Narita to Ueno Station and take a quick cab ride to my hotel either in Ueno or Asakusa.

Above, the Keisei Skyliner. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The most memorable ride I had on the Keisei Line was in February 2014 when I was stuck nearly for 24 hours on a Keisei Line train midway between Narita Airport and Tokyo due to an unusually heavy snowstorm that arrived almost at the same time as I did.

Above, the Keisei Line train I was stuck in due to a heavy snowstorm. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tokyo Cheapo has an article on "How To Catch The Keisei Line From Narita".

It starts with:

If you’re going to be taking the Keisei Line from Narita Airport to your accommodation in Tokyo, you might want to give this walk-through a read first. To make your experience as smooth and stress-free as possible, we’ve put together a guide on getting from Point A (the Arrivals hall) to Point B (your destination). Let’s go! 

What a lot of travelers to Tokyo don’t realize is that Narita Airport is actually in Chiba—that’s the next prefecture over. Getting from the airport, which is out in the sticks, to the big city can take a little longer and be a bit more complex than expected. Luckily, both the Keisei Line and Japan Railways run trains throughout the day, including dedicated airport expresses. If you’re happy to pay for speed, Keisei’s fastest option, the Skyliner, can get you to downtown Tokyo in as little as 41 minutes. There are also a number of other ways to get from Narita to Tokyo.

To read the article, go here. 

Keisei Skyliner Tops 20 Million Passengers

Above, the Keisei Skyliner at Narita Airport's Terminal One. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Keisei Skyliner train that connects Narita International Airport and Tokyo has reached the milestone of 20 million passengers.

According to the Japan Times:

NARITA, CHIBA PREF. – The number of rail passengers using Keisei Electric Railway Co.’s latest Skyliner route topped 20 million on Tuesday, after just over six years of service. 

The train travels the 70 km from central Tokyo to Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture in as little as 36 minutes.

To read more, go here. 

Snow In Japan

Above, workers measuring the snow on the train tracks in Chiba Prefecture in February 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This has a familiar ring to it.

Japan Today reported that a snowstorm caused problems throughout eastern and northeastern Japan (including Tokyo) today.

They wrote:

TOKYO —Heavy snow hit many areas of eastern and northeastern Japan on Monday, including downtown Tokyo and other locations usually unaccustomed to snowfall, resulting in injuries to hundreds of people and disruptions to transport systems. 

The weather, caused by an atmospheric low pressure system that moved along Japan’s Pacific coast, led to around 250 injuries chiefly due to falls on slippery roads and other accidents, according to a Kyodo News tally. In Tokyo alone, which saw up to 6 centimeters of snow, more than 40 people were taken to hospitals with injuries.

Regular readers of this blog know that in February 2014, I arrived in Japan at the same time that the first of two heavy snowstorms hit the country. I got stuck in the Keisei Line train midway between Narita International Airport and Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture. I didn't reach my hotel until 22 hours after landing.

To read more, go here.

Japan Info: "The 6 Best Things To Do During Winter In Japan"

Above, two Keisei Line trans stranded midway between Tokyo and Narita Airport due to snow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who are contemplating a winter vacation in Japan, there are things to do that only the winter season will allow for.

Japan Info has listed six of them in, "The 6 Best Things To Do During Winter In Japan".

It begins with:

Winter in Japan is not just about skiing or snow. For some, it may even just be a season of snow shoveling and endless layering of clothes. But just so you know, adventures and fun do not cease in winter in Japan. Each season has its own beauty and surprises that everyone enjoys, and winter is no exception. There are a lot of things that you can do in Japan during this season. I know you can’t wait to know them, so let’s get started!

Being stranded in a Keisei Line train in Chiba Prefecture between Narita International Airport due to unusually heavy snow, as I was last year, is definitely not one of the six items.

To see what they are, go here. 

Should You Visit Japan On A Winter Vacation?

Above, Tokyo after a snowstorm in February 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Should you visit Japan on a winter vacation?

That's the question Purple Pen In Japan addresses in an article giving the pros and cons of a winter vacation in Japan.

I did it last year and, to say the least, the experience was very interesting. I was stuck for hours aboard a Keisei Line train in between Narita International Airport and Tokyo due to a heavy snowstorm after arriving in Japan.

But, Japan does offer some great skiing, if you are a skier.

The article begins with:

And we're at the end of another year. Where did the year go? Time flew so fast!
It's winter again, my 4th and last winter in Japan. How I survived the last three winters amazes me. 

Anyway, a couple of people have asked me if winter vacation is good time to visit Japan. I'd like to say, it depends but I'd be required to give more explanations. So, I just wrote them the pros and cons of visiting Japan in winter. I'll share here what I wrote to them. 

To read more, go here.

By the way, the article includes a cute photo of a Japanese woman bathing in an onsen with some friends.

How To Get To Tokyo From Narita Cheaply

Above, the Keisei Line's ticket counter. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Everybody likes to save money, right? Most do, especially on transportation costs.

Fortunately, Tokyo Cheapo has an article on the most inexpensive means to reaching Tokyo from Narita International Airport.

They begin with:

While finding the cheapest transport to get from Narita to Tokyo is a worthy quest in itself, it has become more important because of the arrival of low-cost carriers like Jetstar Japan—which use Narita as their base of operations for domestic flights out of Tokyo.  Some of the fares are cheap enough to make tourists coming to Japan consider whether they should get the JR Pass or just book a couple of flights on an LCC. However, since Narita Airport is not right in the middle of Tokyo (like the much more conveniently located Haneda Airport) transport fees to and from Tokyo should be factored into your overall costs.

To see what are the cheapest means of reaching Tokyo from Narita, go here.

April 15 Blog Post Pick-ups

The fine folks at The Japan Daily picked up three blog posts for sharing with their readers.

They are:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

Keisei Free Wi-Fi For Foreign Visitors

Above, the Keisei Skyliner at Narita International Airport Terminal One. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's good news for foreign visitors to Tokyo. The Keisei Electric Railway Co. has free WiFi for foreign visitors.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO):

Starting 8 April 2015 Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. has introduced a free Wi-Fi service for foreign visitors. The Keisei network includes the Skyliner, which connects Narita International Airport with downtown Tokyo. The network also includes connections to many popular sightseeing spots including Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, the Ueno district and TOKYO SKYTREE. 

Keisei also offers a route search service for foreign visitors to Japan on the foreign language section of the Keisei website, which provides access information to and from Narita Airport.

For details, go here. 

Narita Airport Budget Shuttle Buses

Above, train and bus ticket counters at Narita International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whenever I've traveled to Japan, I've always flown into Narita International Airport and taken either the Narita Express or the Keisei Line trains into Tokyo (which are under an hour's ride).

However, there are also shuttle bus services available that are much cheaper than the aforementioned train lines.

Rocket News 24 reviews both budget bus services. So if you are not in a hurry to get into Tokyo or want to save money, these alternatives may be to your liking.

They begin their article with:

Most tourists to Japan will come in and out through Tokyo’s Narita Airport. But like many international airports, Narita is not exactly on the doorstep of a major destination city, and travellers headed for Tokyo will usually make the 60-kilometer (36-mile) journey to the metropolis via the Narita Express, a high-speed rail service with a single-trip fare of 3020 yen (US $25.34). 

What’s perhaps less well-known is there are two budget bus services that take you from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station for as little as 900 yen. Tokyo Shuttle and The Access Narita seem to offer similar airport shuttle services, but which is the better option?  And can they match the Narita Express in comfort and convenience? We sent one of our Japanese reporters to test out both services and find out!

To read more, go here. 

Narita International Airport To Open "Fast Lane" For Travelers In A Rush

Above, the meeting point for arriving passengers after they have cleared Immigration,
Customs and Baggare in Narita Airport's Terminal One Arrival Lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Narita International Airport may be way out in the boonies from Tokyo, but I have always found it very efficient.

From the time of landing to going through Immigration, Customs and Baggage, I usually get through the process in less than an hour. Which is not bad.

The only real problem with Narita is the long walk from the gates and the necessity of taking multiple flights of escalators to get to the Immigration windows and, if multiple flights have arrived, the long lines at the Immigration officer's desk.

For some people, Narita's normal efficiency may not be fast enough for them and they are in a hurry. So, to remedy this, the airport will open a "fast lane" for those passengers.

According to Japan Today:

TOKYO —Narita airport authorities plan to establish a special lane intended to decrease the amount of time spent in the airport for individuals visiting or leaving the country for conferences, meetings or other time sensitive activities. 

In what will be Japan’s first airport “fast lane,” incoming passengers who are participating in international diplomacy conferences, and other people with similarly time-sensitive schedules, will all be able to utilize the lane not available to other passengers in order to speed up the immigration process at the airport, Sankei Shimbun reported Wednesday. 

Although such lines have been available for some time in the West, following a request for the establishment of such lanes from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, Narita officials expect to have the priority lane operating by next year.

It will be interesting to see how they decide on who qualifies to use the "fast lane" at Narita.

Above, a Keisei Line train stopped at the Yachiyodai Station in Chiba Prefecture due
to snow in February 2014. If they can make the train lines between Narita Airport
and Tokyo "snow-proof," then that would impressive. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now, if they were able to find a way to make the trains into Tokyo (Narita Express, Keisei Line and Keisei Skyliner) from Narita "snow-proof," then I would be very impressed.

To read more, go here.

Tokyo Snow A Year Ago

Above, Keisei Line trains stuck in a station in Chiba Prefecture. My train is on the left. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tokyo received its first snowfall last Friday and Saturday. Several news organizations posted photos of the the snow taken at different points in the city.

They all brought back memories of last February 8 when I arrived at Narita International Airport to find myself having a difficult time getting a train out of the airport and when I did, I ended up getting stuck in a train car (at least we were at a station where food and restroom facilities were available) for 16 hours due to the snow.

Above, snow in front of a Tokyo supermarket. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I knew beforehand that Tokyo gets snow on occasion, but the snowfall that week was unusually heavy (there were two big storms and some smaller flurries in-between) and the city didn't seem to know how to cope with it. I was surprised that I didn't see any snowplows out clearing the streets. Could it be that Tokyo doesn't have any?

Above, the Toho Studios Godzilla statue and snow remnants. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At least the snow made the trip a little more interesting (not that it was necessary to do so) and I managed to get some photographs of it.

Above, the second big storm hit Tokyo on February 15. This is a view of it from my hotel window. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the street in front of Tsukuba Hotel in Ueno the morning after the
second big snowstorm of the week to hit Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

1,350 Stranded On Hokuriku Line Trains Due To Blackout Caused By Snow

Above, this is what it's like to be stranded for hours in a train car in Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

More news stories about commuter trains being stranded for hour due to power blackouts from heavy snow are still coming out of Japan.

The latest is from The Japan Times:

KANAZAWA, ISHIKAWA PREF. – West Japan Railway Co. resumed train service Monday morning along the JR Hokuriku Line in northern Niigata Prefecture, where about 1,350 passengers were stranded by a blackout triggered by heavy snow the day before. 

According to JR West, the power outage occurred at around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, leaving passengers trapped in three limited express trains bound for Kanazawa. The trains were halted near Naoetsu and Echigo-Yuzawa stations in Niigata Prefecture.

As regular readers of this blog know, after arriving in Japan at Narita International Airport last February, I was stuck inside a Keisei Line train in Chiba Prefecture due to unusually heavy snow. It took me 22 hours after landing at the airport to finally reach my hotel in Ueno. Thankfully, a fellow passenger called my hotel to let them know of my situation so that they would hold my room.

We had no power problems as the lights and heaters inside the train cars were working.

After that experience, I can empathize with those passengers in the current news stories.

To read more, go here.