Fare Hike for ‘LCC Buses’: The Ultimate Guide to Saving on Access to Narita Airport That Route Planners Won’t Tell You About [Column]

Starting in August, the fare for the ‘Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita’, known for its affordable access to Narita Airport, has increased to 1,500 yen for a one-way ticket for adults (excluding certain late-night services). Due to recent inflation, fares for transportation including trains, buses, and taxis are also on the rise.

Even if you’re flying domestically or internationally from Narita Airport via LCCs, it might ultimately be better to choose Haneda Airport if getting to Narita is both time-consuming and costly. In this article, we will introduce thrifty access from the city to Narita Airport that route planners do not tell you.

Recommended Thrifty Access

Traveling from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport station via the JR Narita Express will cost 3,072 yen (adult IC card fare). If you transit at Nippori Station and take the Keisei Skyliner, the fare for the same route is 2,734 yen (same). The approximate travel time for both is about an hour. The limousine bus from Tokyo Station Yaesu North Exit (Iron and Steel Building) to Narita airport is 3,100 yen for one-way adult fare, typically taking just over an hour.

In contrast, the ‘Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita’ which was 1,300 yen for an adult one-way trip from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport, increased by 200 yen on August 1, summing up to 1,500 yen. The stated travel time is 65 minutes, which is not significantly different from the Skyliner or the Narita Express. Despite the significant increase, it remains an affordable option compared to other modes of transportation. The buses run over 100 round trips a day but cannot be reserved, so queuing at the bus stop might be required. The type of bus varies, and honestly, for someone who is big-sized like the writer, the buses can feel cramped.

While the access conditions from Tokyo Station are as mentioned above, Tokyo, and especially the 23 wards, is wide, and getting to Tokyo Station can be distant. The Tokyo station premises are also extensive, so it’s necessary to allow extra time for transfers, among other concerns. The writer is one of those who rarely travels via Tokyo Station when accessing Narita Airport, considering the costs of getting to Tokyo Station as well.

When going to Narita Airport, it’s common to have ample time, and similarly, there’s usually no rush when travelling from the airport to the city. Hence, the writer has tried various routes.

So, how does the writer access Narita Airport (hereinafter referred to as “thrifty access”)? Let’s go through the experiences. Note that this “thrifty access” might not be widely recommended.