Narita Airport to Tokyo: The Cheapest Way by Train, Bus or Taxi, Plus Haneda (2026)
By Atsushi — host at Bon House in Kanamachi, Katsushika ward. I've run it since 2022 and brought more than 300 guest groups in from the airport.
The cheapest way from Narita Airport to Tokyo is the Keisei Main Line: ¥1,060 to Keisei-Ueno, a third of what the Narita Express (¥3,140) costs. The catch is that it takes almost twice as long. If your hotel is near Tokyo Station, the ¥1,500 TYO-NRT bus is the easier pick, because you never change.
Almost every guest I host asks me how to get in from the airport. The answer depends on two things: where you're sleeping and how much luggage you have. Every fare below is one adult, one way, checked against the operators' fare tables and route planners in October 2026.
Narita Airport to Tokyo: Cheapest to Fastest, Compared
| Option | Arrives at | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keisei Main Line | Keisei-Ueno | 75–100 min | ¥1,060 |
| Access Express | Asakusa (direct) | about 65 min | ¥1,380 |
| JR Sobu Line Rapid | Tokyo | 80–90 min | ¥1,410 |
| TYO-NRT bus | Tokyo Station | about 70 min | ¥1,500 |
| Skyliner | Nippori / Ueno | 36–45 min | ¥2,580 |
| Narita Express (N'EX) | Tokyo | 53 min fastest | ¥3,140 |
| Flat-fare taxi | Chiyoda / Chuo wards | 60–90 min | from ¥29,000 |
Narita isn't in Tokyo at all. It's in Chiba, more than 60 km from the centre and over three times as far out as Haneda, so budget about an hour whichever way you go.
Cheapest: the Keisei Main Line (¥1,060). It runs all the way to Keisei-Ueno with no limited-express surcharge. Even in the middle of the day the ride often takes close to an hour and a half, and you'll change to the subway or JR at the other end.
Best balance of price and speed: the TYO-NRT bus (¥1,500) if you're staying around Tokyo Station, or the Access Express (¥1,380) straight through to Asakusa and Nihonbashi with no change. Only the late-night and early-morning buses cost more, at ¥3,000.
Fastest: the Skyliner (¥2,580). Nippori in as little as 36 minutes, Ueno in about 45. Every seat is reserved, and there's room for big suitcases in the vestibule by the doors.
Staying on a JR line: the Narita Express (¥3,140 to Tokyo Station in regular season). JR East's fare revision on 14 March 2026 pushed it up from ¥3,070. It runs through to Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Yokohama without a change.
There's also a Limousine bus that drops off at Shinjuku hotels, but at ¥3,600 it costs more than the N'EX, and in traffic you can't predict when you'll arrive.
Haneda Airport to Tokyo: Keikyu, Monorail and Bus Fares
| Option | Arrives at | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keikyu Line | Shinagawa | about 15 min | ¥330 |
| Tokyo Monorail | Hamamatsucho | 13–19 min | ¥520 |
| Limousine bus | Tokyo Station / Shinjuku | 40–60 min | ¥1,000–1,400 |
| Flat-fare taxi | Chiyoda ward | 30–50 min | from ¥7,600 |
Fares are from Terminal 3 (international). Haneda sits in Ota ward, only 15–20 km from the centre, so compared with Narita you pay about half or less, in both money and time.
My pick is the Keikyu Line. It's about 15 minutes and ¥330 to Shinagawa, where the JR Yamanote Line gets you to most of the city. Trains that run through onto the Toei Asakusa Line take you to Nihonbashi or Asakusa without a change. The monorail suits you if you plan to switch to JR at Hamamatsucho, but it costs more than Keikyu.
Taxi flat fares went up on 20 April 2026: ¥7,600 to Chiyoda ward (¥9,000 from 22:00 to 5:00), with expressway tolls on top.
Narita to Tokyo for a Group of Four: Taxi vs Bus vs Train
Say four adults land at Narita Terminal 1 at 19:00 on a weekday, and their hotel is near Tokyo Station.
By the time they've cleared immigration and picked up their bags it's around 20:00. The flat taxi fare to Chiyoda and Chuo wards, where Tokyo Station is, is ¥29,000 via the Keiyo Road, plus tolls. That's more than ¥7,000 each. The Keisei Main Line to Ueno costs ¥4,240 for all four, but there's another change at Ueno and they won't get in until after 21:30.
The TYO-NRT bus is the least painful: ¥6,000 for four, suitcases go in the hold underneath, and it's about 70 minutes to Tokyo Station. No changes. On a tired first night, that counts for a lot.
If the same four were staying in Kanamachi, in Katsushika ward, it would be the Keisei line with one change, and ¥3,744 for the group on IC cards. That's the next section.
Narita or Haneda to Kanamachi and Shibamata: One Change From Either Airport
Kanamachi and Shibamata, in Katsushika ward, are easy to reach from both airports. Either way you change once, at Keisei-Takasago, onto the Kanamachi Line.
- From Narita: Keisei line to Keisei-Takasago, then 2 stops on the Kanamachi Line. 55–70 minutes, ¥936 on an IC card.
- From Haneda: a Keikyu through-train to Keisei-Takasago, then 2 stops on the Kanamachi Line. 65–70 minutes, ¥798 on an IC card.
That's fewer changes than getting to most central hotel districts, and cheaper than the Skyliner. From Kanamachi it's 27 minutes to Ueno with a change at Kita-Senju, and Shibamata is one stop from Keisei-Kanamachi, 2–3 minutes. I've written up the transfer gates and the walk from the station, with photos and maps, in Narita Airport to Kanamachi and Haneda Airport to Kanamachi.
Bon House is a Japanese tatami room inside a detached house, a 7–10 minute walk from Keisei-Kanamachi Station. It has 4 futons, its own bath and toilet, a fridge, microwave and kettle, and a washer-dryer. If you want a place that's one change from either airport, check the room and open dates at Bon House.
Narita Airport to Tokyo With Big Luggage or a Late-Night Arrival
Travelling with big luggage
The Skyliner and Narita Express both have luggage space on board. The Keisei Main Line and the JR rapid service use ordinary commuter carriages, and squeezing a suitcase onto one in the evening rush is hard work.
You can also send your suitcase to the hotel from the delivery counters in the arrivals hall. The price depends on size and carrier, so ask at the counter. You travel hands-free, which makes sense if your first day involves several train changes.
Arriving late at night
Trains from Narita into Tokyo stop a little after 23:00. On the October 2026 weekday timetable, the last Keisei Access Express leaves Terminal 1 at 23:08.
Land later than that and your options are:
- the late-night/early-morning TYO-NRT bus (¥3,000) to Tokyo Station
- a night at an airport hotel, then the train in the morning
- a taxi (the flat fare plus a late-night surcharge from 22:00 to 5:00)
Haneda is closer in, so its trains run later, but keep an eye on the last train on the line you change to. A route-planner app is the surest way to check; the ones I use are in Tokyo train apps.
Going Back: Tokyo to Narita Airport on Departure Day
The departure tax is now ¥3,000: tickets issued on or after 1 July 2026 include ¥3,000 per departure (up from ¥1,000) for the International Tourist Tax. Children under 2 and transit passengers leaving within 24 hours of arrival are exempt. A family of four pays ¥12,000. There's more on why in Tokyo hotel prices in 2026.
Allow about an hour and a half just to get from central Tokyo to Narita. Airlines generally ask you to be at the airport 2 hours before an international flight, so leave your hotel 3.5 to 4 hours before departure. If you're connecting between Narita and Haneda, see Narita to Haneda transfer.
If you have a JR Pass: the Narita Express is covered at no extra charge. You still need a seat reservation, but the pass covers that too. If you're carrying one, there's no reason not to use it here.
FAQ
Can I tap a credit card to ride the train from Narita?
Not as of October 2026. Keisei and JR East ticket gates don't accept contactless credit cards, so if you're leaving Narita by train, get a Suica or PASMO at the airport. How to buy one is in my Suica guide.
How do I get from Narita Terminal 3 (the low-cost terminal) to Tokyo?
Terminal 3 has no station. Walk about 15 minutes through the connecting walkway to Airport Terminal 2 Station, or take the free shuttle bus. The TYO-NRT bus stops at Terminal 3 too, so for Tokyo Station the bus is less hassle.
Do I need to book the Skyliner in advance?
Every seat is reserved, but you can buy a ticket on the day at the Keisei counter or a ticket machine in the airport. If a train is full, you take the next one.
If you can't decide, work backwards from where you're staying. Tokyo Station or Ginza: take the bus. Ueno or Asakusa: Keisei. Shinagawa, Shinjuku or Shibuya: JR. Kanamachi or Shibamata: change at Keisei-Takasago, and you can see Bon House's open dates here.
Last updated October 2026. Fares and journey times were checked in October 2026 against published information from Keisei, JR East, the bus and taxi companies, and route planners. Fares do change, so check the latest before you travel.