From Narita, take the Keisei Skyliner if you are staying around Ueno or Asakusa (¥2,580, from 36 minutes) and the Narita Express for Tokyo Station, Shibuya or Shinjuku (¥3,140 to Tokyo Station, from 53 minutes). On a budget, the ¥1,290 Access Express and the ¥1,500 TYO-NRT bus do the same trip for half the price. From Haneda, the Keikyu Line and the Tokyo Monorail get you into the city in under 15 minutes for well under ¥1,000. All fares below were checked on October 29, 2026.
Narita to Tokyo: every option compared
Narita is out in Chiba Prefecture, well east of the city, so your choice of train or bus matters much more than at Haneda.
| Option | To | Fastest time | Adult fare | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keisei Skyliner | Nippori, Keisei Ueno | 36 min (Nippori), 41 min (Ueno) | ¥2,580 (¥2,310 online) | Ueno, Asakusa, Yanaka, northern Tokyo |
| Narita Express (N’EX) | Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama | 53 min (Tokyo Station) | ¥3,140 to Tokyo, ¥3,330 to Shinjuku | Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Shinjuku, JR Pass holders |
| Keisei Access Express | Asakusa, Nihombashi, Shimbashi (through trains) | about 50 min (Asakusa) | ¥1,290 to Asakusa | Cheapest train into Asakusa and the east side |
| Airport Bus TYO-NRT | Tokyo Station, Ginza | about 65 to 70 min | ¥1,500 (¥3,000 late night) | Budget, big suitcases, Ginza |
| Airport Limousine Bus | Hotels and stations across Tokyo | depends on traffic | over ¥3,000 | A stop at or near your hotel |
| Taxi | Anywhere | traffic-dependent | ¥23,500 to ¥38,500 plus tolls | Groups, families, late arrivals |
The Narita Express and Skyliner seats are all reserved, so buy the ticket before you board. On the other trains you can tap in with a Suica or PASMO card.
Keisei Skyliner: fastest to Ueno and Nippori
The Skyliner is the quickest train out of Narita. It runs to Nippori (a few trains also stop at Aoto and Shin-Kamagaya), where you can change to the JR Yamanote Line, and ends at Keisei Ueno. The regular fare is ¥2,580 (a ¥1,280 base fare plus a ¥1,300 Skyliner ticket). Bought online in advance, Keisei’s Skyliner Discount Ticket costs ¥2,310 one way or ¥4,500 round trip. With an IC card you can tap for the base fare, but you still need the Skyliner ticket for your seat, or you pay a ¥300 surcharge on board.
Pick the Skyliner if your hotel is in Ueno, Asakusa, Akihabara or anywhere on the northern and eastern side of the Yamanote loop. For Shinjuku or Shibuya, the change at Nippori and the long Yamanote ride eat up the time you saved.
Narita Express (N’EX): best for Tokyo Station, Shibuya and Shinjuku
JR East says its Narita Express takes as little as 53 minutes from Narita to Tokyo Station, where trains split to continue to Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Yokohama without a change. A one-way regular-season reserved seat costs ¥3,140 to Tokyo Station and ¥3,330 to Shinjuku. The trains have large luggage racks, power outlets at every seat and free Wi-Fi.
If you hold a non-Japanese passport, JR East’s N’EX TOKYO Round Trip Ticket costs ¥5,200 (¥2,600 for children) and covers one ride into Tokyo and one back to the airport within 14 days. Two regular tickets to Tokyo Station would cost ¥6,280, so it pays off even on the shortest trip. You can also transfer to other JR East trains after the N’EX on the same ticket, as long as you don’t leave the gates. The Japan Rail Pass covers the N’EX too, which our Japan Rail Pass break-even guide factors in.
Tunnel works change the N’EX timetable from about 19:40 on Friday, November 6, 2026 until about 08:00 on Sunday, November 8. During that window, N’EX trains run only between Narita Airport and Tokyo Station, and Sobu Rapid trains don’t run between Tokyo and Shinagawa. If you land that weekend and are heading to Shibuya or Shinjuku, change at Tokyo Station or take the Skyliner. JR East’s English website lists each affected train under its Yokosuka Line/Sobu Rapid Line tunnel construction notice.
Access Express and Keisei Main Line: the cheapest trains
Keisei’s Access Express uses the same fast track as the Skyliner but stops more and has ordinary commuter seating. It costs ¥1,290 to Asakusa (¥1,276 with an IC card) and takes about 50 minutes. Many trains continue onto the Toei Asakusa subway line toward Nihombashi and Shimbashi, so you may not have to change at all. The slower Keisei Main Line limited express to Ueno is the cheapest train of all and suits travelers with time and light bags.
Airport buses from Narita
The Airport Bus TYO-NRT is the budget favorite: ¥1,500 to Tokyo Station or Ginza, with the fastest trips taking about 65 minutes. Late-night and early-morning services cost ¥3,000. The Airport Limousine Bus costs more (over ¥3,000 to the Shinjuku area) and takes longer than the train, but it stops at or near many large hotels, which can be worth it with heavy bags or kids. Both depend on traffic, so allow extra time for a departing flight.
Narita taxis and private transfers
Narita taxis to central Tokyo charge a fixed fare by zone, plus expressway tolls. A surcharge applies from 22:00 to 5:00.
| Zone | Main areas | Via Keiyo Road | Via Bayshore route |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | Koto, Sumida, Odaiba | ¥28,000 | ¥28,000 |
| C | Chiyoda, Chuo, Taito, Bunkyo | ¥29,000 | ¥31,000 |
| D | Shinjuku, Shibuya, Minato, Shinagawa, Meguro | ¥31,500 | ¥32,500 |
| F | Setagaya, Suginami | ¥35,500 | ¥38,500 |
For a group with luggage, a pre-booked car fixes the price in advance and the driver meets you in arrivals. Compare a private Narita Airport transfer on Viator with GetYourGuide’s Narita to Tokyo private transfer for your group size.
Haneda to Tokyo: every option compared
Haneda sits on Tokyo Bay much closer to the center, and most international flights use Terminal 3. Transfers here are short and cheap.
| Option | To | Time | Adult fare | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keikyu Line | Shinagawa (some trains through to Asakusa) | about 11 min to Shinagawa | about ¥330 | Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku via JR, Asakusa |
| Tokyo Monorail | Monorail Hamamatsucho | about 13 min | ¥680 to ¥870 to a Yamanote station | Tokyo Station, Ginza, Shimbashi, JR Pass holders |
| Airport Limousine Bus | Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, hotels | 45 to 80 min | usually under ¥1,500 | Hotel drop-offs, heavy luggage |
| Taxi | Anywhere | traffic-dependent | from around ¥7,000 plus tolls | Late arrivals, families |
Keikyu Line: best for Shinagawa and the west side
According to GO TOKYO, Keikyu’s rapid trains reach Shinagawa in about 11 minutes from Terminal 3, with slower expresses taking about 20. Shinagawa is on the JR Yamanote Line and the shinkansen, so it is the easiest gateway to Shibuya, Shinjuku and the bullet train west. Some Keikyu airport trains run straight onto the Toei Asakusa Line toward Higashi-Ginza, Nihombashi and Asakusa. The fare to Shinagawa is about ¥330, and you can tap in with an IC card.
Tokyo Monorail: best for Tokyo Station and Ginza
The Tokyo Monorail, nicknamed the Tokyo Panorama Line since November 2025, runs along the waterfront to Monorail Hamamatsucho in about 13 minutes, where you change to the JR Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku Line. Tokyo Station is about 7 minutes further. Fares including the JR transfer run from ¥680 to stations like Shimbashi and Yurakucho up to ¥870 to Ikebukuro.
On weekends and holidays, and every day from December 26, 2026 to January 3, 2027, the Monorail and Yamanote Line Discount Ticket takes you to any Yamanote Line station for a flat ¥590. Buy it from the ticket machines at the Haneda stations on the day you travel. The Japan Rail Pass also covers the Monorail.
Haneda buses, taxis and private transfers
Airport Limousine Buses take about 45 minutes to Tokyo City Air Terminal and about 55 to Tokyo Station or Shinjuku. Haneda taxis charge flat fares to most of Tokyo’s wards (the wards closest to the airport stay on the meter) plus tolls. Third-party operators quote from around ¥7,000 to central wards, and GO TOKYO notes that the flat-rate taxis need a reservation. If you’d rather have the price fixed in advance, book a Haneda private transfer on Viator or GetYourGuide’s Haneda transfer to Tokyo City.
Which airport transfer should you take?
- Staying near Ueno, Asakusa or Akihabara: Skyliner from Narita, or Keikyu through trains from Haneda.
- Staying near Tokyo Station, Ginza or Nihombashi: Narita Express or the TYO-NRT bus from Narita, the Monorail from Haneda.
- Staying in Shinjuku or Shibuya: Narita Express straight through from Narita, Keikyu to Shinagawa and the Yamanote Line from Haneda.
- Landing after 22:00: check the last train on the operator’s site before you fly, and price a taxi or a pre-booked transfer as the backup.
- Traveling with a Japan Rail Pass that is already running: Narita Express or the Monorail, since both are covered.
After you land
Mobile data is the first thing you’ll need for train apps and maps, so set up an Airalo eSIM for Japan before the flight. Our eSIM vs local SIM vs roaming comparison explains the trade-offs. Most sightseeing in Tokyo runs on the subway, which the Japan Rail Pass doesn’t cover, so a 24, 48 or 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket is usually the better deal for the first days.
For where to go once you’re in, browse Traveliri’s Tokyo map or Omer in Japan’s Tokyo recommendations map, both in Hebrew. Flying into Rome later in your travels? The same comparison for Fiumicino is in our Rome airport to city centre guide.
