Narita Airport transportation to Tokyo Hilton

[aunteemom]

Do you have any suggestions for private transport for 4 persons with much luggage from Narita to Tokyo Hilton. I am familiar with the airport bus but would like to explore a private transfer.  Thank you 

[bennybear]

The Tokyo Hilton can arrange a private transfer if you contact them.   It will be very pricey,  Narita is a long way.  Or take the train into Shinjuku station, the Hilton has a free shuttle from the train station if you are talking about the Shinjuku Hilton.

[Northern Aurora]

If our OP is talking about the Shinjuku Hilton in 2018 their concierge arranged for a private transport from the Yokohama cruise terminal to the hotel.  While it was pricey it wasn't outrageous in price.  

[bennybear]

They did the same for us from Yokohama,  but Narita is much further.  I think it was about an hour and a half.

[Hlitner]

Am surprised that Brucemuzz has not jumped in with his excellent information.  It is a long way from Narita into Tokyo and with 4 persons/luggage you are going to need a small van.  One option is to just go  to the taxi stand and they should be able to get you an appropriate vehicle.  There are numerous online sites where you can reserve private transit.  Expect to pay more than $220 and it can be a long ride if traffic is heavy.  I cannot recommend any specific site since we have not personally used any.  On our recent flight to Tokyo we booked into Haneda :).

 

Hank

[hubofhockey]

We are flying into Narita next May and I researched this (to Okura Hotel).  The choices were a bullet train and the a taxi or the Airport Limousine Bus, which stops at all hotels and takes about an hour and half.  We decided on the Airport Limousine Bus.  I just don't want the hassle of changing trains or even taking a taxi from the train station with all of the luggage. Click on the link and you will see it stops at the Hilton and these run every hour.  Depending on our wait, we'll either get cash and a SIM card at the airport or once we get to the hotel. 

 

Edit - This is $23 per person (3200 yen)

Edited July 19, 2023 by hubofhockey
pricing info

[hubofhockey]

Oops on above.  I see you don't want to take the bus. 

 

We considered the bullet train and then a cab from the station in Tokyo, but sounds like you might need two cabs from there.

[BruceMuzz]

7 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

Oops on above.  I see you don't want to take the bus. 

 

We considered the bullet train and then a cab from the station in Tokyo, but sounds like you might need two cabs from there.

Oops - there is no Bullet Train (Shinkansen) from Narita Airport.

The closest alternative is JR Narita Express.

This train runs from Narita to Tokyo Station (60 minutes), Shinjuku Station (75 minutes), Shinagawa Station (sometimes) (90 minutes), and Yokohama Station (105 minutes).

The cars are designed for travelers, with nice seating, luggage storage at each end of the car, free WIFI, and announcements in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English,

[hubofhockey]

Sorry, it’s the Skyliner, which travels at 160 mph, but might not be called a “bullet” train.  I know it takes 41 to 44 minutes.  https://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/skyliner/index.php

 

If they go 160 mph, then they are 26 mph slower than bullet trains, but 41 minutes to central Tokyo is still pretty good.  

 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by hubofhockey

[BruceMuzz]

4 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

Sorry, it’s the Skyliner, which travels at 160 mph, but might not be called a “bullet” train.  I know it takes 41 to 44 minutes.  https://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/skyliner/index.php

 

If they go 160 mph, then they are 26 mph slower than bullet trains, but 41 minutes to central Tokyo is still pretty good.  

 

 

 

Not everything you read in Japan is true.

The Skyliner usually departs Ueno or Nippori Station for Narita Airport.

Ueno and Nippori Stations are NOT in Central Tokyo - although it is in Northern Chiyoda-ku, which is officially Tokyo-To (Tokyo City in Japanese).

The distance from Ueno to Narita is 75 kilometers. That is about 46 miles.

If the Skyliner travelled at 160 mph, why would it take 41 minutes to make the 46 mile trip?

 

How do I know this?

Before I moved to Central Tokyo, I lived up North in Nezu, near Nippori Station.

I often rode the Skyliner back and forth to Narita Airport.

Although the company may claim that the train can travel at 160 mph, it rarely exceeds 60 mph.

With the Skyliner ending at Nippori or Ueno, it is another 20 minute taxi, subway, or train ride to get to Central Tokyo.

 

The Skyliner Express Train is very similar to the JR Narita Express train.

For essentially the same fare, Narita Express DOES go to Central Tokyo, stopping at Tokyo Station (60 minutes), Shibuya Station (70 minutes), Shinjuku Station (75 minutes), before ending at Yokohama Station (95 minutes).

[BruceMuzz]

On 7/19/2023 at 8:23 AM, Hlitner said:

Am surprised that Brucemuzz has not jumped in with his excellent information.  It is a long way from Narita into Tokyo and with 4 persons/luggage you are going to need a small van.  One option is to just go  to the taxi stand and they should be able to get you an appropriate vehicle.  There are numerous online sites where you can reserve private transit.  Expect to pay more than $220 and it can be a long ride if traffic is heavy.  I cannot recommend any specific site since we have not personally used any.  On our recent flight to Tokyo we booked into Haneda :).

 

Hank

Hank,

You made the right choice.

For many years, Narita Kuko (airport) was my favorite.

But now that Haneda has been re-done and updated, it definitely has the advantage.

Haneda is closer and better organized, with better shopping, facilities, and dining. Access is far less expensive and much faster.

For cruisers joining a ship, Haneda is right in the middle of all the action.

[hubofhockey]

10 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

Hank,

You made the right choice.

For many years, Narita Kuko (airport) was my favorite.

But now that Haneda has been re-done and updated, it definitely has the advantage.

Haneda is closer and better organized, with better shopping, facilities, and dining. Access is far less expensive and much faster.

For cruisers joining a ship, Haneda is right in the middle of all the action.

 

10 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

Not everything you read in Japan is true.

The Skyliner usually departs Ueno or Nippori Station for Narita Airport.

Ueno and Nippori Stations are NOT in Central Tokyo - although it is in Northern Chiyoda-ku, which is officially Tokyo-To (Tokyo City in Japanese).

The distance from Ueno to Narita is 75 kilometers. That is about 46 miles.

If the Skyliner travelled at 160 mph, why would it take 41 minutes to make the 46 mile trip?

 

How do I know this?

Before I moved to Central Tokyo, I lived up North in Nezu, near Nippori Station.

I often rode the Skyliner back and forth to Narita Airport.

Although the company may claim that the train can travel at 160 mph, it rarely exceeds 60 mph.

With the Skyliner ending at Nippori or Ueno, it is another 20 minute taxi, subway, or train ride to get to Central Tokyo.

 

The Skyliner Express Train is very similar to the JR Narita Express train.

For essentially the same fare, Narita Express DOES go to Central Tokyo, stopping at Tokyo Station (60 minutes), Shibuya Station (70 minutes), Shinjuku Station (75 minutes), before ending at Yokohama Station (95 minutes).

I have not seen on any website that Keisei exaggerates about the 41 minutes.  The TripAdvisor forums and reviews are pretty consistent on the 40-minute ride (36 to Nippori Station). The only reason I would take the bus is door to door service and only  1/2 hour more in total.  If it's 41 minutes to Ueno and a 7 minute taxi, that's really close to an hour, considering getting my bags off the train and then getting out of the station into a taxi.  I figured for 1/2 more, it might be worth it just to get on the bus.  I suppose the most annoying thing for me would be all of the stops before the Okura.  I would hope the bus would only stop at hotels where there is a drop off, but don't know. We have 10 months to figure it out.

 

 

[hubofhockey]

Well, Bruce, the advice I got from a local on TripAdvisor agrees with you that the Narita Express, even if slower than the Sklyliner, is a better option, with a taxi from Tokyo Station to the hotel.  

[BruceMuzz]

13 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

Well, Bruce, the advice I got from a local on TripAdvisor agrees with you that the Narita Express, even if slower than the Sklyliner, is a better option, with a taxi from Tokyo Station to the hotel.  

Skyliner to Ueno in 41-44 minutes, plus a 20 minute taxi ride to Tokyo Station area adds up to just over one hour and around 5,500 - 6,000 yen for one person, or around 8,000 - 8,500 yen for 2 people. Changing from train to taxi at Ueno Station is not easy for tourists.

 

Narita Express to Tokyo Station in 60 minutes is 3400 yen for one person, or 6,800 yen for 2 people. Then it is a short walk or taxi to the hotel. Tokyo Eki to Okura Hotel is around 1,500 yen by taxi.

 

There are many different Limousine Bus companies going from Narita to Central Tokyo.

The biggest and best company charges 3,200 yen per person (6,400 yen for 2 people), and stops at all the big hotels. No additional walking or taxi required. Commute time varies by traffic conditions, but you can expect 90 to 120 minutes.

 

All 3 options offer free WIFI.

 

Comparing the 3 options above, Skyliner is the least desirable option, based on cost and travel time. Although I must say that the Skyliner train cars are a bit nicer than Narita Express - and certainly nicer than the limousine bus.

[hubofhockey]

Interesting, while the limo/bus quotes 90 minutes from Narita to the Okura, the hotel's website says 120 minutes.  That is probably the worst option after a 13-hour flight out of Boston.

 

The advice on Narita Express to Tokyo Station makes sense.  The hotel says 60 minutes to Tokyo Station and then an 8 minute taxi ride ($14 to $18).  

 

My flight gets in at 4:15 pm.  I suppose I would get cash at Seven ATM and SIM card before or after customs and luggage.  Should I figure no earlier than a 6:30 or 7:00 pm train?

Edited July 21, 2023 by hubofhockey

[BruceMuzz]

Luggage and Immigration at Narita are generally very fast.

Customs is just a formality that is also very fast - especially for foreigners.

Narita Express runs about every 15 to 20 minutes at that time of day.

The ticket window and the platform are in the basement of your terminal building.

The ticket sellers speak English.

The SIM Card shops and 7-11 shops / ATMs are in the same area.

Luggage trolleys are designed to ride on the escalators.

There are many elevators as well.

 

[hubofhockey]

22 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

Luggage and Immigration at Narita are generally very fast.

Customs is just a formality that is also very fast - especially for foreigners.

Narita Express runs about every 15 to 20 minutes at that time of day.

The ticket window and the platform are in the basement of your terminal building.

The ticket sellers speak English.

The SIM Card shops and 7-11 shops / ATMs are in the same area.

Luggage trolleys are designed to ride on the escalators.

There are many elevators as well.

 

Thanks

[Brookhaven_90]

On 7/21/2023 at 3:16 AM, BruceMuzz said:

Not everything you read in Japan is true.

The Skyliner usually departs Ueno or Nippori Station for Narita Airport.

Ueno and Nippori Stations are NOT in Central Tokyo - although it is in Northern Chiyoda-ku, which is officially Tokyo-To (Tokyo City in Japanese).

The distance from Ueno to Narita is 75 kilometers. That is about 46 miles.

If the Skyliner travelled at 160 mph, why would it take 41 minutes to make the 46 mile trip?

 

How do I know this?

Before I moved to Central Tokyo, I lived up North in Nezu, near Nippori Station.

I often rode the Skyliner back and forth to Narita Airport.

Although the company may claim that the train can travel at 160 mph, it rarely exceeds 60 mph.

With the Skyliner ending at Nippori or Ueno, it is another 20 minute taxi, subway, or train ride to get to Central Tokyo.

 

 

The Skyliner Express Train is very similar to the JR Narita Express train.

For essentially the same fare, Narita Express DOES go to Central Tokyo, stopping at Tokyo Station (60 minutes), Shibuya Station (70 minutes), Shinjuku Station (75 minutes), before ending at Yokohama Station (95 minutes).

Hello & thanks for all of your helpful advice. I’m relatively new to this site, so apologies if you’ve discussed this before. We are spending a couple of days in Tokyo ahead of our cruise and I’ve booked a hotel in Ueno, partly because it appears straightforward to get to from Narita airport and partly because of Sakura viewing in Ueno park. We would also like to spend some time visiting key places in central Tokyo. Is Ueno too far out? Is the area somewhere you’d recommend for first time visitors? (It’s not too late to change!) Lastly, would a taxi from there to Tokyo cruise terminal be relatively easy? Many thanks.

 

[BruceMuzz]

17 hours ago, Brookhaven_90 said:

Hello & thanks for all of your helpful advice. I’m relatively new to this site, so apologies if you’ve discussed this before. We are spending a couple of days in Tokyo ahead of our cruise and I’ve booked a hotel in Ueno, partly because it appears straightforward to get to from Narita airport and partly because of Sakura viewing in Ueno park. We would also like to spend some time visiting key places in central Tokyo. Is Ueno too far out? Is the area somewhere you’d recommend for first time visitors? (It’s not too late to change!) Lastly, would a taxi from there to Tokyo cruise terminal be relatively easy? Many thanks.

 

Ueno is very nice - but really out of the way.

Ueno is home to the Ueno Zoo and Museums, Sensoji Temple, and Kappabashi (Restaurant City). The Zoo and Museums are nice, Sensoji Temple is too touristy,  and Kappabashi is really interesting if you are in the Restaurant Business.

If you stay in central Tokyo, the long subway or train trip to get up there once is OK. But if you stay in Ueno, the daily train and subway trips to get downtown would waste a lot of your time.

As for the taxi ride to the Tokyo Cruise Terminal, there are 6 Cruise Terminals that are called "Tokyo Cruise Terminal". Ueno is very far from all of them.

You first should check which cruise terminal you will go to: Harumi, Hinode, Oi, Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, Osanbashi, or Daikoku.

It will most likely be one of the last three listed.

Then you can plan on a hotel that is relatively close. 

[Brookhaven_90]

1 hour ago, BruceMuzz said:

Ueno is very nice - but really out of the way.

Ueno is home to the Ueno Zoo and Museums, Sensoji Temple, and Kappabashi (Restaurant City). The Zoo and Museums are nice, Sensoji Temple is too touristy,  and Kappabashi is really interesting if you are in the Restaurant Business.

If you stay in central Tokyo, the long subway or train trip to get up there once is OK. But if you stay in Ueno, the daily train and subway trips to get downtown would waste a lot of your time.

As for the taxi ride to the Tokyo Cruise Terminal, there are 6 Cruise Terminals that are called "Tokyo Cruise Terminal". Ueno is very far from all of them.

You first should check which cruise terminal you will go to: Harumi, Hinode, Oi, Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, Osanbashi, or Daikoku.

It will most likely be one of the last three listed.

Then you can plan on a hotel that is relatively close. 

Thank you so much. I believe it’s Tokyo International cruise terminal.

As you say, we shouldn’t believe all we read! I had read that the commute wouldn’t be too bad using the JR line that circles the city. I’d really appreciate your view (vs what I read) on how long it would take to get from Ueno station to Tokyo station (assuming that’s a good central point). Thanks.