Owais Crawford
The JR Pass is a cost-effective way for tourists to travel around Japan, offering unlimited travel on Japan Railways (JR) lines. The pass can be used on the Narita Express, a fast and punctual train service that connects Narita Airport to Tokyo. The Narita Express offers beautiful views and has stops at major stations in Tokyo, including Tokyo Station, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Yokohama. JR Pass holders can reserve a seat on the Narita Express for free and use the train an unlimited number of times. This makes the Narita Express a convenient and efficient option for travellers looking to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo.
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What You'll Learn
The Narita Express is the best option
The Narita Express, also known as the N'EX, is the best option for travelling between Narita International Airport and Tokyo. This is because it is a fast, convenient, and comfortable limited express train service that directly connects the airport with major cities and districts, including Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Yokohama. The average time between Narita Airport and Tokyo is between 55 minutes and one hour, with some journeys taking as little as 53 minutes.
The Narita Express operates 27 trains daily, with a train departing from Narita Airport or Tokyo every 30 minutes. This regularity and punctuality make the Narita Express a reliable option for travellers. Additionally, the Narita Express uses a separate railway, so travellers don't have to worry about traffic delays.
The Narita Express offers comfortable seating with plenty of legroom and luggage space. Each seat has a rather large seating area, which can also accommodate luggage. The train also has first-class accommodations, known as Green Cars, which have leather-covered, forward-facing rotating/reclining seats. The Narita Express also provides beautiful views of the city during the journey.
Another advantage of the Narita Express is that it can be used for free with the Japan Rail Pass. JR Pass holders can reserve a seat at any JR ticket office in Narita Airport before boarding the train without any additional payment. There is no limit to the number of times a JR Pass holder can use the Narita Express, making it a cost-effective option for those with a Japan Rail Pass.
Overall, the Narita Express is the best option for travellers looking for a fast, convenient, and comfortable way to get between Narita Airport and Tokyo, especially if they have a Japan Rail Pass.
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Reserve seats in advance
If you are travelling with a group of friends or family and would like to sit together on the Narita Express, it is best to make seat reservations in advance. It is recommended that one person in the group buys all the tickets to ensure easier seat selection for the whole group. This can be done at the ticket counter by informing the ticket counter staff, or by using the ticket machine and specifying that you would like to sit together.
You can reserve your seat at the JR Ticket Office, at ticket machines, or online. Reservations can be made up to one month in advance. This is especially important during the busy travel season, as trains often get very crowded, and without a reserved seat, you might have to stand in the aisle for the entire train ride.
Passengers with no seat reservations will not be allowed to board any of the Narita Express trains. If you are a Green Pass holder, you must book a seat in advance to guarantee travel on a Green Car, otherwise, you may be relocated to a standard car.
When reserving your seat, you will be asked about your destination and preferred departure time. You will then be given your reserved seat ticket, stating departure time, arrival time, train name, car, and seat.
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Other transport options
If you're not keen on taking the train, there are a few other ways to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo. Here are some alternative transport options:
- Bus — There are a number of bus types that provide transportation from Narita Airport to Tokyo, including shuttle buses and limousine buses. The shuttle bus takes you to Tokyo Station, Ginza subway station, and the Shinonome AEON shopping mall. Tickets cost 1,500 yen for adults, 750 yen for children, and infants under 1 year old ride for free. The limousine bus is more expensive, with tickets costing 3,100 yen for adults and 1,550 yen for children, but it's more comfortable and offers luggage services. The journey on the limousine bus takes between 90 and 120 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Taxi — Taking a regular taxi or Uber from Narita Airport to central Tokyo can be expensive, but it's a convenient option if you're travelling in a group or in a hurry. A shared minibus or taxi service can be a good compromise between budget and convenience. For about 5,980 yen per person, you can get transport from the airport directly to your accommodation.
- Car — If you want to drive yourself, you can rent a car at the airport, but you'll need an International Driving Permit (IDP).
- Flight — If you're connecting to another flight, you might consider flying into Haneda Airport instead. It's closer to central Tokyo, making it a more convenient option for many travellers.
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Where to buy the JR Pass
The JR Pass can be purchased online or in person. Online purchase is the easiest option and also makes it convenient to book a reserved seat in advance. The official website requires the user's name, email address, passport number, and credit card details. The credit card must be in the purchaser's name. The website's business hours are from 4:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (Japan local time UTC+9:00).
The JR Pass can also be purchased from third-party retailers, but it is recommended to buy from the official site as it offers more features, such as the ability to reserve trains online.
Once the online order is confirmed, an Exchange Order (voucher) is sent by post to the purchaser's home address or temporary residence in Japan. This voucher needs to be exchanged for the actual rail pass at any JR Exchange Office in Japan, such as those found in Narita and Haneda airports, and all the main train stations in the country. It is also possible to pick up the pass from Travel Service Centers. The purchased pass must be picked up before the start date or during the valid period.
In addition to online purchases, the JR Pass can be bought in person at Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machines with passport readers, which can be found at stations. These machines have longer sales hours than Travel Service Centers and other similar purchase locations.
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JR Pass eligibility
The JR Pass is a service offered to foreign nationals travelling to Japan as temporary visitors. Japanese nationals living abroad are also eligible under certain conditions. To be eligible for the JR Pass, you must have a "temporary visitor" stamp (up to 90 days) in your passport. This stamp is usually granted automatically on arrival, or if your country does not have visa waiver agreements with Japan, by entering the country on a tourist visa.
Japanese citizens with dual nationality must enter Japan with their Japanese passport and must have lived in a country other than Japan for at least 10 years to be eligible for the JR Pass. Japanese children under 12 years old can only use the Japan Rail Pass if they are accompanied by an adult Japanese Japan Rail Pass holder. The Overseas Residential Registration must verify that the adult lives with the child applicant and has resided outside of Japan for 10 consecutive years or more.
The JR Pass is not valid for all nationalities. Those with a visa that is not a temporary visitor visa with the purpose of sightseeing are not eligible for the JR Pass. This includes long-term visas, student visas, permanent residency visas, working holiday visas, and more.
The JR Pass can be used on the Narita Express Trains to get from Narita Airport to central Tokyo. This journey takes about 45 minutes. Narita Express Trains are limited express trains that are fast, reliable, and punctual. The JR Pass can be used to reserve a seat on the Narita Express without any additional payment.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the JR Pass is valid on the Narita Express (N'EX) train service, which connects Narita Airport to Tokyo city centre.
You can purchase a JR Pass from their website. A voucher will be delivered to your home address, which you can exchange for the JR Pass in Japan.
Once you arrive in Japan, you can exchange your voucher at the JR Information desk or at the JR East Travel Service centre at Narita Airport.
The Narita Express is a fast, reliable, and punctual train service that offers beautiful views of the city. It also has spacious seating and plenty of luggage storage space.
