Narita Airport to Tokyo (Tokyo): Skyliner, N'EX, Airport Buses and Fixed-Fare Taxis Compared

A blue and white Keisei Skyliner train on a curve — The Keisei Skyliner, the fast reserved-seat train between Narita Airport and Ueno and Nippori in Tokyo (Tokyo)Photo: MaedaAkihiko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Narita Airport is in Narita City (Chiba), about an hour from central Tokyo (Tokyo), and after a long flight the last thing you want is to stand in front of a ticket machine wondering which train is yours. There are four main ways in: the Keisei Skyliner to Ueno and Nippori, JR's N'EX (Narita Express) to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station and beyond, Airport Limousine buses that stop at major stations and hotels, and fixed-fare taxis. This guide compares their times and fares from each company's official pages, so you can pick the one that drops you closest to your hotel.

Being tired, carrying big suitcases and arriving somewhere new all at once is a lot. Choosing your route before you land makes the first hour in Japan much calmer.

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Going to Ueno or Nippori: the Skyliner is the fastest
Going to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, Shibuya Station or Yokohama Station: the N'EX runs direct
Going to Tokyo Disney Resort or a big hotel: check the Airport Limousine bus
Many people, lots of luggage or a late arrival: a fixed-fare taxi

First: which terminal, and where's the station?

Narita Airport has three terminals. According to the airport, Terminal 1 is a 5-minute walk from Narita Airport Station, and Terminals 2 and 3 are a 5-minute and a 10-minute walk from Airport Terminal 2 Building Station (Keisei calls it Narita Airport Terminal 2・3). Terminal 3 has no station of its own, but you can walk to Terminal 2 through an access corridor or take the free terminal shuttle bus. Both the Skyliner and the N'EX stop at both stations.

The four main ways into Tokyo (Tokyo)

Adult one-way fares from Keisei, JR East, Airport Transport Service (Airport Limousine) and Narita Airport official pages (checked October 13, 2026). Times are the fastest listed and can change.

Keisei Skyliner: fastest to Ueno and Nippori

Keisei describes the Skyliner as a high-speed train that runs non-stop to Nippori, where you can change to JR lines such as the Yamanote Line, and on to Keisei Ueno. Keisei says it reaches central Tokyo (Tokyo) in as little as 36 minutes, and Ueno to Terminal 2・3 takes 41 minutes. There are three trains an hour.

Fare: between Keisei Ueno or Nippori and the airport, an adult pays the 1,280 yen fare (1,267 yen with an IC card) plus the 1,300 yen Skyliner fare, so 2,580 yen in total with a paper ticket. Children pay half.
All seats are reserved. Keisei adds a 300 yen charge for adults (150 yen for children) who board without a Skyliner ticket, so get one first.
Where to buy: the Skyliner ticket counters and machines at both airport stations take major credit cards, and tickets go on sale one month before the travel date. Keisei also sells its own Skyliner e-ticket and discount tickets online.
Luggage: each car has its own luggage space.

On a budget? Keisei's Access Express needs no limited express fare and runs direct toward Nihombashi, Higashi-Ginza and Shimbashi stations; it's slower and the seats aren't reserved.

N'EX: direct to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, Shibuya Station and Yokohama Station

JR East's limited express N'EX (Narita Express) runs from the airport to Tokyo Station, Shinagawa Station, Shibuya Station, Shinjuku Station, Yokohama Station and Ofuna Station without changing trains, and JR East says the fastest train reaches Tokyo Station in 53 minutes. There's luggage space, and power outlets at the seats.

From the airport to	Ordinary car	Green Car
Tokyo Station	3,140 yen	3,910 yen
Shinagawa Station, Shibuya Station or Shinjuku Station	3,330 yen	4,100 yen
Yokohama Station	4,480 yen	6,750 yen

Tickets: JR East sells reserved seats from one month before the travel date at ticket offices, reserved-seat ticket machines and its online reservation site. It also sells unreserved-seat tickets at the same price, which let you sit in any free seat.
Children: ages 6 to 11 pay half the fare (Green Car tickets cost the same as for adults).
N'EX TOKYO Round Trip Ticket: for holders of non-Japanese passports, 5,200 yen for adults (12 and over) and 2,600 yen for children (6 to 11). It covers one N'EX ride from the airport toward Tokyo (Tokyo) and one ride back within 14 days, in that order, and you show your passport when you pick it up at the airport stations. Seat reservations (except the Green Car) are free with it.

JR East has announced that some N'EX services will be suspended from November 6 to 8, 2026, so check its notice if you travel then.

Airport Limousine buses: to hotels and Tokyo Disney Resort

Airport Limousine buses (Airport Transport Service) run from all three terminals to stations and hotels across Tokyo (Tokyo), and to Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu (Chiba). If your hotel is one of the stops, you don't have to change trains with your luggage. You can reserve online and board with a QR ticket on your phone, and the company says reservations can be changed up to 5 minutes before departure.

To the Shinjuku Station area (Shinjuku Station, the expressway bus terminal and several hotels): adult 3,600 yen, child 1,800 yen.
To Tokyo Disney Resort (the two parks and nearby hotels): adult 2,900 yen, child 1,450 yen.

Buses use the expressway, so travel time depends on traffic. Check the timetable for your terminal on the official site. If you're heading to the parks, read our guide to Tokyo Disney Resort's ticket and entry rules first: park tickets aren't sold at the gate.

Fixed-fare taxis: by zone, plus tolls

Narita Airport says fixed-fare taxis charge a set price from the airport to each zone of Tokyo (Tokyo). You don't need to book: ask the driver before you set off. Expressway tolls are added on top, there's a surcharge for late night and early morning (22:00-5:00), and the fixed fare assumes the expressway (the meter is used if you choose another route).

Zone and main areas	Via Keiyo Road	Via Bayshore Freeway
A: Edogawa, Katsushika, Adachi (Tokyo)	23,500 yen	26,500 yen
B: Koto, Sumida (Tokyo) and parts of nearby wards	28,000 yen	28,000 yen
C: Chuo, Chiyoda, Taito, Bunkyo, Arakawa (Tokyo)	29,000 yen	31,000 yen
D: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Toshima, Nakano, Meguro (Tokyo) and others	31,500 yen	32,500 yen
E: Itabashi, Kita, Nerima (Tokyo)	34,000 yen	36,000 yen
F: Setagaya, Suginami (Tokyo) and two nearby cities	35,500 yen	38,500 yen

For one person a taxi costs many times the train, but for a family or group with lots of luggage, or after the last train, it can be the easiest choice. The full list of areas in each zone is on the airport's taxi page.

Which one fits your trip?

Pick by where you're staying

A rough guide based on where each service stops (official pages, checked October 13, 2026). Check your hotel's nearest station first.

If you'll ride a lot of JR trains in Tokyo (Tokyo), see our guide to cash and IC cards in Japan, and for trains with suitcases, our guide to train and bus manners. Have a few hours before your flight home? Our Tokyo Disney Resort & Narita (Chiba) destination page has ideas near the airport.

Last reviewed: October 13, 2026. Fares, timetables and routes change. Please check each company's official page before you travel.