From Narita Airport to Central Tokyo | Skyliner, Narita Express or Airport Bus?
A comparison of the three ways to get from Narita Airport into central Tokyo, by fare, journey time, the station you arrive at, and whether you need to book. Based on official information from Keisei, JR East and Airport Bus TYO-NRT.
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Overview
You can travel from Narita Airport into central Tokyo by train or by bus. Which one suits you comes down to two things: which station you want to get off at, and whether you care more about speed or about the fare. Here we compare the three routes whose fares and journey times are published officially.
- Skyliner: the quickest way to Nippori and Ueno. All seats are reserved seats, so you are given a seat of your own.
- Narita Express (N'EX): reaches Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Yokohama with no transfers.
- Airport Bus TYO-NRT: the budget option to Tokyo Station. No booking needed.
Your options
| Route | Fare (one way) | Journey time (fastest) | Main destinations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keisei Skyliner | Adult ¥2,580 / child ¥1,290 | 36 minutes to Nippori, 41 minutes to Ueno | Nippori, Ueno |
| JR Narita Express (N'EX) | Adult ¥3,140 (to Tokyo Station) / child roughly half the adult fare (see the explanation below) | 53 minutes to Tokyo Station | Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama |
| Airport Bus TYO-NRT | Adult ¥1,500 / child ¥750 | 65 minutes to Tokyo Station | Tokyo Station, Ginza |
The ages covered by a child fare differ from operator to operator
- Keisei Skyliner: a "child" is 6 to 11 years old.
- JR Narita Express (N'EX): an adult is 12 or older, and a child is 6 to 11 years old. The basic fare ticket and the reserved-seat limited express ticket are each half the adult price (a Green Car ticket costs the same as for an adult). Each of them is halved and then rounded, so the total for a child can come out a little different from simply halving the adult fare shown in the table. For the exact amount, check at the ticket window or the ticket machine when you buy.
- Airport Bus TYO-NRT: the child fare applies to elementary school children. A child younger than elementary school age travels free when accompanied by an adult, but if the child uses a seat, the child fare applies.
There are also the following ways.
- Keisei Access Express and Keisei Main Line express services: these are faster Keisei services on which, unlike the Skyliner, no limited express surcharge is payable, so they cost less. In exchange, they take longer. The fare changes with the stations you get on and off at, and it cannot be checked as a list on the official pages, so we do not give an amount here. Check it on the Keisei Electric Railway website.
- Airport Limousine buses and taxis: they reach major hotels in central Tokyo with no transfers. They suit you when you have a lot of luggage, or when you arrive at a time of day with few trains and buses. Fares and how to board are covered in Narita Airport Limousine Bus and Fixed-Fare Taxi | Getting to Your Hotel Without Changing Vehicles, Fares, and How to Board.
Step by step
Getting from the terminal to the station or the bus stop
- From Terminal 1 it is a 5-minute walk to "Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station".
- From Terminal 2 it is a 5-minute walk to "Narita Airport Terminal 2·3 Station", and from Terminal 3 the walk takes 10 minutes.
Buying a ticket
- On the Skyliner all seats are reserved seats. You are given a specific seat, so you are guaranteed a seat even when trains are busy. Buying online gets you a discount.
- The N'EX round-trip ticket costs less than the regular round-trip fare. You can use it for a return journey within the validity period.
- The bus takes no reservations and has no assigned seats. When you board at Narita Airport, buy your ticket at the counter in your terminal and then go to the stop. Seats on each departure are limited.
Costs
If you are choosing on price alone, take the bus. One way it is ¥1,500 for an adult and ¥750 for a child to Tokyo Station.
Train times are more predictable. The Skyliner is ¥2,580 one way for an adult and ¥1,290 for a child. If you buy online it becomes ¥2,310 for an adult and ¥1,150 for a child.
The N'EX is ¥3,140 one way for an adult (to Tokyo Station). If you are travelling both ways, the round-trip ticket costs less. The round-trip ticket for overseas visitors is ¥5,200 for an adult and ¥2,600 for a child, which is less than a regular round trip (¥6,280 for an adult, ¥3,120 for a child). It is valid for 14 days, so if your return journey falls outside that 14-day window, you will need to buy it separately.
What travelers often find confusing
This section is based on travelers' public posts and questions, along with search trends. It is not a collection of personal reviews or ratings.
- Which goes to Shinjuku and Shibuya with no transfers, the Skyliner or the Narita Express (N'EX)? The Narita Express (N'EX). The N'EX is a train that reaches Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Yokohama with no transfers. The Skyliner is the quickest train to Nippori and Ueno. The one-way adult fare is ¥2,580 on the Skyliner to Nippori or Ueno and ¥3,140 on the N'EX to Tokyo Station. Which one to choose comes down to which station you want to get off at, and whether you care more about speed or about the fare.
- From what age does the child fare apply on the Skyliner and the Narita Express (N'EX)? On both, from age 6. On both trains, the child fare covers ages 6 to 11, and the adult fare applies from age 12. On the N'EX, the child fare is half the adult price for the basic fare ticket and for the reserved-seat limited express ticket, each on its own, while a Green Car ticket costs the same as for an adult. Because amounts are rounded after halving, the child fare can come out a little different from simply halving the adult fare shown in the table. For the exact amount, check at the ticket window or the ticket machine when you buy.
- When I travel between the airport and Tokyo and back on the Narita Express (N'EX), is the round-trip ticket cheaper? Yes, it is. The round-trip ticket for overseas visitors is ¥5,200 for an adult and ¥2,600 for a child, which is less than a regular round trip (¥6,280 for an adult, ¥3,120 for a child). The round-trip ticket is valid for 14 days, and you can use it when you make the return journey within that period. If your stay in Japan is longer than 14 days, you will need to buy the return journey separately.
- Do late-night and early-morning services on the Airport Bus TYO-NRT cost a different fare? Yes, they do. Late-night and early-morning services cost ¥3,000 for an adult and ¥1,500 for a child. On services that are not late-night or early-morning, you can reach Tokyo Station for ¥1,500 for an adult and ¥750 for a child. If you arrive at a time of day when there are few trains and few Airport Bus TYO-NRT services, you can also use Airport Limousine buses, which reach major hotels in central Tokyo with no transfers, as well as taxis. Fares and how to board are covered in Narita Airport Limousine Bus and Fixed-Fare Taxi | Getting to Your Hotel Without Changing Vehicles, Fares, and How to Board.
- Do I need a reservation to ride the Airport Bus TYO-NRT? No, you can ride without a reservation. According to the official guidance checked on September 21, 2026, the airport bus takes no reservations and has no assigned seats. When you board at Narita Airport, buy your ticket at the counter in your terminal and then go to the stop. Seats on each departure are limited.
Good to know
- The journey times in the table are for the fastest case. They change with the train, the time of day and the traffic.
- From Terminal 3 you walk to the station. Leave the terminal well before the departure you are aiming for.
- Fares and journey times can change. This article is based on the official guidance as of the date the information was checked, so check the latest conditions on each operator's official pages before you leave.