What's the fastest way from Narita to Tokyo?

Skyliner is the fastest single train, reaching Nippori/Ueno in as little as 41 minutes. If your destination is Tokyo Station itself, Narita Express (53 min) gets you there without a transfer.

Skyliner vs Narita Express — which should I pick?

Skyliner if you're headed to Ueno, Asakusa, or the Skytree area — it's faster and cheaper (¥2,580 vs ¥3,140). Narita Express if your destination is Tokyo Station, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, or Yokohama directly, since it runs there without changing trains.

How do I get from Haneda to Shinjuku?

The Keikyu Limousine Bus runs direct in about 45 minutes for ¥1,400. Keikyu train to Shinagawa (¥327, ~13 min) plus a JR transfer is cheaper and often faster overall, but requires one change of trains.

Is a Suica card or subway pass worth buying at the airport?

A Suica or Pasmo is worth having for bus and taxi tap payment either way. Add a Tokyo Subway Ticket only if you're planning 4+ subway rides in a day — otherwise per-ride IC fares (¥170–¥320 typically) usually come out cheaper for a light sightseeing day.

Narita & Haneda to Tokyo 2026 — Every Option Priced

By Alvin LimPublished 2026-08-04Updated 2026-09-29

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Narita & Haneda to Tokyo 2026 — Every Option Priced

As of September 2026, Skyliner is the fastest way from Narita into central Tokyo (¥2,580, about 41 minutes to Ueno), while Narita Express runs direct to Tokyo Station for ¥3,140; from Haneda, Keikyu (¥327) or the Tokyo Monorail (¥519) both reach the JR loop line in around 13 minutes.

Narita — Skyliner vs NEX vs Bus

Keisei Skyliner limited express train bound for Narita AirportPhoto: Alt_winmaerik (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Option	Fare	Time	Arrives at	Seat reservation	Best for
Skyliner	¥2,580 (¥2,310 booked online)	~41 min	Nippori / Ueno	Required (all-reserved)	Fastest single train into the city; transfer to JR/Metro at Ueno
Narita Express (N'EX)	¥3,140 Ordinary / ¥3,910 Green Car	~53 min	Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama	Required	One-seat ride straight into central Tokyo, no platform change
Bus (Airport Bus TYO-NRT)	¥1,500 (¥3,000 early/late-night)	65–90 min	Tokyo Station / Ginza	Not required	Cheapest option; one seat with luggage, no transfer
Taxi	Flat fare ¥29,000–31,000 (Chiyoda/Chuo/Taito) or ¥31,500–32,500 (Shinjuku/Shibuya) + tolls	60–75 min	Door to door	N/A	Late arrival or a group splitting the fare

JR East Narita Express E259 series trainPhoto: 銚電神 (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons

A round-trip N'EX discount ticket (N'EX Tokyo Round Trip) runs ¥5,200 if you're doing the return leg too — cheaper than two one-way Ordinary fares.
Skyliner departs Narita Terminal 1 and Terminal 2·3; both feed the same Nippori/Ueno line.
Narita has official flat-rate taxis to all 23 Tokyo wards (six zones, no booking needed at the taxi stand): ¥29,000–31,000 to Chiyoda/Chuo/Taito and ¥31,500–32,500 to Shinjuku/Shibuya depending on the expressway route. Tolls are extra, a late-night surcharge applies 22:00–05:00, and taking surface roads switches to the meter.

Current ticket prices and options: Keisei Skyliner ticket.

Haneda — Keikyu vs Monorail vs Limousine Bus

Keikyu Airport Line ticket gate at Haneda Airport Terminal 3Photo: MaedaAkihiko (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Option	Fare	Time	Arrives at	Seat reservation	Best for
Keikyu Airport Line	¥327 (IC card)	11–14 min	Shinagawa (through-runs to Toei Asakusa Line)	Not required	Cheapest, fastest link into the JR/subway network
Tokyo Monorail	¥519 (IC card)	13 min via Haneda Express	Hamamatsucho (JR Yamanote Line transfer)	Not required	Same price bracket, direct Yamanote Line connection
Keikyu Limousine Bus	¥1,400 (Shinjuku route)	~45 min	Major hotels/stations city-wide	Not required	One seat to a specific hotel or station, no transfer
Taxi (flat-rate by ward)	¥7,600–9,100 + tolls (up to ¥1,950)	30–45 min	Door to door	N/A	Late-night arrival or 3–4 people splitting the cost

Tokyo Monorail Type 1000 series trainPhoto: MaedaAkihiko (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Keikyu and the Monorail both depart from directly below the terminals — no bus ride to a train station first.
Keikyu trains through-run onto the Toei Asakusa Line, so a single ride (no transfer) reaches Shimbashi (~21–24 min) or Asakusa (~34–37 min) too.
Haneda's taxis use a fixed fare by destination ward, so the price is known before you get in — tolls are added separately, and a higher late-night flat fare applies 22:00–05:00 (e.g., Chiyoda ¥7,600 → ¥9,000).

IC Card & Passes to Pair

Buses and taxis both take Suica/Pasmo tap payment, and having a card avoids fumbling for exact change on arrival — see our full Suica vs ICOCA vs Pasmo breakdown for where to buy one at each airport.

If you're sightseeing central Tokyo right after landing, a Tokyo Subway Ticket (24/48/72h, unlimited Metro + Toei rides) is available on KKday and usually beats paying per ride once you're doing 4+ subway trips a day. Getting data sorted before you land is also easy with our Japan Unlimited Data eSIM comparison. Check the live product pages for current prices and coupons.

FAQ

What's the fastest way from Narita to Tokyo?
Skyliner is the fastest single train, reaching Nippori/Ueno in as little as 41 minutes. If your destination is Tokyo Station itself, Narita Express (53 min) gets you there without a transfer.
Skyliner vs Narita Express — which should I pick?
Skyliner if you're headed to Ueno, Asakusa, or the Skytree area — it's faster and cheaper (¥2,580 vs ¥3,140). Narita Express if your destination is Tokyo Station, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, or Yokohama directly, since it runs there without changing trains.
How do I get from Haneda to Shinjuku?
The Keikyu Limousine Bus runs direct in about 45 minutes for ¥1,400. Keikyu train to Shinagawa (¥327, ~13 min) plus a JR transfer is cheaper and often faster overall, but requires one change of trains.
Is a Suica card or subway pass worth buying at the airport?
A Suica or Pasmo is worth having for bus and taxi tap payment either way. Add a Tokyo Subway Ticket only if you're planning 4+ subway rides in a day — otherwise per-ride IC fares (¥170–¥320 typically) usually come out cheaper for a light sightseeing day.

Sources

Alvin LimRuns Alvin Travel

Tour guide for 5 years: a Chinese- and English-language guide in Korea, now a certified Korean-language guide in Taiwan. Based in Taipei and studying for a master's degree at National Taiwan University (NTU).

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