Your first three hours in Japan: airport to hotel
Visit Japan Web, immigration, customs, data, cash, IC cards and the train into the city, in the order you will do them, with 2026 fares from Narita, Haneda and Kansai.
Most first-day stress comes from doing things in the wrong order: queuing for a SIM card before getting cash, or buying a train ticket you did not need. This is the order that works at Narita, Haneda and Kansai, with the fares that apply in late 2026.
Do it in this order: Visit Japan Web before you fly → immigration → customs → switch on data → cash → IC card → train.
- Narita to Ueno: Keisei Skyliner, about 41 minutes, ¥2,580 (¥2,310 online). To Tokyo Station: Narita Express, ¥3,140.
- Haneda to Shinagawa: Keikyu line, ¥330. To Hamamatsucho: Tokyo Monorail, ¥520.
- Kansai Airport to Kyoto: JR Haruka, ¥3,590, or the visitor HARUKA One-way Ticket. To Namba: Nankai Rapi:t, ¥1,410.
- Cash: ¥20,000–30,000 per person from an airport ATM is a good start.
Before you fly: Visit Japan Web
Visit Japan Web is the government's free online service for immigration and customs forms. Fill it in a few days before your flight and you get QR codes to show on arrival. It saves filling in paper cards on the plane and lets you use the faster electronic customs gates.
- Register with your passport details and flight number.
- Take screenshots of the QR codes in case your phone has no data on landing.
- Each traveller needs their own entry, including children. One account can register family members travelling with you.
- Install your eSIM at home too, so it is ready to switch on.
Step 1: Immigration
Follow signs for "Foreign Passports". You will have your fingerprints and photo taken. Keep the address of your first hotel handy, and your return or onward ticket in case you are asked. Queues are longest when several long-haul flights land together; there is little you can do except be ready with the QR code and passport.
Step 2: Baggage and customs
Collect your bags, then go through customs. With a Visit Japan Web QR code you can use the electronic customs gates, which are faster than the staffed desks. Declare anything over the duty-free allowances and any prescription medicines that need advance permission.
Step 3: Data
If you installed an eSIM at home, switch it on now and turn on data roaming for that line. If you need a pocket Wi-Fi router or a physical SIM, the counters are in the arrivals hall. Free airport Wi-Fi covers you while you sort it out. See eSIM, pocket Wi-Fi or SIM card.
Step 4: Cash
Airport ATMs, including the Seven Bank ATMs in many arrivals halls, accept most foreign cards. Take out enough for a few days: ¥20,000–30,000 per person is a good start. Cards are widely accepted in cities, but small restaurants, temples, rural buses and coin lockers often want cash. See paying in Japan.
Step 5: IC card
One tap of an IC card pays for trains, buses, convenience stores and lockers almost everywhere.
| Option | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Suica, PASMO or ICOCA in Apple Wallet (iPhone) | No card fee; top up by card | Set up in the Wallet app; works like the plastic card |
| Welcome Suica Mobile app (iPhone) | No issue fee; top up with Apple Pay | Valid 180 days; unused balance is not refunded |
| Welcome Suica card | Load ¥1,000–10,000; no deposit | Sold at Narita and Haneda stations; valid 28 days; balance not refunded |
See Suica, PASMO and ICOCA explained for Android options and how top-ups work.
Step 6: Into the city
Narita (Tokyo)
| Option | To | Time | Adult fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keisei Skyliner (all reserved) | Nippori, Keisei-Ueno | from 36 / 41 min | ¥2,580 (¥2,310 online) |
| Narita Express (N'EX) | Tokyo Station | about 55–75 min | ¥3,140 |
| Narita Express (N'EX) | Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku | about 85–100 min to Shinjuku | ¥3,330 |
| Keisei Access Express / limited express | Nippori, Ueno, Asakusa line | about 60–75 min | from about ¥1,240 |
| Airport Limousine bus | Tokyo Station, Shinjuku and major hotels | about 80–120 min | ¥3,100–3,600 |
| Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita | Tokyo Station | from about 65 min | ¥1,500 |
The N'EX Tokyo Round Trip Ticket (¥5,200, visitors only, valid 14 days) is good value if you are flying home from Narita too. The Skyliner suits hotels in Ueno, Asakusa and Akihabara; N'EX suits the west side.
Haneda (Tokyo)
| Option | To | Time | Adult fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keikyu line | Shinagawa (change for JR), through trains to Asakusa line | about 15–20 min to Shinagawa | ¥330 (IC ¥327) |
| Tokyo Monorail | Hamamatsucho (change for JR) | about 15–25 min | ¥520 (IC ¥519) |
| Airport Limousine bus | Major stations and hotels | about 30–60 min+ | varies by route |
Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto)
| Option | To | Time | Adult fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| JR Haruka limited express | Shin-Osaka, Kyoto | about 75–80 min to Kyoto | ¥3,590 to Kyoto (reserved) |
| HARUKA One-way Ticket (visitors) | Same trains | same | ¥2,200 to 31 Oct, ¥2,700 from 1 Nov 2026 |
| Nankai Rapi:t | Namba | about 35–40 min | ¥1,410 (digital ticket) |
| Osaka Amazing Pass, Kansai Airport version | Namba, then unlimited Osaka travel for 28 hours | — | ¥5,300 |
Worked example: Narita to a hotel in Shinjuku for two
Estimate Two adults, October 2026 fares, one way.
| Option | Two adults | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Narita Express direct to Shinjuku | ¥6,660 | No changes, reserved seats, luggage racks |
| Skyliner (online) to Nippori + JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku | about ¥5,050 | One change with bags; faster to Nippori |
| Airport Limousine bus to Shinjuku | ¥7,200 | Door to many hotels; bags go under the bus; traffic risk |
| Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita + train from Tokyo Station | about ¥3,420 | Cheapest; one change; less space for big bags |
With heavy bags, the direct N'EX or the bus is worth the extra. Travelling light, the cheaper options are fine. Or send the bags ahead from the airport (below) and take whatever is quickest.
Arriving late at night
Trains stop around midnight; the last Skyliner leaves Narita at about 23:00. If you land after about 22:00, check the last train before you leave immigration. Late buses and taxis run, but taxis from Narita are very expensive: flat-rate taxis to central Tokyo cost roughly ¥23,500–38,500 depending on the zone, before tolls and a late-night surcharge. An airport hotel can be the cheaper choice.
Common mistakes
- Skipping Visit Japan Web and filling in forms in the queue.
- Buying a SIM card before getting cash, then finding the counter is card-only and the ATM queue is long, or the other way round. Cash first if your card might be refused.
- Boarding the Skyliner without a Skyliner ticket. All seats are reserved and you pay a surcharge on board.
- Buying a Tokyo Subway Ticket for the airport train. It does not cover Keisei, Keikyu, the monorail or JR. See the Tokyo Subway Ticket guide.
- Forgetting the departure tax is already paid. Since 1 July 2026 Japan's departure tax is ¥3,000 per person, usually included in your air ticket. You do not pay it at the airport.
Watch: tips for your first trip to Japan
FAQ
What is the cheapest way from Narita to Tokyo?
The Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita to Tokyo Station costs ¥1,500, and Keisei Access Express trains cost from about ¥1,240. The faster Skyliner costs ¥2,580 at the station or ¥2,310 online.
Skyliner or Narita Express?
The Skyliner is faster and cheaper to Ueno and Nippori, so it suits the east side of Tokyo. The Narita Express runs direct to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku and Shibuya, which suits the west side.
How do I get from Haneda to central Tokyo?
The Keikyu line to Shinagawa costs ¥330 and the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho costs ¥520. Both take under half an hour and connect with JR lines.
Do I need Visit Japan Web?
It is not compulsory, but it lets you complete immigration and customs forms in advance and use the faster electronic customs gates. Each traveller needs an entry.
How much cash should I get at the airport?
About ¥20,000–30,000 per person covers the first few days. Cards work widely in cities, but smaller places and rural transport often need cash.
- Keisei: Skyliner fares and tickets
- JR East: Narita Express fares (Japanese)
- NAVITIME: Narita to Tokyo options and fares (October 2026)
- Tokyo Monorail: fare table
- Keikyu: fare table (Japanese)
- JR West: HARUKA One-way Ticket
- Nankai: Rapi:t digital ticket
- JR East: Welcome Suica
- National Tax Agency: International Tourist Tax
- Visit Japan Web (Digital Agency)
