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← Getting around Japan

Between cities · Travel · Trains, buses and passes

From the airport to the city

Every major airport has a fast train, and some also have a bus that goes close to your hotel. The best option depends on your luggage and where you are staying, and the cheapest is not always the easiest after a long flight.

Narita to Tokyo
About 40 to 90 minutes by train or bus
Haneda to Tokyo
About 20 to 35 minutes
Kansai to Kyoto
About 75 to 80 minutes on the Haruka

The short answer

  • Narita is farther out, so the Skyliner, the Narita Express or a limousine bus are the usual choices.
  • Haneda is close to central Tokyo, and the monorail and Keikyu line run there often.
  • From Kansai Airport the Haruka goes to Kyoto and the Rapi:t to Osaka Namba.
  • A limousine bus can be easier if you have heavy bags and a hotel along its route.

Tokyo: Narita and Haneda

Narita Airport is about an hour from central Tokyo. The Keisei Skyliner runs to Nippori and Ueno in about 40 minutes. JR Narita Express goes to Tokyo, Shinjuku and Yokohama, and limousine buses go to hotels and major stations. Cheaper Keisei and JR local trains are slower.

Haneda Airport is much closer. The Tokyo Monorail runs to Hamamatsucho and the Keikyu line runs to Shinagawa, with onward trains in central Tokyo in about 20 to 35 minutes. Buses and taxis also serve it, and a taxi is best for a late arrival.

Osaka and Kyoto, Nagoya and others

Kansai Airport has the JR Haruka to Osaka and Kyoto, and the Nankai Rapi:t to Namba in Osaka, which takes about 40 minutes. Buses also serve Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe.

Chubu Centrair Airport near Nagoya has the Meitetsu μ-SKY, which reaches Nagoya station in about 30 minutes. Fukuoka Airport is only a few minutes by subway from Hakata, and New Chitose near Sapporo has a rapid train to the city in about 40 minutes.

Choosing between them

If you arrive in the evening with bags and your hotel is on a bus route, the limousine bus saves transfers. If you are going to a station or a hotel near one, the train is faster and more predictable. Taxis from Narita cost tens of thousands of yen, so use them only if you are sharing or need one.

Tickets for the Skyliner, Narita Express, Haruka and limousine bus can be reserved before you arrive. That removes one thing to work out after a long flight.

Good to know

  • Buy a SIM card or turn on roaming before you leave the airport, so your map works.
  • Many hotels will forward large bags from the airport, or send them back.
  • At Haneda and Narita, check which terminal you are in, since the stations are different.

Words you will see

空港 kūkō
airport
リムジンバス rimujin basu
limousine bus
成田エクスプレス narita ekusupuresu
Narita Express
はるか haruka
JR Haruka, Kansai Airport express

Handy for your trip

Airport transfers

Book your airport train or bus before you arrive.

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See also

Next guide Apps and navigation

Times are approximate and based on operator timetables. Check the operator for current services. Fares and rules checked in November 2026. They change, so confirm current prices with the operator before you buy. Prices are rounded and given in yen. Rules differ between railway companies and regions.