When you want to take the train to Narita Airport, searching a transit app turns up all sorts of routes. It’s hard to tell whether the Keisei Skyliner or the Narita Express gets you there more comfortably.

In this article, we compare the Keisei Skyliner and the Narita Express in detail.

Differences Between the Keisei Skyliner and the Narita Express

Here we explain the features and differences of the Keisei Skyliner and the Narita Express.

Quick Comparison Table

	Keisei Skyliner	Narita Express
Travel time from Tokyo Station	48–55 minutes	54 minutes – 1 hour 10 minutes
Fare from Tokyo Station	¥2,680	¥3,020
Convenience	Seating: all reserved / Frequency: 3 per hour	Seating: all reserved / Frequency: 2 per hour

Transportation options — simple comparison table

Basic Information About the Keisei Skyliner

First, let’s cover the following about the Keisei Skyliner:

• How to buy tickets
• How to board
• Stops
• Timetable

What Is the Keisei Skyliner?

It’s an airport express that runs between Ueno Station and Narita Airport Station.

It can reach the fastest speed of any conventional line in Japan, 160 km/h, connecting Nippori Station to Airport Terminal 2 Station in as little as 36 minutes (the shortest travel time between Nippori Station and Airport Terminal 2 Station).

How to Buy Tickets

To ride the Keisei Skyliner, you need a Liner ticket in addition to a regular ticket or an IC card such as Suica.

There are three ways to purchase a Liner ticket:

1. Ticketless service
2. Reserve online
3. Reserve and purchase at a ticket counter

Let’s go through each method in turn.

1. Ticketless service:

Your smartphone or mobile phone screen serves as your Liner ticket, letting you board the Skyliner smoothly without using a counter or ticket machine.

The purchase process is three steps:

1. Access the reservation site and register as a member.
2. Reserve and purchase your Liner ticket from a computer, smartphone, or mobile phone.
3. Board with your mobile phone or smartphone in hand. (A separate ticket or IC card such as Suica is also required.)

2. Reserve online:

Reserve from a computer or smartphone over the internet.

Before boarding, pay at a counter, ticket machine, or convenience store (FamilyMart) to receive your Liner ticket, then board. (A separate ticket or IC card such as Suica is also required.)

3. Reserve and purchase at a ticket counter:

Purchase at a station or travel agency.

Tickets go on sale one month before the travel date, and are available at the following locations:

• Skyliner stop stations
• The ticket sales counter inside the Narita International Airport terminal building
• The Ueno information counter
• Keisei Travel branch offices
• Major travel agencies including Kinki Nippon Tourist, JTB, Nippon Travel Agency, Odakyu Travel, Keio Kanko, Tobu Top Tours, Meitetsu Kanko, and Hankyu Travel International

How to Board

Get off at Ueno Station or Nippori Station and follow the signs for Narita Airport.

Pass through the ticket gate for the Keisei Line transfer. You can pass through with Suica here. There’s a staff member near the platform dedicated to the Skyliner, so show your Liner ticket and board.

Stops

Keisei Liner Access Guide

There are four stations: Ueno, Nippori, Narita Airport Terminal 2, and Narita Airport.

Timetable

Please check the Skyliner official website timetable.

If you’d like to learn more about the Keisei Skyliner, please check out this article.

Basic Information About the Narita Express

Next, let’s cover the following about the Narita Express:

• How to buy tickets
• How to board
• Stops
• Timetable

What Is the Narita Express?

It connects Narita Airport directly with major stations including Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Yokohama, and Omiya. It’s a train with a spacious, convenient interior.

How to Buy Tickets

To ride the Narita Express, you need a Limited Express ticket in addition to a regular ticket or an IC card such as Suica.

There are three ways to purchase tickets:

1. Reserve and purchase via eki-net
2. Ticketless service via eki-net
3. Reserve and purchase at a ticket counter

Let’s go through each method in turn.

1. Reserve and purchase via eki-net:

Access eki-net from a computer or smartphone to reserve and purchase.

You can apply starting one week before tickets go on sale, which is itself one month before the travel date.

Tickets booked through eki-net must be picked up in advance.

You can pick up and pay for them at JR East reserved-seat ticket machines, Midori-no-Madoguchi counters, and similar locations.

You’ll need the following three things to pick up your ticket:

• The 5-digit reservation number you received when your reservation was completed
• The credit card you registered when applying
• Your credit card PIN

Also note that only the person who made the reservation can pick up the ticket.

2. Ticketless service via eki-net:

eki-net also offers a ticketless service.

It’s a convenient, cost-effective option that also comes with the eki-net ticketless discount. (You cannot apply from a computer.)

The purchase process is three steps:

1. Access the eki-net site from your smartphone or mobile phone and apply from the ticketless application menu.
2. Once your application is complete, you’ll receive a purchase confirmation email — save it on your device and bring it with you.
3. Board (a separate ticket or IC card such as Suica is also required).

3. Reserve and purchase at a ticket counter:

Available from Midori-no-Madoguchi counters, View Plaza, reserved-seat ticket machines, and major travel agencies starting one month before the travel date.

How to Board

If you have both a regular ticket and a Limited Express ticket, simply insert them into the gate and pass through.

If you’re using Suica as your regular ticket, tap your Limited Express ticket at the gate first, then tap your Suica afterward.

Stops

Narita Express Access

There are 22 stations: Narita, Sakura, Yotsukaido, Chiba, Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Omiya, Kichijoji, Mitaka, Kokubunji, Tachikawa, Hachioji, Takao, Musashi-Kosugi, Yokohama, Totsuka, Ofuna, Narita Airport Terminal 2, and Narita Airport.

Timetable

Please check the Narita Express official website timetable.

If you’d like to learn more about the Narita Express, please check out this article.

There Are Many Other Ways to Get to Narita Airport

So far, we’ve compared and explained the Keisei Skyliner and the Narita Express.

But there are other ways to get to Narita Airport as well.

Here we introduce transportation options to Narita Airport besides the Keisei Skyliner and the Narita Express.

NearMe

NearMe fares to Narita Airport

NearMe is a new door-to-door car service that takes you to Narita Airport.

Its proprietary AI technology finds the most optimal pickup and drop-off route. Best of all, since it takes you directly from your home or hotel to Narita Airport, there’s no need to walk while carrying heavy luggage. Vehicles heading to Narita Airport also come fully equipped with Wi-Fi (not available in some vehicles).

Other features include:

• Smooth online payment
• No extra charges for flight delays
• English-language support available when booking

As for pricing, fares to Narita Airport start at a flat rate of ¥5,980 per person.

The service area currently covers Tokyo’s 23 wards, making it very convenient if you’re traveling from within the city. Reservations must be made in advance, up until 6 PM the day before travel. (Service site)

Bus / Limousine Bus

Another option is taking a bus or limousine bus to Narita Airport.

Airport Limousine is a well-known option, and its appeal is the large number of pickup points at stations and hotels.

There’s always a risk of traffic delays, but you can check current travel times on the website, which is reassuring.

Fares vary depending on the distance from Narita Airport, but from central Tokyo it costs around ¥3,200 per person.

The service area is also extensive, covering Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama.

Keisei Access Tokkyu (Access Express)

The Keisei Access Tokkyu is one type of train operated by Keisei Electric Railway that heads to Narita Airport via the Narita Sky Access Line.

It runs on roughly a 40-minute cycle and stops at fewer stations than the Tokkyu (Limited Express).

The appeal is that it connects Nihombashi and Airport Terminal 2 Station in as little as 59 minutes for just ¥1,330.

Overall Comparison of Each Transportation Option

Finally, let’s do an overall comparison of each transportation option.

Comparison Table

	Keisei Skyliner	Narita Express	NearMe	Bus / Limousine Bus	Keisei Access Tokkyu
Travel time from Tokyo Station	48–55 minutes	54 minutes – 1 hour 10 minutes	1 hour 10 minutes – 1 hour 20 minutes	1 hour 25 minutes – 1 hour 40 minutes	1 hour 10 minutes – 1 hour 15 minutes
Fare	¥2,680	¥3,020	From ¥5,980/person	¥2,800–¥3,200	¥1,670
Convenience	All seats reserved, 3 departures/hour	All seats reserved, 1–2 departures/hour	Door-to-door pickup, advance reservation required, Wi-Fi equipped	1 departure every 2 hours	1 departure/hour

Transportation options — comparison table

So Which One Do We Recommend?

If you just want to get there as fast as possible and stick to a schedule, the train is generally the quickest option, though it depends on your starting point.

If you want to keep travel costs down, the Keisei Access Tokkyu is the cheapest option.

If you’d rather not take the train and want to travel directly from your home or a specified location, NearMe is a great choice.

Each option has its own pros and cons, and convenience clearly varies from person to person.

Summary

In this article, we explained the differences between the Keisei Skyliner and the Narita Express.

Each has clear strengths and weaknesses depending on your purpose and needs, so it’s best to choose whichever fits your situation at the time.

There are also many different ways to get to Narita Airport, depending on your purpose for traveling.

Especially when you have a lot of luggage while traveling, be sure to try NearMe. It’ll make your trip more comfortable and enjoyable!