Can You Ride the Haneda–Narita Limousine Bus Without a Reservation? How to Get a Same-Day Ticket
5 min read
When searching for cheap flights, you sometimes end up needing a domestic connection within Japan. If you book a domestic flight arriving at Haneda and an international flight departing from Narita, the transfer often takes longer than you’d expect.
And even if you plan to take the train, the distance between Haneda and Narita is farther than it seems. Many people also don’t want to haul a lot of luggage over such a long trip.
In this article, we’ll introduce the “Airport Limousine Bus,” which lets you travel smoothly between Haneda and Narita — same-day bookings are, of course, possible. We’ll also cover a few other transportation options worth considering.
What Is the Limousine Bus Between Haneda and Narita Airports?
If you’re traveling between Haneda and Narita airports, the Airport Limousine Bus is a great option.
We’ll cover the following in detail:
- How to buy a same-day ticket
- How to make an advance reservation
- A comparison of fare and travel time versus the train
- Points to watch out for
How to Buy a Same-Day Ticket
You can purchase a same-day ticket for the Airport Limousine Bus online with a credit card.
Tickets can be bought up until 5 minutes before departure, so you’re fine even if you’re cutting it close.
You can also switch to an earlier bus, so if you bought your ticket with plenty of time to spare but ended up arriving early, that’s not a problem either.
Just note that if there are no seats available, you won’t be able to buy a same-day ticket or switch to an earlier bus.
How to Make an Advance Reservation
There are three main ways to reserve an Airport Limousine Bus:
- Online reservation
- Phone reservation
- Reservation via ticket vending machine
Online Reservation
Sign up at Limousine Web to get an ID, then select the departure time you want from your member page. Entering your credit card information at that point makes the purchase quick and easy. You can also move up your departure time from your member page.
Phone Reservation
Call 03-3665-7220 and follow the automated guidance to select “Japanese” and then “Inquiries about Limousine Bus reservations.” An operator will then ask you for your travel date, route, name, and number of passengers. Once you receive your reservation number, your booking is complete.
Reservation via Ticket Vending Machine
Use the ticket vending machine to enter your travel date and time, destination, and number of passengers to purchase a ticket. Then collect the ticket for your reserved bus, and your booking is complete.
Note: Tickets issued at vending machines are valid only for same-day travel.
Comparing Fares and Travel Time: Airport Limousine vs. Train
Here’s a comparison of the fare and travel time for the Airport Limousine and the train.
| Airport Limousine | Train | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | About 75 minutes | About 100 minutes |
| Fare | ¥3,200 | ¥1,520 (using the Airport Limited Express) |
The limousine bus actually takes less time than the train.
You might assume the train would be faster, but in reality, the car is quicker.
If You Want Speed and Comfort, Choose the Airport Limousine
If you’re looking for speed and comfort when traveling between airports, the Airport Limousine is by far the best choice.
The biggest reason is that you don’t have to carry your luggage around. Since most people board flights with a large suitcase in tow, getting on a train with it can be a bit of a hassle.
With the Airport Limousine, you can arrive at the airport and board the bus right away, traveling comfortably while seated.
Points to Watch Out for When Taking the Airport Limousine
One thing to keep in mind when using the Airport Limousine is that if you’re running late, you can’t change your bus. You can change your departure time from the web member page up until 5 minutes before boarding, but once that window passes, you can neither change nor cancel your booking.
Since the limousine bus itself could also be delayed, we recommend booking with plenty of buffer time.
What’s the Best Way to Travel Between Tokyo and Narita Airport?
Here are four ways to travel between Tokyo and Narita Airport:
- Airport Limousine
- NearMe
- Train
- Taxi
We’ve compared them in the table below.
| Airport Limousine | NearMe | Train | Taxi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fare | ¥3,200 | From ¥5,980 | ¥1,520 | About ¥22,000 |
| Travel time | About 75 minutes | About 75 minutes | About 100 minutes | About 75 minutes |
| Convenience | Assigned seating | Wi-Fi available, small group rides | Frequent departures | Private, exclusive use |
If you want the cheapest option, the train is the way to go.
Using the Airport Limited Express, you can get there for just ¥1,520.
As for travel time, it’s roughly the same for any car-based option, so we’d recommend the Airport Limousine Bus, since it doesn’t come with any additional highway tolls.
If comfort is what you’re after, we’d recommend NearMe, which offers Wi-Fi and flexible timing.
A Recommended Option for Those Who Travel to Narita Airport Regularly
For those who travel between airports frequently, we recommend NearMe. It offers a range of advantages you won’t find with other services, which we’ll explain in detail below.
NearMe
NearMe is our own door-to-door airport transfer service.
The fare is a flat rate starting from ¥5,980 per person.
Just like a hired car, it takes you directly from your home or hotel to Narita Airport, so you never have to carry heavy luggage like suitcases on foot.
Other key features include:
- Wi-Fi available (not available in some vehicles)
- Seats up to 9 passengers
- Online payment supported
- No extra charge for flight delays
- Support available in both Japanese and English when booking
- Professional drivers
- Return trips can be booked at the same time
There’s no fixed pick-up point — as long as your home, the airport, or your destination is within the service area, we’ll pick you up and drop you off anywhere you like.
The service is currently available within Tokyo’s 23 wards, and the coverage area is gradually expanding.
(To book, click here → Service site)
Summary
Since you can book an Airport Limousine Bus on the same day using just your smartphone, checking seat availability and booking with a bit of a buffer will let you travel smoothly between Haneda and Narita.
If you’ll be making the trip between Haneda and Narita repeatedly — say, for work — we recommend “NearMe”!
You can get to the airport comfortably while keeping costs down!
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