Do you assume Tokyo or Shinjuku Station are the most convenient places to catch a bus to the airport? Actually, the Ikebukuro area has surprisingly good limousine bus access too.

Ikebukuro is less crowded than Shinjuku, making it a bit of a hidden gem. Here we’ll introduce the transportation options and recommended ways to get from the Ikebukuro area to Narita Airport!

What limousine buses run from Ikebukuro to Narita Airport?

The limousine bus running between Ikebukuro and Narita Airport is the Airport Limousine, operated by Tokyo Airport Transport. The Airport Limousine runs 4 to 6 times per hour. Because its pickup area spans from Tokyo to Saitama and Kanagawa, it’s used by a large number of passengers.

What is a limousine bus?

A limousine bus is a convenient mode of transport that connects major stations and hotels in Tokyo directly with Narita Airport.

Since it goes straight to the airport, once you’ve checked your luggage you can move smoothly to your destination without transferring. Seating is reserved, and restrooms are fully equipped on board. It arrives at the departure lobby, letting you skip the hassle of making your own way to the check-in counter.

It also uses GPS to check road conditions, so it always runs the optimal route.

List of boarding points around Ikebukuro (Ikebukuro, Mejiro, Kudanshita, Korakuen area)

There are seven limousine bus stops around Ikebukuro heading to Narita Airport.

Boarding locations are spread widely around the Ikebukuro area. Below is a list of the nearest station and nearby landmarks for each.

Most of the stops are located in front of hotels or on major streets, so they’re easy to find. One thing to note about boarding, though.

Except for the Ikebukuro Station West Exit stop, advance reservation by the day before is required. On the day of travel, you can’t simply line up and board directly. Ikebukuro Station West Exit runs 24 services a day, so no advance reservation is needed there.

	Nearby landmark	Nearest station
Hotel Metropolitan	Next to Ikebukuro Police Station	Ikebukuro Station West Exit
Sunshine City Prince Hotel	In front of Family Mart Sunshine CPH branch	Higashi-Ikebukuro (Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line)
Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo	Front left of the Hotel Chinzanso entrance	Edogawabashi Station (Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line)
Hotel Grand Palace	Along Mejiro-dori Avenue	Kudanshita Station (subway)
Tokyo Dome Hotel	Near Kumagyoan Tankuma Kitaten	Suidobashi Station
Ikebukuro Station West Exit	Across from the Starbucks at Ikebukuro Station West Exit	Ikebukuro Station
Ikebukuro Sunshine Bus Terminal	1F of the Sunshine City Bunka Kaikan building	Higashi-Ikebukuro (Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line)

Fares and travel times by stop

	Fare	Standard travel time
Hotel Metropolitan	Adults ¥3,200 / Children ¥1,600	Approx. 110 min
Sunshine City Prince Hotel	Adults ¥3,200 / Children ¥1,600	Approx. 100 min
Ikebukuro Sunshine Bus Terminal	Adults ¥3,200 / Children ¥1,600	Approx. 90 min
Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo	Adults ¥3,200 / Children ¥1,600	Approx. 90 min
Hotel Grand Palace	Adults ¥3,200 / Children ¥1,600	Approx. 80 min
Tokyo Dome Hotel	Adults ¥3,200 / Children ¥1,600	Approx. 70 min
Ikebukuro Station West Exit	Adults ¥3,200 / Children ¥1,600	Approx. 120 min

The limousine bus fare is the same no matter which stop around Ikebukuro you board from: ¥3,200 for adults and ¥1,600 for children.

There’s no surcharge for late-night or early-morning departures. Travel time varies by stop, with the farthest, Ikebukuro West Exit, taking about 120 minutes to reach Narita Airport.

The shortest is Tokyo Dome Hotel, arriving in about 70 minutes. Keep in mind these are only standard travel times — they can vary depending on the route and departure time.

Also, some stops don’t have service at certain times of day. The Ikebukuro Sunshine Bus Terminal, which reaches the airport in about 90 minutes, only has afternoon departures. If you want a morning departure near the Ikebukuro Sunshine Bus Terminal, use the Sunshine City Prince Hotel stop instead, which does have morning service. Note that Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, Hotel Grand Palace, and Tokyo Dome Hotel have no departures after 4 PM.

Travel time on the limousine bus varies depending on the specific service you take, so it’s essential to check the stop information in advance.

How to use the limousine bus

Anyone can use the limousine bus, whether or not they have a reservation.

However, since seating is limited and reserved, you won’t be able to board without a reservation once the bus is full.

To be sure of a seat, you’ll need to book in advance. You can make a reservation via the Limousine Bus website, Well-net, or by phone. Payment is by credit card for website reservations, and prepayment at a convenience store for Well-net.

For phone reservations, you purchase a ticket for a specified time at the ticket counter on the day of travel. The fare is the same from any stop around Ikebukuro (Ikebukuro, Mejiro, Kudanshita, Korakuen area): ¥3,200 for adults and ¥1,600 for children.

There are also discount tickets available: the Premium Coupon Book (11 tickets for ¥12,000), and the Limousine & Subway Pass (from ¥3,400 for one Narita Airport route). With the Limousine & Subway Pass, you get unlimited rides on all 9 Tokyo Metro lines and all 4 Toei Subway lines.

Other affordable ways to get from Ikebukuro to Narita Airport

Besides the limousine bus, there are five other ways to get from Shinjuku to Narita Airport: NearMe, the Narita Express, the Keisei Skyliner, the Access Express, and taxis. Here’s an overview of each.

NearMe

NearMe is a next-generation flat-rate limousine service offered by us, NearMe Inc. Because it charges a flat rate, it offers excellent value, while letting you pick your own pickup location freely, giving it the convenience of a taxi.

Capacity is a spacious maximum of 9 passengers, and of course the vehicles come with Wi-Fi. The flat fare is ¥5,980 for adults and from ¥2,990 for children (under 6). There’s no extra charge for children aged 5 and under who ride on a parent’s lap. The first suitcase per passenger is free; each additional one is +¥1,000. Payment is by credit card only.

The estimated travel time is about 90 minutes, varying by pickup location. When you enter your flight time at booking, we’ll suggest the optimal pickup time. At Narita Airport, it serves Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

As of December 2021, the service area covers Tokyo’s 23 wards and Narita Airport.

Keisei Skyliner

The Keisei Skyliner is an airport express train running between Narita Airport Station and Nippori/Ueno. Including the transfer, the fare from Ikebukuro Station to Narita Airport is ¥2,690 for adults (¥2,675 with an IC card). It takes as little as about 50 minutes from Ikebukuro Station to Narita Airport Terminal 2 Station.

Narita Express

The Narita Express connects major stations like Tokyo and Shinagawa directly with Narita Airport. Travel time between Ikebukuro Station and Narita Airport Station is about 80 minutes. The fare is ¥3,250 for a standard seat and ¥4,820 for a Green Car seat.

Access Express

The Access Express is an airport express train that doesn’t require a limited express surcharge. It connects Narita Airport Station directly with major stations such as Nippori, Shinagawa, and Asakusa. The fare from Ikebukuro Station to Narita Airport is ¥1,440 (¥1,425 with an IC card). Travel time is about 80 minutes.

Taxi

A taxi is highly convenient since you can be picked up from wherever you like. The estimated fare for a taxi from Ikebukuro to Narita Airport is about ¥24,310, with a travel time of about 70 minutes. Late-night surcharges apply for rides between 10 PM and 5 AM.

Comparing each mode of transport

NearMe, the Narita Express, the Keisei Skyliner, and the Access Express each offer different levels of convenience depending on your situation. Here’s an easy comparison of each, along with their convenience.

Travel time between Ikebukuro and Narita Airport averages about 80 minutes by train. NearMe takes about 90 minutes. As for fares, taxis are the most expensive at over ¥20,000, while the Access Express, which requires no limited express surcharge, is the most affordable option.

	Fare (Ikebukuro–Narita Airport)	Travel time (Ikebukuro–Narita Airport)	Number of stops	Convenience
NearMe	Flat rate: Adults ¥4,980 / Children ¥1,980	Approx. 90 min	Covers all 23 wards of Tokyo (pick any location)	Book from anywhere, at just the right time
Keisei Skyliner	Adults ¥2,690 / Children ¥1,440	Approx. 50 min	Ueno and Nippori Stations only	The fastest way to travel
Narita Express	Standard seat ¥3,250 / Green Car ¥4,820	Approx. 80 min	21 stations (major stations in Tokyo)	Well-served by stops at major stations across Tokyo
Access Express	¥1,440 (¥1,425 with an IC card)	Approx. 80 min	12 stations (Shinagawa, Shimbashi, Nihombashi, etc.)	No limited express surcharge required
Other (Taxi)	From approx. ¥24,310	Approx. 70 min	None	No restrictions on movement

The main ways to reach Narita Airport are by train, bus, or taxi. Trains and buses arrive almost exactly on schedule, though with less flexibility in timing. A taxi lets you travel freely, but it comes at a cost. As you can see, the best mode of transport really depends on your situation.

Summary

We’ve covered every way to get from the Ikebukuro area to Narita Airport.

NearMe, the service we offer, is the next-generation mode of transport born from our efforts to create a more comfortable way to travel. With a user-first mindset, we’ve incorporated as many “nice-to-have” features as possible.

Our proprietary AI works out the optimal route, so you no longer need to worry about time or location when traveling. Give NearMe a try — it keeps the hassle of travel to a minimum while getting you comfortably to your destination.