Traveling Between Shinjuku and Narita Airport: Shuttle Bus or Train? Our Recommended Options
8 min read
Shinjuku Station is one of central Tokyo’s biggest transportation hubs, and many travelers head from there to Narita Airport.
We’ve put together a rundown of the best ways to get from convenient, centrally located Shinjuku to Narita Airport.
We’ll also introduce our recommended option for a more comfortable trip!
What transportation options are there from Shinjuku to Narita Airport?
There are trains, buses, and taxis available for getting from Shinjuku to Narita Airport.
The train options are the Narita Express and the Keisei Skyliner.
The bus options are shuttle buses, limousine buses, and NearMe.
List of transportation options
Here are the five main ways to get from Shinjuku to Narita Airport:
- Shuttle bus
- Limousine bus
- Narita Express
- Keisei Skyliner
- Taxi
- NearMe
Taxis offer great flexibility since you can ride freely, while shuttle buses and limousine buses go directly to the airport at a low price, making them ideal for those who want to save money even if it takes a bit longer.
The Narita Express and Keisei Skyliner get you there faster, but since services are limited, they can be inconvenient for early-morning or late-night flights.
Our own NearMe is a groundbreaking flat-rate ride-share service that lets you choose your own pickup location for a flat ¥4,980 per person.
Fares and travel times for each option
Here’s a summary of the fares and travel times for each way of getting from Shinjuku to Narita Airport.
Shuttle bus
Shuttle buses running from Shinjuku to Narita Airport include the Tokyo Shuttle/THE Access Narita and limousine buses.
Shuttle bus pickup points are limited to four locations: Tokyo Station, Ginza Station, Oedo Onsen, and Toun Depot.
The trip takes about 70 minutes, and the fare is a remarkably low ¥1,000 one-way.
Limousine bus
Limousine buses run across a wide area of the greater Kanto region, departing every 10 to 20 minutes. Because their service area spans Tokyo, Saitama, and Kanagawa, they’re a popular choice with a large ridership.
The fare is ¥3,200 for adults and ¥1,600 for children. The trip from Shinjuku Station to Narita Airport takes about 80 minutes.
Note that other buses bound for different destinations also stop at the same bus stops, so be careful not to board the wrong one.
Narita Express
The Narita Express connects major stations like Tokyo and Shinjuku directly to Narita Airport.
The trip from Shinjuku Station to Narita Airport takes about 90 minutes. Since it runs only once an hour, missing your planned train means a long wait for the next one.
The fare from Shinjuku Station to Narita Airport Station/Terminal 2 Station is ¥3,250 for a standard seat and ¥4,820 for a Green Car seat.
Booking online with a ticketless reservation gets you a ¥200 discount, so it’s worth doing.
Keisei Skyliner
The Keisei Skyliner is an airport express train running between Narita Airport Station and Ueno/Nippori Station.
It covers the distance from Ueno Station to Narita Airport Terminal 2 Station in as little as 46 minutes. The fare is ¥2,520 for adults (¥2,507 with an IC card) and ¥1,270 for children (¥1,258 with an IC card).
To use it from Shinjuku Station, you’ll need to take the JR Yamanote Line to Nippori Station and transfer to the Skyliner there. Note that exiting the ticket gates partway will invalidate your ticket.
We’ve also compared the Narita Express and Keisei Skyliner in more detail in this article.
If you’d like to learn more about traveling by train, be sure to check it out.
NearMe
NearMe is a next-generation limousine bus service provided by our company, NearMe Inc. Within our service area, you can specify any pickup location you like.
Below are our service areas and fares. The trip from central Tokyo to Narita Airport takes roughly 100 minutes.
| Area | Adult Fare/Person | Flat-Rate Airport Taxi (Reference Price) *Some metered fares apply |
|---|---|---|
| Funabashi City | From ¥4,980 | ¥14,600–¥17,500 |
| Edogawa, Koto, Sumida, Katsushika Wards | From ¥5,980 | ¥19,000–¥21,000 |
| Urayasu, Ichikawa Cities | From ¥5,980 | ¥19,900–¥20,500 |
| Chiyoda, Taito, Chuo, Bunkyo, Adachi, Arakawa Wards | From ¥5,980 | ¥23,000–¥26,000 |
| Ota, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Toshima, Minato, Meguro, Kita Wards | From ¥5,980 | ¥25,000–¥29,000 |
| Setagaya, Nakano, Suginami, Itabashi, Nerima Wards, Musashino, Mitaka Cities | From ¥6,980 | ¥27,000–¥31,000 |
Making your flight on time is the top priority when heading to the airport, right? NearMe uses proprietary AI technology to constantly provide the optimal route, so you don’t need to worry about major delays.
Comparison table
There are several main ways to get from Shinjuku to Narita Airport: train, bus, or taxi. The Narita Express and Keisei Skyliner get you there quickly but are tied to fixed schedules. Buses are cheap but can be a hassle to find the right stop for. Taxis let you travel whenever you like, but at a higher cost. NearMe charges a flat rate, though travel time varies depending on your pickup location. Here’s a simple comparison table of each option.
| Fare | Travel Time | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limousine bus | Adult ¥3,200, Child ¥1,600 | 80 min (standard: 120 min) | Easy to board the wrong bus |
| Shuttle bus | Adult ¥1,000 (¥2,000 late night) | 70 min (standard: 90 min) | No direct service from Shinjuku, transfer required |
| Narita Express | Standard ¥3,250, Green Car ¥4,820 | 90 min | Runs once per hour |
| Keisei Skyliner | Adult ¥2,520, Child ¥1,270 (Nippori→Narita Airport) | 46 min (Nippori→Narita Airport) | No direct service from Shinjuku, transfer required |
| NearMe | Flat rate: Adult from ¥5,980/person, Child from ¥2,990/person (covers Tokyo’s 23 wards) | 100 min (Shinjuku–Narita Airport) | Advance reservation required |
How to use the Shinjuku–Narita Airport shuttle bus
Here’s an easy-to-follow guide to traveling from Shinjuku to Narita Airport by shuttle bus.
How to use the shuttle bus
Using the shuttle bus is simple. On the day of travel, you can ride without a reservation as long as seats are available. Pickup points are limited to four locations: Tokyo Station, Ginza Station, Oedo Onsen, and Toun Depot.
How to buy tickets
How you buy your ticket depends on whether you’ve made a reservation.
If you’re reserving in advance, complete your booking and payment online with a credit card beforehand. Advance reservations are accepted up until 10 minutes before the departure time from the first bus stop.
If you’re not reserving, simply line up at the bus stop and wait your turn. You can also pay directly with cash or an IC card when boarding.
The ticket counter is open from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Travel time and fare details
The trip from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport Terminal 1 takes about 70 minutes. Terminal 2 takes 65 minutes, and Terminal 3 takes 62 minutes. The one-way fare from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport is ¥1,100 for adults and ¥500 for children. Buses departing at 11:00 PM, midnight, and 4:30 AM are treated as late-night/early-morning services, with a one-way fare of ¥2,000 for adults and ¥1,000 for children.
| Drop-off Point | Travel Time |
|---|---|
| Narita Airport Terminal 1 | About 70 min |
| Narita Airport Terminal 2 | About 65 min |
| Narita Airport Terminal 3 | About 62 min |
| Regular (one-way): Adult ¥1,100, Child ¥500; Late-night/early-morning (one-way): Adult ¥2,000, Child ¥1,000 |
Bus stops
There are four shuttle bus stops bound for Narita Airport. Since Tokyo Station, Ginza Station, Oedo Onsen, and Toun Depot are all located far apart from each other, choose the stop that best fits where you’ll be.
Is the shuttle bus a good fit for the Shinjuku–Narita Airport route?
The shuttle bus is considerably cheaper than other transportation options.
While that low cost is appealing, it’s fairly limited since there are only four pickup points, none of which are in Shinjuku, so a transfer is required.
Depending on where you’re staying, the total cost may end up about the same as other options. Whether cost or time matters more to you will depend on how you plan to spend your time in the city.
Introducing NearMe: a flat-rate ride from your home in Shinjuku
Up to this point, we’ve covered the transportation options available from Shinjuku to Narita Airport.
Our company also offers a service that lets you travel comfortably at a reasonable price.
Allow us to introduce it here!
Our NearMe service is a groundbreaking flat-rate ride-share that lets you choose your own pickup location. You can be picked up from anywhere you like for a flat rate starting at ¥5,980 per person. Since it’s a flat rate, it offers excellent value, and being able to freely choose your pickup location gives it the same convenience as a taxi.
Service overview
NearMe was created with rider convenience in mind, combining the best features of other transportation options into a more comfortable way to travel.
Each vehicle comfortably seats up to 9 passengers. You can choose any location you like as your pickup or drop-off point at no extra charge. For drop-off, you can choose between Narita Airport Terminal 1, 2, or 3.
Fares and estimated travel time
The flat fare starts at ¥5,980 per adult and ¥2,990 per child (under 6). Children aged 5 and under who are held on a lap ride free of charge. The first suitcase per person is free; each additional suitcase is an extra ¥1,000. The estimated travel time is 100 minutes, though this varies depending on your pickup location.
Benefits
There are three key benefits to using NearMe:
- You can be picked up from anywhere you like
- A reassuring flat rate no matter where you board
- No need to worry about last trains or first trains — just match your flight schedule
You can also use Wi-Fi on board during the ride. Enjoy a relaxed trip in the comfort of a spacious limousine bus.
How to book
Booking is simple. From the top page, select your travel date and enter your flight time. The system will suggest an appropriate departure time, and once you follow the steps to enter your contact information, your reservation is complete.
After booking, you’ll receive confirmation of your finalized time within 24 hours. Payment can only be made by credit card.
If you’re interested, please make a reservation or ask any questions via the service website.
Summary
In this article, we introduced the best ways to travel between Shinjuku and Narita Airport.
Each option has its own advantages, so it’s worth choosing the one that best fits your situation.
If you want both value and comfort, we recommend our own NearMe service!
With a flat rate no matter where you board, plus optimal route planning, NearMe lets you enjoy a smooth, comfortable trip that isn’t tied down by location or time.
Be sure to give it a try.
Related Articles
Airport Access【Narita Airport ⇔ Futako-Tamagawa】Complete Bus Guide! Fares and Travel Times Explained
Futako-Tamagawa, located in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, has become a popular area in recent years thanks to redevelopment across the whole district—commercial facilities, offices, a bus terminal, and more have opened. Green space has also been developed along the Tama River, making it an area families are drawn to for its access to nature.
Narita AirportWhat to Do When Narita Airport Parking Is Crowded: How to Avoid It and Recommended Alternatives
With COVID-19 travel restrictions easing, more people have been traveling abroad lately. At the same time, parking lot congestion has become a growing problem. To avoid missing your flight, you'll want to steer clear of time lost to crowded parking.
Narita AirportFrom Ikebukuro to Narita Airport! A Complete Guide to Bus Fares, Stops, and Travel Time
Many travelers choose a limousine bus to get from Ikebukuro to Narita Airport. This article details the fares and travel times of limousine buses departing from Ikebukuro. We'll also introduce other recommended transportation options besides the limousine bus, so be sure to check them out! There are two bus routes from Ikebukuro to Narita Airport!