Asakusa ⇔ Narita Airport Access Guide! A Thorough Comparison of 5 Transportation Options
9 min read
Asakusa is a popular tourist spot known for its nostalgic downtown atmosphere, home to Senso-ji Temple’s Kaminarimon Gate and Nakamise Shopping Street. Tokyo Skytree is also within a 15–20 minute walk.
Many people wonder which transportation option to choose for traveling between Asakusa and Narita Airport.
In this article, we’ll thoroughly compare the transportation options between Asakusa and Narita Airport, covering fares, travel times, pros, and cons. We’ll also introduce our recommended option, so be sure to check it out.
5 Transportation Options Between Asakusa and Narita Airport
Here are the 5 transportation options between Asakusa and Narita Airport:
- Train
- Limousine Bus
- Car
- Taxi
- NearMe
Let’s go through the fares and travel times for each.
1. Train
The train fares, travel times, and routes are as follows.
| Asakusa ⇔ Narita Airport | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | ・Toei Asakusa Line Airport Rapid Limited Express ・Keisei Narita Sky Access Line Access Express | ・Toei Asakusa Line Rapid ・Keisei Main Line Rapid |
| Fare (IC card) | ¥1,302 | ¥1,107 |
| Travel time | About 1 hour | About 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Route | ■Asakusa ↕︎ (Toei Asakusa Line / Keisei Narita Sky Access Line through-service) ■Terminal 2 Building ↕︎ (Toei Asakusa Line / Keisei Narita Sky Access Line through-service) ■Narita Airport | ■Asakusa ↕︎ (Toei Asakusa Line / Keisei Main Line through-service) ■Terminal 2 Building ↕︎ (Toei Asakusa Line / Keisei Main Line through-service) ■Narita Airport |
The Toei Asakusa Line runs through-service with the Keisei Narita Sky Access Line (Narita Airport Line) and the Keisei Main Line, so you can travel between Asakusa and Narita Airport without transferring.
The boarding/alighting station differs depending on which terminal you’re using. See the table below for details.
| Station | Terminal Served | Airlines Departing/Arriving |
|---|---|---|
| Narita Airport Station | Terminal 1 | ・SkyTeam (Delta Air Lines, Air France, Korean Air, China Airlines, etc.) ・Star Alliance (ANA, United Airlines, Lufthansa, EVA Air, etc.) |
| Airport Terminal 2 Station | Terminal 2 | ・Oneworld (JAL, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, etc.) |
| Terminal 3 | ・LCCs (Jetstar, Spring Airlines, Jeju Air, etc.) |
The pros and cons are as follows.
| Pros | ・Most affordable option ・Frequent service means shorter wait times ・Travel time is stable since it’s not affected by traffic conditions |
| Cons | ・Often crowded ・Difficult to find space for large luggage like suitcases ・Long walking distance between the platform and airport lobby |
2. Limousine Bus
The direct limousine bus between Asakusa and Narita Airport is currently suspended. If you want to use a limousine bus, we recommend the Tokyo Station ⇔ Narita Airport route, since Tokyo Station is close to Asakusa. Asakusa to Tokyo is about a 20-minute train ride.
The fares and travel times are as follows.
| Asakusa ⇔ Tokyo ⇔ Narita Airport | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fare | Bus ¥1,300 + Train ¥345 (Total ¥1,645) *Late-night/early-morning bus service is ¥2,600 | Bus ¥1,300 + Train ¥324 (Total ¥1,624) *Late-night/early-morning bus service is ¥2,600 |
| Travel time | Bus about 1 hour 5 minutes + Train about 20 minutes (Total about 1 hour 25 minutes) | |
| Route | ■Asakusa ↕︎ (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line) ■Ueno ↕︎ (JR Tokyo-Ueno Line / Yamanote Line / Keihin-Tohoku・Negishi Line) ■Tokyo ↕︎ (Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita) ■Narita Airport Terminal 3 ↕︎ (Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita) ■Narita Airport Terminal 2 ↕︎ (Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita) ■Narita Airport Terminal 1 | ■Asakusa ↕︎ (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line) ■Kanda ↕︎ (JR Chuo Line / Yamanote Line / Keihin-Tohoku・Negishi Line) ■Tokyo ↕︎ (Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita) ■Narita Airport Terminal 3 ↕︎ (Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita) ■Narita Airport Terminal 2 ↕︎ (Airport Bus Tokyo-Narita) ■Narita Airport Terminal 1 |
The bus stops are as follows.
| Bus Stop | |
|---|---|
| Tokyo Station | Yaesu South Exit, stops 7 and 8 |
| Narita Airport Terminal 1 | Stop 7 |
| Narita Airport Terminal 2 | Stop 6 |
| Narita Airport Terminal 3 | Stop 5 |
The pros and cons are as follows.
| Pros | ・Reserved seating guarantees you a seat ・Large luggage can be stored in the trunk compartment |
| Cons | ・Direct service between Asakusa and Narita Airport is currently suspended ・You can’t board if the bus is full (no standing room) |
3. Car
Narita Airport is accessible by car. However, parking or stopping in front of each terminal is prohibited except for dropping off or picking up passengers, so if you need to wait around for a pickup, you must use a parking lot.
Note that general vehicles are not permitted at Terminal 3, except for passengers with disabilities. If you’re dropping off or picking up passengers, use Terminal 2 instead.
The nearest parking lot differs depending on which terminal you’re using. See the table below for details.
| Narita Airport | Parking Lot |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | P1, P5 |
| Terminal 2 | P2, P3 |
| Terminal 3 | P2 |
The expressway tolls, travel times, and routes are as follows.
| Expressway | Surface Streets | |
|---|---|---|
| Toll | ¥3,650 (ETC ¥2,300) | – |
| Travel time | About 1 hour | About 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Distance | About 68km | About 63km |
| Route | ■Asakusa ↕︎ (surface streets) ■Mukojima Interchange ↕︎ (expressway) ■Shin-Kuko IC ↕︎ (surface streets) ■Narita Airport | ■Asakusa ↕︎ (surface streets) ■Narita Airport |
The pros and cons are as follows.
| Pros | ・Door-to-door, so you don’t have to carry luggage on foot ・Not bound by a fixed schedule — go at your own pace ・Free to make stops along the way |
| Cons | ・You may have to wait if the parking lot is full ・Expressway and parking fees apply ・Driving yourself can be tiring |
4. Taxi
The Taito ward area, where Asakusa is located, is covered by Narita Airport’s flat-rate taxi service. In addition to the flat fare, expressway tolls apply. If departing from Narita Airport, parking fees also apply.
The fares and travel times are as follows.
| Expressway | |
|---|---|
| Flat fare | ¥23,000 (¥28,000 for late-night/early-morning hours 22:00–5:00) |
| Expressway toll | ¥3,650 (ETC ¥2,300) |
| Parking fee (rate per 30 minutes, up to 3.5 hours) | ・P1/P2: ¥260 ・P3/P5: ¥210 |
| Travel time | About 1 hour |
| Distance | About 68km |
The pros and cons are as follows.
| Pros | ・Door-to-door, so you don’t have to carry luggage on foot ・Available early in the morning and late at night ・No other passengers, so you can relax |
| Cons | ・Expensive |
5. NearMe
A new transportation option is the ride-sharing taxi service “NearMe.” You can sit comfortably in a spacious vehicle like a Hiace or Alphard and travel door-to-door to Narita Airport.
The fares and travel times are as follows. Unlike a regular taxi, there are no additional expressway or parking fees.
| Adult fare | ¥5,980 |
| Child fare | ¥2,990 Child (6–11 years old) Junior seat (4–5 years old) Child seat (0–3 years old) *Children sitting on a lap ride free |
| Suitcase fee | First bag per person free; ¥1,000 per bag from the second bag onward |
| Travel time | About 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes |
The pros and cons are as follows.
| Pros | ・Door-to-door, so you don’t have to carry luggage on foot ・Available early in the morning and late at night ・Sit comfortably in a spacious vehicle ・Online payment means smooth drop-off |
| Cons | ・Service area is limited (Taito ward, where Asakusa is located, is within the service area, so this isn’t an issue) |
A Thorough Comparison of Transportation Options Between Asakusa and Narita Airport
Here’s a summary of the fares and travel times for each transportation option.
| Transportation | Fare | Travel time |
|---|---|---|
| ・Toei Asakusa Line Airport Rapid Limited Express ・Keisei Narita Sky Access Line Access Express | ¥1,302 | About 1 hour |
| ・Toei Asakusa Line Rapid ・Keisei Main Line Rapid | ¥1,107 | About 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Limousine Bus | Bus ¥1,300 + Train ¥345 (Total ¥1,645) | Bus about 1 hour 5 minutes + Train about 20 minutes (Total about 1 hour 25 minutes) |
| Car (excluding gas and parking fees) | Expressway ¥3,650 (ETC ¥2,300) | About 1 hour |
| Surface streets ¥0 | About 2 hours 15 minutes | |
| Taxi | Flat fare ¥23,000 + Expressway toll ¥3,650 (Total ¥26,650) | About 1 hour |
| NearMe | ¥5,980 | About 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes |
Excluding the car option via surface streets, the most affordable transportation is the train via “Toei Asakusa Line Rapid” or “Keisei Main Line Rapid” (¥1,107).
For travel time, the train via “Toei Asakusa Line Airport Rapid Limited Express” or “Keisei Narita Sky Access Line Access Express,” as well as the car and taxi options using the expressway, all arrive fastest at about 1 hour.
Among the transportation options that allow you to check large luggage, the limousine bus (bus ¥1,300 + train ¥345) is the most affordable.
If you want a comfortable door-to-door trip as well as the ability to check your luggage, NearMe (¥5,980) offers excellent value for money.
Our Recommended Transportation Between Asakusa and Narita Airport: “NearMe”
Our recommended transportation option between Asakusa and Narita Airport is “NearMe.” It’s especially recommended if you have large luggage.
Below is a comparison of the limousine bus, NearMe, and taxi.
| Limousine Bus | NearMe | Taxi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fare | Bus ¥1,300 + Train ¥345 (Total ¥1,645) | ¥5,980 | Flat fare ¥23,000 + Expressway toll ¥3,650 (Total ¥26,650) |
| Travel time | Bus about 1 hour 5 minutes + Train about 20 minutes (Total about 1 hour 25 minutes) | About 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes | About 1 hour |
| Can check large luggage | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Door-to-door | × | ○ | ○ |
| Travel at any time you like | × | ○ | ○ |
| No need to worry about other passengers | × | × | ○ |
When you have large luggage, door-to-door travel is extremely convenient. With NearMe, you can travel comfortably door-to-door for less than a quarter of the price of a taxi. What’s more, you can book at any time you like, whether early morning or late at night.
On the NearMe official website, you can enter your pickup location, date and time, number of passengers, and number of bags to get a detailed quote on fare, time, and route. Be sure to check it out.
Summary
We’ve introduced 5 transportation options between Asakusa and Narita Airport: “train,” “limousine bus,” “car,” “taxi,” and “NearMe.” Each has its own pros and cons, so choose the one that best fits your situation.
If you have large luggage in particular, we recommend NearMe, which offers the comfort of a taxi service at less than a quarter of the price. Even if you’re traveling with small children or elderly family members, door-to-door service means a stress-free trip.
When traveling between Asakusa and Narita Airport, be sure to give the affordable and comfortable NearMe a try.
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