The “Skyliner” connects central Tokyo and Narita Airport in just 36 minutes. It’s a transportation option most people consider at some point when planning access to Narita Airport.

Since you don’t ride it often, it’s easy to get confused when the time finally comes to use it.

This article explains how to ride the Skyliner for those planning to use it. We’ve also summarized its pros and cons, so use this as a reference when deciding whether to use it.

How to Ride the Skyliner (Fares & Tickets)

Here’s a quick summary of the Skyliner’s route information, travel time, and reservation method characteristics. Use this as a reference to get the overall picture.

Basic Information

The Skyliner is a special airport express train operated by Keisei Electric Railway, connecting Keisei-Ueno Station and Narita Airport.

	Keisei-Ueno Station ⇔ Narita Airport
Fare (IC card)	¥2,567 (¥1,267 fare + ¥1,300 Liner ticket)
Travel time (incl. transfer)	About 40 minutes
Route	■Keisei-Ueno ↕︎ ■Nippori ↕︎ ■Aoto* ↕︎ ■Shin-Kamagaya* ↕︎ ■Airport Terminal 2　 ↕︎ ■Narita Airport

If you board at Keisei-Ueno Station, the train travels via the Narita Sky Access Line and arrives at Narita Airport in as little as 36 minutes.

*Some Skyliner services stop at Aoto or Shin-Kamagaya, in which case the travel time will vary.

Since the Skyliner has all reserved seating, you’ll need to make a reservation or purchase a ticket on the day of travel.

Fares

The Skyliner requires two separate fares: the base fare and the Liner ticket fare.

The fares from each boarding station are as follows.

Boarding Station	Base Fare (IC card)	Liner Ticket
■Keisei-Ueno / Nippori	¥1,267	¥1,300
■Aoto	¥1,141	¥1,050
■Shin-Kamagaya	¥922	¥800

*Alighting station is either Airport Terminal 2 or Narita Airport

Like the base fare, the Liner ticket fare varies depending on the distance to the alighting station. The fare is the same whether you book in advance online or by other means.

Discounts may also be available for value bundles such as the Skyliner combined with a Narita Airport area rail pass, so it’s worth checking the official website for details.

Airlines sometimes offer bundled sets as well, so be sure to check when you’re planning your trip.

How to Purchase Tickets (Reservations)

There are three ways to reserve your ticket in advance:

• Online
• By phone
• At a ticket counter

Let’s go through each one.

Online

To book online, you can complete the process through the Skyliner Online Reservation Service. The site shows seat availability for the Skyliner at your desired time and lets you reserve a specific seat.

There are three ways to pay and receive your ticket, so you can choose the one that suits you best.

【Ticket Payment & Pickup Methods】

	Payment Method	Ticket Pickup	Features
Boarding station counter or ticket machine	Select “Purchase at station” as the payment option, then pay at the boarding station’s counter or ticket machine	Received directly when paying at the boarding station counter or ticket machine	・You can ask station staff directly if you’re unsure・Requires a trip to the station beforehand
FamilyMart	Select “Purchase at FamilyMart” as the payment option, then pay at your nearest FamilyMart	Received directly when paying at FamilyMart	・Convenient if there’s a FamilyMart nearby・Requires payment of the combined base fare and Liner ticket
Ticketless	Select “Purchase online (ticketless service)” as the payment option, then pay using credit card, Rakuten Pay, Recruit Kantan Payment, or Yahoo! Wallet	After completing the process online, you’ll receive an email with a URL to display your Liner ticket	・You can choose your preferred payment method・You must keep the email without deleting it

Paying at the counter is recommended if you’re unsure about anything, since you can ask station staff directly and it’s less intimidating than booking online.

Paying at FamilyMart is convenient if there’s a convenience store nearby.

However, since you must pay the combined total of the base fare and Liner ticket, you cannot purchase only the Liner ticket this way.

With the ticketless option, you can choose the payment method that suits you and earn points. Since the URL is sent by email, be sure to keep it saved.

By Phone

For phone reservations, call the ticket reservation center to book.

Phone number	0570-081-160
Hours	9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Payment & pickup	Only at Keisei-Ueno Station, within a set deadline

An operator will guide you through the reservation process.

Since the reception hours are fixed, you’ll need to call during that time window.

Also, since payment and pickup are only available at Keisei-Ueno Station within a set deadline and time, it’s best to choose another reservation method if getting to the station is difficult.

Ticket Counters

You can also make a reservation at a counter at a Skyliner stop or through a travel agency.

【Counters】

• Skyliner stops (Ueno, Nippori, Airport Terminal 2, Narita Airport)
• Ticket sales counter inside Narita International Airport Terminal Building
• Ueno Information Center

【Travel Agencies】

• Keisei Travel branch offices
• Kinki Nippon Tourist, JTB, Nippon Travel Agency, Odakyu Travel, Keio Kanko, Tobu Top Tours, Meitetsu Kanko, Hankyu Travel International, and other major travel agencies

Since you can purchase your base fare ticket and Liner ticket face-to-face with staff, this option is recommended if you’re not confident using online booking or ticket machines.

How to Purchase Tickets (Same Day)

If you’re not making a reservation and plan to use the Skyliner on the day of travel, you can purchase tickets at the following locations:

• Liner ticket sales counter
• Liner ticket machine

If you want to buy both the base fare ticket and Liner ticket, purchase a “combined base fare + Liner ticket.” If you want to pay for the base fare using an IC transit card, purchase a “Liner ticket only,” which lets you pay the base fare with your IC card.

How to Board

Since the Skyliner has all reserved seating, it’s difficult to buy a Liner ticket after you’ve already boarded. So make sure you’ve finished purchasing your ticket before passing through the ticket gate.

【If boarding with an IC card】

When passing through the gate, insert your Liner ticket first, then tap your IC card to complete payment. If using the ticketless option, display your Liner ticket from the URL sent by email and show it to station staff to complete payment.

【If boarding without an IC card】

If you purchased a combined base fare + Liner ticket, you can simply pass it through the gate as-is. Since one ticket serves both purposes, there’s no confusion about which one needs to go through the gate first.

3 Benefits of Using the Skyliner

For the following three reasons, the Skyliner is a great choice for getting to Narita Airport.

• The fastest way to reach Narita Airport with no transfers
• Well-equipped onboard facilities
• Peace of mind with all reserved seating

The Fastest Way to Reach Narita Airport With No Transfers

Once you board the Skyliner, it runs straight through to Narita Airport with no transfers needed. If you have a lot of luggage, moving between stairs and elevators or through crowds during a transfer can be stressful. Not having to transfer alone reduces the burden significantly, which is a great advantage.

Additionally, with few stops and a top speed of 160 km/h, the Skyliner is the fastest way to reach Narita Airport. Buses or taxis from central Tokyo to Narita Airport can take over an hour. If you have a fixed schedule or are in a hurry, the Skyliner is well suited to your needs.

Well-Equipped Onboard Facilities

All Skyliner seats are reclining and designed with extra space. You can relax and enjoy a comfortable ride until arrival. The train is also equipped with vending machines, baby beds, and wheelchair-accessible restrooms. Even though the ride is short, it’s designed for comfort, making it a safe choice even when traveling with children.

Wi-Fi is also available onboard.

Peace of Mind With All Reserved Seating

When riding regular trains, you may not be able to find a seat during busy times.

Since the Skyliner has all reserved seating, you’re guaranteed a seat even for a short ride. This lets you conserve your energy on the way to Narita Airport, or relax comfortably even if you’re tired from your trip home.

4 Points to Watch Out for When Using the Skyliner

Despite its many benefits, there are some points to be careful about when using the Skyliner. These are as follows:

• A reservation is required
• You need to purchase a Liner ticket
• Be careful about stopping stations
• Be careful not to mistake it for similarly named trains

Let’s go through each one.

A Reservation Is Required

The Skyliner has all reserved seating.

This means you cannot board without a reservation. Also, since departure times are fixed, your reservation becomes invalid if you miss your train. Your preferred date and time may also become fully booked, so be sure to reserve in advance and arrive on time.

You Need to Purchase a Liner Ticket

A base fare ticket alone isn’t enough to ride the Skyliner. You also need a Liner ticket, which functions as an express ticket. If you’re boarding with an IC card in particular, don’t forget that you need to purchase the Liner ticket separately.

Be Careful About Stopping Stations

The Skyliner only stops at a limited number of stations. If you’re getting off at Aoto or Shin-Kamagaya, be sure to check the timetable, as the number of trains stopping there is limited.

Also, Airport Terminal 2 and Narita Airport stations serve different terminals.

・Airport Terminal 2 Station: Directly connected to Terminal 2, nearest station to Terminal 3

・Narita Airport Station: Directly connected to Terminal 1

The terminal you need depends on your airline, so be sure to check in advance.

Be Careful Not to Mistake It for Similarly Named Trains

Besides the Skyliner, there are other trains with similar names — the “Access Express” and the “Limited Express.” Here’s a summary of the differences.

Name	Stops*	Travel Time	Difference from the Skyliner
Access Express	Higashi-Matsudo	About 1 hour	No express ticket required
Limited Express	Yawata, Funabashi, Keisei-Tsudanuma, Sakura	About 1 hour 20 min	Same line as the Keisei Main Line, no express ticket required, cheaper than the Access Express

*Additional stops compared to the Skyliner

The Access Express stops at nearly the same stations as the Skyliner but doesn’t require an express ticket, making it a good choice for those looking to save money.

The Limited Express takes longer since it stops at more stations, but it runs on the Keisei Main Line, making it the cheapest option overall. Choose between the Skyliner, Access Express, and Limited Express depending on your needs.

Other Ways to Travel Besides the Skyliner

Besides the Skyliner, there are other ways to get from Keisei-Ueno to Narita Airport.

Here we introduce airport buses, taxis, and NearMe.

The fares and features of each are summarized in the table below for reference.

	Fare	Travel Time	Boarding Location	Features
Airport Bus	¥1,500	From about 1 hour 5 minutes (from Tokyo Station)	Tokyo Station	Direct from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport ・Frequent departures
Taxi	From about ¥23,000	From about 1 hour 5 minutes	From a specified location	Picks you up from your specified location / Affected by traffic conditions
NearMe	¥5,980	From about 1 hour 5 minutes	From a specified location within Tokyo’s 23 wards	Picks you up from your specified location / Lower cost

Among these, NearMe is especially recommended.

Like a taxi, NearMe picks you up and drops you off at your specified location. Since pricing is based on ride-sharing, it offers great value. Depending on availability you may end up riding alone, but since the price is set assuming ride-sharing at the time of booking, it’s still far more affordable than a taxi. It also accepts large luggage and can accommodate up to 9 passengers.

NearMe’s key features include:

• Can be used by large groups
• Smooth travel with online payment
• Smooth, transfer-free travel

While slightly more expensive than the Skyliner, it’s a comfortable and convenient way to travel.

NearMe Is Recommended for Getting to Narita Airport!

We’ve covered various transportation options here, including the Skyliner. For travel to Narita Airport, we recommend NearMe. Here are three reasons why:

• Smooth pickup from your specified location
• Great value for groups
• Easy online payment

Let’s look at each in detail.

Smooth Pickup From Your Specified Location

With NearMe, the vehicle arrives at your specified location at the specified time, so you don’t have to worry about carrying your luggage around and can conserve your energy for your trip.

Moving around with large items like suitcases can be both physically and mentally exhausting. To avoid getting tired before you even reach your destination, we recommend a smooth, low-effort pickup from a specified location.

Great Value for Groups

NearMe can accommodate up to 9 passengers, making it easy for large groups to travel together smoothly. Group discounts are also available, helping keep costs down.

Easy Online Payment

With NearMe, since it’s a flat fare, you can pay online in advance.

Trains and buses require cash or an IC card on the day of travel.

Taxis also require cash. Additionally, with taxis you don’t know the exact fare until you’ve actually ridden, which makes costs harder to predict. With NearMe, there’s no hassle of paying on the day, allowing for a smooth trip.

Summary

We’ve covered everything from basic information about the Skyliner to how to ride it.

The Skyliner is a transportation option that gets you there in as little as 36 minutes.

Since it’s the fastest way to travel, be sure to use this article as a reference when heading to Narita Airport.

If you’re concerned about luggage or group size, it may be worth considering other transportation options.

For example, with “NearMe” (official website), you can travel door-to-door anywhere within Tokyo’s 23 wards. Choose the transportation method that suits you best for a comfortable journey.