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’s boarding time, you’ll want to steer clear of time lost to crowded parking as much as possible.

In this article, we’ll introduce tips for avoiding congestion at Narita Airport’s parking lots, along with recommended alternative ways to get there.

Basic Information About Narita Airport’s Official Parking Lots

First, let’s cover the basics of Narita Airport’s official parking lots. Which lot is closest to your departure terminal varies, so it’s worth checking which parking lot you plan to use ahead of time to avoid scrambling on the day of your trip.

Number and Location of Parking Lots

Narita Airport has four official parking lots in total: P1, P2, P3, and P5. There is no P4.

The table below summarizes the nearest terminal and capacity for each parking lot.

Parking Lot	Nearest Terminal	Capacity	Type of Parking Lot
P1	Terminal 1	1,800 vehicles	Surface and multi-story parking (6 floors above ground, 3 floors above ground)
P2	Terminal 2, Terminal 3	2,700 vehicles	Multi-story parking (North/South buildings: 5 floors above ground, 2 floors below ground; North Annex A/B: 6 floors above ground)
P3	Terminal 2, Terminal 3	150 vehicles	Surface parking
P5	Terminal 1	590 vehicles	Surface and multi-story parking (4 floors above ground)

Parking fees are as follows. (Reservation pricing differs and is covered later.)

Parking Lot	Fee
P1	¥260/30 min (max ¥2,100/day)
P2	¥260/30 min (max ¥2,100/day)
P3	¥210/30 min (max ¥1,570/day)
P5	¥210/30 min (max ¥1,570/day)

*1: P5 is reservation/long-term contract only. *2: The fees above are for standard passenger vehicles.

You can travel between terminals for free by shuttle bus. Travel times and service intervals are as follows.

	Travel Time	Service Interval
Terminal 1 ⇔ Terminal 2	10 min	Every 5–10 min
Terminal 2 ⇔ Terminal 3	3–6 min	Every 3–7 min
Terminal 3 ⇔ Terminal 1	14 min	Every 3–7 min

Between Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, you can also walk via a connecting corridor.

Peak Congestion Periods

Weekends, public holidays, Golden Week, summer, and the New Year period are especially prone to congestion.

You can check congestion forecasts for the next two months at the URL below — useful when planning a visit to Narita Airport.

https://www.narita-airport.jp/jp/access/parking/congestion

Tips for Avoiding Congestion at Narita Airport Parking Lots

Next, here are three tips for avoiding congestion at Narita Airport’s parking lots:

• Check the congestion forecast
• Make a reservation in advance
• Use a private parking lot

Even outside the peak congestion periods, weekends and holidays tend to be crowded, so it helps to know this in advance.

Check the Congestion Forecast

You can check real-time congestion status for Narita Airport’s parking lots on the official site below.

https://www.narita-airport.jp/jp/access/parking

If you weren’t able to secure a reservation, or if you’d like to keep costs down without booking ahead, this site is well worth using.

Make a Reservation in Advance

At Narita Airport, you can reserve in advance for the upper floors (2F/3F) of the Terminal 1 multi-story parking lot P1, P5, and the Terminal 2/3 parking lot P2 South and P2 North (underground).

Reservable parking periods range from 40 hours (about 2 days) to 480 hours (about 20 days).

You’ll need to register a reservation account to book, so if you’re planning to reserve a spot, it’s a good idea to set up your account early.

The table below lists the reservation pages for each lot.

Parking Lot	Reservation Site
Terminal 1 Parking Lot P1 (upper floors 2F/3F)	https://parking.narita-airport.jp/ja/reservation/calendar-p1
Terminal 2/3 Parking Lot P2 (South Building)	https://parking.narita-airport.jp/ja/reservation/calendar-p2s
Pet-in-Royal Users Only P2 (North Building)	https://parking.narita-airport.jp/ja/reservation/calendar-p2n
Terminal 1 Parking Lot P5	https://parking.narita-airport.jp/ja/reservation/calendar-p5

The reservation fee is a flat ¥1,400 for any lot (50% off for holders of a disability certificate, etc.), payable in advance by credit card.

Use a Private Parking Lot

If Narita Airport’s official parking lots are full, you can also use a private parking lot nearby.

Here are some recommended private parking lots near Narita Airport.

Sun Parking Narita

One of the largest private parking lots near Narita Airport, with capacity for 2,000 vehicles. A dedicated shuttle bus takes you from the lot to the airport. Reservations can be made online, and there are online-only discount rates.

Address: 134 Komaino, Narita, Chiba

Phone: 0476-33-1123

Official site: https://www.sunparking.co.jp/

Narita Airport Parking Parking

A limited-capacity lot, but one that claims the lowest rates among parking lots near Narita Airport. Its prime location gets you to Narita Airport in about 2 minutes. Reservations can be made online.

Address: 598-1 Toriko, Narita, Chiba

Phone: 0476-33-0203

Official site: https://www.abc-parking.com/

Recommended Ways to Get to Narita Airport

Now let’s look at ways to get to Narita Airport other than by car. If you’re traveling during one of the peak congestion periods mentioned above, it’s handy to have options besides driving.

Train and Bus

If you’re taking the train, Narita Airport connects directly to the Narita Sky Access Line, the Keisei Main Line, and JR lines.

Source: Narita Airport official site, “Access by Train” (https://www.narita-airport.jp/jp/access/train)

If you’re using Terminal 1, get off at “Narita Airport Station”; if you’re using Terminal 2 or Terminal 3, get off at “Airport Terminal 2 Station.”

For buses, airport bus services are available from Tokyo as well as areas like Kanagawa, Chiba, and Ibaraki.

The URL below lists bus companies that provide access to Narita Airport — check it out for reference.

https://www.narita-airport.jp/jp/access/inquiry#section-2

NearMe

NearMe is a taxi ride-share service provided by NearMe, Inc.

If you’re traveling with a large group, a single taxi can sometimes be difficult to fit everyone in.

NearMe dispatches large vans, so you can ride with up to 9 people.

Just like a taxi, you can be picked up and dropped off right in front of your terminal, so you can travel with friends or family without worrying about parking congestion.

Taxi

Even when traveling with large luggage, one advantage of a taxi is that you can be picked up right near your home.

Since there’s no need to park, you can get dropped off and picked up right at the entrance of your terminal. It costs more, but it’s a great option if you want to travel without being tied to a fixed departure time or location.

NearMe Is a Great Choice for Getting to Narita Airport

As introduced above, there are various ways to get to Narita Airport, but NearMe stands out as a particularly good option.

If you have a lot of luggage or are traveling in a large group, a car or taxi is often more convenient than a train or bus.

Here, we’ll go into more detail about NearMe, which can potentially be more affordable than a taxi.

Overview of NearMe

NearMe’s airport shuttle service is a door-to-door ride service connecting the airport with your home or another specified location, using shuttles that seat up to 9 people.

For first-time users, a campaign offers 50% off your fare (up to a maximum discount of ¥1,000). There’s also an early-bird discount, where booking earlier gets you a better rate. Traveling together with family or friends can significantly reduce the cost per person.

NearMe also doesn’t charge extra for early morning or late-night use, making it a great option if you have an early morning or late-night flight.

How to Book

You can book NearMe through the official website.

Since the fare is fixed and payment is made online, there’s no need to pay in the vehicle on the day of your flight.

After submitting a booking request, you’ll be notified within 24 hours whether a vehicle is available. Your pickup time and vehicle are confirmed by 6 PM the day before, so you won’t have to worry about scrambling for a ride on the day of your trip.

Benefits of NearMe

Here are three more benefits of using NearMe:

• No need to wait for parking
• Book and ride whenever you like
• Great value when traveling with others

No Need to Wait for Parking

With NearMe, you can be picked up and dropped off right in front of your terminal. There’s no need to worry about parking congestion, so you can get to Narita Airport smoothly while still enjoying the privacy of traveling by car. This is especially useful during peak periods like Golden Week, summer, and the New Year holidays, when parking lots tend to be crowded.

Book and Ride Whenever You Like

While NearMe does require advance booking, you can choose your pickup time and location freely, just like a taxi. Depending on the number of passengers, it can also be more affordable than a taxi, making it a cost-effective way to travel.

Great Value When Traveling With Others

Since NearMe is a ride-share service, the more people traveling together, the better the value.

With room for up to 9 passengers, you can travel together in a single vehicle even with a large group of friends or family. What’s more, children aged 11 and under ride at half price, and children riding on a parent’s lap ride free, making it a great option for family trips.

Summary

We’ve covered tips for avoiding congestion at Narita Airport’s official parking lots, along with recommended alternative ways to travel.

Parking lots get especially crowded on weekends and during long holidays — the times when everyone finds it easiest to travel.

With NearMe, you don’t have to worry about parking congestion, and you can travel together in a single vehicle even with a large group. Be sure to consider it as a new travel option.