If you’re coming to Tokyo from overseas, chances are you’ll be flying into Narita airport. Tokyo has two main international airports: Narita is the furthest from the city as it’s located 70km from Tokyo Station, while Haneda is only 20km away. Nevertheless, Narita still accounts for more than half of the international flight traffic.
Currently, due to regulations stemming from noise restrictions, Narita airport’s runways close at 11pm every night, meaning there won’t be any aircraft landing or taking off after that time until the next morning. But to accommodate the rising tourist numbers and the onset of the 2020 Olympics, the airport will extend its runway hours until midnight starting late October this year.
The long trip from Narita airport to inner-Tokyo (about 90 minutes) makes jumping into a taxi a little prohibitive as it could set you back about ¥30,000. Thankfully, three of the main transport options from the airport have announced they will be extending their service hours.
From October 27, the East Japan Railway Co. (more commonly known as JR East) and the Keisei Electric Railway Co. (which operates the Skyliner airport train), will run three extra services, with the last train departing at 12.10am. In addition, Keisei bus will offer two extra buses to Tokyo Station until 12.30am.
Just make sure to catch one of these late-night transport options. The last thing you want after arriving long-haul is to spend a few long hours at the airport blowing your travel budget on snacks and random souvenirs, or worse, forking out the equivalent of 30 bowls of ramen for a taxi into town.
For more information, check Narita Airport’s official website. If you have time to spare before your flight, why not explore Narita City? (Yes, there’s more to Narita than just the airport).