By Bus

Two services, the Airport Limousine Bus and the Airport Express Bus, run from Narita to the largest and most expensive hotels in the city's different areas and to the JR Tokyo and Shinjuku stations; the fare is ¥2,700-¥3,050, depending on your destination. Even if you are not staying at one of the route's drop-off points, you can take the bus as far as the one closest to your hotel and then use a taxi for the remaining distance.

Keep in mind that these buses only run every hour, and they do not run after 11 PM. The trip is scheduled for 70-90 minutes but can take two hours in heavy traffic. Ticket counters are in the arrival lobbies, across from the customs-area exit. Buses leave from platforms just outside terminal exits, exactly on schedule; the departure time is on the ticket.

A bus to the Tokyo City Air Terminal (TCAT) leaves approximately every 10-15 minutes from 6:45 AM to 11 PM; the fare is ¥2,900, and you can buy tickets at the hotel bus ticket counter. TCAT is in Nihombashi in north-central Tokyo, a bit far from most destinations, but from here you can connect directly with the Suitengu Eki on the Hanzo-mon subway line, then to anywhere in the subway network. A taxi from TCAT to most major hotels will cost about ¥3,000.

By Taxi or Limousine

Taxis are rarely used between Narita Airport and central Tokyo -- at ¥20,000 or more, depending on traffic and where you're going, the cost is prohibitive. Station-wagon taxis do exist, and the meter rates are the same as for the standard sedans, but they are not always available.

Limousines are also very expensive; from Narita Airport to the Imperial Hotel downtown, for example, will set you back about ¥35,000.

By Train

Trains run every 30-40 minutes between Narita Airport Train Station and the Keisei-Ueno Eki on the privately owned Keisei Line. The Keisei Skyliner takes 57 minutes and costs ¥1,920. The first Skyliner leaves at 7:49 AM, the last at 9:58 PM. It only makes sense to take the Keisei, however, if your final destination is in the Ueno area; otherwise, you must change to the Tokyo subway system or the Japan Railways loop line at Ueno (the station is adjacent to Keisei-Ueno Eki) or take a cab to your hotel.

Japan Railways (PHONE: 03/3423-0111 for JR East Infoline) has greatly improved its airport service with trains that stop at both terminals. The fastest and most comfortable is the Narita Limited Express (N'EX), which makes 23 runs a day in each direction.

Trains from the airport go directly to the central Tokyo Eki in just under an hour, then continue to Yokohama and Ofuna. Daily departures begin at 7:43 AM; the last train is at 9:43 PM. The one-way fare is ¥2,940 (¥4,980 for the first-class "Green Car" and ¥5,380 per person for a private compartment that seats four).

All seats are reserved, and you'll need to reserve one for yourself in advance, as this train fills quickly. The less elegant kaisoku (rapid train) on JR's Narita Line also runs from the airport to Tokyo Eki, by way of Chiba; there are 16 departures daily, starting at 7 AM. The fare to Tokyo is ¥1,280 (¥2,210 for the Green Car); the ride takes 1 hour and 27 minutes.

Transfers Between Haneda Airport and Center City

By Monorail

The monorail from Haneda Airport to Hamamatsu-cho Eki in Tokyo is the fastest and cheapest way into town; the journey takes about 17 minutes, and trains run approximately every 5 minutes; the fare is ¥470. From Hamamatsu-cho Eki, change to a JR train or take a taxi to your destination.

By Taxi

A taxi to the center of Tokyo takes about 40 minutes; the fare is approximately ¥8,000.

Train Travel

The Shinkansen (bullet train), one of the fastest trains in the world, connects major cities north and south of Tokyo. It is only slightly less expensive than flying but is in many ways more convenient because train stations are more centrally located than airports (and, if you have a Japan Rail Pass, it's extremely affordable).

On the Tokaido Line, the main line that runs west from Tokyo to Nagoya, Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka, Hiroshima, and the island of Kyushu, there are three types of Shinkansen. The Nozomi makes the fewest stops, which can cut as much as an hour from long, cross-country trips; it is the only Shinkansen on which you cannot use a JR Pass. The Hikari makes just a few more stops than the Nozomi. The Kodama is the equivalent of a Shinkansen local, making all stops along the Shinkansen lines. All trains on this line leave from Tokyo Eki in central Tokyo.The same principal of faster and slower Shinkansen also applies to the Tohoku Line, which runs north from from Tokyo to Sendai and Morioka, in the Tokyo region. Trains on this line leave from Ueno Eki.

JR Shinkansen and express trains on the Joetsu Line (to Niigata) use both Tokyo Eki and Ueno Eki. JR express trains to the Japan Alps (Matsumoto) use Shinjuku Eki.

A new bullet train now runs from Tokyo Eki to Nagano. Named the Hokuriku Shinkansen, it uses the Joetsu Shinkansen tracks to Takasaki, where it branches off for Nagano.

Other trains, though not as fast as the Shinkansen, are just as convenient and cheaper. There are three types of train services: futsu (local service), tokkyu (limited express service), and kyuko (express service). Both the tokkyu and the kyuko offer a first-class compartment known as the Green Car.

Because there are no porters or carts at train stations, and the flights of stairs connecting train platforms can turn even the lightest bag into a heavy burden, it is a good idea to travel light when getting around by train.

Savvy travelers often have their main luggage sent ahead to a hotel they plan to reach later in their itinerary. It's also good to know that every train station, however small, has luggage lockers, which cost about ¥300 for 24 hours.

Japan Rail Pass

A Japan Rail Pass offers unlimited travel on Japan Railways (JR) trains. It is possible to purchase one-, two-, or three-week passes. A one-week pass is less expensive than a regular round-trip ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen.

Travelers must obtain a rail pass voucher prior to departure for Japan (they are not obtainable in Japan), and the pass must be used within three months of purchase. The pass is available only to people with tourist visas, as opposed to business, student, and diplomatic visas.

Upon arrival in Japan, exchange the voucher for the Japan Rail Pass. You can do this at the Japan Railways (JR) desk in the Arrivals Hall at Narita Airport or at the JR stations of major cities. When making this exchange, determine the days you want to begin and end travel. Travel does not have to commence on the day you make the exchange; instead, pick the starting date to maximize use. The Japan Rail Pass allows you to travel on all JR-operated trains (which cover most destinations in Japan) but not lines owned by other companies.

The JR Pass is also valid on buses operated by Japan Railways. You can make seat reservations without paying a fee on all trains that have reserved-seat coaches, usually the long-distance trains. The Japan Rail Pass does not cover the cost of sleeping compartments on overnight trains (called blue trains), nor does it cover the newest and fastest of the Shinkansen trains, the Nozomi, which make only one or two stops on longer runs. The pass covers only the Hikari Shinkansen, which make a couple more stops than the Nozomi, and the Kodama Shinkansen, which stop at every station along the Shinkansen routes.

Japan Rail Passes are available in coach class and first class (green car), but most find that coach class is more than adequate. A one-week pass costs ¥28,300 coach class, ¥37,800 first class; a two-week pass costs ¥45,200 coach class, ¥61,200 first class; and a three-week pass costs ¥57,700 coach class, ¥79,600 first class. Travelers under 18 pay lower rates. The pass pays for itself after one Tokyo-Kyoto round-trip Shinkansen ride.

Information

Japan Railways Group (1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1622, New York, NY 10020 USA, PHONE: 212/332-8686, FAX: 212/332-8690).

Buying a Pass

Contact a travel agent or Japan Airlines (JAL; 655 5th Ave., New York, NY 10022 USA, PHONE: 212/838-4400), Japan Travel Bureau (JTB; 810 7th Ave., 34th floor, New York, NY 10019 USA, PHONE: 212/698-4900 or 800/223-6104), or Nippon Travel Agency (NTA; 111 Pavonia Ave., Suite 317, Jersey City, NJ 07310 USA, PHONE: 201/420-6000 or 800/682-7872).

Fares & Schedules

Information

JR Hotline English-language information service (PHONE: 03/3423-0111; OPEN: weekdays 10-6).

Reservations

Many travelers assume that rail passes guarantee seats on the trains they wish to ride. Not so. If you are using a rail pass, there is no need to buy individual tickets, but you should book seats ahead. This guarantees you a seat and is also a useful reference for the times of train departures and arrivals. You can reserve up to two weeks in advance or just minutes before the train departs. If you fail to make a train, there is no penalty, and you can reserve again.

Seat reservations for any JR route may be made at any JR station except those in the tiniest villages. The reservation windows or offices, midori-no-madoguchi, have green signs in English and green-stripe windows. If you are traveling without a Japan Rail Pass, there is a surcharge of approximately ¥500 (depending upon distance traveled) for seat reservations, and if you miss the train, you'll have to pay for another reservation. When making your seat reservation, you may request a no-smoking or smoking car. Your reservation ticket shows the date and departure time of your train as well as your car and seat number.

On the platform you can figure out where to wait for a particular train car. Notice the markings painted on the platform or on little signs above the platform; ask someone which markings correspond to car numbers. If you don't have a reservation, ask which cars are unreserved. Sleeping berths, even with a rail pass, are additional. Unreserved tickets can be purchased at regular ticket windows. Reservations cannot be made for local service trains. For traveling short distances, tickets are usually sold at vending machines. A platform ticket is required if you go through the wicket gate onto the platform. The charge is ¥140 (in Tokyo and Osaka, the tickets are ¥120).

Most clerks at train stations know a few basic words of English and can read Roman script. Moreover, they are usually willing to help you plot your route. The complete railway timetable is a mammoth book written in Japanese; however, you can get an English-language train schedule from the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) that covers the Shinkansen and a few of the major JR Limited Express trains. JNTO's booklet The Tourist's Handbook provides helpful information about purchasing tickets in Japan.