Best Tokyo airport to fly into with Qantas

Which is the best airport to use when flying into Tokyo? Both in terms of getting around and into Japan/Tokyo from there and also lounges.

Thanks

I can only speak from an access point of view (not lounges) but I would go Henada given it is closer to the city. Travel time is about half of that from Narita. We arrived first thing in the morning on a Saturday (QF25) and I reckon we would have gotten into Shinjuku station within 30min.

Also I recommend going the limousine bus, easy enough to buy a ticket and a lot cheaper than a taxi as they're rather expensive over there. The desk is near the exit and they run often.

Depending on what you mean by "best" - Narita's just over 1hr away via train to Tokyo but the ride is pretty scenic therefore i liked it a lot. Lounges are on par with Haneda i would say as most airlines/alliances have presence in both. 

Haneda for proximity. Plenty of options either way to get downtown but Haneda is much closer. As far as airport efficiency goes, both are on par I think. 

I'd toss in to the decision making which airframe you'd like to fly on, an A300's or a 747?

Haneda is certainly closer, but if you plan to hire a car, then its much easier at Narita.

There are a few variables.  The A330's into Narita are much more comfortable in J than the 747 out of Sydney.  Narita inbound is a day flight, Haneda a night flight.  From there it depends on where you are heading in Tokyo.  Narita and the Narita Express is great if you are near Tokyo or Shinagawa.  The Monorail from Haneda is very good early in the morning if you are heading for Hamamatsucho.   Whilst Haneda is much closer to Tokyo than Narita the trains are on the regular line so getting to the airport with your bags at evening peak for the return trip is a challenge on a very packed train.  The Narita Express has booked seats so regardless of when you catch it you have a more pleasant trip.

I used NRT a lot when it was the only international gateway for Tokyo. I generally got the Limousine bus into town, but it could take 2.5hours in morning rush hour. I now use HND for its proximity to town. As noted above, commuter train connections can be a hassle with luggage, but Limousine bus connections direct to your hotel are very good, and only take about 30mins from city to airport in morning rush hour.

I find it disappointing that everyone seems to think that the Narita Express is the only express train from NRT. It isn't.

There are 4 train options from NRT into the metro Tokyo area. An express and normal commuter option for both JR and Keisei. The Keisei express train (Skyliner) to Ueno and Nippori is faster then the JR Narita Express.

There are also buses from both airports to major train stations around Tokyo and more limited buses direct to selected large hotels.

Which airport to use and which transport option to look at depends a lot on where in Tokyo you are going.

Another factor I always look at is timing of flights.  If I am flying economy to Tokyo I want to avoid over-nighters.  From Perth that means CX or SQ.  Using QF from the east you get day flights out of BNE and MEL, while SYD and all flights out of Tokyo are overnight.  So I would avoid SYD for timing if flying Y.  If in J, then the superior seats on the A330 and consistent product (still one old 747 around) would also would also mean avoiding Sydney.  I do prefer Haneda and try to use it with CX and SQ, but with QF that would be the lesser consideration.

If all other factors are equal, I would choose Haneda, but Narita is fine too. Both airports have good transport links including trains and buses.

From Narita, the NEX will get you to Tokyo station in about an hour, and to Shinjuku in 90 minutes. The Keisei Skyliner takes 45 minutes to Ueno. These trains have reserved seats and are not the usual commuter trains.

From Haneda, the monorail goes to Hamamatsucho in 13 minutes and from there it's possible to take the Yamanote line to Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ueno and other parts of Tokyo.

I much prefer taking a train over a limobus which can get stuck in traffic. The limobus could be useful if you have a lot of luggage. I wouldn't take a taxi from either airport.

Also don't forget the Keikyu Line from Haneda. It runs directly to Shinagawa Station, which is a major rail hub at the south end of the Tokyo Yamanote (loop) line and has nice connections, including the Tokaido Shinkansen. Keikyu trains also run directly to Kawasaki and Yokohama.

Originally Posted by GM :