There’s not really much that will make a traveler’s butt pucker faster than realizing that they inadvertently booked a Tokyo connection which involves flying into Hanada and departing out of Narita (or vise versa). It’s a very easy mistake to make actually, since many airlines and multiple airline alliances have a large presence at both airports and it’s often necessary to transfer between the two in order to get the best flight options.
Having two major airports serving the same city certainly has its advantages, but it also causes a heck of a lot of confusion sometimes. Especially here in Tokyo! Haneda and Narita airports are very far apart from one another, and depending on freeway traffic (which is usually just nuts), it often takes over an hour to get between the two.
You need to pay especially close attention whenever you book a flight that involves a transfer in Tokyo, because you just may end up having to do the Haneda to Narita shuffle.
Thankfully, the Japanese are experts in areas of public transportation and customer service. The Haneda to Narita airport shuffle probably sounds really scary to anyone who hasn’t done it before, but I’m here to tell you that it is extremely easy and I had no issues with it at all – which was surprising to me considering that my Japanese vocabulary consists of roughly 10 words and two short phrases.
“Nice to meet you” and “My name is Scott” certainly does come in handy now and then when traveling around Japan, but it did absolutely nothing to assist me in figuring out how to do this one-hour bus ride.
Step 1: purchase a ticket
First thing you need to do is find the kiosks that sell bus tickets. There are several bus ticket kiosk stations in the arrivals hall of both airports, so follow the signs (which are also in English by the way). Look for the orange kiosks – those are the ones that sell the airport-to-airport bus tickets.
The first screen of the kiosk will ask you to choose a language, and from there just follow the prompts and insert cash or coins whenever it tells you. Trust me, I’m an idiot sometimes (always) when it comes to figuring out public transportation, but these kiosks are super easy to use and I had a bus ticket in my hand in less than 30 seconds.
Step 2: find the bus!
Once you have a ticket, follow the signs to the bus terminal. Your ticket will say which platform the bus is leaving from, so just make your way down to the bus terminal and find the platform which is printed on your ticket. All signage is in Japanese and English, so it’s super easy to figure out.
I was about 10 minutes early for my 11:00 AM ride to Narita, so I hovered around a little bit waiting for it to arrive. But this is Japan, where order and organization are the pillars of the culture, and I soon found myself being herded into a very neat and orderly line (behind a clear marking on the ground) by one of the bus company employees who was attending this platform.
He took my ticket, thanked me profusely for waiting, and I stood there for a few minutes longer until the bus arrived.
Step 3: enjoy the ride
I had well over five hours before my flight to San Diego would be departing Narita, so I wasn’t feeling any stress or anxiety at all as I boarded the bus and waited for it to fill up with other passengers. So even if traffic was going to be really bad this morning, it wouldn’t have bothered me any because I had plenty of time to kill and I was in no worry of missing my flight.
The good news is that there were absolutely no delays on the way over to Narita, and all in all it ended up being a really nice relaxing ride. I’ve been to Japan many times over the years, but I’ve never once had the opportunity to explore Tokyo (as odd as that may sound). I felt just like a kid with my nose pressed the window watching the city roll by right in front of my eyes.
Total travel time between Haneda and Narita today was one hour and 10 minutes, which left me gobs of time before my connecting flight home to San Diego. You know that means: I had time to check out the JAL Sakura Lounge!
Geoff
Red shoes are back
SANspotter
And they are here to stay! Haha!
Peter
You ain’t kidding! I came across your AirAsiaX biz class review a half hour ago, read a couple of your trip reports and spotted (pun intended!) THREE different pairs of red sneakers! I really enjoy what I’ve read and seen thus far; keep up the good work!
Anh Ng
I just booked a ticket from SGN Vietnam to PDX, USA and got the same issues.
May I ask for the bus ticket fee from Narita to Haneda and also would you know whether the Airlines will transfer our checked in luggages for us?
That would be a great help! Thank you so much in advance and thank you for the great info!
SANspotter
The fee is quite reasonable actually – just 3100 Yen, which converts to about 28 USD. Unfortunately, the airlines won’t transfer your checked baggage. You’ll have to retrieve them at NRT, bring them on the bus with you, and check them in again at HND. The bus staff is super helpful though, so it’s a really easy process.
anhhai
Did you need a Japanese visa to transfer travel NRT -HND?
SANspotter
It depends on your nationality. US citizens don’t need a visa to enter Japan (and many others don’t either), but be to check the requirements of your passport. Also, keep in mind that once you have legally entered Japan, you don’t need any government documents (passport, visa, etc) to ride this bus. It’s basically just a regular Japanese bus route that anyone can ride.
Pamela
How long did it take you from the time you deplaned? We have a 3hour 40 min transfer time during peak hour and wasn’t sure if It is possible.
SANspotter
I didn’t come from another flight on this particular trip (I overnighted at the airport hotel), but the last time I did the HND-NRT bus transfer (2012ish?) total time from stepping off the plane at HND to arriving at NRT was about 2 hours. That includes the time it took to clear passport control and retrieve my bag from the carousel. A 3 hour and 40 minute transfer time should be ok.
Duc T
I did not notice my reservation that I have to transfer from Haneda to Narita for a flight back to the US.
Your report relieves my anxiety somewhat. Does the kiosk take credit cards, if not then I need to have some Yen ready? My flight lands at Haneda at 6:55am coming from HCM City and the flight at Narita departs at 10:50am. Do you think the chance I will make my flight is good on a Monday morning traffic? Look like I will have to collect my luggages, go through custom at Haneda, with US passport there would not be any problem I hope.
SANspotter
Yes, the kiosks accept all major credit cards, so no worries there. And 4 hours should be enough for the bus ride over to NRT – even on a Monday morning during rush hour. You’re not going to have a lot of time to spare though, so keep moving and don’t take any breaks until you reach NRT.
The Japanese are masters of organization and efficiency though, so you won’t have any problems. Enjoy the trip!
Luis Balcazar
Hello Scott
Question for you:
The bus between haneda to narita can take yuo to any narita terminal ? i mean your pic is from terminal 2 but i need fly from termnal 1
Thanks for your help
SANspotter
Hi Luis – yes, the bus makes stops at both terminals. Enjoy your trip!
Chan
I will have to transfer from HND to NRT on 1/31/2020. I am guessing that the wait area for the bus is outside , so it will be cold. So, should I pack a jacket ?
SANspotter
Yes, the wait area is outside – so do be sure to bring a jacket!
Greta
This is fantastic! I found a website where I can book my shuttle online but it’s a little confusing. In
24 hours I will be landing at Narita then a four hour layover to Haneda… schlepping my ski gear to Chitose/Sapporo. Glad to know I can use the handy kiosks!
SANspotter
Glad this helped Greta! The NRT-HND shuffle is extremely easy – you’ll see. Have a great trip!
alex
Hi there!
Awesome article and i know you are the right person to ask then 🙂 We have connecting flight arriving in Haneda from US at 255pm, and needing to transfer to Narita. We have checked bags to claim as well. 3 concerns I have, please bear with me: 1) How long does checking out of take in Haneda Airport 2) Will the Shuttle bus accommodate our bags? We are 5 travellers and each is allowed 2 checked bags, are these placed in the compartment of the bus? 3) Will we make it to our next flight at 7.30pm, considering the customs clearing/immigration? We are heading to Manila by the way. thank you!
SANspotter
Hi Alex! Good questions. First of all, the time it takes to get out of HND with bags varies. I’ve done in 20 minutes once, and another time took 40. Second, yes! The shuttle bus is able to accommodate full-size luggage from every passenger (they put in the cargo hold). Finally, you should have plenty of time. I’d recommend getting out of HND and on the bus as soon as possible though, because you do not want to get caught in Tokyo rush hour traffic! Without traffic, the bus ride is approximately one hour.
Have a great trip!
Lydia C PIKE
THANK YOU! I am a first time international traveler and my flight from USA to Vietnam takes me through Tokyo and the HND-NRT shuffle. I appreciate your article tremendously. We only have 3 Hours to transfer and are very nervous about it. So far, in reading the comments, I see that we must: 1) keep moving, no time to waste 2) Find an orange kiosk as soon as we get our bags from the carousel 3) Have a credit card ready to purchase the bus tickets 4) Have a coat (traveling in February 2021 – we hope) 5)Upon arrival at NRT, get off at the designated terminal ….. then what? Remember, I am clueless so be gentle. I rarely travel by plane domestically and JUST received my first passport 🙂
Scott (SANspotter)
You’re very welcome Lydia! Three hours should be plenty, but don’t waste any time. Traffic is always thick around Tokyo, and it’s better to play it safe and get on that bus ASAP. In regards to point number 5, it’s simply a matter of walking to the ticket counter of the airline you’ll be flying. You’ll be dropped off right at the doors of the departures hall, and the driver will retrieve your bags from the cargo hold of the bus for you. Note that he driver will ask you which airline you are flying beforehand, so there is no worrying about being dropped off that the wrong terminal. It’s easy!
Mary CS
Are international passengers transitting in Japan allowed to transfer from Haneda to Narita by shuttle bus or train.
Scott (SANspotter)
I’m fairly confident that international transit passengers cannot transfer between HND and NRT at this time due to Covid restrictions. Doing this transfer would require entering Japan (going through passport control and customs), which is something foreigners can’t do right now without spending time in quarantine. Maybe someone else reading this has a more definitive answer…
TTL
It’s the most stupid airport transfer which AA/JAL are selling with the options in my opinion. Done it once and never again. It’s not like everyone said, easy and convenient. They would NEVER sell that options of connection of two airports an hour from each other.
SammySA
Hello. We just booked japan airlines tickets via agency (alternative airlines) from manila to finland at end of july 2022. We didint notice that there is needed to transfer between narita and hanida airports. There is not metioned that in their site.
When we noticed that we tried to cancel booking immediately inside the 24h time window but travel agency refused that.
They told that there is transportation between airports (which is true), but its impossible to step in japan while transferring coz we are foreigners. We told that also to travel agency but they ignored that.
Any suggestions what we could do now? We are so disappointed to that agency. They took our money even it’s impossible to complete those flights.
Scott (SANspotter)
Your only option may be to try and dispute the charges with your credit card company (or bank). Good luck!
John
Awesome article. Very informative.
Question for ya.
Our transit time is 17 hrs (overnight.) Which airport do you suggest booking our hotel especially as we may try and get some sightseeing in.
Cheers heaps for your help.
Scott (SANspotter)
Glad you found this useful John! If it were me, I’d want to stay at a hotel nearest to the airport I’m departing from. Moving between HND and NRT is a bit of a chore, and I’m the kind of person who prefers to get all the difficult stuff over with so I can relax.
That said, if you want to do some sightseeing, HND is where you want to be! NRT is so far away from the city center, but HND is right in the middle of it all. BTW, if you choose to stay at HND, I can’t recommend the attached airport hotel (Royal Park / The Haneda) highly enough. I even wrote a review of my experience that you might find interesting. Have fun!
Alex
I’m considering this flight option for my family (me, wife, 13, 4, 2 year old). Did you have to load your own luggage on to the bus or does the airline cover that?
Scott (SANspotter)
Hey Alex! Yes, you will be responsible for getting your own luggage to and from the bus. They will load it onto the bus for you, but it’ll be your responsibly to retrieve it from the baggage claim (and re-check it when you arrive at your departing airport). It’s really easy though – I had no issues.
MJ
I have a flight arriving HND at 4.45 am. My NRT flight leaves at 9.30am. I read somewhere the buses aren’t running until 7am? Is this true? If I take first available bus will I make my flight?
Scott (SANspotter)
Hi! Yes, at the time of this writing, the earliest bus departs HND at 07:55 and arrives at NRT at 09:05. You most likely won’t have enough time to make your flight.
MJ
Thank you! I don’t understand why I would be sold this flight though!?
MJ
I just realized there’s an option to take taxi transport, which is very expensive though.
Scott (SANspotter)
A taxi will probably be your best option. Expensive, yes, but Japanese taxis are really nice actually!
Jozef
My flight arriving atHND @05:05. My NRT flight leaving @ 10:50. What time is the first available bus? Can I make my flight?
Scott (SANspotter)
Hi Jozef – the earliest bus (at the time of this writing) is 07:55. It takes a little over an hour to get from HND to NRT on average, so you should be ok.
Paul
Just curious if the buses run 24 hours as my flight arrives at Haneda 445 am and my plane departs Narita at 930 am.
Scott (SANspotter)
Hi Paul – no, the earliest bus departing HND right now is at 07:55, so it’ll probably arrive at NRT too late to make your flight.
Kevin
Thank you so much for this confirmation Scott! I have the same issue as Paul above (4:45HND arrival – 9:15NRT departure) and I panicked because the timestable wasn’t showing a bus that would allow me to reach Narita in time. Would you recommend that I take a taxi or train in this case?
Scott (SANspotter)
You’re very welcome Kevin! The train might be a little faster, but it will be a little tough to piece the journey together if you can’t read/speak Japanese. Yes, some signage is in English, but there are some things that easily get lost in translation (lol).
I’d recommend the taxi if for no other reason than convenience. It’ll be more expensive than the train (and it’ll take longer), but the door-to-door service can’t be beat.
Scott
Have been scouring the internet trying to determine if a direct Haneda to Narita bus existed for a future trip. Until I found your posting, thought I would have to make some connection (ex: Tokyo station) utilizing two different transport modes. Thanks so much for the info and hello from another travel geek, also named Scott and also living in San Diego.
Scott (SANspotter)
I can totally understand possibility of another travel geek named Scott living here in San Diego, but it’s going to get weird if you tell me you grew up in Michigan as well. 🙂
But yes! Getting between Haneda and Narita is extremely easy via the bus. You just need to be mindful of traffic delays, that’s all.