Hi everyone

There's loads of really good info on here, particularly the sticky. ^ But I have some questions about my upcoming trip to Tokyo - my first time in Japan. I will be there in March and for about 2 days (arriving Sunday midday ish and leaving Tuesday evening).

My first question is the obvious NRT to my hotel question - I'm staying at the IC Tokyo Bay (Takeshiba area). From my reading of the Limousine Bus timetable here:

http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/e/time...utoshin_h.html

it appears that the first bus to the IC after my flight arrives at 12:40pm is at 15:50pm. Obviously I don't really want to hang around for the bus. So is it easy to get the train (N'ex) to Tokyo station with luggage and then easily get a taxi? I don't speak a word of Japanese of course! Is this the best way?

Other than that, does anyone have any particular recommendations for a couple of days in Tokyo - to really get a taste of Japan for a first timer? I know this is an oft posed question on here and I have read plenty of the information already posted, but if anybody has anything else to add (particularly considering my hotel location) that would be fantastic.

Many thanks in advance (and in great anticipation of my first Japan visit)!

 

Take the Narita Express or LimoBus to Tokyo Station and catching a taxi there would probably be your best bet. If you don't have a lot of luggage you can probably do a connection to a local train then walk.

English shouldn't be a problem for catching the Narita Express, limobus or other trains. The taxi portion, I'd have the address out and the hotel's telephone number in handy, with the telephone number the cab driver could call up the hotel or punch it into his GPS for the location.

As for what to do and see i'll defer to the already existing information.

 

There are two train changes required to reach Takebashi - and the change from JR to Yurikamome is quite a hassle. Unless I were travelling very light, I would not bother with the Yurikamome.

I would get a local train (Yamanote Line) from Tokyo to Hamamatsucho and take a cab from there.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't take the N'EX - I would take the Keisei Skyliner to Nippori. Then get a Yamanote Line train to Hamamatsucho from there. (Easier connection at Nippori - and cheaper).

What to do in such a short time?
- On arrival, take the Yurikamome line to Odaiba (Odaiba Kaihin Koen station). Catch a sunset view of Tokyo with the Statue of Liberty in the foreground. Then get back on the Yurikamome to Telecom Center Station - and go to the Oedo Monogatari Spa Complex for a bath and a massage and some dinner. Then back to the hotel for an early night.
- Monday kick off with a very early morning taxi to Tsukiji Market - see the market and have sushi for breakfast. Then you should probably go somewhere further afield - since you won't have a full day on Tuesday. So - you need to pick a neighbourhood. Maybe on the East side of town - Asakusa - or maybe on the West side - Shinjuku or Shibuya. And aim to be somewhere sophis. for dinner (maybe Roppongi Hills or Ginza).
- Tuesday - depends really when you need to get back to the airport. You might want to dump your bags in a coin locker at Tokyo station at the start of the day so that you can just pick them up at the end.

 

I tried to leave the "local train" connection a bit ambiguous in case the OP wanted more info on it, thinking about it if they didnt have much luggage the cheapest option would take the Keisei Limited express, change to the yamanote line, or change to the Asakusa Line to Shimbashi Station via Aoto Station, from there a short taxi or Yurikamome to the final destination. Or the hourly departing JR rapid train from NRT, stops at Shimbashi Station as well. But all depends on time, luggage, money for transportation.

Easiest way with a bit off luggage would be going to Tokyo Station via NEX or LimoBus then changing to a taxi, Shinagawa might be another option.

 

Hi railroadtycoon and jib71, thanks for your help ^ . I will indeed have a rather large/heavy suitcase as I'm away for a couple of weeks, so the less hassle the better. That's why I was a bit gutted when I saw the times of the Limo Bus as I'd hoped for an easy/no hassle transfer (maybe naive in the case of NRT!).

Given this and the fact that even just reading the possible rail connections confuses me, I think the N'Ex or Keisei express to Tokyo station and then a taxi is the best option for me. I'm not worried about the cost too much (but wouldn't obviously want to pay for a taxi all the way from NRT). Are taxis easily available at Tokyo station - is there a rank or something? Looking at my map, it doesn't look like the station is THAT far away from the hotel, maybe a mile or two (that could be a long way given Tokyo traffic I guess though!) the other side of Ginza?

 

Considering your situ - forget about the Keisei. Take NEX or bus to Tokyo station. Plenty of taxis at Tokyo Station. Per RRT's advice - print out the hotel website or other sheet with hotel name and phone no.

 

Two one-day self-guided tours of the various facets of Tokyo:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Classic_Tokyo%2C_Modern_Tokyo
http://wikitravel.org/en/One_day_in_Tokyo

 

If possible, dump the big luggage in a locker or storage facility at NRT and use a hand carry for the two days. Then take any one of the transportation options.

I'm not sure if this is a possibility but you can try and find out if IC is close to one of the hotels in an earlier bus and cab it from there.

The 13:30 stops at Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel, Le Meridien Grand Pacific Tokyo, Hotel Nikko Tokyo but I'm not sure if it's close to the IC.

 

I have looked through the Master Thread and quite a few others so apologies if I am asking something already answered.

I'm looking to stay at IC Tokyo Bay. We arrive at NRT scheduled for 8.00pm which appears to be after the last limousine bus to the hotel (of which there are very few anyway). If I get the bus (which I used to another hotel elsewhere in Tokyo once before) to T-CAT will it be relatively easy to get a taxi to the hotel (I guess around 10.00pm) and what will the cost be about?

Alternatively if I get N'EX to Tokyo Station approximate cost of a taxi from there to the IC? I know I could get JR or the subway to the IC from Tokyo Station but after a very long trip having to deal with the mysteries of both is a bit much for me. I'd rather be fresh in the morning before I tackle that!

That is, of course, unless there is a foolproof easy system to get to the IC at that time of night.

Any responses much appreciated. Many thanks.

 

I'm going to suggest merging with this thread, which provides some recommendations that should help the OP:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...amatsucho+taxi

 

Good suggestion Jib71! My search obviously wasn't good

Only thing it does not appear to answer is the minor part of the approximate cost of taxi from TCAT and Tokyo station but it has confirmed that that appears the best way to go.

 

You might also notice that the thread does not mention TCAT at all. Tokyo Station is closer than TCAT to the IC.

Cost from Tokyo Station might be, say, 1500yen - but there is no guarantee. If you're looking to save money then you should take the train as far as Shimbashi or Hamamatsucho stations. (and if you really want to do this in the cheapest way, then you need to change at Shimbashi to the Yurikamome - but that is a pain)

 

My aim is not necessarily to save money but merely to have an idea of what I am up for before I decide what to do. Thanks for your helpful advice which leads me to conclude that at that time of day and given my constraint of simplicity, the best course is to get a bus or N'ex to Tokyo Station then a taxi to the hotel.

 

There is one other thing to consider -- bring a smallish (foldup?) bag with you and put two days worth of stuff in it, if necessary while sitting on the floor of NRT arrivals, something I've done on occasion! Then check your larger bag at Narita airport left luggage, which will cost from Y2400-3000, depending on the size of the bag, and go to Tokyo relatively unecumbered.