Tokyo Trip, Narita Airport “Terminal 1 Arrival”

October 30, 2023 135 Views

For this Tokyo trip, I entered Japan through Narita Airport. Tokyo has both Haneda Airport and Narita Airport. While Haneda Airport is closer to the Tokyo city center, Narita Airport is situated on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Considering the location alone, Haneda Airport seems advantageous. However, when taking into account overall ticket prices, Narita Airport also has its own merits. Generally, flights to Haneda Airport tend to be more expensive than those to Narita Airport.

“Three Terminals at Narita Airport”

Narita Airport consists of three terminals, making it a fairly large airport. In contrast, Incheon Airport in South Korea initially started with one terminal and expanded to two.

In a previous trip through Narita Airport, I arrived through Terminal 3. This time, I arrived through Terminal 1. The distinct atmosphere at each terminal was quite impressive.

“Traveling from Narita Airport to Tokyo City”

Various transportation options are available to travel from Narita Airport to Tokyo city center. For this trip, I decided to take the Choen Bus.

The Choen Bus, which I had used once before when traveling from the city center to the airport, takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to travel from the airport to the city center. Although it is longer than Haneda Airport in terms of time, Japanese highways are usually less congested compared to those in South Korea, making the journey smoother.

Various ways to travel from Narita Airport to Tokyo City: Getting from Narita Airport to Tokyo City

“Arrival Procedures at Narita Airport”

Using Air Seoul for this trip, I noticed that the time it took for the plane to move after landing was relatively long. The plane taxied on the ground for about 25 minutes from landing at Terminal 3 to reaching Terminal 1. This delay was more than expected, causing some disappointment.

“Tasks at Narita Airport”

Nevertheless, having safely landed at Narita Airport, I could eventually disembark. The activities carried out at Narita Airport after landing included:

Immigration inspection (photo taken & fingerprints registered)
Retrieving luggage
Customs baggage inspection
Getting Wi-Fi (QL LINER)
Purchasing Suica transportation card
Moving to the city (using Keisei Bus)

“Immigration Inspection”

Immigration inspection in Japan involves registering fingerprints and taking a photo. Holders of South Korean passports are allowed a visa-free stay for up to 90 days. The immigration process was conducted analogously, requiring waiting in line, but the wait was not as long as anticipated.

“Luggage Retrieval and Customs Inspection”

After retrieving checked baggage, travelers proceed through customs. Typically, submitting a declaration form for personal and miscellaneous items is sufficient for clearance. However, sometimes bags are randomly selected for inspection.

I was randomly selected for bag inspection, where I had to open my bag for examination. It seemed like they selected a few people randomly for bag checks, as the person in front of me and I both had our bags inspected, while my British friend traveling with me did not.

“Wi-Fi Pickup”

After completing immigration procedures, I entered Narita Airport, marking the official entry into Japan. The first task was to pick up Wi-Fi, not from Incheon Airport, but from Narita Airport.

The cost was relatively low at around 1,900 won per day. Comparing with other Wi-Fi options, this one was even more affordable, so I decided to rent it.

The pickup location was a place called “QL Liner” in a corner of the airport. Although the sign was written in Japanese as “QL ライナー,” and not in English, I confirmed that it was the right place for pickup.

“Purchasing Suica Transportation Card”

I bought a Suica transportation card, which is commonly used for public transportation in Tokyo. While there is also the Pasmo card, we chose Suica because of its familiarity from a previous Tokyo trip.

“Moving from Narita Airport to Tokyo City”

With all airport tasks completed, the only thing left was to enter Tokyo city center. There are various ways to do this, and for this trip, I chose the “Choen Bus,” also known as the Keisei Bus.

The cost was approximately 1,000 yen, equivalent to around 10,000 won when based on Tokyo Station. The travel time was short, about 55 minutes, making it a cost-effective choice.

I went to the ticket booth to purchase the ticket for the Keisei Bus. (Note: It’s now operated as TYO-NRT, a bus integrated under a single service.)