9 hrs in Tokyo
 

I've been through Narita more times than I can count it seems, but
never out of the airport. I may end up with a 9 hour layover at NRT.
Is that enough time to actually *do* anything in Tokyo - figuring the
time it takes to get to/from the airport, checkin/immigration etc ?

I can avoid it, but usually do the 6 or 7am flight from BKK, which
doesn't actually help me much since that requires leaving for the
airport at 3/4am and not really sleeping anyway. This 9 hr layover
flight would have me leaving just before midnight instead, arriving
into NRT in the am. I'd only do it if it offers me the chance to do
something in Tokyo.

Thanks
X.

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

"XOR" wrote:

I've been through Narita more times than I can count it seems, but
never out of the airport. I may end up with a 9 hour layover at NRT.
Is that enough time to actually *do* anything in Tokyo - figuring the
time it takes to get to/from the airport, checkin/immigration etc ?

Few people (myself included) bother exploring the town of Narita itself in
their rush to head into Tokyo, but it is supposed to have a few sights
making it worthwhile exploring during a short stopover. The shrine is
supposed to be fairly impressive, so unless you are really keen to see
central Tokyo, it might be worth checking out Narita itself.

--
Dave Fossett
Saitama, Japan

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

"XOR" wrote in message
om...
I've been through Narita more times than I can count it seems, but
never out of the airport. I may end up with a 9 hour layover at NRT.
Is that enough time to actually *do* anything in Tokyo - figuring the
time it takes to get to/from the airport, checkin/immigration etc ?

Figure a minimum of an hour and half to get into town or
back, plus the time required for clearing immigration, etc.,
and arriving back at the airport an hour and a half before
departure (assuming you have bags to check). Most of
your 9 hours is gone already. The only realistic option is
to go into the town of Narita itself, and see whatever there
is to see there.

Bob M.

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

In article ,
Bob Myers wrote:

I've been through Narita more times than I can count it seems, but
never out of the airport. I may end up with a 9 hour layover at NRT.
Is that enough time to actually *do* anything in Tokyo - figuring the
time it takes to get to/from the airport, checkin/immigration etc ?

Figure a minimum of an hour and half to get into town or
back

The train takes only an hour, and puts him pretty much where he wants
to be in Tokyo (if I were him, I'd take Keisei Skyliner to Ueno).
Figure 2 hours of train time, half an hour of waiting, walking, etc.
and even with 1.5 hours for check-in and immigration, he still has 5
hours in Tokyo. If he is really paranoid, he can add an extra hour
in each direction, and he still has a good 3 hours in Tokyo - better,
IMHO, than 7 hours in Narita, which is his only other option.

The only realistic option is
to go into the town of Narita itself, and see whatever there
is to see there.

Narita is a nice town, and I do go there when I have a couple of hours
to kill, but I can't imagine what one would do there for the whole day.

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 01:42:55 +0000 (UTC),
(Vitaly Shmatikov) wrote:

The train takes only an hour, and puts him pretty much where he wants
to be in Tokyo (if I were him, I'd take Keisei Skyliner to Ueno).
I second that. It's in an older and more picturesque part of Tokyo.
Just north of the station is the national art gallery, sitting in a
nice park. Take the Ginza line subway a few stops east and you're in
Asakusa, home of the major tourist attraction temple. The Tokyo museum
is right across the river from there..

If you take the Keisei limited express (learn the Japanese characters
for "Limited Express") it's about a quarter the price of the Skyliner
and you get a slice of real Tokyo life during the trip. It takes an
extra 15-20 minutes. The Skyliner is a bit boring and sterile. The
limited express is a subway train that runs outside until Ueno and
fine if you have no baggage.

In nine hours, it's easy. Figure 1.25 hours for the train and IIRC it
runs about every 20 minutes. Biggest problem will be slow immigration
at Narita.

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

In article ,
Dick Locke wrote:

The train takes only an hour, and puts him pretty much where he wants
to be in Tokyo (if I were him, I'd take Keisei Skyliner to Ueno).

I second that. It's in an older and more picturesque part of Tokyo.
Just north of the station is the national art gallery, sitting in a
nice park. Take the Ginza line subway a few stops east and you're in
Asakusa, home of the major tourist attraction temple.

Or, better yet, walk all the way through Ueno Park to Yanaka and the
old neighborhoods near the Sendagi station to get a taste of old Tokyo.
Quieter and less touristy than Asakusa, plenty of temples, fairly
authentic if you are into authentic-Japan stuff. Good tsukudani to
smuggle home. In any case, anything in Tokyo would be better than
marinating one's brains in the duty-free shop for 9 hours.

If you take the Keisei limited express (learn the Japanese characters
for "Limited Express") it's about a quarter the price of the Skyliner
and you get a slice of real Tokyo life during the trip.

I haven't taken the Limited in quite some time, but I think it's Y1000
vs. Y1920 for the Skyliner.

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 05:52:58 +0000 (UTC),
(Vitaly Shmatikov) wrote:

I haven't taken the Limited in quite some time, but I think it's Y1000
vs. Y1920 for the Skyliner.

You're right. I just looked it up. Last I took it it was either 480 or
840, can't remember.

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

9 hrs in Tokyo (corrected version)
 

may have sent a previous post that was really about Incheon. sorry.
here is the correct one.
--------------------------------------

(XOR) wrote in message . com...
I've been through Narita more times than I can count it seems, but
never out of the airport. I may end up with a 9 hour layover at NRT.
... This 9 hr layover
flight would have me leaving just before midnight instead, arriving
into NRT in the am.

the midnight flight takes about six hours in the air. because of the
time change you arrive around 7:30 AM or so. this gives you four
hours or so of sleep on the plane. it is better than going to the
airport early in the morning because you can have a meal and a few
beers after airport check-in at 9 or 10 PM. besides, even with a
delay, you'll make your next flight!

with this in mind, why not have a shower, change of clothes,
breakfast, and a nap at the Narita airport? if you travel business
class they might have these things for free in the airport lounge.
otherwise you can pay a little for them at the airport. or, it might
be possible to book a short-time room at an airport hotel to do this.

9 hrs in Tokyo
 

definitely Narita Village ...........


"XOR" wrote in message
om...
I've been through Narita more times than I can count it seems, but
never out of the airport. I may end up with a 9 hour layover at NRT.
Is that enough time to actually *do* anything in Tokyo - figuring the
time it takes to get to/from the airport, checkin/immigration etc ?

I can avoid it, but usually do the 6 or 7am flight from BKK, which
doesn't actually help me much since that requires leaving for the
airport at 3/4am and not really sleeping anyway. This 9 hr layover
flight would have me leaving just before midnight instead, arriving
into NRT in the am. I'd only do it if it offers me the chance to do
something in Tokyo.

Thanks
X.