Narita/Minata - Tamachi

Hello everyone
I will be in Narita at 18:30 a Sunday in July and I must go to MINATA, more precisely at TAMACHI station.
(after staying 1 week in Tokyo I will go to Kyoto with JRpass)
Arriving in Narita I will buy a 72 hour pass for Metro.
What is the best way to get to my destination?
Am I correct if I take the Skyliner train? (Nippori / Tamachi) or is there an easier and better possibility?
Thank you very much.

If you buy a Metro Pass, the best way to access the area around Tamachi Station is to take a Keisei limited express from Narita Airport to Aoto Station and then the Keisei Oshiage/Asakusa Subway Line to Mita Station. Mita Station is in the same rough area as Tamachi.

I am not sure what you mean with Minata. Minato-ku? Mita Station?

If you use the Skyliner, you will end up along the Yamanote Line which is not covered by the Metro Pass. I personally cannot recommend the Metro Pass because it does not cover the Yamanote Line.

Hallo Uji, thank you very much for the quick response and thank you for reading my message.
Sorry if I was not clear, it's Minato-Ku. (2-17-13, Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
the pass that I referred to would be 72 hours by subway, I just read about the Skyliner and a 72 hour pass one way, would that be? Would I have to get off at Nappori or am I wrong?
Thank you again.

Tamachi Station is served by the JR Yamanote and the JR Keihin Tohoku lines and are not part of the Tokyo Metro, so therefore your subway pass is useless for the Nippori to Tamachi portion of the ride. You can use it for many other things, but not the JR lines. Since you "activate" the 72 hour pass by using it for the first time, just use it at another time and date. As far as getting to Tamachi, do waht I do, since my station is the following one, Shinagawa. I usually get the Skyliner and get off at Nippori and then transfer to the Yamanote line for the remainder of the ride. For this, I would recommend an IC card (SUICA or PASMO).

Ahhhhhh I'll do it then.
thank you very much for your quick and good message.
One good night.

Toei Mita station is right next to JR Tamachi station, and has some direct services from Narita (and many more with a short transfer at Aoto as indicated earlier).

... however, arriving at 18:30 on a Sunday you won't get a direct service to Mita (unless you want to wait for the one at 23:00).

Unless you are in a hurry, the Skyliner is a waste of money IMO; just take an ordinary train (you'll have to make a transfer either way).

Thank you very much for your information Firas, it's a great alternative.

Sometimes, depending on the amount of time spent traveling to Japan, a quick, albeit pricey, option to get to your final destination can be a good thing. I spend 12 hours on a plane to get to Narita or Haneda, so getting to my final destination as quickly as economically possible, is something I actually appreciate. Is someone wants to save 1000 yen by mixing it in with the local population on a commuter-type train and not having much space for luggage, then, by all means, take that option. But since I've spent quite a bit to get to Japan, spending an extra $10 to not worry about my luggage for the trip into the city is not something I really penny-pinch about.

Yes John, our trip will last 18 hours because we must change planes in Korea.
I always prefer to travel with the local population as well as eat and stroll ta, well, but after 18 hours of flights we will be a tired popuco.
The alternative of the skyliner is a great option, I am seeing on the internet if there is any discount counterpart online, along with the 72 hour pass for the following days in Tokyo.
Thank you very much.
Firas, your alternative is very good, thanks for the information.

I always prefer to travel with the local population, as well as eating and sightseeing, but after 18 hours of flights we will be a bit tired.

You will have PLENTY of time to spend with the local population once you get to Japan. It is not totally necessary to start the first chance you get!

I use the Skyliner, or previously the N'Ex, to decompress. I always rent a pocket WiFi and activate it upon sitting on the train. I then contact my friends here to let them know I've arrived and just get some basic things out of the way before I arrive at Nippori.

Perhaps that's the way I do it, but it has served me well in my 10 trips to Japan as a tourist.

You spoke on another important point - WIFI - I would ask a question now in the section on Phones and Internet.
Could you, if possible, tell me how to proceed, or what would be the ideal that I should buy to stay with the internet on my trip?
will be 15 days between Tokyio, Nikko, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Fukuoka.
tks

This is a separate topic, and usually should be asked in a separate thread to get more people to read it and answer you. But I will offer my experience. Even since I started using portable WiFi in Japan, I've used one company: GlobalAdvancedComm. They may not be the cheapest out there, but they have never let me down and the communication and payment/pick-up procedures are clear. I always rent from them because I am used to their coverage and am satisfied with the result. Would I be able to find something perhaps cheaper? Maybe. But since I'm used to their rates and service, I stay with them. I am one who likes to keep in touch with the outside world through the internet and always travel with a laptop, a tablet and a phone and all are connected to the device. I do not place calls. If I want to communicate directly to family members, I will FaceTime with them (I have an iPhone and iPad). All other communication with people is through e-mail, Messenger or through Facebook or Instagram.

Never in my right mind would I pay the prices for internet access here if they were offered in America. But since I come to Japan on vacation once or twice (recently) a year, I don't mind spending the money to feel comfortable.

yes, I should put the question somewhere else, but thank you very much for your help.
I saw the Global link and the price for a Rantal Data Card for 18 days is 9000 yen, I think plausible.
Is that correct What am I talking about? only for internet a data card? I habe Samsung phone.

aahhhhhhh I said wrong thing, data card is only for notebook.

One other thing to remember is the locals really don't like foreigners with lots of bags on their commuter trains. So sure you can do it cheaper and mix with the locals, but I wouldn't do it if you have a lot of bags. I can't speak for Tokyo, but my friends in Kansai have said they've started putting up signs in subway stations (in Osaka) saying you can be fined for taking anything larger than a carry-on on the subway.

In terms of rental SIM cards and pocket WiFi, I do neither. I am on a very good US plan and my charges for just using roaming on my cell in Japan are less than what renting a SIM card or pocket WiFi would be. I've not had a problem with reception yet, though occasionally texts to Japanese cell phones will just go missing. I have no problems texting or calling my family at home or with data.

Good luck!

our trip will last 18 hours because we must change planes in Korea.

So, do you have a certain reason to fly into not Tokyo Haneda but Narita?

Narita Airport [NRT] is actually outside Tokyo.
Haneda Airport [HND] is much closer to Shibaura, Minato City, Tokyo.

Toei Mita station is right next to JR Tamachi Station, and has some direct services from Narita

To use a (72-hour) Tokyo Subway Ticket first from Oshiage to Mita,
even when you catch a Keisei - Toei direct train,
I suppose you should disembark at Oshiage Station.

The time limit for this subway pass is set by a gate machine
when you first get through a Tokyo Metro or Toei Subway entrance gate.
You cannot get it retrospectively
after traveling into the subway network without the pass.

I will be in Narita at 18:30 a Sunday in July

A JR Rapid train leaving the airport for Kurihama
continues beyond Tokyo Station onto Yokosuka Line as a Local train
and makes a stop at the next Shimbashi Station.

Narita Airport (19:35) -- Airport Terminal 2 (19:38)
-- (20:59) Tokyo (21:00) -- (21:03) Shimbashi.
Narita Airport (20:08) -- Airport Terminal 2 (20:11)
-- (21:32) Tokyo (21:34) -- (21:37) Shimbashi.
Narita Airport (20:30) -- Airport Terminal 2 (20:32)
-- (22:04) Tokyo (22:09) -- (22:12) Shimbashi.

- JR-East: Shimbashi Station
https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e877.html
: Trains from NRT arrive at Underground Track 1.

Then,
you can change platforms
and take a Local train departing at Track 3 or 4 to Tamachi Station
or,
you can get outside the ticket gates,
make a short transfer to Toei Subway (Asakusa Line)
and take a train departing at Track 1 to Mita Station.

-Toei Subway: Shimbashi Station
https://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/subway/stations/shimbashi/i/solid.png
: Toei Subway Asakusa Line is shown in rose.
: Tokyo Metro Ginza Line is shown in orange.

Hallo rkold, thank you very much for your information.
I'll go tomorrow with my provider, what are the roming prices for Japan.
Have a nice day.

Hi Pirataurbano,

You need to check with your provider, not all providers work Internationally. I know with mine, I paid around $15 more than the usual cost of my plan to use my cell phone for 2 weeks in Japan last June. I've yet to find a rental option for pocket WiFi or a SIM Card that is $1 a day. With a SIM Card I would still be paying for texting and phone calls on top of any rental fee. I think it's just important to price things out before automatically assuming you want to use a SIM Card or Pocket WiFi.

I went to: Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima/Miyajima, Takayama, Nagano, Ononiimachi, and a few other places and had service in all of them. This upcoming trip I am going to Kamikochi, so we will see if I have service there.

Good luck!