Narita to Asakusa with Keisei

Hello! I'm heading to Tokyo this November, and will be staying at Asakusa. My flight will reach Narita at only 4pm on a weekday, and looking at Hyperdia, I will miss the 4.04pm direct Keisei Access Express (which is the last direct connection from Narita to Asakusa for the day).

Assuming clearing immigration and collecting luggage takes about an hour, I suppose I'll have to take the trains that will require a transfer at either Keisei-Takasago or Aoto. May I ask which will be the preferred station to transfer at, where I won't have to deal with any stairs even when I need to "cross" the platform? (I remembered in my previous trip to Kyoto, I had to make a transfer at a station where it required me to go down/up stairs to reach the other platform to catch the next train to my destination.)

Also, considering it might be peak hour by the time I reach these stations (around 6pm), and I understand that I'll be transferring to local trains, I'm a little worried that my companion and I will find it difficult to get into the local train with our luggage (and very possibly blocking other passengers while at it too). Is there any other option? I know there's Keisei Skyliner that will bring me to Ueno, but then I will have to walk quite a bit to the main Ueno station (?) to take the Ginza line to Tawaramachi (where I can then walk to my hotel).

Does anyone know which local line (Ginza Line vs Keisei Oshiage Line) is less crowded at around 6pm? We know there's the luggage forwarding option at the airport but we are trying to avoid that unless absolutely necessary...

Thank you.

We recently did exactly this - Acess Express to Aota and transferred to go the last couple of stops to Asakusa. We arrived at Narita at 3:30pm from USA on a weekday and had no problem. As Narita is 1st stop we had plenty of room for our luggage. Train got more filled as we got closer to Tokyo but not bad. At Aota we just had to walk to opposite platform - so no stairs. There are stairs at Asakusa station but its not too bad. (We are 57 and 65 with medium suitcases and managed just fine.) So stick with original plan - easier than going to Ueno and Tawaramachi has lots of stairs!

Both stations are same platform(island), next train will be platform "No.1".
No need ticket gate out(through train service section), use "PASMO" card easist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keisei-Takasago_Station
https://youtu.be/9_QWYWz08QY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aoto_Station
https://youtu.be/jMPiMkFpOOI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_train
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_through_trains_in_Japan

https://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/
https://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/use/
You can buy a same functions IC card "Suica" at NRT.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.html
(PASMO : Keisei, Suica : JR-East, card saler is different.)

When in November 2018 will you come?
Please note that the 23rd of November is a public holiday, not a weekday.
Are you expected to use Terminal 1 of NRT?

Train timetables for Narita and Haneda Airport accesses
may be revised in October.

May I ask which will be the preferred station to transfer at

Compared to Aoto Station,
at (Keisei) Takasago Station,
the two tracks beside the platform are closer to each other.

The difference in levels between the train car's floor and the platform
may be large.
Please watch your step when you change trains.

the 4.04pm direct Keisei Access Express
(which is the last direct connection from Narita to Asakusa for the day).

That is not the last direct train for Asakusa.

Currently on weekdays
the 18:02 | 18:53 Limited Express train is scheduled
to go on Keisei Main Line until Aoto and Keisei Oshiage Line until Oshiage
then become a Toei Subway Local train to go on Asakusa Line,
which makes a stop at Asakusa Station.

At the Keisei station in NRT Terminal 1 or 2:
To catch Keisei Limited Express trains,
you pass through both the entrance and intermediate gates;
To catch Keisei Access Express trains,
you pass through only the entrance gate.

Access Express trains
go by Narita Sky Access Line until (Keisei) Takasago.

considering it might be peak hour by the time I reach these stations (around 6pm)

I guess Keisei trains for Oshiage are not quite crowded in the weekday evening.
(During the weekday morning commuters' rush, they may be packed with passengers.)

I know there's Keisei Skyliner that will bring me to Ueno,
but then I will have to walk quite a bit to the main Ueno station

The underground pathway which connects
Keisei Ueno Station's outer concourse
and subway Ueno Station's Ginza Line outer concourse
is fully equipped by elevators.
It is about 5 minutes just to walk through the pathway,
maybe plus some minutes to wait for elevators.

Subway Ginza Line was opened around 1930;
even now, train cars are relativity small,
and there are stations which have two platforms
completely separately
or connected by only a pathway which has stairs.

Anyway, it is strongly recommended that you pack lightly.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html

- Map (in Japanese) of subway Ueno Station
https://www.tokyometro.jp/station/yardmap_img/_station_%E4%B8%8A%E9%87...
- Map (in Japanese) of subway Tawaramachi Station
https://www.tokyometro.jp/station/yardmap_img/_station_G18%E7%94%B0%E5...
: Trains from Ueno arrive at Track 2.

Thank you so much, Lamo and omotensahi for your detailed replies.

Replying to Lamo:
Thank you, I wasn't aware that the trains will be on the same platform. This certainly reassures me quite a bit.

Replying to omotensahi:
I will be reaching Tokyo on 15th November, so that'll be a normal weekday. And yes I'll be landing at Terminal 1.

I did see the 18:06 direct train on Hyperdia but I didn't really think too much about that as it's a little too late (unless we loiter around in Narita airport for an hour or so). But if that's the next best option then we'll definitely take it into consideration. I didn't know that train timetables may be revised in October though, thanks for letting me know! I'll be sure to check the timetables again before my trip.

The underground pathway which connects
Keisei Ueno Station's outer concourse
and subway Ueno Station's Ginza Line outer concourse
is fully equipped by elevators.
It is about 5 minutes just to walk through the pathway,
maybe plus some minutes to wait for elevators.

Thanks so much for this. I was still wondering if there's any connected pathway between Keisei Ueno and Ueno station, and how easy it will be to navigate between these two stations. I tried to Google for information but to no avail (maybe I'm bad with Google).

Now I'm clearer about all the options that I have... will discuss further with my companion to decide which option to go for.

Thank you guys once again!

Asakusa is a little confusing for subway, especially your first time there. There are actually 4 "Asakusa" subway stations run by 4 different companies, and only 2 of them are connected. If you want to make it easy and fast, and not worry about luggage and stairs, I would take the Skyliner to Keisei Ueno and then grab a taxi and they will find your hotel for you. Taxis are expensive in Tokyo, but it is a very short ride from that station. Should only be 800-1200y. And the Skyliner will have you to Ueno in only 40 minutes with plenty of luggage racks. It's worth the little bit extra to cut down that stress after a long flight and airport trek.

There are actually 4 "Asakusa" subway stations run by 4 different companies

They are 2 subway stations (Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway)
and 2 non-subway stations (Tobu Railway, Tsukuba Express).