Tokyo Marathon - Shinjuku to Marathon Expo

Hi:

I am running in the Tokyo marathon, and will be staying at Hotel Rose Garden (8 Chome-1-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0023). During this short trip, I plan to do two trips.

1. Narita Airport to Hotel Rose Garden, and back.
2. Hotel Rose Garden to Marathon EXPO (Odaiba-Aomi Event Area (N,O,P) (1-1-17, Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo))

For #1, I am thinking of either traveling on Narita Express or Keisei Skyliner train from Narirta airport to Shinjuku, and then a taxi from Shinjuku station to Hotel Rose Garden.

However, for #2, I am completely confused because the closest stations to Marathon EXPO are Daiba(U07) @ Yurikamome Line or Tokyo Teleport @ Rinkai Line. I have no idea what train tickets to buy. I read about Suica / Pasmo but neither the Tokyo Subway app or Hyperdia app is showing me the destination. Can you please advise on what should I do?

Thanks,
JK

Hi JK,

I'm deathly jealous. I'd love to do a marathon someday. My firewall hates the Tokyo Marathon webpage for some reason so...

In answer to question #1 yes, you can take a direct Narita Express from Narita Airport to Shinjuku Station. You should try to look for a central or west exit to get as close as possible to your hotel. It's actually only a 10-15 minute walk away. If you want to use Keisi, you will need to take a Skyliner to Nippori and change for the Yamanote line for Shinjuku. Keisi doesn't have direct trains to Shinjuku.

For question #2, a Suica or Pasmo card will be very useful getting to Odaiba. The subway app is not going to help as there are no subways to Odaiba. (So don't get a subway pass cause it won't help you getting to Odaiba)

I'm not sure what is up with the Hyperdia App but here is a link to some trains from Shinjuku to Tokyo Teleport on the Rinkai line:
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=SHINJUKU(JR)&arv_n...

From Shinjuku to Osaki you are on JR tracks and from Osaki to Tokyo Teleport you are on the Rinkai. It runs fairly frequently, I've used it. It's a bit tricky for pass holders since the Rinkai is private and the Saikyo is JR but if you're using a Suica or Pasmo that's a non issue.

These are the recommended fastest routes if you prefer to use the Yurikamome:
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=NISHI-SHINJUKU&arv...

The Yurikamome is also a private line. The trip across Rainbow Bridge is quite scenic. If you wanted to have fewer transfers even though it is slower you can just take the JR Yurikamome line from Shinjuku to Shimbashi and change there for the Yurikamome line. Shimbashi is a final station on the Yurikamome line, so it's impossible to go the wrong way.

I've ever tried the Hyperdia App, but the website was working fine for me. It is really exacting about how you put in a Station name, so that could be why you were having a problem. I picked a date about when expo probably is and a reasonable time in the morning to head over.

Enjoy your race! I'd love to do it myself but I'm still only doing 1/2s.

Oh and if you're going to be in Japan for 14 days or less and are flying into and out of Narita Airport you might want to get this special discounted Narita fare from JR East.

https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/nex_round.html

At 4,000 yen for the round trip, it will be cheaper than using Keisi.

Thanks a lot for your reply. So then my plan is to:

1. But the discounted round-trip Narita Express ticket (JR East) from Narita to Shinjuku (will buy after I land at Narita).
2. Buy a Pasmo card at Shinjuku station to go to Tokyo Teleport and back. I was on the Pasmo Web site but it does not specifically say that I can use Pasmo on JR Saikyo and Rinkai lines. Can you confirm?

Also, I realized, I would need to catch a train from the Finish Line (Tokyo Station / Gyoko-Dori Ave.) to my Hotel Rose Garden Shinjuku. Can I use the Pasmo card for that? Which train company do I select?

Thanks,
JK

Hi!

I personally own a Suica vs a Pasmo and if you're buying in JR Shinjuku (or JR Narita when you buy your discounted train tickets as I believe you can buy a Suica there) you are more likely to get a Suica. I know for a fact Suica works on subways and on the Saikyo and Rinkai lines because I've used mine on all of them. I would be surprised if the same didn't hold true for the Pasmo. To be clear the Saikyo line becomes the Rinaki line after Osaki Station. You do not need to exit at Osaki Station. (It's why a problem for JR pass holders, if they enter at JR Shinjuku and then try to leave at Tokyo Teleport they can't because it's now the Rinkai line.)

The fastest and easiest way back from Tokyo Station is just take the JR Chuo line from Tokyo Station to JR Shinjuku. So just enter Tokyo Station (the big old fashioned looking brick building) on the Yaesu side which you will already be on I believe and look for the Chuo line which is orange. It might be track 1.

I hope this helps!

Also, I looked at the time table for Narita Express from Narita to Shinjuku (http://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/Com...).

I think I can catch the 16:19 train but I do not understand why there are two columns for the same train (Narita Express 36), and one shows the train stopping at Shinjuku at 17:44 but the other column shows ||. What does that mean?

Worst case scenario, if I catch a train that does not go as far as Shinjuku. What are my options to get to Shinjuku?

Thanks,
JK

Thanks so much for the detailed replies. Really appreciate it.

>> To be clear the Saikyo line becomes the Rinaki line after Osaki Station. You do not need to exit at Osaki Station.
In that case, do I need to get out of the train at Osaki station or the same train that I boarded at Shinjuku will take me to Tokyo Teleport?

>> The fastest and easiest way back from Tokyo Station is just take the JR Chuo line from Tokyo Station to JR Shinjuku.
Can I use a Suica / Pasmo for the JR Chuo line?

Regards,
JK

Hi JK,

I don't normally use Ekinet, but I'm pretty sure what that sign means is at Narita Airport, NEX 36 is actually two trains that are joined together and that they then split at Tokyo Station. Once decoupled, one train will go to Shibuya and Shinjuku and the other decoupled train will go to Shingawa and then continue onwards to end at Ofuna.

While you will not be taking them, it's sort of like the Komachi and Hayabusa shinkansen. They start at Tokyo Station as the same train and are just one really long shinkansen made up of two separate trains. At Morioka, they decouple and one train goes to Akita while the other goes to Shin Hakodate. Jut make sure to tell the staff at the JR Office in Narita that you want to go to Shinjuku and they will make sure you go on the part of the train that goes there vs. Ofuna.

I am not sure you can book via Ekinet if you want that special round trip train fare. I've never not been able to get the NEX I wanted.

Yes, you can use a Suica and presumably a Pasmo on the JR Chuo line. Just so you know, Suica and Pasmo are just IC Cards. You can read about them here:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

They are not a pass. They're just an easier way to pay for fares because you don't have to calculate out each fare before you get on a train or subway. It's not worth it for you to get an actual subway pass or a Tokyo Wide Pass unless you are planning a lot more travel than what you've already stated.

I don't know where you are coming from, but it usually takes us about ~1 hour to get through Customs at Narita.

If you get off at Tokyo Station, you just take the Chuo as detailed on your question for getting from the race finish back to your hotel. If you got off at Shinagawa you would just take the Yamanote line to Shinjuku. But honestly, the JR Office is not going to sell you a ticket to Shinjuku on a train that doesn't go to Shinjuku. I'm pretty sure the Narita Express is all reserved seats.

And yes, you don't need to exit the train at Osaki. You just stay on the train and it continues on.

Good luck!

Thank you so much for all your replies. You have been very helpful. It's all clear to me now.

My last visit to Japan was about five years ago - for sakura viewing - and it was the most amazing ten days ever! This time, however, it's a shorter visit - fly in, run the marathon, fly out! :-)

Good luck on your next half marathon.

Regards,
JK