Narita to Atami Transportation

Hello

I'll be arriving at Narita Airport on Mar 31 and am planning to explore the Shizuoka area. First stop is Atami (2 nights), then Kawane (3 nights) and then Karuizawa (2 nights).

I would like to get advice on the most affordable transportation from Narita to Atami and the surrounding area. I have explored the 3-Day Tokyo Wide Pass but it seems that it is not value-for-money. I have also considered the Mt Fuji-Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass Mini.

I would like to get advice on the most affordable transportation from Narita to Atami.

Thank you in advance for any advice.

Regards,
Flo

Bus would be the most affordable option.
Train would be the best option.

"most affordable" = slow.

After a long airplane trip, you'll likely arrive very tired. I really suggest you give yourself a break and splurge a bit for the bullet train partway to Atami. Saving money is of course important, but time matters as well. If you take the Narita Express into Tokyo, and a Kodama bullet train to Atami, you can be there in about 2 hours - and it's 6900 yen, which is not that bad for going 180 km. You'll thank yourself later.

There are local trains that will get you there for roughly half of the price mentioned above. However, it would be an uncomfortable compared to the NEX and Shinkansen and will take 3 plus hours. It is an easier transfer at Shinagawa station rather Tokyo station if you choose the Shinkansen.

Second taking the Shinkansen.

There are local trains that will get you there for roughly half of the price mentioned above. However, it would be an uncomfortable compared to the NEX and Shinkansen and will take 3 plus hours. It is an easier transfer at Shinagawa station rather Tokyo station if you choose the Shinkansen.

Second taking the Shinkansen.

I did the cheapest way from Narita to Atami on my budget Izu trip.

Take the Keisei Narita Skyaccess to to Ueno station for 1267 Yen.

The take Tokaido line JR train to Atami station for 1980 Yen.

Did I regret taking the cheapest way? No loved every minute of it.

I stopped at Ueno only because I wanted to get the 3 day Tokyo subway pass for 1500 Yen. Bargain.

I stopped in Ueno but you can also change train at Shinagawa depending on
timing.

You can also take the budget bus to Tokyo station 1300 Yen and then take the Tokaido line to Atami

I did Izu and Tokyo 7 days for $800 including budget fights Scoot from Skngapore.

Staying 1 night in Atami, Shimoda, Fijinomiya and Mishima with last 3 nights in Tokyo.

Shizuoka is really underrated with almost no overtourism and Atami is just 1 to 2 hours outside Tokyo.

No sure if you already plan itinerary but my high lights include Shimoda park Hydrangea season when I went, Perry road with hints of Kyoto.

Izu Panorama Park, Shirato falls, Mishima river park, Mishima Skywalk, my Fijinomiya hotel window opened to a view of Mount Fiji, Fuji heritage museum

Arami ropeway and water front. If you staying in Shimoda recommend staying in the Kurofune resort.

I paid $60 for just the room with no meals but the view and outside onsen was fabulous.

The was like a round lake with a small round island in the middle with the American pirate black ship directly un front of my room.

Let me know if you need any more info.

Hope you have a fabulous trip just like I did.

I did all the calculations before deciding.

Skyliner Narita to Ueno 55 minutes 2700 Yen.

Keisei Narita Natita to Ueno 1 hr 13 mins 1267 Yen.

Bullet train Ueno Atami 1 hrs 7 mins 4270 Yen. You may or may not need to change train at Sinagawa

Tokaido train 1 hr 53 mins 1980 Yen. You don't to change trains

Tokaido trains hugs the coast line passing small coastal towns with a great view of the sea.

Feel free to do the cost time analysis and pick which you really want.

😃

I think the most important consideration is when you arrive in Narita.

If you arrive in the evening and it's dark and you are tired and want to just get to the hotel as soon as possible then bullet train option.

I arrived at 6.30 am and had lots of time before check in and Ueno station subway pass opened the earliest.

And that trip the cheapest way couldn't work out any better.

Cleared passport control and on the Keisei platform 10 mins before the train came.

If taking NEX and have to say wait another 30 mins then pay more to arrive later.

But this is more luck than planning.

At Ueno had 30 mins to find subway office in the basement show passport buy 3 day pass and get to the JR platform with just minutes to spare.

So if say had to wait 30 for slower train and bullet train is about to leave then cost time analysis and if time is more important than money make more sense to take the shinkansen.

If TS is on a budget trip like me I suggest Toyoko Inn at Atami.

5 mins walk to station and they include a free breakfast.

I was rushing to Shimodathe next days the the very thoughtful Toyoko staff and take away containers for people like me.

Toyoko Inn breakfast are very basic fare but the mini sausages are best I ever had.

Not gourmet sausages but they cooked it just right. The skin just had the most satisfying bite chew to it.

The best croissant and danish happen to also be in a Toyoko Inn Kawaguchiko.

My friend I was travelling with is a pastry chef at Nobu and she said it was the best she had

I suspect they get it from the famous bakery shop next to the lake in Kawaguchiko 5 mins away from the hotel.

Amazing that some really good food found at the humble Toyoko Inn breakfast.

One final surprise with Atami Toyoko breakfast.

I am not a fan of onigiri. You are basically eating white rice carbo with small bits of nice things like fish and fish eggs when precious valuable real estate stomach space in Japan cen be filled with better things.

But I grabbed 2 Toyoko Inn rice balls and stuffed them in my jacket pocket.

2.5 hour trip from Atami to Shimoda with no breakfast and feeling really hungry at 11.30 am I remembered my rice balls in cling film.

Unwrapped one just to satisfy the hunger pangs and because it's was soya sauce rice and not plain white rice finished both and couldn't be happier.

Those rice balls didn't even have fish or fish eggs just a few small bits of carrots but the rice infused with soya sauce they did it just right.

Thank you to the lovely senior ladies at Toyoko Inn Atami for a wonderful takeaway breakfast.

Thx all for your wonderful advice.

Thx heaps James for all the useful, detailed information. Managed to pick up a lot of useful tips not seen from my own research.

But I still have a question relating to how to read / understand Navitime:

I'm considering taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo station to Atami station. When I checked Navitime for the morning schedule, e.g. 10.00am Tokyo station to Atami station, the search result was JPY3,740 No transfers and when I drill down into the details, I noticed for the 10:03am Hikari train, there is a price JPY1980 and a Non-Reserve price of JPY1760. Does it mean that the price is JPY1760 if I choose the Non-Reserve option or JPY1980 for the Reserve option. Or do I have to pay JPY3,740.

Thanks in advance.

For the shinkansen fare you must add the base fare plus the seat fee. So it's 3740 yen. For the simplest way, and to board with the fewest transfers, you need to go directly to Tokyo Station. If you can take a Hikari bullet train to Atami instead of a Kodama, so much the better. But it's a question of timing, and either is really fine - the difference is less than 10 minutes.

BTW the 3740 yen is for a non-reserved seat. If you wanted a reserved seat, the fare would be 4470 yen.

Narita to Atami is 180km, so no option is going to be particularly fast or cheap.
Also, depending on the date - Atami (even "cheap" places) charge significant premiums.

Just use Google maps.

It will tell you timing and type of train and the fare.

I guess if willing to pay more then the most important consideration is when you arrive.

If the bullet train is leaving and you have to wait 30 for the slower train then catch the bullet train.

If in time for the cheaper train and have to wait say 30 mins for the bullet train then no point paying more.

I guess when people travel taking the tain or bus is just a means of getting from A to B and to be tolerated or endured.

But I think it's to be enjoyed. If I had to pay so much for the bullet train I am going to enjoy every second of it.

Same with the cheaper train and even the plane ride.

One cost saving hack I really enjoyed was saving one night hotel and taking the night bus from Shinjuku to Yamagata.

Got on at midnight and slept all the way reach there at 6.30

My friend planned the trip it wasn't meant to be a cost saving hack but a time saving hack because our time is Japan was so limited.

But sleeping on a bus or even plane is not for everyone and I understand some might prefer to travel during the day and sleep in a hotel at night.

Thanks heaps all for your answers which will greatly help in my planning.

@James, good suggestion - I always double-checked using Google Map coz Navitime detailed routes showing stops are hidden behind a paywall. Thx also for all the additional useful tips.

Does it mean that the price is JPY1760 if I choose the Non-Reserve option or JPY1980 for the Reserve option. Or do I have to pay JPY3,740.

You pay 3740 yen when you don't reserve your seat.
: 1980 yen as the basic fare,
: 1760 yen as the Shinkansen surcharge
for your ride without seat reservation.

When you reserve your seat,
you pay 330 to 930 yen more (depending on dates)
as the Shinkansen surcharge.

I have explored the 3-Day Tokyo Wide Pass but it seems that it is not value-for-money.

Have you thought about changing the order of the places?

You can travel with JR Tokyo Wide Area Pass
for NRT (T1 | T2) -> Tōkyō by Narita Express,
for Tōkyō <--> Karuizawa by Hokuriku Shinkansen
and for Tōkyō -> Atami by Limited Express Odoriko.

Tōkaidō Shinkansen
(Tōkyō -- Shinagawa -- Shin-Yokohama
-- Atami -- Shizuoka -- Nagoya
-- Kyōto -- Shin-Ōsaka)
is operated by JR-Central.
JR-East passes (including JR Tokyo Wide Area Pass)
are not valid there.

For your Kawane trip,
you travel mainly by Oigawa Railway and JR-Central.

I would like to get advice on the most affordable transportation from Narita to Atami.

There are various ways.

Airport Bus TYO-NRT connects
NRT (T1, T2, T3)
and Tōkyō Station
(Nihonbashi Entrance, near the Shinkansen gates).
The one-way fare is 1300 yen (per adult).

In the trunk of the bus,
you cannot store two or more luggage pieces per person.
Pack light, and consider sending some stuff by delivery service.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html

--

[Tōkyō Station]

In Tōkyō Station,
the Narita Express platforms
and the Shinkansen platforms
are both horizontally and vertically apart from each other.

All the trains from NRT use Sōbu Underground Tracks,
which are on the 5th basement,
near the west end of the station.
The Shinkansen tracks are above the ground,
at the east end of the station.

When you get to Tōkyō Station
by Narita Express,
you pass through the Shinkansen transfer gate.

When you get to Tōkyō Station
by Airport Bus TYO-NRT,
you pass through the Shinkansen Nihonbashi gate.

Tōkyō Station has two separate Shinkansen zones.
: Tōkaidō Shinkansen zone (managed by JR-Central)
: Tōhoku, Jōetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen zone (managed by JR-East)

To reach the zone
for the Tōkaidō Shinkansen,
you follow signs for the Shinkansen
with this blue-and-white Shinkansen pictogram.
https://blogimg.goo.ne.jp/user_image/56/c3/84b7c9d80eb72ed6faa7e72635d...
(Source: https://blog.goo.ne.jp/ubokichi_b777-289/e/6972f47834f94e93efffc2749e4...)

To reach the zone
for the Tōhoku, Jōetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen,
you follow signs for the Shinkansen
with this green-and-white Shinkansen pictogram.
https://pixta.jp/photo/79578555

@omotenashi, thx heaps for your advice and detailed information and links. We are checking possibility of changing the order of places to visit.