narita-kyoto-tokyo

My family will be arriving at Narita Airport on july 29, 2008 at 4pm. Will be going directly to Kyoto. Need to know the train times and where to get the trains to Kyoto.How long will it take to arrive in kyoto?
Also, we will be staying 4 days in Kyoto, visiting Osaka and then go back to Tokyo, stay for 4 days in Tokyo before heading back home. Is it worthwhile to get the JR pass for the first 7 days and then single ticket to Narita airport on the last day? If not, what kind of tickets/pass should we get because we will be using the subway quite a bit for sightseeing
Urgent help is needed so we can plan our trip. Thanks

Will be going directly to Kyoto. Need to know the train times and where to get the trains to Kyoto.

You can look it up here (enter "Narita Airport" and "Kyoto"):
http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/

If you are using a Japan Rail Pass, you should use the following page and select the "except nozomi" option:
http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi

How long will it take to arrive in kyoto?

Unlike the plane arrives early, it will be difficult to catch the 16:45 Narita Express. The next connection by JR would be:
17:43 depart Narita Airport by Narita Express
18:55 arrive Shinagawa
19:10 depart Shinagawa by hikari shinkansen
21:58 arrive Kyoto

If you do not use the Japan Rail Pass, you could take a faster nozomi train and arrive in Kyoto half an hour earlier.

If you miss the 16:45 Narita Express by just a few minutes and are in a hurry, you could consider taking Keisei via Nippori to Tokyo and possibly catch an earlier shinkansen to Kyoto.

Note also, that there are direct flights from Narita Airport to Osaka's Itami Airport. However, they are probably already sold out for July 29.

Is it worthwhile to get the JR pass for the first 7 days and then single ticket to Narita airport on the last day?

Yes, you could save a few thousand yen. But, you would have to take the slighlty slower hikari trains between Tokyo and Kyoto.

--My family will be arriving at Narita Airport on july 29, 2008 at 4pm. Will be going directly to Kyoto. Need to know the train times and where to get the trains to Kyoto.How long will it take to arrive in kyoto?
Also, we will be staying 4 days in Kyoto, visiting Osaka and then go back to Tokyo, stay for 4 days in Tokyo before heading back home. Is it worthwhile to get the JR pass for the first 7 days and then single ticket to Narita airport on the last day? If not, what kind of tickets/pass should we get because we will be using the subway quite a bit for sightseeing--

NRT--Shinagawa(Tokyo)--Kyoto
16:45-17:57 / 18:10-20:48
17:14-18:18 Tokyo 18:33-21:14
17:43-18:55 / 19:10-21:58
18:14-19:17 Tokyo 19:33-22:14

Transfer from Narita Express to Shinkansen at Shinagawa is much simpler than at Tokyo.
The schedules from Shinagawa (Tokyo) to Kyoto are all Hikari trains (JR pass applicable).

Breakdown of each train ride:
NRT to Kyoto: 16,330 yen
Kyoto to Osaka return: 1,080 yen
Kyoto to Tokyo: 13,420 yen
Transport in Tokyo: 700yen/day x 3 = 2,100 yen

Total: 32,930 yen, as opposed to 28,300 yen 7-day pass

If you make a day trip to Hiroshima from Kyoto, or Nikko from Tokyo, you could utilize the value of the JR pass.

Unlimited travel tickets in Kyoto:
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/transport.html

Arrival procedures at Narita:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71736073@N00/2642599599/
This includes info on JR pass validation procedures and transport info between NRT and Central Tokyo.

You might take the Keisei Skyliner or the limited express from Nippori when you return to NRT to save some money.

Uji and Optimistk, I appreciate your advice very much. Sounds confusing but I am sure I can sort it out. Hope other aspects of Japan will not be this complicated.