TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 17 November 2009 : by Quek Keng Guan

Customer Rating : 5/5

Arrival at Narita at 1630 hrs, long queues at immigration. However senior immigration quickly ushered us (family of 4) to a special counter and bypassed several passengers. Toilets were clean with several baby changing facilities found. Not many shops found in the arrival hall. Baggage claims fast and efficient. Used Airport Limousine Bus to downtown Shinjuku where they have buses departing once every 15 mins. The only drawback was there were 3 different buses at 1 bus stop and it was difficult to establish the correct bus especially in winter. Departure using South Terminal. Done some last minute shopping at level 4 South Terminal. Tourists are recommended to do last min buys before immigrations; unlike in Hong Kong or Singapore Changi where there are plenty of shops after immigration. Immigration lines were long as there were a lot of flights departing at 5pm. However custom officers were efficient. Not many shops and restaurants once past immigration.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 29 June 2009 : by J Higgins

Customer Rating : 5/5

LHR-MEL. Had a 12 hour stop over in Narita, advised by very helpful help desk to have a room in a local hotel cost of AUS$80.00, for 3 of us. We required a taxi to the hotel, one of the staff almost held our hands through the process although we could have walked the 1km to the Hotel. All staff experiences encountered were of a high standard. Overall a very pleasant experience, the only negative experience were people smoking in the restaurant.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 15 June 2009 : by P McCorkle

Customer Rating : 4/5

I've flown in and out of Narita a couple times and my only complaints are that finding your ticket counter is sometimes a real pain, and the shuttle ride is still a hassle. It's better than other shuttle systems I've rode, but it's still far from ideal. The best thing about Narita is the shopping and restaurants. If you're going to have a long layover, there is actually a good amount of stuff to do at Narita.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 20 May 2009 : by Sasun Vartanyan

Customer Rating : 3/5

Used T1, and although a bit outdated, clean and efficient. Arrivals hall was a bit confusing but they are getting better at English signs to cater to non-japanese speakers. Departures was much better; the hall is roomy, plenty of eateries, souvenir shops. Very pleasant staff.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 20 May 2009 : by W Weeks

Customer Rating : 2/5

Arrived Narita in transit Amsterdam-Auckland, had eight hours in terminal. Not very impressed. I thought Narita would be a showcase for everything japanese, but was disappointed to find it full of expensive European designer outlets, few places to eat, no ATMs, and a Bureu de change that would not accept credit or debit cards - only cash. Arrived Terminal 1, but was prevented from transfering to terminal 2 because I needed a boarding pass for Air New Zealand, and the only check in for ANZ is in Terminal 2. After finally convincing staff that I was in transit the shuttle bus seemed to take forever to travel between terminals.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 13 March 2009 : by M Cee

Customer Rating : 5/5

Narita is the only mega-hub in my experience where you can unbuckle from the seat and make it to the limo / taxi / train / bus with bags in-hand within 30 minutes. It helps if the immigration queue is short and you've got orange priority tags on your bags. But regardless, staff are efficient and polite, striving to move you smoothly and quickly from gate to exit with as few obstacles and annoyances as possible. There are loads of options to transit into the city, for every budget and need.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 19 February 2009 : by Sally Collins

Customer Rating : 4/5

Used the airport on our way to Auckland from LHR - we had 8hrs before our next flight so we used a dayroom which was pleasantly clean & fairly quiet. We had 5 hrs sleep & would recommend any one to use these facilities. The airport has children play areas which kept our grandson entertained. I would do this journey again using Narita as we arrived in Auckland reasonably refreshed. The staff at the airport were very helpful. I pre book the day room to make sure of availability.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 9 November 2008 : by Alan Ho

Customer Rating : 5/5

Used the airport terminal one's south wing recently, overall happy with the airport. Liked the clean toilets, good range of shops before and after immigration/ customs/ security check including a few good ones selling japanese traditional sweets, tea, handicrafts and ceramics. Also like the interior, it might not boast world class architecture, but its white and gray colour theme interior are claming and nice just like a traditional Japanese garden. An interesting place to visit after immigration/ customs/ security check is the origami (Japanese paper folding) museum located at the central building which connect the south wing with the north wing. Colourful and delicate folded origami recreating traditional Japanese festival, symbols, lifestyle can be view here. Also memorable are the helpful airport staff, some of them might not be able to speak good english but they are always ready to help. They might have a wide range of facilities n services like Singapore or Hong Kong airport but its simplicity and compact that attract me.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 5 November 2008 : by E Mallari

Customer Rating : 4/5

Transited through the terminal used by Northwest Airlines from San Francisco to Manila. Surprised to find out that this is a new terminal. Every transit passenger has to go up one floor through an escalator, fall in line with all the other transit passengers in a low ceiling room that quickly becomes too warm, go through security check, then go back downstairs on another escalator to the boarding gate areas, not your favorite thing to do after an 11-hour flight. The terminal has several shops and food establishments. Tokyo to Manila boarding was disorganized, most probably because many transit passengers were already very tired, airline is using a Boeing 747-400 on their Manila flight that was a full flight. Manila to San Francisco flight with a transit in the same terminal, same security check procedure. The terminal's men's restroom was clean. Signs inside the terminal were adequate. There are enough seats in the boarding gate areas. This time boarding was very orderly owing to a less than a full flight on a smaller Airbus A330-200. This terminal is a vast improvement to the previous Narita terminal used by Northwest Airlines.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 17 June 2008 : by J Olfato

Customer Rating : 3/5

Terminal 2, immigration on arrival and departure took more than an hour! The Japanese are normally very efficient, but this airport disappoints. Because immigration took so long, there was no more time to enjoy the airport and the lounge.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 10 June 2008 : by Bill Atkins

Customer Rating : 3/5

Terminal 2 very busy as usual early on Saturday. Building much too hot and seating situation difficult as so many people sleeping on 3 or 4 seats. The airport really needs to police this.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 4 June 2008 : by David Farquharson

Customer Rating : 5/5

Arrived from Seoul and after an interminable length of time taxiing, off the aircraft and clear of customs in under 15 minutes. No queue or delay at all at Immigration, bags were offloading from carousel as we arrived, customs clearance with no delay. An excellent operation all round.

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 16 May 2008 : by T Volstorf

Customer Rating : 1/5

The recent installment of extreme security precaution measures upon arrival come very close to harassment. Not only the endless queuing at the passport check and collection of biometric data, but the random "security questioning" throughout the airport. I don't know whether I look awfully suspicious but after arriving on a not so busy weekday I was questioned three times on my way to the train station by different security staff. Each of them fiddling with their pencil and paper form in obvious embarrassment. This is outrageous and gives you an idea about how inefficient and amateurish this surveillance in reality is. I didn't see any Japanese being questioned. Is this the hospitality that the signs of "Yokoso" poster all over the airport arrival area promise?

TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT review : 11 May 2008 : by M Watherem

Customer Rating : 1/5

The few issues I have with NRT are : Immigration at terminal One takes too long, often over an hour if you arrive about 9pm. Immigration - Security Photo each time you arrive adding to the processing delay. Narita express finishes too early, I think the last one is 9:30pm or 10pm, if you arrive afterwards it’s the bus. Insufficient information on which airline goes from which terminal, neither Narita express or the bus provides this help. Lack of rail staff to help people get off the train and through the two ticket barriers. Otherwise bring it on Haneda, more international flights are being lined up for Tokyo's only real airport.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by T Yoshino

15 April 2008   Customer Rating :

I have been through NRT both in transit from the US and as a final stopping point. Overall I am very impressed with the airport and service. Upon arrival at Terminal 1 as the final destination, customs and immigration were fast. I was through in less than 5 minutes and on my way to baggage claim. Once at baggage claim, my luggage was there on the carrousel. I was all ready to go in less than a half hour. On returning home via NRT, the process was a little slower but nothing like the inefficiency you encounter in the U.S. You are required to show your passport to enter NRT from the train station (I don't know why, you just do). The secrurity lines were slow than normal. The person that helps you at the scanning belt is also the one that checks your passport and boarding pass which seems to slow the process a bit. Immigration lines were long once through the security area. There were three lines open, taking about 20 minutes to get through. When traveling in transit through NRT, you are required to go through a security screen again even if you are changing flights on the same airline in the same terminal. This is frustrating and time consuming. NRT is an easy airport to get around. There is good signage and airport personnel are very helpful. There is good shopping while waiting both in the secure and nonsecure areas. The food selection is also very good and reasonable. The observation deck on the 5th floor of Terminal 1 is fun if you have extra time.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Alan Chick

28 March 2008   Customer Rating : n/a

Was very disappointed with Immigration at Narita Airport. On arrival at 2pm only 2 desks for foreigners were open, this was later increased to 4 and then 6 but by this time a long queue had built up and it took 35 minutes to reach the desk. The fingerprinting is slowing things down, as some people struggle to give the right imprint to the machine. Customs was quick, but it took an hour from deplaning to reaching the outside

Tokyo Narita Airport review by A Wardle

27 March 2008   Customer Rating :

Immigration on arrival quick and painless (arrival around 10am on a Saturday). I was not asked one single question on arrival or departure at immigration control. You are required to fill in immigration card and customs forms. They take digital images of your two index fingers on arrival as well as a photo. All very straightforward as well as quick. Whole process on arrival took maybe 1-2 minutes. Bags arrived within 5 minutes after clearing passport control. On departure (checked in around 9:30am on a Monday) all seemed very quiet, security control and immigration control quick. Restaurants not too expensive and also quiet. Would not hesitate to travel there again. For visitors to Tokyo my only advice is to find a good book with lots of maps of the individual districts and plan where you want to go before you arrive, as Tokyo is massive. I had no problems however.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by G Hillier

22 March 2008   Customer Rating :

Flew into Narita Terminal 2 in March 2008 and after recently being subjected to O'Hare Terminal 5, Buenos Aires Ezieza, and Dublin, Narita is a breeze. The Immigration procedure take did about half and hour, but the Staff was courteous and efficient. My luggage was waiting for me on the belt and I was not selected for a Customs Inspection. I was out the door and on my way to my hotel within 45 minutes of touching down. Departure was a breeze - a quick scan of your luggage and your are off to security which took less than 2 minutes. The Admiral's Club was nice and the shops in the mid- terminal were very upscale. Gate departure was a little hectic and we had a long taxi but no major issues. Train is only way to go to City Center - taxis will cost you $300 and Tokyo traffic is maddening.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by J Davidson

2 March 2008   Customer Rating :

I have lived in Japan for almost three years now, going in and out of Japan on a regular basis for holiday. In the past , if you had a re-entry permit you could line up with the Japanese people at the immigration counter. That system was very good. However, they changed the system recently. On my last trip from Vietnam there was 7 lines for Japanese, 4 for tourists and 1 for immigrants (re-entry permit holders). As I was not aware of the new system my first reaction was to queue with the Japanese people, but big mistake... I was sent to this huge line that was for the immigrants only. I have always loved Japan and unlike many foreigners I have never had any problems in Japan. But after queuing for a good hour and seeing that the only remaining line was ours, I felt quite insulted. It was clear that Japanese were to be first, second tourist and finally immigrants. A few people shouted while they were queuing as the situation was outrageous. All the counters were empty but they refused to let us go to the empty counters. Unfortunately for those who got angry, they got told off like a ten-year old would be if he had been up to some very bad mischief. After 1h30 minutes, we finally got through, feeling angry, rejected and misunderstood.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by W Fowler

12 February 2008   Customer Rating :

I have been in and out of Narita countless times and it is one of my favorite airports. The staff are mostly efficient and polite, plus the food is great. Terminal 1 is new and has some up to date facilities. However, immigration lines are a bit slow and airport security randomly pull people over to ask them about them "security questions.' These new additions are not welcome, especially since risks of terrorism to Japan is very low.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by C Wu

15 January 2008   Customer Rating :

I have been using Narita Airport frequently for my visit to Japan and transit to America. The airport is highly functional. Like many big international airports, it takes quite a long walk from the arrival gate to the immigration check point. Despite the fact that new immigration procedures ( fingerprinting & photographing ) were implemented in November last year, it does not slow down the arrival process. The airport staff are polite. Water bottles are allowed in after at the security check point if they are tested negative ( a special testing device at the security check point to test the content of the water). There are good selections of Japanese and Western restaurants in the departure hall. Transportation to Tokyo is either by a highly efficient train system , Narita Express, Skyliner or the Airport Limousine Buses direct to the hotels. An excellent airport at par with the best in world.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Ardin Yeo

13 January 2008   Customer Rating :

Pleasant, functional airport with friendly staff and since it was late at night when we were there, it's also very quiet. Would want to transit here again.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by D O'Brien

9 January 2008   Customer Rating :

I arrived from Paris at 6:30pm on a weekday, and Terminal 1 was deserted. Immigration was quick. Waited 30 minutes for my bag to come through and then had it searched. The customs officer was only doing his job but he made a bit of a mess while looking through my bag and then just sent me on my way. The staff at the Keisei rail counter were very friendly and helped me plan my journey into Tokyo. On the way back I arrived at 7pm on a Thursday evening at Terminal 1 for my flight to Paris. The train station is in the basement and you must pass a security check before proceeding to the check in hall. Don't know about other reviewers but I was very impressed by how attentive the Japanese are to security. Went up to the north wing check in hall and had a bit of difficulty locating the Air France check in area. When I found it, I had to pass through another security check before going up to the counter. The girl at the Air France desk was extremely friendly and very polite. Before going through security I did a bit of shopping in the mall located on the 5th floor. Decent selection of shops and there was a rooftop terrace with views of the active runway. Personally I really enjoyed it and its worth a visit if you have some time to kill. At security, your purchases are thoroughly searched by courteous staff. After that I wandered around the departure area for an hour. It seems that they concentrate late departing flights in one pier of the terminal, the other end seemed to be deserted and rather dark. I was amazed at how they managed to board a full 777-300 beginning just 30 minutes before departure but then I was in Japan (",) The gate staff were all very friendly and put me in a good mood for the 13.5 hour flight. Overall Narita is very Japanese i.e its very big, efficient and polite. The architecture is a bit out of date but it all works very well so who can complain about that? Yes its far away from Tokyo but world class transport will bring you there and back quickly for a reasonable price. Overall Tokyo Narita does its job very well.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Yevheniy Kahanovych

12 November 2007   Customer Rating :

I used NRT twice during last two weeks flying in and out of terminal 1, but had also been to to terminal 2. Very efficient immigration, very quick baggage service, very helpful security staff. The airport doesnt look overcrowded, I would even say the opposite: it's very calm and tranquil place. Very unusual for the airport of such a scale and passenger volume. Railway station is underground and easy to reach. Some security procedures may seem strange. For example, arriving to the airport by bus or taxi, you're stopped by the road police at the check point before the airport and asked for documents, so don't put it to baggage which is not with you in the cabin of the bus. Otherwise you're asked to find you bag in the hold and present your passport, which is actually checked not very thoroughly (mine was taken and looked at upside down). Some minuses of this airport: after 9pm nothing works there. No food outlets, no cafes, no bars are open. Buildings become deserted, and even information desks are empty. However special telephones for information service are available and calls are responded. Terminal 1 layout is very confusing and not clearly mapped and signposted. I've spent good 20 minutes trying to find post office. Toilets landside were not clean, and even more, I noticed some insects there. Very unpleasant and strange for this airport. Airside food and duty free facilities are limited, I found a single coffee outlet open and noon after security. It was overcrowded. All in all a good airport. Functional and comfortable. Very japanese. Not as bright and superb building like Hong Kong, not a great shopping like LHR, but it works fine.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Roger Stone

18 October 2007   Customer Rating :

Tokyo NRT is now on my hub list as a very useful, functional, and pleasant airport to use when travelling to and from Australia to many world centres. Passport control is very efficient and even friendly. Baggage collection has always been remarkably quick. Staff at check-in efficient and very courteous. Airport hotels seem to try hard coping with the high volume of passengers transiting and staying at Narita, although it may be that a more up-market hotel needs to be built for Narita Airport if it is to compete with the likes of HKG, ICN, and BKK. Narita City is worth a visit.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Martin Edwards

17 October 2007   Customer Rating :

Terminal 1 has been refurbished and is efficient and comfortable. On arrival from the U.S., we were able to get through passport control, baggage claim and customs, and then pick up train passes for the trip into Tokyo, all within less than an hour. The Narita Express train into the city is about an hour to Tokyo Station, or about an hour and 20 minutes in Shinjuku. This airport is an excellent hub for any travel to Asia; transfers are fast and there are plenty of shops and restaurants.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by R Cousins

9 October 2007   Customer Rating :

Been flying in and out of Tokyo NRT for many years now and I still think it is a superb airport. It may not be as new or flashy as HKG or ICN but updates and refurbishment have kept it looking fresh. Check in often busy but well organised and the airport staff friendly and helpful. Clearing security is always a pleasure at Narita - efficient and professional staff (unlike London Heathrow - where you are treated as a potential terrorist). Good choice of shops and cafes/restaurants which are good value. It may be well out of Tokyo but there is a choice of trains or buses for downtown TYO and both are of course fantastically efficient! Put simply - Narita is a pleasure to use.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by M Liebmann

5 October 2007   Customer Rating :

The only bad thing about Narita is that we seemed to walk forever to get from our arriving aircraft to customs. It seemed to go on for about 20-30 minutes just in walking. Otherwise, the airport was clean and efficient, maybe a bit sterile? On departing Tokyo, everything went very well, from the ticketing agent to the currency conversion to the security.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Matt Roe

26 March 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

I arrived at Narita Terminal 1 from London Heathrow at around 1015 on a Sunday morning. There was a minimal wait for immigration, with 3 or 4 immigration staff on duty processing foreign arrivals. Baggage claim was likewise efficient and I was out of the airport probably within 40 minutes of leaving the aircraft.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by G Lazaro
21 January 2007

Used Terminal 1 this past December and January as a transfer point between Osaka-Itami (ITM) and JFK. Was checked through to my final destination each time at ITM and JFK using ANA, so I didn't have to bother checking in again at Narita. But the international check-in area of Terminal 1 is fairly spacious, modern, and bright though still quite busy. You can kill time at the number of stores and restaurants in the mall-like area (before entering security), along with the massage chairs (which feel pretty good after a 14 hr flight) and outside observation deck, which seems to accompany a number of Japanese airports. Immigration usually has a long line, but it does move at a reasonable enough pace. Transferring from international to domestic was pretty easy, with enough signage and staff ready to handle my bags and inform me that my connecting flight would be delayed. The domestic portion of Terminal 1 offers a lot less in terms of amenities. The waiting area past security could use more seats and felt a little cramped, as people were lined up on the floors. Overall though I like Narita for its efficiency and its cleanliness, which is true also for my usual airport, Kansai Airport.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Steve Koenig
15 November 2006

Arrived on Korean Airs at one terminal and departed on Japan Airlines at another terminal. Process was quick and painless. Departure area for JAL was pretty barren, and Internet service took only Japanese coins (since we were transferring we hadn't changed money), and the concessionaire couldn't change money.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Tyler Higson
15 October 2006

Flew in to Narita at a rush hour sort of time. Caught the shuttle to Termanal 2 main building. Got to passport control. I was their for 30 mins when we were told by signs 60 mins. Japanese and Forigen passport desks at the same number. Straight down stairs to Baggage after Passport. My bag was picked up 10 seconds after getting down the stairs. To customs, that was a brezze. Caught a train (1st of 3) to Nippori from the airport. A bit pricey but the train service was OK. Good airport, I flew out of Kansai and Kansai was good as well. Narita will be my pick for any travel to Japan even only for transit!

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Wei Kai
21 June 2006

The new terminal 1 looks futuristic, I can say it looks big but there are only a few shops at the check in counters. Secondly, when you want to do a check in it is easy, everything is automatic. All you need to do is check in through a machine. A customer officer will be there assisting you if you need any help. Thirdly, all the star alliance members are all at terminal one. Overall Narita Airport is friendly airport to go to.

Tokyo Narita Airport review by Andrew Wright
6 May 2006

I quite like Narita Terminal 2. There are a pretty decent range of Japanese souvenirs, sweets and restaurants prior to passport control, better than your average airport, and you can pick up some reasonable last minute gifts. After passport control you are largely restricted to brand name duty free and small cafes. A few important things to remember are to give yourself enough time for the long emigration queue and to reach your gate (especially C & D which require a short monorail ride) and don't forget to keep your ticket as you exit from the railway gates, or at least keep your Japan Rail Pass handy. The Narita Express (N'EX) is very handy if you are staying in Shinjuku and is a pleasant way to unwind before or after a flight.