Tokyo Narita Airport

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

This airport is so far from Tokyo that perhaps rather than improving the train service they should just change the name of the airport so that it doesn't include the word "Tokyo." Just joking of course but in such a train country as Japan I am constantly puzzled at why they haven't improved the service yet. They should take inspiration from Shanghai's maglev. Furthermore a small warning: you should have your passport ready in the train going to the airport because ridiculously you can't even exit the subway without it even though you'll need to produce it another 3 times before you fasten your seatbelt. Another point the airport suffers from a constant reek of tobacco. I always had had this impression of Japan being high-tech enough that they could at least build a sealed low pressure room for smokers if banning smoking really isn't on the agenda there yet. But alas one continues to hope. Last note actually the entire design (proportions use of space aesthetics lighting air quality and architecture) of both terminals belongs to a bygone era. One can hardly count the number of better airports in East Asia at the moment (including 3 right in Japan.) I will vouch though that at least the staff are good at Narita. I've never had a problem with security/customs/immigration (sometimes the lines are long but where aren't they.)