Tokyo Travel Guide

Most visitors to Tokyo arrive by air, at Narita International Airport 66km (41 miles) outside Tokyo in Narita.

By Plane

Since the flying time to Tokyo is about 12 hours from Los Angeles and 13 1/2 hours from Chicago or New York, you'll want to consider onboard services and even mileage programs (you'll earn lots of miles on this round-trip) as well as ticket price when choosing your carrier. The following airlines fly nonstop to Tokyo from North America, England, Australia, and New Zealand.

Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262; www.aircanada.com) offers flights daily from Vancouver and Toronto to Tokyo.

Air New Zealand (tel. 0800/737-000 in New Zealand; www.airnewzealand.com) flies from Christchurch and Auckland to Tokyo.

All Nippon Airways (ANA; tel. 800/235-9262; www.anaskyweb.com) is Japan's largest domestic carrier. It offers daily nonstop service from New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to Tokyo. It also flies from London to Tokyo. ANA has a code-share alliance with United Airlines (meaning that both airlines can sell each other's tickets; you can also earn United frequent-flier miles with ANA). ANA passengers can also receive discounts at ANA hotels in Japan, with free baggage transfers back to the airport.

American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com) offers flights daily from Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, and New York to Tokyo, and code-shares with Japan Airlines.

British Airways (tel. 0870/850-9850 in Britain; www.britishairways.com) flies from London to Tokyo.

Continental Airlines (tel. 800/523-3273; www.continental.com) offers flights daily from Newark and Houston to Tokyo.

Delta Air Lines (tel. 800/241-4141; www.delta.com) offers daily flights from Atlanta to Tokyo.

Japan Airlines (JAL; tel. 800/525-3663; www.ar.jal.com/en), Japan's flagship carrier, offers more international flights to Japan than any other carrier. JAL flies to Tokyo from New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, and code-shares with American Airlines. It also connects Japan with England, Australia, and New Zealand.

Northwest Airlines (tel. 800/447-4747; www.nwa.com), operating across the Pacific for more than 50 years (longer than any other airline), offers daily flights to Tokyo from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, New York, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Portland, and Honolulu.

Qantas (tel. 13-13-13 in Australia; www.qantas.com) flies from Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth to Tokyo.

United Airlines (tel. 800/538-2929; www.united.com) has daily flights from Washington D.C., Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu. It code-shares with ANA.

Coping with Jet Lag -- Jet lag is a pitfall of traveling across time zones. If you're flying north-south and you feel sluggish when you touch down, your symptoms will be the result of dehydration and the general stress of air travel. When you travel east-west or vice versa, however, your body becomes thoroughly confused about what time it is, and everything from your digestive system to your brain is knocked for a loop. Traveling east, say from Tokyo to Chicago, is more difficult on your internal clock than traveling west, because most peoples' bodies are more inclined to stay up late than fall asleep early.

Here are some tips for combating jet lag:

• Reset your watch to your destination time before you board the plane.

• Drink lots of water before, during, and after your flight. Avoid alcohol.

• Exercise and sleep well for a few days before your trip.

• If you have trouble sleeping on planes, fly eastward on morning flights.

• Daylight is the key to resetting your body clock. At the website for Outside In (www.bodyclock.com), you can get a customized plan of when to seek and avoid light.

Arriving at Narita Airport

Tokyo has two airports. International flights land at Narita International Airport in Narita about 66km (41 miles) outside Tokyo. (If you're arriving in Tokyo from elsewhere in Japan, your flight will probably land at Haneda Airport, used primarily for domestic flights.)

Narita International Airport (tel. 0476/34-8000; www.narita-airport.jp) consists of two terminals (1 and 2). Arrival lobbies in both terminals have ATMs and counters for money exchange, open daily 6:30am to 11pm (change enough money here to last several days, since the exchange rate is the same as in town, the process is speedy, and facilities in town are limited). Both are connected to all ground transportation into Tokyo.

A Tourist Information Center (TIC), managed by the Japan National Tourist Organization, is located in the arrival lobbies of both Terminal 1 (tel. 0476/30-3383) and Terminal 2 (tel. 0476/34-6251). The TIC offers free maps and pamphlets and can direct you to your hotel or inn. Both TICs are open daily 8am to 8pm; if you don't yet have a hotel room and want one at a modest price, you can make reservations here for free until 7:30pm.

Other facilities and services at both terminals include post offices, medical clinics, cellular phone rentals, luggage storage and lockers, shower rooms, day rooms for napping, children's playrooms, observation decks, and coin-operated computers with Internet connection (Y100/85?/42p for 10 min.). There's an Internet cafe in Terminal 2.

Getting from Narita Airport to Tokyo

Everyone grumbles about Narita Airport because it's so far away from Tokyo. In fact, Narita is a different town altogether, with miles of paddies, bamboo groves, pine forests, and urban sprawl between it and Tokyo.

By Taxi -- Obviously, jumping into a taxi is the easiest way to get to Tokyo, but it's also prohibitively expensive -- and may not even be the quickest method during rush hours. Fares are fixed but average around Y21,000 (US$174/#88) for a 1 1/2- to 2-hour taxi ride from Narita.

By Airport Bus -- The most popular and stress-free way to get from Narita to Tokyo is via the Airport Limousine Bus (tel. 03/3665-7220; www.limousinebus.co.jp), which picks up passengers and luggage from just outside the arrival lobbies of terminals 1 and 2 and delivers them to downtown hotels. This is the best mode of transportation if you have heavy baggage or are staying at one of the 40 or so major hotels served by the bus. Buses depart for the various hotels generally once an hour, and it can take almost 2 hours to reach a hotel in Shinjuku. Buses also travel to both Tokyo and Shinjuku Station and the Tokyo City Air Terminal (TCAT) in downtown Tokyo, with more frequent departures (up to four times an hour).

If your hotel is not served by Airport Limousine Bus, take it to the hotel or station nearest your destination. TCAT, Shinjuku Station, and Tokyo Station are served by public transportation as well as taxis. TCAT is connected to the Hanzomon subway line via moving walkways and escalators; Shinjuku and Tokyo stations are hubs for subway lines and commuter trains.

Check with the staff at the Airport Limousine Bus counter in the arrival lobbies to inquire which bus stops nearest your hotel and the time of departure. The fare to most destinations is Y3,000 ($25/#13). Children 6 to 12 are charged half-fare; those under 6 ride free.

By Train -- The quickest way to reach Tokyo is by train. Trains depart directly from the airport's two underground stations, called Narita Airport Station (in Terminal 1) and Airport Terminal 2 Station. The JR Narita Express (N'EX; tel. 03/3423-0111; www.jreast.co.jp) is the fastest way to reach Tokyo Station, Shinagawa, Shibuya, and Shinjuku, with departures approximately once an hour, or twice an hour during peak hours. The 53-minute trip to Tokyo Station costs Y2,940 ($24/#12) one-way. At Tokyo Station, the train splits, with the front cars going to Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro, and rear cars going to Shinagawa (cost to these stations: Y3,110 ($26/#13). Note: Since seats are sometimes sold out in advance, especially during peak travel times, you might consider purchasing your return ticket to Narita Airport here at the airport, at major JR stations in Tokyo, or at a travel agency; time your arrival at the airport at least 2 hours before your plane's departure.

If the N'EX is sold out, take the slower JR Airport Liner rapid train, which will get you to Tokyo Station in 80 minutes and costs Y1,280 ($11/#5.40). An alternative is the privately owned Keisei Skyliner train (tel. 03/3831-0131; www.keisei.co.jp), which departs directly from both Narita Airport Station (Terminal 1) and Airport Terminal 2 and travels to Ueno Station in Tokyo in about an hour, with a stop at Nippori Station on the way. You'll find Keisei Skyliner counters in the arrival lobbies of both terminals. Trains depart approximately every 40 minutes between 7:52am and 10pm. The fare from Narita Airport to Ueno Station in Tokyo is Y1,920 ($16/#8.05) one-way. Travelers on a budget can take one of Keisei's slower limited express trains to Ueno Station; fares start at Y1,000 ($8.30/#4.20) for the 71-minute trip. At Ueno Station, where you'll find a Tokyo Tourist Information Center (open daily 9:30am-6:30pm), you can take either the subway or the JR Yamanote Line to other parts of Tokyo.

Getting from Haneda Airport to Central Tokyo

If you're arriving at Haneda Airport (tel. 03/5757-8111), located near the center of Tokyo and used mainly for domestic flights, you can take the Airport Limousine Bus to Shinjuku Station, Tokyo Station, the Tokyo City Air Terminal (TCAT) in downtown Tokyo, and hotels in Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya, and Akasaka. Fares run Y900 to Y1,200 ($7.45-$9.95/#3.80-#5.05). Locals, however, are more likely to take the monorail from Haneda Airport 15 minutes to Hamamatsucho Station (fare: Y470/$3.90/#1.95), or the Keikyu Line 19 minutes to Shinagawa (fare: Y400/$3.30/#1.70). Both Hamamatsucho and Shinagawa connect to the very useful Yamanote Line, which travels to major stations, including Tokyo and Shinjuku stations. Be sure to stop by the Tokyo Tourist Information Center (tel. 03/5757-9345) in Haneda Airport, open daily 9am to 10pm.

Saving on Airport Transportation -- If you're going to be traveling around Tokyo by public transportation (and who doesn't?), you can save money by purchasing a N'EX and Suica card for Y3,500 ($29/#15), which includes the Narita Express into Tokyo plus Y2,000 ($17/#8.40) worth of travel in Tokyo. The discount ticket, available only at Narita Airport to foreign visitors, can be purchased at Travel Service Centers at both terminals. Likewise, there's an Airport Limousine & Metro Pass combination ticket that includes one Airport Limousine trip to or from the airport plus one day of unlimited rides on Metro subways for Y3,100 ($26/#13). This ticket is available at Airport Limousine counters at the airport, TCAT, and Shinjuku Station. Finally, there are also 1- and 2-day Metro passes available only in the arrival lobbies of both terminals at Narita for Y600 ($5/#2.50) and Y980 ($8.15/#4.10), respectively.