Narita Airport to Harumi port
This item appears on page 11 of the July 2014 issue.
My wife and I booked a cruise on Voyager, of the Voyages of Discovery line (866/623-2689), which would depart from the Port of Tokyo. I was told, at the time, by a rep at the cruise line’s Ft. Lauderdale office that they did not book flights or airport-port transfers.
Over many years, we have often made our own travel arrangements, but this time it was a real challenge. We had a direct flight from San Diego to Narita International Airport* on March 4, 2014. For transport from Narita to the Harumi Passenger Ship Terminal, our travel agent and many online transfer services quoted us prices from $250 to $400. Wow!
Online, I Googled “transport from Narita to Harumi port,” and among the results was “Airport-pier options in Japan,” a letter by Yohko Scott of the Japan National Tourist Organization, or JNTO. It had been printed in the February 2006 issue, but, with many websites and phone numbers, it was still helpful.
The most helpful information I received was from the JNTO in Los Angeles (219/623-1952). The advice from the lady to whom I spoke worked perfectly. Here are her directions:
• After exiting Passport Control & Customs in Narita Airport, go to the nearest ATM or money exchange to get Japanese yen.
• Go down one level and buy a ticket for the 60-minute ride to Tokyo Station on the Narita Express (¥1,500 [near $15] per person).
• At Tokyo Station, exit out the Marunouchi Central Gate. The taxi stand is just outside. It’s about a 15-minute ride by taxi to the Harumi port (our fare was ¥1,500).
Here is more good advice.
Print out a webpage showing the address of the Harumi Passenger Ship Terminal along with a picture of your ship.
I did print out the port’s address, but I should have gotten it in Japanese. I had to talk with six taxi drivers before I found one who spoke or read enough English to understand where we wanted to go.
For two, the total cost of our transfer was $55, and I’m sure it went much faster than it would have in a private car or taxi from Narita.
I found a map of the very large Tokyo Station at www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e1039.html. Also helpful was the JNTO website www.japantravelinfo.com.
TRESSIE ALVERNAZ
Lakeside, CA
*Narita International Airport is an hour’s ride east of central Tokyo. Haneda International Airport is approximately 15 kilometers south of central Tokyo. From Haneda Airport, it takes 14 minutes to reach Tokyo’s Hamamatsucho Station by Tokyo Monorail, then it’s another five minutes by train to Tokyo Station.
The Harumi Passenger Ship Terminal lies, roughly, between Haneda Airport and central Tokyo. The metro stop closest to Harumi port is Kachidoki Station (on the Toei Ōedo subway line); from there, it’s a 20-minute walk or 5-minute bus or taxi ride to the port.
According to Yohko Scott of the JNTO, here’s the easiest way to go from Haneda Airport to the ship terminal: from Haneda, take the Tokyo Monorail 10-15 minutes to Tokyo’s Hamamatsucho Station, then take a taxi 10-15 minutes to the port.