#138 The Best Access from Haneda Airport

The easiest and least tiring way to get from Haneda Airport to your hotel.

When you land at the airport on your first visit and try to get to your hotel by public transportation as soon as possible, are you ever confused about which line to take and where to go, with numerous signs everywhere? It is especially true when you have a 12-hour or more extended flight and want to settle into your hotel as quickly as possible. In such a situation, the simple arrangement of your hotel will save you a headache. This week, I will examine how to get from Haneda Airport, the gateway to Tokyo, to the nearest station to your hotel with as few transfers as possible. You may want to do many things upon arrival, such as buying a SUICA IC card ticket, but I'll leave that for the next day and focus on time first and which hotel is the most effective. It will also help you determine the most suitable place for layovers for connecting flights.

Except for cabs, the only transportation options from Haneda Airport to the terminal stations in central Tokyo are the Monorail, the Toei Asakusa Line via Keihin Kyuko Line, and highway buses. Comparing these three types of transportation, the highway bus, which has many services, especially for Shinjuku, is convenient but expensive. The Keihin Kyuko Line covers many stations and is reasonably priced, while the Monorail has the disadvantage of requiring a transfer to the JR line at Hamamatsucho. Once you know the characteristics of each, the hotel you should choose will naturally depend on which part of Tokyo you want to see.

Highway Bus

Main destinations

Shinjuku (bus terminals and hotels), Ikebukuro, Shibuya, Tokyo Station Yaesu Exit, Asakusa, Toyosu, etc.

Some buses stop at large hotels in Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro subcenters. For example, if you are going to a hotel far from the station, such as the Hilton Hotel in Shinjuku, you can check the time of the highway bus in advance, get off at your hotel, and check in directly, which is kind to your tired body.

Fare

Unfortunately, the fare is high for that split. The highway bus fare to Basta Shinjuku costs 1,400 yen. The train ride to Shinagawa costs 540 yen, less than half the price. Both options require one hour, so you should take the highway bus if you are tired and don't want to change trains, or if you want to go directly to a hotel far from the station, or take the train if you have little luggage and no rush hour.

From the bus terminal in Shinjuku, there are numerous scheduled flights to regional cities and the airport.

Keihin Kyuko & Toei Asakusa Line

Main destinations

Keikyu Kamata, Shinagawa, Shimbashi, Higashi-Ginza, Nihonbashi, Ueno, Asakusa

There are many stations along the line where tourists stay. A ride to Asakusa takes less than an hour and costs a reasonable 700 yen or less. The decision is whether you can walk from the subway station you arrive at with your large suitcase to the hotel. The Toei Asakusa Line is barrier-free, and there are elevators or escalators at each station, so it is possible to get to the ground without using the stairs. However, the walking distance may be longer. You should decide based on the arrival time of your flight and the distance from the station to your hotel. In this sense, the distance from the subway or JR station is still essential, and booking a station within a 5-minute walking distance is a safe bet. And since the Keikyu Line and the Toei Subway Asakusa Line are crowded during the morning and evening rush hours, taking a train with a large suitcase may be difficult.

Monorail

Main destination

Hamamatsucho

There are no suitable hotels at the monorail stations, so you will have to stay at a hotel in the Hamamatsucho area at the very least, and you will also have to consider changing trains on the JR line to get to other destinations. The advantage is that you can travel from Terminal 3 to Hamamatsucho in as little as 14 minutes.

Fare

The fare to Hamamatsucho is relatively expensive at 520 yen. I do not see any significant advantages in going from Haneda Terminal 3 to central Tokyo, except for a hotel in Hamamatsucho.

Finally

After arriving at Haneda Airport, I quickly summarized how to check into a hotel. Although it depends on the number of people in your group and your budget, the following is a list of possible hotels close to train and bus stations without the need for transfers. There are also more reasonably priced hotels near these stations.

1. Shibuya: Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

2. Shinjuku: Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, Keio Plaza Hotel, Hyatt Regency Tokyo, Hilton Tokyo

3. Ikebukuro: Metropolitan, Sunshine City Prince Hotel

4. Shinagawa: Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa, Keikyu EX Hotel Takanawa

5. Shimbashi: Park Hotel Tokyo, The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Tokyo Shiodome

6. Higashi-Ginza: Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel Tokyo, Super Hotel Premier Ginza

7. Hamamatsucho: Superhotel Hamamatsucho, Richmond Hotel Tokyo Shiba

I selected hotels within a 5-minute walking distance from the station in Shinagawa, Shimbashi, and Higashi-Ginza. The shorter the stay, the more critical convenience to the airport becomes. I've reviewed this information from this perspective, and I hope you'll find it helpful in making your decisions right away on arrival and departure day.

Tokyo Hotel Rates Continue to Rise

As for hotels, the recent surge in the number of foreign tourists has caused hotel rates to continue to skyrocket, and businesspeople traveling to Tokyo on business from Japan's regional cities have been voicing their lamentations. Please be prepared for soaring hotel rates, no matter how weak the yen may be.