FLY LIGHT

Narita International Airport has a host of basic facilities for international passengers, reports Neha Gupta Kapoor

Special report on Narita International Airport

There are 111 international cities that have direct connectivity to Narita International Airport, a majority of which are in Asia and North America. In comparison to its neighbours’ airports — Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Incheon International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport — it has the maximum number of flights to North America.

Identifying long queues as one of the most loathed airport experiences, Narita Airport has made a conscious effort to tackle this. Focusing on “fast travel” it is to introduce self bag-drop machines at all passenger terminals, which as it reports, will serve more than 80 per cent passengers in

2018 alone.

Narita Airport is undergoing further renovations in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. While in 2017 Japan received 29 million visitors, it is anticipating 40 million by 2020 and 60 million by 2030. Equipping itself to accommodate the growing passenger numbers,

the airport is placing additional seating and installing more electric sockets near them. Other additions include improvement of wifi connectivity, introduction of interactive digital signage “for automatic responses in several languages”, deployment of assistance robots within the airport, and an increase in the number of mobile charging stations, to name a few.

Apart from these plans, below are some of the existing services available at Narita Airport.

FROM NARITA AIRPORT TO TOKYO

Getting to Tokyo from Narita Airport is fast, cheap and easy.

SKYLINER (KEISEI ELECTRIC RAILWAY)

Running at a maximum speed of 160 kmph, it is Japan’s fastest express train running on conventional tracks between Narita Airport and central Tokyo.

NARITA EXPRESS (JR EAST)

It runs directly between Narita Airport and Tokyo, as well as to other stations including Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Yokohama and Omiya.

EXPRESS BUS

Airport Limousine Bus, Keisei Bus and other operators provide services to various parts of Greater Tokyo from Narita Airport.

LOW-PRICED BUS

Tokyo Shuttle, Yurakuchou Shuttle, The Access Narita and Narita Shuttle operate more than 160 services a day from Narita Airport to central Tokyo. Their low fares start at JP¥900/`545 one way. The late night and early morning services are useful for customers taking the redeye flight.

FIXED FARE TAXI

They offer services straight to your doorstep and the fare is as per a pre-decided rate card, based on your final destination, even if you encounter a traffic jam.

OUTBOUND TRAVEL AND TRANSIT

Narita Airport is connected to 129 domestic and international cities. Star Alliance and Sky Team member airlines operate from T1, Oneworld member airlines from T2, and low-cost carriers from T3.

LOUNGES

T1 has nine airline lounges, of which five are operated by ANA; whereas T2 has ten lounges of which five are operated by Japan Airlines. These are available to eligible passengers flying that particular airline.

There are paid lounges too that offer free wifi and nonalcoholic beverages. For a onetime entry fee of JP¥1,200/`705, travellers have access to Narita Travel Lounge (open daily 6:30am-9:30pm) on the third floor of T1. TEI Lounge (open daily 7am-9pm) at T1 and T2 charges JP¥1,300/`765 per two hours. Travellers’ Lounge Rassurants (open daily 8am8pm) is the second paid lounge (JP¥1,030/`605) at T2.

Terminal 3 is reserved for low-cost carriers and has minimum facilities.

SHOWERS AND NAPS

There is just one hotel at Narita Airport — Nine Hours ( ninehours.co.jp) — in T2.

Its 24-hour reception desk serves overnight guests (JP¥4,900/`2,875), those looking to nap (JP¥1,500/`885 for the first hour and JP¥500/`295 per additional hour), and those who wish to just take a shower (JP¥1,000/`590 per hour, inclusive of towel, shampoo, and body soap). Size of the sleep pods are 3.7 feet wide by 7.2 feet deep by 3.7 feet tall.

Additionally, the airport offers nap and shower facilities at T1 and T2. Passengers can book a shower (JP¥1,030/`605, includes shampoo, soap and towel) for 30 minutes, and a single (JP¥1,540/`905) and double (JP¥2,470/`1,450) room for an hour. T1 has eight shower booths (open daily 6:30am-9pm) before passport control, and 13 nap rooms and eight showers (open daily 7am-9pm) after passport control. T2 has four shower booths and six nap rooms (7am-9:30pm) after passport control.

OTHER FACILITIES F&B

There are plenty of dining options across all three terminals at Narita Airport, which include a good number of Japanese restaurants.

RETAIL

Duty-free includes international luxury and street brands, as well as budget to high-end local brands. They span across fashion, F&B, beauty and home accessories to name a few genres.

Fasola-shop.com is where you can pre-order items from this online duty-free before flying out. One must make the purchase two days before scheduled departure, and collect the package at a Fa-So-La SHOPS within the terminal.

With the number of business travellers it receives daily, Narita International Airport has put in place the basics, without any fuss, to help its visitors with a smooth arrival, departure or transit experience.

NARITA IN NUMBERS

2 runways

3 terminals

36 minutes train journey from central Tokyo

37.4 per cent of Japan’s total international flight traffic 129 cities connected 40,687,040 passenger traffic in 2017