Hi everyone,

I'm trying to look up the train schedule from Narita Airport to Asakusa. I'm a little confused about a few things.

For 'Start point', I have a choice of Narita Airport, Narita International Airport 2 and Narita International Airport 1. Does it really matter that much which one I use, especially if I'm not sure which terminal we're flying into? Then, for 'Destination', I have a choice of Asakusabashi, Asakusa (Tobu) and Asakusa (Tsukuba). I'm pretty sure I need the Asakusa (Tobu) destination for the Asakusa Plaza Hotel.

Next question is regarding the various symbols on the different "courses". For example, I put in Narita Airport to Asakusa (Tobu) on July 29 at 18:00. In looking at the second course (which is what I believe we want), there are three different symbols in the "Required" column. What does each mean?

Just to confirm that I am reading this correctly, I believe that we get on the Keisei Line Ltd Exp at 18:07 at Narita Airport. It stops in Keiseyawata 49 mins later. It then stops in Aoto 8 mins later, where we change to the Keisei Oshiage Line Local (I think we have 3 mins to change trains?). This stops in Oshiage 8 mins later and we have 1 min to change to the Toei Asakusa Line which takes us to Asakusa (Tobu) 3 mins later. Am I right?

Thanks,
Judy

http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetud...ei_us/top.html

Judy, the Hyperdia website gets confusing. Would the Keisei Line website (above) make it any easier?

I see that they have "improved" the site.

The Narita Airport station is the same as the Airport Terminal 2 station. The first instruction for departure from NA Terminal 1 is to walk to Airport Terminal 2.

Tobu is a rail company, I think. The map shows that the Tobu station is near the river.

I think you are reading it correctly. Could be that the train changes name at Oshiage. If it is a change of trains then assume that you can make it. Likely would be crossing a platform (with a herd of other people from your train).

The Tobu station and the Tsukuba Express station at Asakusa are 600m apart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asakusa_Station

If you are flying United and you are coming from the USA, you will be arriving at the new South Wing of Terminal 1. All Star Alliance flights arrive and depart from there now, and that means United.

Thanks everyone.

Mara, I'm going to check out the Keisei website and see if it makes more sense. Thanks.

mrwunrfl, thanks for confirming (I think) that I'm reading the schedule correctly.

emd, thanks for the info that we'll be arriving at the new terminal. I'm going to check for maps of the terminal layout and find out how to get from there to the train.

Does anyone know what those different symbols are in the "Required" column of hyperdia schedules? The light blue "balls" at the beginning and end must be the starting point and final destination, but I don't know what the peach-colored "balls" or the purple "balls" with the arrows in them mean. Anyone?

Thanks,
Judy

Judy -
At the very bottom of the page on hyperdia where you get the search results, is a link for help. This leads you to a page with several different sub-pages which sort of explain all the symbols and definitions. I say sort of as the translation leaves a bit to be desired ;-)

Thanks, Mara, that confirms what I thought was the case that the purple down arrow indicated a through train. That plus the absence of any time in the Transfer column of the schedule means that Judy would not change trains at 19:15 in Oshiage.

Thank you! Thank you!

Judy

Off the subject but the limo bus from the airport to your hotel is really lovely.

Although very familiar with trains we took it and it cut down on initial stress.

Thanks moxie. Taking the limo bus was my original plan and I've even got another thread asking a question about it. But, after looking at the bus schedule, I thought the train might be a better idea. Now, after researching how much it might cost us to send all our luggage (rather than just our 2 bigger pieces) to the Conrad Hotel while we take the train to Asakusa, I'm reconsidering once again.

I think the plan right now is to just wait and see if we can catch the 5:20p bus (we arrive at 3:55p) to the Conrad and take the subway to Asakusa after leaving all our luggage. If we *just* miss that bus, then we will send our two big suitcases to the Conrad and take our two rolling carry-on suitcases with us to Asakusa on the train. Whew!

Then be prepared to carry those rollaboards with you in Asakusa. You ought to drop them at the first station where you find an empty locker.

You know, a better idea if you can arrange it, might be if your luggage took the limo bus without you. If you don't make the 5:20 bus, then maybe your luggage can make the next bus.

mrwunrfl, is that possible? What do you think we would we have to pay to do this?

Our hotel in Asakusa doesn't appear to be very far from the station, so we figured that if we have our rolling carry-ons with us, we'll just take them directly to the hotel and drop them off. Of course, our first choice would be to not have them with us at all and only have a small bag with a change of clothes. Asakusa will be very crowded with people for the fireworks festival plus we plan to do a little sightseeing the next morning before checking in at the Conrad, so we'd rather not have to drag around our carry-ons. But, we'll play it by ear and figure it out as we go. At least I'm learning our options.

Thanks,
Judy

I sort of doubt that the limo bus would take luggage without a passenger, since they are a person-delivery service (persons with luggage) and not a luggage delivery service, and there are luggage delivery services represented at the airport. For the limo bus you have to line up with your luggage and they are somewhat picky about knowing whose luggage is whose before you get on, so you have to stay by your luggage until it is loading time (and they want to know of course what hotel you are getting off at as they are loading your luggage, they tag it accordingly). Then when you get to your hotel, they take out your luggage and you have to "claim" it from them when you get off the bus- they do not just take out the luggage and put it down on the ground and leave.

If they took luggage from you without you accompanying it, they'd be responsible for the luggage getting into the hotel and "checked in" as yours while it is waiting for you to arrive, and that woudl really slow down the bus service too.

But that is just my suspicion and in fact I have never tried to send luggage alone on the limo bus to a hotel...

Yes, you are probably right, emd.

I didn't realize you were staying in Asakusa that night, so never mind my last post.