I checked to see if anyone has posted anything about the new Narita airport service. It hasn't so I'll post it now.

From July 2010 the Keisei Skyliner service, connecting Narita airport with Keisei Ueno station, will be joined by a faster service, the Narita Sky Access. Using state of the art trains, the Narita Sky Access promises to move travellers from Narita to Tokyo (or more exactly Nippori) in 36 minutes. The fare will be about ¥2,400, undercutting the JR N'EX fare of ¥3,500 and travel time (51 minutes). In addition the existing Skyliner system will still be operating, offering multiple express services at most times of the day.

After the projected launch date of 17 July, travelling between Tokyo and Narita has suddenly become a lot more competitive. I'm looking forward to travelling on the new train!

Not to mention that Hawaiian Airlines and ANA may soon be bringing US -Japan flights into Haneda!

Thanks Sydney, am interested in your report when you get back. I have never used this line because I never stay in that side of Tokyo but if I did this would be the way to go. I always reco the line for people staying in Ueno or the Asakusa areas.

lcuy, Hawaiian got tentative approval from the DOT a couple of days ago to start one round trip per day. They had asked for two r/t routes. The service starts in Oct and will leave HND at midnight to allow the Japanese to have a complete day of work and dinner then arrive at noon. They can enjoy their first afternoon in Hawaii with a better check in time than they have now for their hotels with the early morning arrivals from NRT.

Aloha!

I already preferred the Keisei line to the Narita Express. The NEx did get better by upgrading its rolling stock last year, but it's still a loooong trip from Shinagawa or Shinjuku.

HT, will do. I tend to prefer the Keisei line because it's cheaper and if I take the limited express even cheaper still If I am staying on the west side I'll usually take my luggage in the morning and store it at Keisei Ueno station, prior to the evening flight (which it invariably always is to Australia), and then spend the rest of the day on the east side.

lcuy, I'm sure those flights will be a HUGE bonus for HT

We will be leaving July 6, so I guess we will just miss the new Skyliner. We will be staying at the Asakusa View Hotel, and leaving from Narita. What are the best options?
We may or may not have a JR pass at that point of the trip.
Options with the JR?
Options without the JR?
Private vans or limos an option?
There will be 6 of us, one quite elderly, so we we want to minimize excess transfers, etc., and would be willing to pay a little extra for convenience.
Thanks for the information. Really appreciate it.

I don't know about private vans, so can't help there. If it's not feasible to arrange a private van, then the best way for your group to travel would be to take the existing Keisei Skyliner from Narita Airport to Ueno station. From Ueno, take a taxi (group would need 2 taxis) for the relatively short trip to Asakusa View Hotel.

Burks5 -
We booked Tokyo Airporter (http://www.tokyoairporter.com/) for 2 rides: from Narita to our Tokyo hotel (Westin) and the Westin to Haneda a few days later. Both trips worked out quite well. We were with 2 elderly travelers and appreciated the convenience of door-to-door service.

The website for the new Skyliner is up:

http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/

The old Skyliner line will be renamed Cityliner, and will add stops at Aoto, Funabashi and Narita City.

Have to say the old system ,a bit more than an hour and Y1000,will do me fine.

Does anyone know how big Nippori station is? I presume it's on Yamanote loop--how long does it take to Tokyo Stn, and more critically, does the station have escalators/lifts? I'm tempted to try the new Skyliner though we'll have to transfer at Tokyo to Nagano shinkansen. (Hate that loooong schlep from one side of NEX undergound platform to the other side of concourse at Tokyo Stn).

I'd go all the way to Keisei Ueno on the SkyLiner and catch the shinkansen to Nagano from Ueno. I've not done the walk between Keisei Ueno and Ueno but I'm assuming it's covered.

I thought ueno connection was also a bit of a schlepp, remember 2 stations were not connected, good 5min+ walk with no indoor/covedred connection. Actually I need to take Tohoku Shinkansen so Ueno may not work anyway?

I haven't done the schlep myself yet so would be interested in hearing how well it's protected/adequacy of signage, etc. Hyperdia allows eight minutes for the trek---how long is the schlep at Tokyo? I've done it but don't recall it.

And you're not going to Nagano after all? In any case it seems like most northbound shinkansen stop at Ueno.

It's less than a 5 min walk from Keisei Ueno to JR Ueno stations. I haven't used the indoor connection, but have done the trip outdoors. Escalators at both stations.

All that said, if you need to go to Tokyo station from NRT, doing anything other than taking the NEx seems to me to be a mistake. (The NEx has rolling stock that's new, if you're a train geek.)

How's the signage on the surface route between Keisei Ueno and Ueno, rizzuto?

I have done the underground connection several times as it is also takes you near the entrance of Ueno Park. Takes five minutes but slightly uphill from JR Ueno to the Keisei station iirc. Don't remember about the signage but must be in English and Japanese as everything else is in Japan.

Aloha!

I don't recall the signage outside, but you would be hard pressed to miss it. When you exit from the Keisei station, a monolith with a giant, illuminated, green <b>JR</b> sign is off to one's left.

If your exiting the Keisei station turn left and go downhill to the intersection(crosswalk). JR Ueno will be on the left across the street with the big green JR sign rizzuto mentions

Aloha!