Are you planning a trip to Japan and landing at Narita airport before heading to Tokyo? If so, this guide on how to purchase Skyliner train tickets online is for you!
Skyliner is a high-speed train service connecting Narita airport with Tokyo's city center. It transports passengers at impressive speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour, taking just 40 minutes to reach its destination. This is actually faster than options such as airport bus or Narita Express train.
While you can buy tickets directly at the station, from automated ticket machines, or at service counters, purchasing them online can offer you discounted rates. Here's how to make an online purchase via the Keisei Electric Railway's official website.
Navigate to the Narita Skyliner/E-ticket page. You'll find two ticket options: Skyliner Discount Ticket and Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket.
Skyliner Discount Ticket covers the express train journey from Narita airport to Tokyo, specifically to Nippori and Ueno stations.
Meanwhile, Keisei Skyliner & Tokyo Subway Ticket includes the airport express train fare and also provides access to Tokyo subway lines operated by Tokyo Metro Co.
This allows unlimited use of the Tokyo subway network for set periods like 24, 48, or 72 hours, often at a reduced cost. So, you can choose the ticket that suits your travel needs.
Next, enter your travel details. This includes the date of travel, ticket type (one-way or round trip), departure and arrival stations, and the number of passengers.
Keep in mind that if you are buying a return ticket from Narita, ticket exchanges are only possible at Narita and not at Ueno or Nippori stations. Ticket prices are 2300 Yen for adults (roughly 15,99 USD) and 1150 Yen (7,99 USD) for children aged 6-11.
Moreover, tickets can be bought up to 30 days before your trip, giving you plenty of time to finalize your plans. After filling out the details, confirm the total price and agree to the privacy policy before moving on.
Here, input the primary traveler's details such as name, gender, date of birth, nationality, and email address. Remember, the name should match the passport details.
If you are traveling with others, use the "Accompanying Passenger Information Entry" section to add their details too. Once you've finished, click "Details Confirmation" to move on.
Preview all the entered details on the next page. If everything is correct, click "Send Confirmation Email." The third picture shows the page where you'll be directed to the URL for payment.
So, ensure the email address you provided is active as the payment link will be sent there.
Check your email for a message from Keisei. It will contain a unique link directing you to the payment page. Make sure to access this link within 60 minutes to avoid expiration.
If you don't receive the email, double-check the email address you provided and try the process again if necessary.
Once you've clicked on the link, your next move is to complete the payment. You'll find three available payment methods—credit Card (options include VISA, Mastercard, JCB, and American Express), Alipay, and WeChat Pay.
For those unfamiliar with Alipay or WeChat Pay (like me and my husband), using a credit card could be more straightforward. Simply input your 16-digit card number, expiration month and year, the name of the cardholder, and the CVV code (security code). Once you've entered everything correctly, the payment will process.
After successfully completing the payment, you'll need to check your email for a payment confirmation. Within this email, there will be an attached QR Code.
This QR Code is crucial because it's what you'll use to get your actual Skyliner ticket, so make sure you save it and avoid deleting it by mistake.
Now, when you land at Narita Airport, your next task is to convert the QR Code into a tangible ticket. This step is non-negotiable, as you won't be allowed on the train platform without a physical ticket.
There are two places where you can do this: at the Skyliner & Keisei Ticket Office or Skyliner Ticket Machine. Both are easily accessible and close by. However, I'll be guiding you to use the ticket machine. Here's a step-by-step to do it:
The Skyliner ticket machines are specially designated and can be found at Narita Airport Terminals 1, 2, and 3. For instance, if you land at Terminal 1, simply head to the B1 F floor. These machines are conveniently positioned near the Skyliner & Keisei Information Center, making them easy to locate.
Upon reaching the machine, you'll see various options displayed on the screen. One of the top menu choices allows you to select a language, with options like English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. Once you've picked your language, click the "Code Exchange" button to proceed.
The QR Code sent to your email after purchasing the Skyliner ticket needs to be scanned at this machine. This step is essential whether you're using the machine or heading straight to the Ticketing Office.
After your QR Code is scanned, the machine will ask you to scan your passport. If you're traveling in a group or with family, ensure you scan passports for every individual with a ticket.
This step is integral as online Skyliner ticket purchases are only for tourists. Japanese citizens, even those residing overseas, are excluded from this online service and need to buy tickets directly at the station.
Following the successful scanning of your passport, pick your desired departure date and time. The machine will then provide train options within that timeframe.
For instance, if you select a 1 pm departure, the machine might show trains leaving at 13:13, 13:39, and 13:59, including their respective arrival times. Adjust this according to your schedule.
To get your ticket, you need to first pick where you're headed. As an example, my choice was the Nippori station, so I simply pressed the "Nippori" button which had a train arriving at 2 pm.
The train will make stops at four stations in total: Shin-Kamagaya, Aoto, Nippori, and Keisei Ueno. If you're planning to switch to the JR Line, I'd advise getting off at the Nippori station. However, for those looking to connect to the Ginza Line or Hibiya Line, Keisei Ueno is your best bet.
All seats on the Keisei Skyliner are reserved. This means you get to pick where you'd like to sit. There's a "specify a seat" option on the machine for this purpose. Trust me, you'll be grateful to have a seat, especially for a journey that lasts between 40 minutes to an hour.
When you access this option, you'll see a visual representation of the train's seating layout. It's important to look carefully at the seat numbers and their positions. If you're traveling with others and want to sit together, remember to select seats vertically (one behind the other), not side-by-side.
If you mistakenly choose seats based on the wrong layout, your group might end up spread out. A quick tip: in the "selected seat" overview, if the seat numbers are consecutive, it means those seats are together. Once you've confirmed your choice, hit "OK".
Once you've settled on your seat, the machine will need a moment to process your choices. When it's done, your ticket will pop out. Make sure to grab your ticket and give the area a quick once-over to ensure you haven’t left anything behind.
So, it's a step-by-step guide to buying a Keisei Skyliner ticket. This is your ticket to a swift journey from Narita Airport to Tokyo's heart. After securing your ticket, your next move is simple: pass through the gates and get on your train.
For a more detailed guide on boarding the Skyliner train, you can check out this article below:
I hope this information is helpful for those planning a trip to Japan soon. If there's anything you're unsure about, or if you have any other questions, feel free to drop them in the comments section. Looking forward to seeing you in our next post!
Hello, Thanks for publishing the info about Keisei Skyliner. A social media group regarding Japan travel has repeated stated that one should purchase Skyliner tickets at Narita in case you are delayed. But in your description above, it states that you can select the date and time of your departure. Can you please confirm that. I believe it is true as you display photos doing just that.
Thanks
Hello, and thank you for reaching out with your question 🙂
When I purchased my Keisei Skyliner ticket, I received an email confirmation directly from Keisei Skyliner, confirming my completed purchase. In that email, they specified an 'Expiration Date for Ticket Service to Be Used', which was set for 2023/06/15. My actual date of using the train was 2023/05/22 (the day I arrived in Japan). This means that, based on my experience, the ticket was valid for use until the expiration date mentioned, providing flexibility in terms of the specific date and time of departure.
It's important to note that policies and procedures can change, so I would recommend checking the most current information on the Keisei Skyliner's official website or contacting their customer service for the latest details. However, as per my experience, there was flexibility regarding the date and time of departure as long as it was within the validity period stated in the ticket.
I hope you find this information useful. If you have got any more questions, feel free to reach us via our Instagram for more swift response 🙂
Thank you very much. We purchased the Skyliner E-Ticket, we also purchased the Tokyo Subway pass. If I use the ticket machine, rather than going to the customer service counter, to exchange my e-ticket for the physical ticket, will the ticket machine also dispense our Subway passes? Thank you.
When you exchange your Skyliner E-Ticket at the ticket machine, it will typically dispense the physical ticket for the Narita Skyliner. However, for the Tokyo Subway Pass, the process can vary. In many cases, you'll need to visit a customer service counter to exchange your e-ticket for the physical Tokyo Subway Pass. This is because the Subway Pass often requires additional verification or issuance by a staff member. I recommend checking the specific instructions provided at the time of your purchase or visiting a customer service counter at the station for assistance. Safe travels!