Narita or Haneda: which airport suits you
Your flight options show two Tokyo airports, and you want the one that makes the first night easy.
Trains, roads and flights
Haneda to Shinjuku, Asakusa and Shinagawa
You land tired with bags, and you want the easiest way to your hotel.
From Haneda, Shinjuku takes about 55 minutes by limousine bus or train, Asakusa about 50 minutes, and Shinagawa 35 minutes by train or 45 minutes by limousine bus 1 2 3. For a tired family with luggage, the limousine bus is the easiest option because it avoids station stairs.
This guide gives the published times, how to turn them into a door-to-door estimate, and when to pick each base.
What are the times to each base?
Use this table as the quick answer. These are station times from GO TOKYO.
| To | By train | By limousine bus |
|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku | About 55 minutes. | About 55 minutes. |
| Asakusa | About 50 minutes. | Not listed. |
| Shinagawa | 35 minutes. | 45 minutes. |
| Ginza | 50 minutes. | 35 minutes. |
The sources are GO TOKYO’s pages for each area 1 2 3 4. Haneda also has a route search for trains, monorails and buses from each terminal 5.
How do you work out a door-to-door time?
A station time is not a hotel time. Add four things to each figure:
- Immigration and baggage claim after landing.
- Waiting for the train or bus.
- The walk or taxi from the station to your hotel.
- Time to find the right exit with bags.
Our door-to-door method explains how to count it. Send us your terminal and hotel, and we estimate it for you.
Which option suits a tired arrival?
The limousine bus is the easiest for most tired families, because you board at the terminal and get off near your hotel or station. It lets you sit, and it avoids platform changes. Read our limousine bus versus taxi for elders guide.
Haneda has two taxi stands, one for general taxis and one for app-dispatched or reserved taxis 5. A taxi gives door-to-door comfort when a group of three or four shares the fare.
Which base should you choose?
Each base suits a different group.
- Shinjuku: a big hub with many lines. See Shinjuku versus Ueno.
- Asakusa: temples and a quieter feel. See Asakusa for a first stay.
- Shinagawa: best if you take the Shinkansen. The Tokaido Shinkansen stops there on the way to Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka 3. See Shinagawa as a Haneda and Shinkansen base.
What if your flight lands late?
A late flight narrows the choice. Pick a hotel with a simple route from the terminal, and confirm the last bus and train times for your date. Our Tokyo late arrival hotel base guide covers this.
What about luggage?
If you carry heavy bags, consider sending them ahead. Read our airport luggage forwarding guide. Keep valuables, medicines and one change of clothes with you.
What should Malaysian travellers know?
Check whether your flight uses Haneda or Narita, since the routes differ. Our Narita or Haneda for Malaysian flights guide compares them. See the Tokyo overview for the wider plan.
Send us your arrival time and bags, and we choose the route and the first-night hotel.
If you are choosing where to sleep on your first night, send us your flight arrival time, your terminal and your bags. We pick the route and hotel that make the arrival easy.
Keep planning
Is Asakusa a good Tokyo base?
You like the idea of old Tokyo and want to know if it works as a base.
Shinjuku or Ueno as your Tokyo base
You are picking a Tokyo hotel area and the bags from the airport are on your mind.
Tokyo, planned around your family
Tokyo is big, fast and a little overwhelming, and you want it to feel easy.
Landing late in Tokyo: first-night hotel
Your flight from Malaysia lands in the evening, and you want a nearby bed and calm morning.
Shinagawa as a Haneda and Shinkansen base
You land at Haneda or leave for Kansai by bullet train, and want fewer bags crossing Tokyo.
Questions travellers ask
How long does it take from Haneda to Shinjuku?
About 55 minutes by limousine bus or train to Shinjuku Station, according to GO TOKYO. Add time for immigration, baggage and the walk to your hotel. We build a door-to-door estimate from your terminal and hotel so you know when to expect to check in.
Which is the easiest way for a tired family with luggage?
The limousine bus is usually the easiest, because you ride from the terminal to a hotel or station without station stairs. For Shinagawa, GO TOKYO lists 45 minutes by limousine bus and 35 minutes by train. We pick by your hotel and how many bags you carry.
How far is Haneda from Asakusa?
About 50 minutes, according to GO TOKYO. Asakusa Station is served by the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, the Toei Asakusa Line and the Tobu Skytree Line. Check your hotel's distance from the station, since old-town streets can be narrow with luggage.
Is Shinagawa a good base from Haneda?
Yes if you plan Shinkansen trips. GO TOKYO notes that the Tokaido Shinkansen stops at Shinagawa on the way to Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka, and it lists 35 minutes by train from Haneda. It suits a late arrival or an early train.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- GO TOKYO (Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau), Shinjukuaccessed 2026-10-20
- GO TOKYO, Asakusaaccessed 2026-10-20
- GO TOKYO, Shinagawa and Tennozuaccessed 2026-10-20
- GO TOKYO, Ginzaaccessed 2026-10-20
- Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), Accessaccessed 2026-10-20
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.