Okay, this is a follow-up to my previous post!
We already talked about Narita and Haneda, right? This time, let’s focus on Narita Airport.
Let me say my conclusion first: I don’t really recommend arriving at Narita Airport late at night.
The reason is simple. Getting from Narita to Tokyo on the same night can be much harder than you might expect.
If your flight arrives after 23:00, it is already pretty difficult. And honestly, even if your flight arrives after 22:00, immigration and baggage claim can take time.
In many cases, staying at or near Narita Airport may be the more realistic option.
Why Narita Is Different Late at Night
In my previous article about late-night hours in Tokyo, I said that some trains still run after midnight. So why am I saying Narita is difficult?
Let me explain.
When I said there are trains after midnight, I was mainly talking about trains going from central Tokyo out to the suburbs.
But from Narita Airport to Tokyo, you are going in the opposite direction. Narita Airport is far outside central Tokyo, and trains from Narita toward the city center can finish earlier than trains leaving central Tokyo for the suburbs.
So if you think, “Tokyo has trains late at night, right?” Narita may surprise you.
Also, Narita Airport basically has a midnight curfew. Flights after 24:00 are heavily restricted, except in emergencies or unavoidable situations.
I remember reading an old news story about a flight being just about 20 seconds over the curfew. I couldn’t find the article again, so please take this as my memory, not an official source.
But that is the kind of image I have of Narita’s curfew: very strict.
Narita Airport curfew information
This page is in Japanese, so you may need to use translation.
If a flight cannot make it to Narita in time, it may be diverted to another airport. So this is something to be careful about.
So let’s look at what actually happens when you try to leave Narita around midnight. This is where you’ll see why I don’t recommend it.
What Happens If You Try to Leave Narita Around Midnight
Narita Airport is mainly served by two train companies: Keisei Electric Railway and JR East.
Narita Airport official train access page
The train times I’m talking about here are based on the August 2026 timetable.
Keisei Line
The last Keisei train leaves at 0:09. In other words, 24:09.
But here is the catch. This train only goes as far as Sogosando Station.
I’ll be honest. I use Narita Airport fairly often, but I had never even heard of this station.
So I checked it on Google Maps. And if I were dropped off there late at night, I would probably just hold my head in my hands.
So if you want to get to central Tokyo, the more realistic options are the 22:33 train to Keisei Ueno, or the 22:55 train to Keisei Takasago, where you can transfer toward Asakusa.
But if you don’t know the area, that is hard to understand, right?
Here is what I want you to notice: if you arrive at Narita in the 23:00 hour, getting to central Tokyo by Keisei Line is almost impossible.
JR East
Now, let’s talk about JR East.
The last JR train I found was at 23:42. It goes to Chiba Station.
Chiba Station is a major station, and you can find hotels there. It has the same name as Chiba Prefecture, where Narita Airport is located.
But it is not Tokyo.
If you have something you want to do in Chiba, that may be fine. But if your plan is Tokyo, it feels a little awkward.
And yes, Tokyo Disneyland is also in Chiba Prefecture. But it is almost next to Tokyo, so it is still far from Narita.
In other words, even with JR East, getting to Tokyo late at night is difficult.
Airport Limousine Bus
I also checked the Airport Limousine Bus. For Tokyo Station, the last bus I found was at 22:45.
There may be late-night budget buses that are not listed on the Narita Airport website, kind of like LCCs for flights. But there are many options, and I couldn’t check every single one. Sorry!
So, What Should You Do?
Narita Airport is far from Tokyo, and the last trains toward central Tokyo leave earlier than many travelers might expect.
So if you arrive after 23:00 — or honestly, even after 22:00 once you think about immigration and baggage claim — staying at or near Narita Airport may be the more realistic choice.
If you still have enough energy, renting a car may be another option.
And if you have the budget, you could also take a taxi from Narita. It looks like a taxi to Tokyo Station can cost around 30,000 yen!
Nihon Kotsu fixed-fare taxi information
This page is in Japanese, so you may need to use translation.
If you really get stuck, some facilities inside Narita Airport are open 24 hours, so please check the official website.