Have you ever wondered about the Narita Express train at Shibuya Station, even if you use the station frequently?
Hi, this is Shibutama! The other day, I was checking the last train times for Shibuya Station, and noticed that the Narita Express’s last train was the earliest. But before that, I was more surprised to learn that the Narita Express even passes through Shibuya Station at all!
So, this time, I looked into which platform at Shibuya Station the Narita Express uses!
Narita Express Platform at Shibuya Station: JR Lines 3 & 4 (Same as Shonan Shinjuku Line)
Shibuya Station is famously one of the top five busiest stations in the world, but surprisingly, the JR Shibuya Station platforms only go up to numbers 1 to 4.
In other words, JR Shibuya Station actually has only two main platforms.
Platforms 1 and 2 are for the Yamanote Line, while Platforms 3 and 4 are shared by the Shonan Shinjuku Line & Narita Express.
In the past, these Platforms 3 and 4 were quite a walk away, requiring you to go quite a distance towards Ebisu. However, thanks to recent redevelopment, they are now right next to the Yamanote Line platforms.
Still, with only a maximum of three trains running per hour, opportunities to actually see the Narita Express at Shibuya are rare.
So, when you plan to take the Narita Express from Shibuya Station, head for JR Shonan Shinjuku Line Platforms 3 & 4. That’s where you’ll board.
How to Buy Narita Express Tickets at Shibuya Station
Narita Express tickets, much like Shinkansen (bullet train) tickets, can be purchased at the “Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machines” located next to the regular ticket gates, or at a “Midori-no-Madoguchi” (JR Ticket Office).
Keep in mind that the Narita Express has all reserved seating, and it can get quite crowded during peak seasons. Tickets become available one month prior to the boarding date, so it’s a good idea to purchase them as early as possible. You can think of it as being similar to buying Shinkansen tickets.
Of course, even if you plan to board from Shibuya Station, you can purchase tickets at reserved seat vending machines or Midori-no-Madoguchi at other stations where they might be less crowded.
For information on how to ride without a prior reservation, check out this article: >> Narita Express: No Reservation? Can You Pay with Suica After Boarding?
Fares from Shibuya Station to Narita Airport on the Narita Express
While all seats on the Narita Express are reserved, there are two types of cars: Ordinary Car and Green Car, each with a different price.
The fare from Shibuya Station to Narita Airport is ¥3,250 for an Ordinary Car and ¥4,820 for a Green Car. Both prices include both the basic fare and the limited express reserved seat fee. It’s quite expensive, isn’t it?
Despite the cost, the limited number of trains per hour makes it somewhat inconvenient. Although I’m not keen on riding it frequently, Narita Airport itself is quite far, so these fares are probably unavoidable.
By the way, even if you use the Keisei Skyliner or a Limousine Bus, the fares are usually around ¥3,000, so surprisingly, the cost doesn’t vary much across different methods. Considering that, the Narita Express, which offers the highest level of convenience, might actually be the best choice.
However, I’ve discovered a way to get from Shibuya Station to Narita Airport for the cheapest price of ¥1,510! You can find out how in this article: >> Cheapest Way from Shibuya Station to Narita Airport: Go for Just ¥1,510!
Shibuya Station Narita Express Platforms: Summary
The main topic was where to board the Narita Express at Shibuya Station, and the answer is Platforms 3 & 4.
The Narita Express train itself has a surprisingly plain exterior, so while you might occasionally spot it between Tokyo and Shinagawa Stations, it often doesn’t leave much of an impression, right?
Speaking of which, the Narita Express also stops at Tokyo and Shinagawa Stations, but if you’ve never ridden it, you probably wouldn’t know which platform it stops at. It just goes to show how many things in the world we don’t realize until we look into them! That’s all from Shibutama for now. See you next time!
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